Guns, Bows, Shooting Sports, and Hunting First Pheasant

[kenny61]

All right I know it's no big deal but I am as excited as a 10 year old so here it is...



The seasaon started 10/1 in NY and they stock birds about 15-20 minutes away from me. I went out on Wed saw all the feathers on the ground and figured most birds were gone. Leoif had 2 or 3 points in the reallay tal grass(shoulder high) but I couldnt find any thing. Tried again today in the rain and all he pointed was ferathers from some kills and a dead racoon. Left the hunting area drove to my friends house bs'd a while complained that my Mossberg 590 was to heavy to lug around and left. Stopped at the gun store on the way home and bought a Benelli 20 gauge pump. Decided to at least check out another state hunting area across from the one I go to, Got the dog and the new shotgun out and went for a walk. Heard a few shots and 2 pheasant fly by about 50 or 60 yds away I thought it might be a little far but realized I really didn't know anything and took a shot, Bird looked like it just landed (didn't drop) so I continued my hunt. The hunters who took the first shots about 150 yards away made it up to me (make long story short) told me I hit it. Went for a walk with leif were I thought they "landed" Leif starts point and lo and behold my bird. I called him off point and made him fetch and we got our first bird with my first dog and my first bird gun. . talk about luck... The guys ( 2 different groups caught up with the second group later) all thought I was some kind of professional shooter with the shot I made. Beginners luck I guess... .

 

[JKreiss]

Congrats Kenny, that's a great story. It's good to hear people still able to enjoy wingshooting and admire great working dogs. I especially like the thought of being able to buy a new bird gun and getting to use it that day, something i've never gotten to experience out here. I hope you didn't tell the other hunters it was beginners luck:-laf

 

[AMink]

It's better sometimes to be lucky than good, though you don't need to tell anyone you know which it was. Did you get a Nova?

 

[kenny61]

Yeah it's the Nova. I really think they look ugly but it's a Benelli so I know the quality is good. My Mossberg 590 was a little heavy for me ( I guess i'm old or outta shape I used to hump my m-16 and a 120 lb pack for miles and not complain) So I stopped at the gun store I have to pass to get to the state land. I looked at a couple of different guns some of the names I was not familiar with and the Benelli was actually the cheapest or within a few bucks of the cheapest so I went with what I trust. I gotta search prices I think he might have been a little on the expensive side But that will have to wait as I am working 40 hours between now and Sunday.

 

[kenny61]

Congrats Kenny, that's a great story. It's good to hear people still able to enjoy wingshooting and admire great working dogs. I especially like the thought of being able to buy a new bird gun and getting to use it that day, something i've never gotten to experience out here. I hope you didn't tell the other hunters it was beginners luck:-laf

Thanks! I can't remember exactly what I said but I know I didn't claim to be any great shotgun shooter. Today was the first chapter after a long forward in the story of my life. i figured that bird cost me about $3,000. 1k for the dog another 1k for the flight to Germany ,rental car etc $500 +- for the new shotgun (which i told myself i wouldn't buy until I actually at least took a shot with my 12 gauge) and at least another $500 for dog training, fuel, vet etc etc etc. At least the price per bird will come down if I continue to get lucky :-laf :{

 

[TRLRTRSH]

kenny, have fun that's the important thing. I've also never done any wing-shooting until this year. Dove and Quail for me. Here's one story of mine from this Dove season. One morning I was out trying to shoot Dove when two came zooming by. Me, I swing through the birds as I been told, lead the first one, pull the triger, and the second one falls!!! I did tell my buddy what happened, could not lie after being told what a great shot it was, hahahahah! I think i've shot maybe 20 birds with 200 rounds:-laf:-laf:-laf Most Dove are safe around me, that's for sure. Quail even more so, since I don't have a dog:{

Again, have fun and enjoy the good Lords bounty with your new shotgun!

 

[jgillott]

Congrats on the bird. It's been probably 15 years or so since I've been Pheasant hunting. Our season doesn't start for another few weeks I believe. Maybe I'll have to give it a go again this year.

 

[Mike Ellis]

Hey Kenny, congrats on the successful hunt! Maybe Leif was spurred on to top performance by the fact that yesterday (9 October) was Leif Ericsson day here in the USA?



