Category Archives: Hunting

Upland, Waterfowl and Big Game

Bob’s Day

November 3, 2013 admin

The first of my two tags on the Cage Ranch was filled on October 5^th. It was a spectacular morning, filled with complex emotions. The initial anxiety resulted in overwhelming elation. My pronghorn hunt was a unique life experience forever etched in my memories.

October 26^th was opening day of deer rifle season, and I had been preparing for months. Bob and I had done some scouting during September and early October. The north part of the ranch has a dry creek meandering from west to east. There are cottonwoods and tall grass that provide dense cover for the animals that roam its sandy bottom. Along with seeing multiple photographs of deer on our game cameras, we had witnessed a variety of does and bucks as we glassed the area from afar. Bob had set up two tree stands on the west and east end of the riverbed, which provided 270 degrees access to all animals that patrolled the vicinity.

A 4:30 am alarm was set on my iPhone, but I was already up at 4:15 am, and getting prepared for a successful day. A coffee and a METRX protein bar would be my fuel for the hunt. Bob’s nephew Paul and I left headquarters in the pitch black and slowly made our way to our pasture. We parked about a mile from the west stand, and utilized my Garmin GPS to guide us to the specific tree. As 5:15 am approached we climbed the ladder, and situated ourselves in the elevated position. Paul would scan to our left, and I would focus to the rear and right. It was 26 degrees and there was a cold northwesterly wind blowing at 15mph. It didn’t take long for my hands to become numb as I had foolishly left my gloves in the truck. At about 6 am, the sun offered enough light where we could start to glass for movement. As I turned to the rear, I spotted five does making their way west. As if they marked my position, the deer suddenly bolted to the south, and were out of view in seconds. I questioned whether they picked up my scent, and if I was unintentionally giving away my location. The visibility was improving at 6:30 am, so my glassing become more frequent. I picked up movement in the trees to my right. When I trained my binoculars on the image, I witnessed a big bodied deer making its way along the creek. There was no question it was a buck; I just needed to determine if it was a shooter. As he made his way across the creek, I could see that his antlers were outside his ears. He was a very respectable 5×5, and I decided that I would take this animal. For the next 10 minutes, the buck refused to provide me a shot. Patience paid off when he turned to his right, exposing his vitals to me. I chambered a round and clicked the safety to the off position. My crosshairs were situated on is left shoulder, and I slowly pulled the trigger. The buck dropped in his tracks at ninety eight yards. My first deer was down, and I was ecstatic.

At 10:30 am, we reconvened at headquarters. The celebration included a big breakfast, and exchanging stories of the morning events. We relaxed around the house and prepared for the afternoon hunt.

Brent, Bob’s brother-in-law, would take his daughter back to the east stand, and Paul would man the west platform. Bob and I had a different plan. We decided to employ a spot and stalk strategy and quickly cover ground. After walking Paul to the west stand, we made our way south to see if we could locate a buck in the plains.

Bob does a great job describing the afternoon events.

The interesting thing is that I’ve spent my entire life on this ranch guiding pronghorn hunts, and have never bothered to get a license for myself for any big game animals. I decided that I would this year, and only try to fill the tag if Ross got his deer. Ross ultimately shot his deer at first light on the opening morning. His is a beautiful, very symmetrical 5×5. A trophy for sure.

