# 28 hours of driving…again



## gsppurist (Oct 31, 2013)

Well, In one week I will be driving to NoDak for my annual pheasant hunt.  This year I did con someone to coming along by feigning great hunting and camaraderie.  

I have now been checking weather daily and it looks like to be quite pleasant with lows in the 20's and highs in the 30-40's which is excellent operating temperatures for the dogs and myself.  

The initial pheasant forecast up north has been bleak.  Luckily our hunting area only got between 6 and 10 inches without the die-off as in SoDak.  Crops are being taken down as we speak which should help our hunts tremendously.  The land owner says he has birds but will have to work for them.   

As unlike prior years, I have not been preparing my dogs on birds, I have just been running with them plenty. Their pads are definitely ready.   I also haven't been shooting much so it will be interesting.  

It just can't come soon enough!!!!
I plan on wearing out my camera and GoPro this year.  Also there will be 3 others with GoPros so we should have a lot of memories recorded.

Wish us luck.



TG

Attached some eye candy below.


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## TheGermanIsBack (Oct 31, 2013)

August and September I was in the Elgin ND area for training. Why had plenty of wild birds to train on.
The hatches were still young, but all over. They will be ready by the time you get there !
Save travel and have great hunts.


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## tullisfireball (Oct 31, 2013)

I just moved to SE Montana last year, we are about 20 miles from the ND border. What part are you heading to? We aren't seeing as many birds as we did last year, but I think it's because of all of the rain we had this year and their is plenty of food for them.


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## OILMAN (Nov 1, 2013)

Good luck!!! I'll be in S. Dakota next week for the first time.  Great looking dogs and good luck!! Keep us posted on how you do!


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## AnchAk1961 (Nov 4, 2013)

*Who?*

I was wondering who you suckered into going?   He needs his head examined...  It gets cold up there!


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## AnchAk1961 (Nov 4, 2013)

*Almost ready...*

Oh yeah Tim, I am almost packed and ready  See ya Thursday!


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## GLS (Nov 4, 2013)

The title to this thread almost made me too tired to read it.  Break a leg!   Gil


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## gsppurist (Nov 7, 2013)

AnchAk1961 and myself are leaving for NoDak later this morning.  Will update GON daily.  If you don't hear anything by Saturday night then send the hounds.


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## L.C (Nov 7, 2013)

Have safe and great trip, wish I was going.


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## gsppurist (Nov 9, 2013)

Well, we made it last night.  28 hours of driving and one speeding ticket (My bad.)  

High today 39.  Sustained winds of about 8-10 mph.  
AnchAk1961 and myself each got our limits after 6 1/2 hours.  It was an epic adventure.  Hunted several smaller CRP fields with several roosters here and there.  Hit one final field and literally saw hundreds of pheasants breaking in every directions.  

Buster and AnchAK1961 english setter did fantastic.

Trying to upload but getting errors


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## Fishin & Hunting (Nov 9, 2013)

Just got back from South Dakota today.  We got about 40% of the birds we are used to.  And then the only reason we did that good was that we got luck and got into some of the better land in the area.  

But it was still a great time with family.  We hunted in the snow the third and forth days.  Was a great time.


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## fredw (Nov 10, 2013)

Great pics.....keep them coming.


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## L.C (Nov 10, 2013)

Awesome pics and dogs. I cant wait until I get to go on my first big trip with my pups


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## gsppurist (Nov 11, 2013)

Day 3

Awoke to a dusting of snow, 12 degrees.  No wind.  We started at an old homestead that last year produced thousands of birds.  

Buster's feet were already sore from two days of hunting previously so I opted to be a blocker.  On arrival, Buster pointed a rooster within 20 minutes and got a clean shot of.  The bird was deeply buried and was nearly stepped on when it flew.

Second bird was also deep in cover and held fast until the last minute.  

The third bird was kicked up by another hunter, and closelined itself on a power line, tried to fly off and died in the air.  That one I claimed so I can get it mounted.

Today was AnchAk1961's birthday, and he got quite a memorable present!!!!!!  He got 3 birds in about a 15 minute interval.  All pointed over his dog.  His setter was a bird finding machine.  Ear to ear smile!!!!

Gave Ruger, the new pup, a run but he hasn't quite figured it out yet and just loped around/smelling things.  

If you look closely at the pic of the rooster, you can see the shot hitting the snow (clean miss).


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## gsppurist (Nov 11, 2013)

Day 2

Forgot to mention yesterday's report.  Morning about 22 degrees but the temp dropped to teens in the eventing.  Birds were scarce.  Previously we had incredible flushes, this year only about 30 in the distance.  Hunted Sun up to Sun down.