I know all too well how diving into a hobby can hit the wallet hard :{, but how does the flight to Germany figure in there? Did you get your dog there?

 

[Jboski]

Congrats on the bird and the new shotgun.

 

[SRath]

That beats tree rats anyday.



Are you getting the bird mounted? I recommend a wings and tail spread, flying up the wall mount. Those look great.



This is the time of year where living in Iowa is sweeeeeet! Our bird population took two years of major hits by flooding, and the out-of-state city dudes with money (bankers, lawyers, etc) are making it very difficult to find or keep good private ground to hunt, but Iowa is still bird 'n big buck heaven. Iowa farmers have discovered "leasing" and that is killing us locals. The deer are starting to rut early this year. I expect the bird hunting to be so-so. personally, I wish they would close season for a year, at least to out-of-state hunters, (sorry) just to get the population back up to the golden years of the nineties.



I am guessing Kenny must have gone all the way to Germany to buy a German Shorthair or Weimareiner? Great dogs. Hunting behind them is different from hunting behind Goldens, but they can work very well together.



Let me know when you want to make the trip west, Kenny. I need some help now that the kid led his High School trap team to a 3rd place state finish as a freshman. Probably won't even get my safety off...

 

[kenny61]

Thanks all. For those of you who don't know about my dog ( I posted about him a year or so ago) Let me introduce him to you. His full name is Leif Vom Tannengrund. He is a Deutsch Kurzhaar DK for short, which is a German short haired pointer registered with the German club. I had a GSP , Lester for 14 years who passed away in Dec 2007. While researching the dogs I became aware of the German breeding of the dogs DKV Testing and Breeding Regulations, JGHV Testing Reguirements and became more interested in them. Then I found out that my mothers best friend's sister in law bred them in Germany. A phone call or two later I had a yet to be born pup reserved for me. Leif was born in Feb of 08 and I flew over with my mothers friends son and picked him up, My friends Uncle died a year later and It was nice that they got to see each other before he passed. I am a member of the American DK club and am following the German breeding and testing rules with Leif. I travelled with him To Tenn this past spring and Leif recieved a Prize 1 in his derby test. Leifs dad had just recieved his KS title (the highest you can get) I guess its AKC equivelent is the CH title,. The judges saw a lot of potential in Leif and talked me into bring him to a trainer in New Hampshire to continue his training and get him breedable under the clubs regulations. So I now travel to New Hampshire, 3 hours each way 2 times a month, to get him trained. I need to work more on his retrieve So I did not take the fall (solms) test with him but hope to make the AZP in fall of 2010. His pointing and steadiness is excellent and I am happy with his retrieve. The problem is if he drops the game even once on his way back to you he fails the test If he fails it twice his papers are marked unbreedable. So I have to have his retrieving perfect before the test. I hope to have the time over the winter to do this. So that is the life and times of Leif Vom Tannegrund

 

[Mike Ellis]

What a beautiful dog! I hope you have years of great success with him Kenny.

 

[kenny61]

Thanks Mike! My main thing now is getting him breedable which entails passing one more test (AZP) and getting him to kill something, I believe it must be sometype of predator animal such as a fox. Then accordiong to the rules I will be able to breed him. If all goes according to plan I will pick up a female in another 2 or 3 years and have a litter at some point keeping a pup for myself After my last dog died deceided I will never be dogless again even for one day and will always have at least one dog from the bloodline I have now. As I get older and more retired I may start breeding them on a small scale. Free time and the economy will all play a part in my plan hopefully it will all work out

 

[SRath]

The only thing better than having a truly great dog working the birds for you, is watching that old dog work the birds for your kids...

Especially when you're stuck working a field recently hunted by other dogs and hunters and that old dog calmly works the savvy old birds they ran right past.

My current dog is good, but God how I miss old Blazer. Other Pheasants Forever Chapters used to have auctions at their banquets for a chance to come here and hunt over him.