I glassed the initial buck from about a mile away as he departed a cattle stock tank. While were putting the sneak on him, we inadvertently walked by a doe about 120 yards to our left. She didn’t run so I didn’t think we were busted. We never had a clear line of site on the buck due to tall grass and rolling hills. In fact, we could only see his rack, and we agreed he was a shooter. Unfortunately we bumped him and he bolted with his doe to the east. We waited for him to crest over an adjacent ridge, and then we sprinted 500 yards with the hope he wouldn’t move out of range. Unfortunately his speed put him about a mile away by the time we reached our spot. We sat in that position and glassed the entire landscape until deciding to run back to the truck in order to continue the pursuit. Our plan would be to drive around to the far side of the pasture and cut him off. While contemplating our next move, I saw a coyote at about 100 yards. I decided not to shoot him as I didn’t want that report to echo across the pasture. This decision was fortuitous, and led to our ultimate success. On the way back, I felt the vibration of my phone signal that I had a voice message. I decided to return the call en route to the truck. While walking back, I was quickly yanked to the ground by Ross. Remember the doe that was gazing at us when we started our stalk? Well, she didn’t leave and she had a suitor. He saw us but seemed indifferent as he purposely quartered away from us. I put the phone on speaker, and dropped it in the sand, while shouldering Ross’ rifle (yes, I forgot the ammo to my gun). I whispered to the friend on the other end of the line to, “shut up and don’t say a word!” Ross just about came unglued when he put his binoculars on the deer, and saw that this was a lifetime buck. I quickly put the barrel in the BIPOD shooting sticks and shot him in the right shoulder. The deer staggered to the right; he was obviously sick. I placed the crosshairs on his quartering away shoulder and squeezed off another round. This bullet entered his right hind quarter and must have found its way to the vitals. He dropped like a sack of hammers.

I’ve traveled all over North America hunting; white tail and quail in South Texas, bear in the boundary waters of Minnesota, deer and elk in New Mexico and Arizona and even moose in The Yukon. Not once have I turned in a landowner voucher for myself on my own property. I’d much rather donate these vouchers to friends, soldiers, Wounded Warriors and youths. I’m so happy that it worked out the way it did. Having Ross spot that deer, and be there for the harvest after his success early in the day, is truly a memory that will never be forgotten.

Bob Cage is a good man. He donates his land, money, expertise and time to people who might never get an opportunity to experience the outdoors. His success provided me a tremendous amount of excitement and personal satisfaction. I am proud to say that I was with Bob when he harvested his first big game animal on his own ranch.

Gear in the Field

Product	Review
Tikka T3 Lite chambered in a 30-06 caliber	Three shots, three kills. The gun’s average is better than David Ortiz in the 2013 World Series.
Limbsaver Recoil Pad	Darn good, low-cost investment. I shot a lot of rounds when sighting my rifle in prior to my hunt. Once I installed the Limbsaver Recoil Pad, I stopped flinching.
Bushnell Elite Scope (3 x 10 x 40)	I made a scope change 10 days before my pronghorn hunt. That shot was very challenging (270 yards in high winds) and ultimately successful. My deer was shot at 98 yards, and I had plenty of time to wait for the right shot. In low-light conditions, the scope worked very well.
Barnes VOR-TX 168 grain bullet	Devastating round. At 98 yards, I hit the animal on my mark, and he was dead within 10 seconds.
Under Armour ·ColdGear Infrared Ridge Reaper Softshell Jacket ·Ridge Reaper Shell Camo Hunting Bib ·ColdGear Evo Scent Control Fitted ½ Zip ·UA Speed Freek Chaos Hunting Boots ·UA Camo Crew Socks ·UA Base 3.0 Crew and Leggings ·UA Hat	This was the second time I employed an entire Under Armour outfit. Saturday morning was really cold (26 degrees) and very windy. My body and feet remained warm even though we were stationary in the stand for over 2 hours. I wish that I had not forgotten my UA gloves in the truck as my hands were frozen. The Speed Freek boots remain extremely comfortable and warm. No blisters to date. When Bob and I put the stalk on his deer in the afternoon, the day had warmed and the wind had calmed. We did a lot of running during the pursuit, and the UA fabric kept the sweat away from my body. I never felt chilled when the sun finally set. The UA fabric is very flexible and seems durable. I want to wear this clothing on a future elk hunt in the mountains of Colorado.
Vortex Diamondback Binoculars (10 x [RF1] 42)	These are a great set of binoculars at an ideal price point. The early morning was dark, and I could still pick up the deer in low light conditions. It was easy to distinguish the specifics of the rack at 100 yards+. I am going to eventually step up and purchase the Viper HD binoculars. Two of my buddies have the 15x50s, and they are remarkable.
Outdoor Edge SwingBlaze	Great concept. That said, the knife was not sharp out of the box. I should have put an edge on it prior to the hunt. I wish the knife was manufactured in the United States. My deer was gutted in less than 20 minutes.
Badlands Recon Pack	Versatile and light pack. Badlands makes great products, and the Recon is no exception.
Leupold RX1000i TBR with DNA Rangefinder	I quickly ascertained the distances of my deer and Bob’s deer. This is a great product and was worth the investment.
Garmin 450t GPS Hunting GPS Maps	Awesome unit – so much functionality and it is pretty intuitive. I added the Hunting GPS Maps for Colorado and Kansas. Great investment.
BIPOD Shooting Sticks	Very functional shooting sticks. Light, easily accessed and quickly deployed. I need more experience with them in order to provide a comprehensive review. So far so good.
2011 Ram 1500	Still running strong after almost 2 years. About to install an ARE camper shell.