I did not get a bird all day. I had two excellent opportunities but couldn't close the deal.

It was a comedy of errors.  Great point by Buster, Shot the bird in the tail (caught on GoPro) and the bird flew off.  
Forgot to turn on beeper collar and went on point 40 feet from us and we were unaware.  Bird finally flushed when another vehicle drove by.
Another pointed rooster and the person in front of me moving in on the bird didn't shoot thinking it was a hen. (Also caught on Vid).

AnchAk1961 was the only one to get a limit.  His setter was "On fire".


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## gsppurist (Nov 13, 2013)

Day 4

Sunny, Low 23, High 45.  Mild winds.  

This was truly a great day.  Started by pushing a cornfield to push the pheasants to an adjacent CRP field.  Flushed couple hundred birds.  AnchAk 1961, being the dove shooter like he is, was a blocker.  
The flush was so intense he lost all control and shot his three birds in about 5 minutes.  I walked up to him, he was flushed and sweating and about to explode with excitement. 

I did not run a dog in the cornfield we pushed and was adamant not to shoot a bird unless over my dogs.  But I  did shoot one that buzzed me, Couldn't help it.  
We then pushed the CRP field which I flanked on the west side.  Just after I started young Ruger got wind of some pheasant and went wild.  He ran about 1/2 mile chasing scent and wild flushes.  After some time I caught up with him and walked the cut edge of CRP to the trucks.  Ruger stuck a point in a small wash and the rooster flew out into the cut wheat field.  Second shot at 60 yards broke his wing and he dropped.  Ruger ran out to tackle the bird (he doesn't retrieve yet) but the bird jumped up and tried to run back into the CRP.  Ruger chased it down and caught it at the edge of the CRP.  His first pheasant he pointed, shot and chase.  

Second bird was pointed and shot about 60 yards, again along the CRP edge.  In two hours we both got our birds.  
Spent the rest of they day shooting photos and helping others to get birds.  

It ended when one hunter needed one last bird, Buster pointed and it was blasted.  Retrieve was awesome.


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## littlewolf (Nov 13, 2013)

Looks like a great trip. Love the pic of the dog curled up next to the pheasant - tired and happy pup!


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## gsppurist (Nov 13, 2013)




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## gsppurist (Nov 14, 2013)




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## gsppurist (Nov 14, 2013)

Day 5

Yesterday was another great day.  Low 23, High 55.  Light winds/partly cloudy.  

We pushed a large CRP plateau over a creek.  I was driving next to the fence line adjacent to a cut wheat field.  The first bird was a wild flush and crossed from me left to right.  Solid hit and Buster made a strong retrieve.
Second bird is on the above video with Buster pointing followed by another good retrieve.
Third bird was taken while pinching a flat area by the river into a steep bank.  There were about 100 birds total flushing in waves of 5-6 for about 8 minutes.  It was truly sensory overload, dog pointing flush, dog pointing, flush, dog pointing, etc.  I had to put my gun away after that.

There is a clip of the above video demonstrating that these birds wear Kevlar.  Bird hit, dropped about 6 feet then took off to the next county.  These are NOT pen raised birds!!!!!

AnchAk1961 is surviving on Motrin and coffee.  

Two more days of birds then home.


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## gsppurist (Nov 14, 2013)

Day 6
Lows 24, Highs 50, mild winds.  Hit the fields of an outfitter at about 1100 and the pheasants were pretty intense.  Not as great of a feel good moment in that we got mixed with another group which we were not happy about.  Also had to stay in line for the push which meant our dogs had to wait for us when they were on birds.  Pushed a large CPR that was L shaped and had several incredible flushes of 40-50 birds at a time. 

In the first field, two different birds were bumped by Buster he was steady on flush with a good retrieve.  Last one was about one minute on the second field.  It was a CRP slough that we hit and Buster made a strong point.  The bird was only about 3 feet from the dog's nose.  It flew over open field and dropped about 40 yards. Finished about 4:00PM.  

More vid to come.


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## gsppurist (Nov 17, 2013)

Day 7

Morning 24 degrees and quickly warmed to 53.  Light winds/Partly cloudy.  The weather cooperated. The first bird was a wild flush that Buster scared up.  He was steady on flush and did a great retrieve. 

The second bird was taken of my friends dog that went on point in an old wheat field.

Third bird was taken over Ruger.  He went on point, remained steady to flush, then did retrieve.  Not bad being 6 months old.

AnchAK 1961 and I made it home last night around 1030.  While driving through Birmingham, I was in the passenger seat and was nearly made deaf in my left ear as AnchAK1961 screamed with the Marshall - Louis pass for the Auburn win.  What a way to finish off the trip.

