# Annual pheasant hunting trip.



## nrh0011 (Dec 21, 2016)

Let me start with a little background of how I developed my passion for pheasant and quail hunting. I apologize in advance if I'm long winded. 

For the better part of 20 years I have been hunting quail and pheasant. I'm fortunate to have the best pheasant hunter I know as not only my best friend, but also as my father. My dad grew up in Kansas, and grandad always had bird dogs mainly setters and german wirehairs. During quail season my grandad would come home from work, load up the dogs, my dad and uncles, and take off to hit a couple spots before dark. They spent the weekends hunting basically all day. My first couple of years hunting were spent stumbling through CRP without a gun, and at the time I thought some of that grass was 10 feet tall. During my first few years in Kansas around the age 8-11 or so, I remember my grandad, uncles, cousins, along with my dad and I all going out west to chase these dang birds. Well time passed on and family members got busy making it harder for everyone to go each year. Grandad is now 81, and would have a hard time holding a shotgun I believe. It's crazy for me to think about because at 65 he was still a mountain of a man. 

For the past few years my dad and I have been the only ones still making the trip. We've made so many memories, scene some beautiful country, witnessed some phenomenal  points and retrieves from our dogs, and so much more I know I'm leaving out. My old black pointing lab named Shaq is now 11, and really noticed him starting to slow down this year which breaks my heart. This year he made some beautiful points, one of the best ones he made I was walking out a roadside ditch bordering some cut sunflowers and he locked up on a pheasant. The grass was about shin deep, and I got to within 10 yards of him when a rooster explodes out of the grass giving me a passing shot at maybe 20 yards. I pulled the trigger only to find that my gun had no shell in the chamber, and the action was open. Apparently I unloaded my gun while loading up another dog before Shaq and I walked out that stretch of ditch. Still kicking myself over that. I've never owned a more driven and intelligent bird dog, and when the time comes he will be greatly missed. 

The past few years we have been mainly hunting Kansas, but after last years trip decided to go hunt South Dakota again. Like always, it never disappoints. I can't begin to put a number on how many pheasant I saw. I managed to get a limit every day, and dad did most days along with killing a prairie chicken. We saw a good number of grouse as well, mostly in the road or flying across the road going to feed. I killed a jackrabbit as well while walking out a ditch. We have always seen them out there, and I think it will make for a wonderful mount. 

I urge you all to make the trip to South Dakota someday. They are surely blessed in the wildlife department. Happy hunting and God bless.


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## nrh0011 (Dec 21, 2016)

*river bottom*

Counted around 200 deer along this stretch river bottom, both whitetails and muleys.


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## nrh0011 (Dec 21, 2016)

*other random pics*

I like to "document" as you can see.


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## nrh0011 (Dec 21, 2016)

further documentation, Shaq is on my left or right side of the picture. Second to last pic is him with me in the field after killing a bird he pointed.


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## nrh0011 (Dec 21, 2016)

*all for now*

I've never seen pheasant do this before, they were perched in this tree I assume due to the water in the cat tails from melting snow. It was an awesome sight to witness.


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## Dean (Dec 21, 2016)

*Photos*

Awesome - love that last photo, thanks for sharing.


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## mlandrum (Dec 21, 2016)

Great Documentary


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## Dog Hunter (Dec 21, 2016)

That looks like an amazing experience


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## nrh0011 (Dec 21, 2016)

Thank you much, it was an awesome week. Hoping to get out to western KS next week...weather permitted.


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## hogana (Dec 21, 2016)

Wow. Excellent photos


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## nrh0011 (Dec 21, 2016)

Thank ya sir!!


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## fatboy84 (Dec 22, 2016)

Wow!!!!  Awesome scenery and memories.


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## nrh0011 (Dec 22, 2016)

Thanks man, many great memories made indeed.


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## Killinstuff (Dec 24, 2016)

Nicely done. And good luck in Kansas.