[RF1]

Hunting

HEVI-Metal Morning

October 19, 2013 admin

The call came from Chad Cadwell on Tuesday afternoon; “what are you doing at 4 am tomorrow”. I didn’t have to open Outlook, as I knew I had just moved both my 7 am and 9 am conference calls. My wife and kids were out of town, so my early morning obligations were limited. “Pick me up at 4:45 and let’s go duck hunting”, Chad said. Cadwell has a share in a prolific lease in Weld County; about 1 hour from our homes. Reports from the field were outstanding; opening day had his blind-mates limiting out on green and blue teal in less than one hour. If we could execute a straightforward game plan, Chad and I could be back at work before 9:30 am.

Anticipation of any hunt I take part in results in a poor night sleep; October 16^th was not anomalous. I tossed and turned until about 3:50 when I finally decided it was time to get the day going. Punctual as I always am, I backed the Ram 1500 into Chad’s driveway, and we loaded up. A ride with my friend Cadwell is always informative. We talk work and business strategy until we get close to our destination. When the road goes to gravel, we turn our attention to the task at hand.

Responsibilities were immediately split; Chad would move the blind to an advantaged position, and I would lug the decoy sleds into the water. The approach had me setting out 10 decoys to the left and right of the blind, with a mallard MOJO fluttering in the center. It did not take long before I noticed ducks flying from all different directions. Shots around the reservoir started to ring out as other hunters were already engaged. Chad, Angus and I moved quickly into the blind then loaded our Beretta shotguns with HEVI-Shot Duck. Unadulterated excitement caused a simultaneous adrenaline rush, that lead to temporary blindness. Chad and I were missing a lot of ducks at close range. Once we regained our composure, the fast-moving teal started hitting the water. It took less than one hour to limit-out. We took some time to take some pictures before packing the truck, and heading to our respective offices. What a way to break up the work-week.

The Videos
- Chad and Angus Executing
- One Shot, Two Teal

Product	Review
HEVI-Metal® Duck	Put the barrel on your target, and the duck goes down. These shot-shells are extremely effective, and worth the investment.
Beretta A400 XTREME UNICO KO, Synthetic Black, 12GA, 3.5″	This is my fourth Beretta semi-automatic shotgun. 487 years equates to high quality and reliability.

Family, Hunting

Make It Happen

October 10, 2013 admin

I grew up watching Jimmy Houston, Hank Parker, Roland Martin and Bill Dance. These television personalities became my mentors as my family and friends did not fish or hunt. It was relatively easy to learn to fish. My hometown of Swampscott, Massachusetts had half-dozen ponds that were untouched and loaded with bass. I could walk the water with a variety of lures and catch fish. The ocean was in close proximity, so surf-fishing became a regular activity as I got older. Thanks to Mr. Tom Mann, I was able to participate in a few tournaments down south. While I did not have success in these events, it certainly fueled my passion for continued involvement in the outdoors.

Learning to hunt was not effortless as extensive firearm training is vital before you can enter the field. Unfortunately, that guidance was not readily available in the suburbs of Boston, so I had to suppress my desire to participate in the sport for another fifteen years.