3627 miles round trip in 10 days.


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## Fat Albert (Nov 17, 2013)

Great post! I've been watching it all through... Congrats on a great time.


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## BrowningFan (Nov 18, 2013)

Amazing hunt thanks for sharing. Great Pix.


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## AnchAk1961 (Nov 21, 2013)

*Do it!*

Guys if you get a chance, go out west on a hunt like this!  Yes, it is inconvenient to get out of your every day routine.  Yes, it is not cheap to do this.  Yes, you will see birds and be dog dead tired at the end of the day.  Yes, you will wish that Georgia had a thriving pheasant population.  Lastly it will take you two or three days to recover but then you will start thinking about next year...

PS GSPPURIST's #1 dog, Buster, is a bird hunting machine! Loved watching the "Black Mamba" work.    #2 dog, Ruger, (Just 6 months old) will come along nicely after he finishes digesting my felt hat!


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## gsppurist (Nov 21, 2013)

BTW, Ruger's new name is "Destructo" per AnchAK1961.


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## Fat Albert (Nov 22, 2013)

AnchAk1961 said:


> PS GSPPURIST's #1 dog, Buster, is a bird hunting machine! Loved watching the "Black Mamba" work.    #2 dog, Ruger, (Just 6 months old) will come along nicely after he finishes digesting my felt hat!



Haha! I had a friend tell me the other day that GSP's are also known as billy goats! They must be considering all the things I've seen mine digest!


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## AnchAk1961 (Nov 23, 2013)

*Destructor!*



gsppurist said:


> BTW, Ruger's new name is "Destructo" per AnchAK1961.



Yes he is!  But he is a lovable pup!  I hope he stays on the good side of Mrs. Gsppurist.  Hide her shoes...


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## tyler1 (Nov 26, 2013)

Amazing pictures and stories.


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## gsppurist (Nov 28, 2013)

One of the vehicles pulling the "war wagon" got stuck.  The Warn Winch on my Ford pulled it out.  Had to perform 2 vehicle recovery there.  It has almost paid for itself!!!!


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## AnchAk1961 (Nov 28, 2013)

gsppurist said:


> One of the vehicles pulling the "war wagon" got stuck.  The Warn Winch on my Ford pulled it out.  Had to perform 2 vehicle recovery there.  It has almost paid for itself!!!!
> 
> Don't forget to mail James an invoice for two recoveries!  Say $275.00 each.


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## gsppurist (Nov 28, 2013)




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## kingofcool (Nov 29, 2013)

Those are some pretty birds.


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## gsppurist (Nov 30, 2013)

More photos


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## pine nut (Dec 1, 2013)

Thank you for these great videos...I'm going to save them to watch after the season when I'm dreaming about next year!  I got a few in SD this year and would have had even more fun but got a bad knee to deal with before next year.


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## Setter Jax (Dec 4, 2013)

Great pics and vids.  Thanks for sharing, some day I will make it out west.

SJ


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## HossBog (Dec 23, 2013)

A dream trip...


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## gsppurist (Jan 8, 2014)

I just finished the Vid from my NoDak 2013.  AnchAK1961 and myself went.  Hope you enjoy.

TG


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## gsppurist (Jan 8, 2014)

I highly recommend changing the Youtube settings to 1080p when you watch.  Still detail lost but you get the point.


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## UGAFX4 (Jan 8, 2014)

GSPP,
     Great work as usual I hope I get to make my trip out there later this year, it is unbelivable the number of birds out there.


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## AnchAk1961 (Jan 19, 2014)

UGAFX4 said:


> GSPP,
> Great work as usual I hope I get to make my trip out there later this year, it is unbelivable the number of birds out there.



No, no there are no birds.  This video is all fiction and it was prepared by a professional film crew and the birds are computer generated!  Do not drive out there only to be disappointed!  Stay home and watch football, paint your duck decoys or balance your check book.   I repeat stay home and do not attempt to hunt pheasants in the fictional state of North Dakota...  Stay home, Stay home, stay home*

*message brought to you by "Save the Pheasants 

for Jeff and Tim"


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## gsppurist (Feb 7, 2014)

Just found a new piece equipment I MUST HAVE for next year's hunt!!!


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## BirdNut (Feb 8, 2014)

color that thing up like a hawk and it'll make the birds hold tighter.


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## gsppurist (May 11, 2014)

More North Dakota pheasant hunting.  Attached is another vid without music and all the usable video from 3 camera sources.


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## FFg (May 12, 2014)

Sweet!


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