I'm in Kansas right now in Garden City.  Been south to Liberal and Mead and heading west to Sycamore this morning.  Lots of pheasants here  but no quail yet.  Tired of killing pheasants honestly, still have a pile of them in my freezer at home from Montana so really looking for Bob and his scaled cousin.  Folks are saying it's an up year for them.


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## coveyrise (Dec 24, 2016)

Great story. Hunt every chance you get with your dad. Thanks for sharing and Merry Christmas.


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## killitgrillit (Dec 24, 2016)

Nice, is that around chamberlain???


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## nrh0011 (Dec 24, 2016)

Killinstuff said:


> Nicely done. And good luck in Kansas.
> 
> I'm in Kansas right now in Garden City.  Been south to Liberal and Mead and heading west to Sycamore this morning.  Lots of pheasants here  but no quail yet.  Tired of killing pheasants honestly, still have a pile of them in my freezer at home from Montana so really looking for Bob and his scaled cousin.  Folks are saying it's an up year for them.



I'll be out that way soon. Closer to Dodge City though. We stepped on a good amount of coveys out there last year. Hope you get into some soon!


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## nrh0011 (Dec 24, 2016)

coveyrise said:


> Great story. Hunt every chance you get with your dad. Thanks for sharing and Merry Christmas.



I plan on doing just that. Thank you sir, and Merry Christmas to you as well.


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## nrh0011 (Dec 24, 2016)

killitgrillit said:


> Nice, is that around chamberlain???



Yep we were in the chamberlain area a decent amount.


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## Killinstuff (Dec 25, 2016)

A fella mentioned his buddy moved 12 coveys in 3 1/2 hours earlier this week in the sand hills area by Dodge City. Private and managed land but all wild birds.


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## fredw (Dec 25, 2016)

Great photos!


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## nrh0011 (Dec 25, 2016)

Killinstuff said:


> A fella mentioned his buddy moved 12 coveys in 3 1/2 hours earlier this week in the sand hills area by Dodge City. Private and managed land but all wild birds.



Wow. They were in like flynn apparently. Last year I stepped on 5 coveys in 2 days, but they were all good sized groups.


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## nrh0011 (Dec 25, 2016)

fredw said:


> Great photos!



Thank you sir


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## Coach K (Dec 25, 2016)

Have a great time!  Looks like fun.  How I wish my father would have been a passionate bird hunter.  Instead he was stuck on deer and deer hunting.  He would have really enjoyed seeing the big buck activity.  It must be something special when a father and son can share a common passion!  

Thanks for the photo album of your hunt.


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## Barebowyer (Dec 25, 2016)

Amazing trip and pics.  Ty for sharing.  I love guys that hunt for the "right" reasons...


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## nrh0011 (Dec 26, 2016)

Coach K said:


> Have a great time!  Looks like fun.  How I wish my father would have been a passionate bird hunter.  Instead he was stuck on deer and deer hunting.  He would have really enjoyed seeing the big buck activity.  It must be something special when a father and son can share a common passion!
> 
> Thanks for the photo album of your hunt.



Thanks for the kind words, we are headed to Kansas as we speak.


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## nrh0011 (Dec 26, 2016)

Barebowyer said:


> Amazing trip and pics.  Ty for sharing.  I love guys that hunt for the "right" reasons...



You and me both, thanks man.


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## mossyoakpro (Dec 30, 2016)

Awesome!!  That pheasant hunting never gets old!  I haven't been in a while but would love to go back sometime.

Happy New Year!!


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## mose (Dec 30, 2016)

*Great*

Thanks for posting. Love seeing pics of different country and game.


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## nrh0011 (Dec 31, 2016)

mossyoakpro said:


> Awesome!!  That pheasant hunting never gets old!  I haven't been in a while but would love to go back sometime.
> 
> Happy New Year!!



Thanks man, they are special birds indeed. Happy new year!


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