In my late twenties, my good friend Scott Tynan and his pals in Michigan introduced me to rabbit hunting. The training was brief and clear; keep the shotgun barrel pointed away from your fellow hunters, and don’t shoot the dogs. Scott’s friends taught me how to clean my rabbits, and an old cookbook provided the recipe for my first stew. This introduction was only a teaser as there seemed to be an invisible barrier prohibiting my continued involvement.

A job took my family to Colorado in the winter of 2008. Soon after my arrival, my buddy Bob Coyle, offered to help me purchase my first shotgun. The Google search engine is an important tool when seeking out what to do next. I was thrilled to discover that there is a local upland preserve & sporting clays range less than thirty minutes from my house. I bought a membership, obtained some tutelage from a local professional and started practicing.

In the summer of 2010 I completed my hunter safety course, and later that year, adopted my gundog Pride. Over the last three years, we have regularly hunted pheasants in Eastern Colorado and Kansas. My friend, Chad Cadwell, has graciously invited me to duck hunt with him on his prodigious lease in Weld County. I have put in for big game tags each year but have come up short; until 2013. With permission from my friend Bob Cage, I applied for tags on his ranch in Wild Horse, Colorado. Amazingly, I drew both a pronghorn and deer tag.

Preparation for the Pronghorn hunt involved multiple, and essential steps over an extended period of time. Step one was to acquire all of the appropriate equipment and knowledge that would lead to a successful hunt (see below). I leveraged the web and experienced hunters as resources. Step two was to get trained on how to properly shoot my rifle.

Over the summer, I had Cabela’s bore-sight my rifle in order to get me near paper. It was then time to visit the range in order to solidify my shooting confidence. In three sessions, we managed to achieve a 1.5 inch grouping at 100 yards. That would put me in the kill zone at 200 yards, even if conditions were less than ideal.

On the afternoon of October 4^th, Chad Cadwell and I made our way southeast to the Cage Ranch. Chad is a friend and veteran hunter who offered me his years of experience on my hunt. We met Bob, Eric Rosel and his son Kelly at headquarters. Eric also had a pronghorn tag to fill, and for the first time, he would be introducing Kelly to the sport of hunting. Some cocktails, and a few hunting stories lead to incredible anticipation for the following day’s events. Right before bed, I took a close look at my tag, and realized that my units were not the optimal areas on the ranch to hunt pronghorns. I would be sequestered to the northeast where the tree lined habitat caters more to the mule and whitetail deer population. Despite a new heightened level of anxiety, I managed to squeeze in a few hours of sleep before the 5:30 am wake up call.

The Saturday strategy was simple; we would get Eric his animal first, then it would be my turn. We purposefully traveled the ranch in Bob’s Ford F150; each of us glassing for pronghorn activity. The early morning produced a few prodigious mule deer sightings, but no pronghorn. Once we did spot a herd of speed goats, we stopped the truck, and started to pursue them on foot. The rut was on, and it became evident that the bucks were in hot pursuit of any and all females. As we climbed over a ridge, we could see the lone male rounding up his chosen mates. Bob signaled to Eric to ready himself for a shot. Unexpectedly, the buck initiated a determined sprint, and made a beeline directly at our position on the opposite ridge. Eric repositioned himself, in an attempt to get the appropriate angle on the moving animal. The pronghorn actually crested the ridge and then pulled an immediate 180 when he saw Bob’s parked truck. Bob stood up and waived his hands in order to attempt to make the animal stop. At two hundred and fifty yards the buck paused and looked back at us. Eric steadied his aim, and shot him in the shoulder. We celebrated the moment together; it was textbook execution and a clean kill. Eric, Bob and Chad field dressed the animal, and we headed back to headquarters to hang him in the barn.

It was now my turn to hunt. I was a bit anxious as we headed to my units. Hopefully we would see animals, and my preparation would allow me to perform under pressure. As we made our way back down the road, I stopped Bob so we could glass where I would be hunting. I quickly picked up four white bellies, but could not discern if a buck was present. Opening day of rifle season presents issues for Bob and his team. Trespassers regularly slip onto his land, and that can present safety issues when there are many people hunting his property. To that point, we inspected a truck that had illegally parked on the one of the main roads. In order rectify the situation; telephone calls were placed to the appropriate people.

