Tina with her wet but worth it harvest.
It was looking like this weekend could be a total loss. I had bailed on hunting on Saturday because it was supposed to rain all day ( it didn't ) and it was raining on me as I was approaching Hutchinson where I was going to hunt a farm just south of town. I figured that if worse came to worse I'd take a nap at the field and then a two hour drive home. As I pulled up to the farm the rain had become just a mist so I unloaded Tina and we started to hunt.
Wet was the operative work for this farm. There were areas totally underwater that most years I have been able to walk across as they were dry.
Tina started to get birdy almost as soon as we started to work the area. She went on point right as we reached and the first area with thinner cover. Three hens got up when I approached and they went right for the heavy cattails. We started to work towards the south side of the field where the corn was down. We usually push this edge until we he hit the far edge where the cover is thinner. More ofter than not we will put up birds off of the corner but today was the exception proving the rule.
We turned towards an area of thick willows but Tina kept wanting to move towards the grass cover so I followed her and put three more hens up from her point. After working the area for a little while I heard a cackle and looked up to see a Rooster land about 100 yards away. It tried to refresh but I think it was too tired to make a good flight of it so it remanded in the same area. Tina and I made a beeline for it and got a fast point, flush, and shot. I was happy to connect on this bird as we hadn't been seeing any other roosters so far. After putting the bird in the game bag we made our way back to the grassy area. I was planning on work a set of pine trees that bordered the corn field. We didn't make it to the edge as Tina locked on point as we approached an area of cattails and a rooster tried to make it's escape through the air and was met with a load of #6 shot.
On our way out of the cover we saw three more roosters along with a number of hens wild flush.
It ended up being a good hunt especially when you consider I thought I might just end up napping and driving home.
Monday Post Script
Tina is limping heavily today which has me concerned as she was fine the rest of the afternoon yesterday and when I put her out before her bed time.
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