2007 - 2008 Third Hunting
Season
Page 3
January 27 Snipe Hunt
Despite being the last weekend of Duck season, Snipe was to be the bird of
the day. First I launched my Kayak far up a creek and did some exploring
with Blaze sitting behind me. Had the gun, but was not really hunting yet,
just killing time. I paddled to the mouth of the Lake and got a couple neat
pictures of the fog from the kayak. I pushed Ducks out a couple times and
would hear shots on the Lake a few minutes after, so hopefully I did
somebody some good.
Loaded up the Kayak and hit a nearby Dairy Queen for a Burger to go so I
would have enough energy to get me through the rest of day. I pulled into
the day's first hunting spot to find two Game Wardens waiting. One came over
and offered to let me finish my Hamburger before checking me. Nice of him. I
let him know I was just waiting on the Duck hunters to be done, then I was
heading out for Snipe and Rabbit. I am fairly certain I was the first Snipe
hunter he had ever encountered. I had to fill him in on the rules. He looked
at my license and wished me luck. Then to my surprise one of the Duck
hunters coming out called out "Sniper John"??? Sniper John is the nickame my
duck hunting buddys gave me for obvious reasons and is my name on one of the
internet hunting forums. I had never met this gentleman before, but he had
read my hunting stories and seen the pictures on the internet. I guess the
red Dog gave me away. Always nice to meet another hunter.
Then out hunting Blaze and I went. This first place had no Snipe
unfortunately, so I soon loaded up and moved on to the next place. But
before leaving, Blaze found the rarest of Birds. A North Texas Public
Hunting Land Quail! Surprised me. At first I thought she was goofing off
with a Field Rat, so I did not have the gun up and just watched it fly away.
The Quail did it's best to bury up and hide, but Blaze had no problem
locating it a second time. Only a single, but happy to have got it.
We did find Snipe and Rabbit. I would say over 5 hours of hunting, total
flushed game would be, one Quail, three Rabbits, and about ten Snipe. Game
taken was only one Snipe, and one Quail. Some I could not pull a shot fast
enough, others I flat missed. I did not deserve to have "Sniper" on my name
today.
I have no excuses., but if I were to make up excuses.
1. First Rabbit flushed was quartering away in the woods, expecting an easy
shot, but in one hop it changed directions about 120 degrees, came right at
me and almost hit me with Blaze in tow. I yelled "WAIT" to stop Blaze, spun
around as the Rabbit passed and put the most perfect round pattern of shot
into the trunk of a big Pecan tree. Mr. Rabbit made it to the Briar Patch
and was gone.
2. Second Rabbit was found with us on top of a tank dam. Field below so
expected an easy, from above shot, so I took my time . Nope, it disappeared
into a den at the base of the Dam. Did I say Dam, yep.
3. Two Snipe come up. One came up to my Right crossing left, One came up to
my Left crossing Right. I picked the Right bird and as I was about to blot
it out, the two met and suddenly turned together straight away. I shot way
left.
4 Another Snipe comes up right in front of me, flying straight away down the
bank. Oh yea, easy shot, but wait, darn Killdeer joins it just as I am about
to pull the trigger. It stayed with it, almost touching wingtips until out
of range. I aborted the shot of course.
I could go on, but really it just comes down to "I missed them" or could
not make the shot. Blaze was not happy with me at all today but we had fun
trying.
February 2 More
Snipe Hunting
I invited a
friend from the Texas Hunting Forum, Gary and his Deutsch Drahthaar "Izzy" to meet
Blaze and I near the Trinity River South East of Dallas this morning. Couple
hours drive, but worth it for some traditional Wetland/Marsh Snipe hunting.
Gary's first real Snipe hunt.
After a bit of walking to locate the birds, the hunt started at what I
called "Snipe Island". Lots of Snipe. We got most of our Birds here. Lots of
walking in deep mud, shallow water, and Marsh Grass.
A mix of both shooting flushed birds and pass shooting the little rockets
after they circle back over us. Unfortunately there were many other
shorebirds present that also look like Snipe so we had to have a good look
at every bird before we could shoot. A lot of birds got out of range fast.
Also when we did have a Snipe in range, we had to make sure there were no
off target birds in the same line of shot. These are Dowitchers and they
look a lot like Snipe.
Next location I called the "Marsh of Misses". Not going to say how many
shots we fired, but we came out of this field with no birds.
Before leaving the Marsh of Misses, we tried the tactic of letting the Dogs
run to get any remaining birds to fly around. We did not get any birds from
that, but the Dogs sure had fun!
The Dogs Goofing off between hunt locations.
I enjoyed having Gary and Izzy hunt with me. The dogs clicked well too. A
very successful and fun hunt. We both shot over a box of shells each.
I can usually get one dog to cooperate for a post hunt picture, but try to
put a Deutsch Drahthaar and a Vizsla side by side in front of game and it
was, well, funny.
Separated them. Izzy being a young dog was more interested in the birds than
getting her picture taken. I consider that a good thing.
Blaze, She knows the drill.
Blaze has been coming home late, smell
of alcohol on her breath. Don't know where she is getting all her money.
She barked some cuss word at me in Spanish last week.
And then I found this picture. She's grounded till the next hunt.
2/10/2008 - Yet More Snipe Hunting
It was about 3 pm before I hit got to the Marsh on this spur of the moment
hunt. Fewer birds, but they were holding better. I had the Auto-5 and was
shooting better too. Only three hours to hunt before sunset. I got 4 birds
out of 8 shots. Miss Blaze hunted down a cripple for me and that pointing
instinct sure kicked in. Probably one of the better pointing pictures I have
gotten of her.
I moved on to the "Marsh of Misses" again to see if I could change that
name. There were several flocks of Pelicans right on the hot spot, so
instead of disturbing them I took a walk with the camera.
While walking I noticed something different about the grass at one location.
I walked over and it almost looked like a pile of cut grass. Not knowing
what was about to happen I kicked it but it was solid. There was a great big
Hog under it! I screamed a high pitched AAAHK and jumped back. The Hog was
as scared as me and high tailed it over the levee. Blaze had got in trouble
for chasing those critters in the past and like a good girl she stayed with
me this time. I did not have the camera out and it happened fast, but I did
take a picture of the pile of grass that the Hog ran out from.
Now that Duck season is over, there are Pintails everywhere. When these flew
I noticed one of them had Bling. In over 25 years of hunting I have yet to
get a band.
Coots everywhere. For Coots they were very airborn today and got in the way
preventing Snipe shots a couple times.
Continued
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