Bob could sense that I was a becoming increasingly edgy, so he took us back to the fields. We headed to the general area where we had seen the four pronghorns from across the road. After emptying out of the vehicle, we began a quiet jog to the nearest hillside. The group cautiously peered over the edge of the ridge to see if we could spot the herd. Bob signaled for us to get low as he spotted the animals grazing to our right. He told me that there was a shooter-buck, and I needed to get prepared. I began an army crawl in order to seek a better vantage point where I could set up for a shot. Bob told me that the male was to my right, and standing at two hundred and thirty yards. I carefully put the rifle in the bipod, and got to my knees. The pronghorn herd immediately spotted my movement and started to run to the south. The male isolated himself from the others, and dashed forty yards to the west. He unexpectedly stopped and turned back towards us. Bob whispered “he is at two hundred and seventy yards” so I put the crosshairs behind his right shoulder and slowly squeezed the trigger. Despite the recoil of the rifle, I was able to watch the buck through my scope drop straight to the ground. An intense feeling of elation overcame me as I had just fulfilled a lifelong dream. I celebrated the accomplishment with my fellow hunters, and thanked them for their guidance.

Participating in outdoor conservation is a privilege and requires many personal responsibilities. Getting involved takes time, patience, commitment and direction. I am proof that it is never too late to participate. I look forward to paying it forward to younger generations of hunters and fisherman.

The Video – 2013 Pronghorn Hunt at the Cage Ranch

Product	Review
Tikka T3 Lite chambered in a 30-06 caliber	One shot one kill. I like my average so far.
Limbsaver Recoil Pad	The change was worth it, as the pad absorbs the thump. Great low-cost, easy to install investment.
Bushnell Elite Scope (3 x 10 x 40)	I made a scope change 10 days before my hunt. That was scary. I went from a 4x fixed power to the Bushnell with variable magnification. Great advice from my friend Luke Lindsay.
Barnes VOR-TX 168 grain bullet	Devastating. At 270 yards, I hit the animal 4 inches high and 4 inches behind my mark, and the animal died instantly.
Under Armour · ColdGear Infrared Ridge Reaper Softshell Jacket · Ridge Reaper Shell Camo Hunting Bib · ColdGear Evo Scent Control Fitted ½ Zip · UA Speed Freek Chaos Hunting Boots · UA Camo Crew Socks · UA Base 3.0 Crew and Leggings · UA Hat	Under Armour has and continues to manufactures great products. The question I had was whether the quality would translate into their hunting line. It does. Saturday started off chilly (29 degrees) and very windy, and I barely noticed the conditions. As the day warmed, and we started to pursue the animals on foot, I dropped the jacket. I ordered size large in all products and the clothing fit me perfectly. The Speed Freek boots are extremely comfortable, and did not need a break in period. I stepped on a lot of cactus and yucca trees, and felt nothing on my feet. I hope these boots hold up over time as I really like them. UA base layers are and have always been the best. Their technology and comfort continue to improve over time.
Vortex Diamondback Binoculars (10 x 42)	The Diamondback line from Vortex is affordable (around $200). These are a great set of binoculars at an ideal price point. Vortex is a brand all hunters need to consider.
Havalon Piranta Whitetail Hunting and Skinning Knife	This knife is EXTREMLY sharp and highly effective. It was effortless to field dress the pronghorn.
Badlands Recon Pack	Versatile and light pack; the Recon has all of the right features/functions. Badlands makes great products, and the Recon is no exception.
BOGs Bipod	Held our rifles steady for some challenging shots. Smart purchase for an inexperienced big game hunter.
Leupold RX1000i TBR with DNA Rangefinder	We quickly ascertained the original and secondary position of the pronghorn. Awesome product.
K2 Cooler (70 Quart)	I put 4 bags of ice in the cooler on Friday. We used two bags over three days. On Sunday, the two remaining bags were still frozen solid.
2011 Ram 1500	Still running strong after almost 2 years. Unfortunately my back windows just started to leak. This is the first major issue with the truck.