Don't get too caught up in the "rules and regulations", or letting other people judge your dog by their standards, Kenny. Blazer would regularly out-hunt AKC Field Champions of all breeds. He did it all (and was not 'supposed' to): point, flush, retrieve, track (deer, pheasants, turkeys, men, etc. ); run rabbits in a circle like a good Beagle, fetch beer from the fridge, cooler, or at the tavern; tube at high-speed behind the boat; steal bikini tops from dozing women :-laf ; snatch hats off the heads of drunks on the fly-by; find any arrow you shot into the woods; etc, etc. . All you ever had to do was point and whisper "Get that!". When he finally passed away, lying next to my recliner, the American Legion next door actually held a big wake for him and a few people from all over who had known him sent sympathy cards. Everyone had a "You won't believe this, but that dog once... " story to tell. He had a bigger send-off than I ever will.

He was No "retrieving robot", he actually used his human-like brain and incredible nose together and HUNTED and played and got serious when you needed him to. Like when he led us to my friend's murdered uncle and nephew's bodies out in the woods... There is the difference between a truly Great dog and a mere Titled one.

My best hunting partner had a kennel full of AKC Champions. He adamantly opposed any plan by me to get a Title behind Blazer's name. "Why ruin him? They want robots, not hunters. " I could write a book about that dog and the crazy stuff he pulled off in his 14 years of enriching my life. If you are really, really lucky; and if you work together every day from puppyhood, and if God really decides to bless you; just once in a lifetime you might know a dog like that.

Every dog has his own personality and talents, just like people. Let him use them to full advantage and to hell with what other people think.

 

[kenny61]

For the most part I agree with you but their is a big difference between the AKC and the DKV (Deutsch Kurzhaar Verband) The reason behind the judging and testing in the German system is to insure the hunting ability and health of the breed, Nothing else. In Germany you can not hunt without the aid of a dog. This is due to the Germans not wanting to loose any injured game, which is why the retrieving is so important in the tests. The Germans have practically eliminated Hip and other genetic problems in the breed. The testing is similar to NAVHDA testing. If you get the time read the testing and breeding link in the above post I found it pretty fascinating. With that said the main reason I am testing him is to get him breedable the other part of it is a hobby to keep me busy. After somewhat of a low point in my life the wife and I realized that all work and no play made Kenny a dull boy and I needed to do something besides work at work, work on the house, work on the cars, work on the yard, work a side job, I think you notice they all have work in there... The strict DKV rules have forced me to find time to do something other than work and bascically take a break. I have gone hunting 3 times (twice on the sameday) in the past week. The last Time I went hunting was 1992 after I got back from the persian gulf. I've even made it out on 3 ATV trips this year, 2 with the guys and 1 with the family. It's made life better (less stressful and feeling burned out)for me which has improved my family life and made things less stressful for me. Prior to this the only relaxing I knew how to do involved a 6 pack. Not that I (or anyone else) ever considered myself an alcoholic its just that I had nothing else to relax with which we both realized would eventually lead to problems. The dog and the testing system has brought some good clean fun back into my life that the family enjoys as well. My daughter went to Tenn with me for the spring test and next year when they turn 12 (legal age in NY) I think they may join me on a hunt or two. .





Daughter and dog swimming at Tenn derby test and kids atving



#ad

 

[GHarman]

Kenny61, Congratulations on the Pheasant and the Dog! GregH

 

[2Rowdy]

Conrats Kenny. I had my first bird mounted when I was about 11 or 12 and gave both my boys the option to have theirs mounted, my son had his mounted, step-son wanted to eat his.

I've been dove hunting a bunch this year, can't wait for pheasant season to start in December. I went dove hunting opening day with my old remington 870 next day bought a Benelli super sport.

 

[GCroyle]

Kenny,



Congrats, great story. I have only hunted pheasant one time in Hooker OK. It is quite a rush when one flushes and it's game on. Got mine with a 12 ga. break open Wards Hercules as I remember it.



Going again I assume?

 

[kenny61]

Thanks guys! The dog has turned out to be just what I wanted it to be, an adventure...

Kenny,

Going again I assume?

Helll YES!!! Once I get some sleep. Worked doubles all weekend and had to help a buddy out after work this morning, Nothing like working 21 hours straight. Weather dependent I will go 1-4 times this week. If the weathers good I want top finish shingling the first side of my roof and get the other side membraned and papered If the weather sucks I will be hunting

 

[AHolt]

Kenny,

Congratulations, When I was a kid there were pheasant everywhere upstate,

now you could walk a week and never see one. We hunted with English pointers,

it was amazing just to watch the dogs work. Now instead of Pheasants,we have

turkeys everywhere.