Hunting

Our Thanksgiving Meal Will be Purchased in 2013

June 15, 2013 admin 2 Comments

The Cage Ranch is about two hours from my house in Parker, CO. The sprawling 40,000+ acres is home to about 1,000 head of cattle as well as a plethora of coyotes, bobcats, antelope, deer, foxes, dove, quail and turkey. I visited the ranch just over a half a dozen times over the last year. Trips to the land have become a source of complete relaxation for me. Bob, the ranch owner, is a friend and an avid sportsman. Bob is use to my many hunting related questions, and his adept responses are filled with insight that I covet. He is keenly aware of my lack of familiarity with certain types of hunting, and is more than willing to mentor me. For that, I am greatly appreciative.

The spring of 2013 meant that I would purchase my first ever turkey tag. The Cage Ranch would be the land where I would seek my intended quarry. I took a Thursday afternoon off from work in order to get some scouting done. Turkey habitat had been planted years back, and a flock of gobblers had been seen strutting up and down the dry creek that runs through the northern part of the land. As a result of this knowledge, we made our way northeast using the cottonwood trees as cover. Hundreds of pairs of mourning doves were feeding as the afternoon turned into evening. Trying to glass every hundred yards or so, we hoped that we would spot the large birds making their way up to roost. We also paid close attention to the sandy bottom of the dry creek, as turkey scat, drag marks and feathers would indicate that we were hunting in the right area. Every so often, Bob let loose a gobbler shaker call in order to see if we would receive a response from a roaming tom. Two miles into our walk we were left smiling but confused – there was no discernable sign of the elusive target. A rare and hard rain had just graced the ranch, so there were plenty of watering holes available. Without a defined hunt zone, we decided to speculate where turkeys would be come morning.

Four thirty am arrived quickly, and the hot pot of Folgers tasted pretty good. We downed a couple of MET-Rx bars, and made our way north to the creek. The sun was rising, the air was warm and we were armed with our Beretta shotguns loaded with HEVI-Shot Magnum Blend shells. We hoped that we could intercept the turkeys as they moved from the trees to the ground. Bob and I took cover in a group of trees just off the edge of the arid river bed. We sat back to back in order to provide a 360 degree view of the territory.

We glassed and called for over an hour, but soon realized that turkeys were not present. While there was some obvious disappointment we decided to change strategies and attempt a predator hunt. I had recently invested in a FOXPRO Wildfire II, and it was a perfect time to see if the electronic call worked. We mounted the speaker on a branch about 50 yards from our blind. I selected the Lighting Jack sound while cranking up the call’s volume to twenty. It did not take but a few minutes before a big yote appeared on the berm about 150 yards east of our position. My Howa Hogue Heavybarrel 1500 .223 was unloaded and propped up on its bipod to my left. I muted the call and reached for the rifle with the ammunition in my right hand. The coyote was running at us at a high rate of speed so my movements were measured. As I raised the rifle to stare down the scope, the coyote appeared 25 yards from our position. Fearing that he would bust us, I used my left hand to activate the Fox Pro. The coyote immediately turned to his right, and started to move toward the call. I chambered a round and took aim. My movement caused the coyote to suddenly change directions, and actually run towards Bob and me. Twenty five yards turned to 10 in a matter of seconds. At that range, the coyote spotted us, and began to cascade away from our position. My first shot missed high; the next two were not even close. Realizing that my marksmanship was less than stellar, I apologized to Bob for the obvious choke-job. We set up in a few more places, but had no success. As mid-morning approached, I thanked Bob for hosting me at the ranch, and headed back to the office.

Next year I plan to take time off work and dedicate a few additional days to preparing for my turkey hunt.

Hunting

My 2012-2013 Season Ends

January 25, 2013 admin 2 Comments

My last hunting trip of the 2012-2013 pheasant season started out like any other journey to Eastern, Colorado; up at 4:00 am, out the door by 4:50 am and adjacent to my favorite field by 7:45 am. The temperature was sixteen degrees, and there was a subtle ten mph wind easing its way in from the northwest. The conditions were great, but I felt I was about forty five minutes behind schedule. My gut told me that the birds had already made their way into the corn fields where they could not be pursued. Pride and I quickly worked our way through the shin high CRP. I knew that if there were birds to be had, they would be holding tight in the deeper cover along the draw at the end of the field. Pride has often sought our quarry in this field, and he knows when to turn on his afterburners. Not dissimilar to our last trip, we moved quickly through the one hundred and fifty yards of brush but never encountered a bird. It was the second trip in a row that my honey hole failed to produce results.

The night before the trip, I phoned a rancher friend who had allowed Pride and me to hunt his land on three occasions during the season. For over two seasons, I never received a positive answer to my question “would it be possible to walk your land with my dog”. Honestly, I developed a complex as landowners repeatedly denied my requests to access their property. Unfortunately, my appeal to make a final tour of his prime real estate was denied. He emphasized the need to end the season early in order to give the birds a “break”. Nevertheless, I stopped by the house to drop off a case of bud light, and a personal thank you card addressed to the family.

Pride and I headed one half mile east then unloaded next to a large grass field that abutted corn. The snow that blanketed this field three weeks before was almost gone, and had unfortunately matted down the already sparse cover. We employed a zigzag pattern in order to cover ground, and perhaps confuse a running rooster. Pride did get hot as we marched towards the end of the field. When he slowed down and began to sniff in circles, I prepared myself for action. It took about thirty seconds, but a hen jumped up thirty yards in front of me. A few “no bird” calls had Pride ready to continue our walk west. Thirty minutes later we loaded up, and maneuvered to another favorite area about four miles southeast of our position. When I arrived at the field, there were already three trucks surrounding the area so I moved on. Pride and I spent the next hour covering an enormous field that did not show any signs of life. Disappointed but undeterred, we headed to town to fill up the Dodge Ram 1500, and get some food.

With a Monster Rehab energy drink and some jerky in hand, I stared at the map to determine our next move. Another hunter pulled into the market so I asked him how his day was going. He described an all too familiar story; working two dogs, he was able to get some birds in the air, but not close enough to attempt a shot. I asked him if he would like to hunt together to see if we could improve our odds. He responded with enthusiastic “yes”, so we began to collaborate on an afternoon strategy.

With a renewed focus, we drove further east towards some pivots that we hoped had not been mowed down. About five miles into the drive, Tom slowed and waived me up. He had noticed a one hundred yard row of evergreens in a walk in area just off the adjacent road. The plan was simple; I would drive to the east and work Pride west, and he would counter that with his two Brittany spaniels. I quickly made my way west, weaving between the fifteen foot evergreens. As Pride neared Gunner and Major, all dogs simultaneously turned quickly in the direction of the road. A rooster busted from the tree line, and flew straight back to the east. The tip of one tree prohibited me from executing an immediate shot, so I jumped forward and reset my position. My first shot from my Beretta A400 XPLR Light 12 gauge missed high, but the next shot knocked the bird down immediately. Pride ran furiously at the mortally wounded pheasant, and brought him to my hand. We thanked the dogs for their efforts, exchanged congratulations, and then continued on our way. The excitement level had suddenly intensified for all participants.

The next four pivots we hunted appeared amazing, but produced nothing. We hunted every inch of the dense CRP, hoping to move birds into the surrounding corn fields. Unfortunately, two miles of stalking produced only one startled hen. We continued our drive north towards Nebraska with the hope that the extra miles of driving would eventually pay off. We came across a unique walk in area that had knee-high grass surrounding a dense and long plum thicket. Tom, Gunner and Major took the right side of the trees, while Pride and I moved left. About half way through the walk south, Pride became birdy. Nose down and tail vigorously moving, he began to demonstrate signs of a pheasant in our presence. I readied for a shot but nothing happened. Tom and his dogs turned the corner around the plum thicket, and marched southeast. We both acknowledged that our dogs were in pursuit of moving prey, and the pace suddenly quickened. Pride moved to my right, and ran hard to the edge of the field. Tom was positioned about fifty yards to my right, and we expected the dogs were on a crafty cock bird. When Pride started to forcefully dig his nose in a clump of grass, a rooster jumped just inches from his head. As the bird took flight, all three dogs started their chase. The bird flew low which caused me to delay a shot as Major was in my field of vision. Tom, however, had a clear shot and knocked the bird out of the sky with his Winchester SX3 20 gauge.

It was now 4 pm, and we needed to quickly make our way to our last field of the day. The land that I had in mind always has birds moving from corn to cover as night approaches. As we drove up to the edge of the CRP, birds were already taking flight. We quickly piled out of the trucks, and jumped into the tall grass. The dogs were moving with determination as they obviously knew pheasants were sprinting away from us. After five hundred yards we turned back toward the west with the hope that some of the birds that we passed would hold tight. Unfortunately, these late season pheasants have been conditioned to outwit their pursuers. As the sun set, we watched the running birds take flight against the red sky. While we were disappointed that a shot never presented itself, the scene that unfolded in front of us was pretty awesome.

My 2012-2013 pheasant season appeared bleak at the outset. The drought that has savaged Colorado over the last 12 months was clearly visible to the not so discerning eye. Farmers, ranchers and landowners were all suffering, and so were the birds that depend on the habitat to survive. Hopefully, significant precipitation hits the region soon, and solves what is becoming an ever worsening problem. While the number of birds I harvested was far less than last year, I still had an amazing time. November cannot come soon enough.

Equipment Used in the Field

Shotgun	Beretta A400 XPLR Light 12 gauge, modified Trulock choke	I love this semiautomatic. I have a couple of fancy O/U’s, but they sit in the safe for a reason. This gun is light and reliable. I have had only two jams in three years. Unfortunately, it came in the midst of two amazing flushes. Cleaning the weapon is intimidating, but can be accomplished. This is will be my upland shotgun for a very long time.
Pack	Badlands’ Birdvest	Badlands is known for their big game packs and clothing. That said their upland pack is awesome. My favorite components are the two magnetic shell holders that sit on either side of the waist buckle. When it is cold, and you are scrambling to reload, these pouches provide quick access to the necessary ammunition. Badlands must redesign the elastic shell holder as twelve gauge shells fall out easily. I would also recommend deeper external webbing.
Jacket	Cabela’s Activ-Lite Upland Jacket	Comfortable jacket that can be used as a top layer on colder days. The jacket blocks the wind, while maintaining a loose fit.
Base Layer	Nike Pro Combat	I like wearing this product from Nike. The material really wicks away moisture and keeps you warm.
Boots	Irish Setter King Toe DSS 820	My best buy in 2011. These boots are comfortable, and can be worn in temperatures in the low single digits. I put a ton of miles on these boots and never suffered a blister or an injured foot.
Socks	Smartwool	These socks are so comfortable that I purchased 5 pair. My feet stay dry and warm.
Sunglasses	Oakley Scalpel	I am not an Oakley guy, but these are great shades. When it is bright or I am fishing, I wear the dark polarized lenses. When there is little sunlight, I put in the yellow lenses. Oakley’s are expensive, but my Scalpels have been a worthwhile investment.
Truck	Dodge Ram 1500 (2011)	The truck has operated flawlessly over the last 15 months. I did destroy two of my Goodyear tires, and had to make an unexpected investment in four new Hancook tires.
Gloves	Under Armour	Work very well when the temperature drops. I often debate putting them on as I want to maintain the proper feel of my shotgun.
Hat	Under Armour	I own five of these hats. Unfortunately, they get misshapen quickly and do not last. Sort of disappointing.
Camera	GoPro Hero 2	Of course I never had the camera on when I found birds. When it is turned on, the quality is great.
Dog (Pride)	Bred and trained by Gary Ruppel (Kiowa Creek Kennels)	Gary is the best in the business. He is a straightforward, kind and honest man. He also breeds/trains great dogs. What more could you want?

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