Yes Virginia – There Are Pheasants In Indiana

We hadn’t gone 20 yards into some of the best cover Indiana has to offer; Jim was to my left, Skip to my right…further up the line was Hank with his Lab and guarding the escape route was friend and landowner Tom Hefner. If you have hunted pheasants in good cover before then you know that at times it is like trying to herd cats…and sometimes a plan just doesn’t work…ah, but then, sometimes a plan comes together and for a few minutes it is bird hunting bliss. So was the case this past Saturday, December 7^th in northern Indiana as the 5 of us eased into a grass strip located between a few harvested cornfields. I might add that the real stars of the show; Cedar, Royale and Macy were also along with us and doing what they are supposed to do as all three locked into a very steady point just a few feet in front of Jim. As usual I took a moment to snap a couple photos and then gave Jim the nod to walk on in…up from the cover came a roar as not one but two brilliant rooster pheasants exploded skyward. I don’t want to terribly overdramatize the moment…however just let me tell you that it was a sight that a bird hunter and dog owner lives for; just like we were writing the story ahead of time Jim dropped the bird closest to him and I shouldered my 28 gauge, threw the muzzle past the second bird and pulled the trigger. 30 seconds later we had pocketed 2 Hoosier pheasants, both of us took a moment to snap a couple more photos and just simmer in the moment knowing that across the state there probably weren’t too many others enjoying the same success.

I quickly re-focused my trio of shorthairs as they swung to my right; noticeably they were once again sorting through scent in hot pursuit of another ringneck. Skip was using his Winchester Model 12 in a 16 gauge and I could see that he was at attention as he said to me, “All three are locked up on point right in front of me”! Without hesitation I heard a commotion and watched as a long-tailed bird clambered upwards and crossed from my right to left…then a pop as the bird tumbled down into the cover. Seconds later I proudly witnessed Macy charging towards me with Skip’s first bird of the day; it was a truly beautiful sight as the morning sun was now about a quarter of the way up and the colors of the golden grass painted a picture that was truly grand…Macy’s black, shiny coat while holding a bird that in the sun had a myriad of colors…well, yet again hard not to overdramatize the scene! I accepted the bird, handed it to Skip…and watched as the sportsmen came out; Skip held the bird up in the sun and we both marveled at the abundance of colors…mostly dependent upon what angle the sun was striking the bird’s pelt. It is one thing to shoot a bird and a totally different thing to really appreciate the beauty of a bird that God has so eloquently painted.

A few minutes in and we had 3 birds down…I could see that Hank and Tom were also into and dealing with birds. Now I won’t be shy, I am a pointing dog person but here is where I leave the reservation as Hank’s dog, Dude, was quite impressive. He was about 18 months old and a pretty golden color; more importantly he was under control. There is a big contingency of pointing labs out there now and Dude was a dog that would freeze as he got close to scent…basically doing a very nice job of giving the hunter time to organize and prepare for a shot.

We continued to move away from the sun towards a ditch that bi-sects the property at an angle. In the past this ditch has acted as a break in the cover, giving us yet another spot to ‘herd’ and try to control the pheasants. I knew we were pushing birds as my trio was pointing every 30 or 40 yards…we methodically and slowly moved towards the ditch and right on cue Royale slammed to a point with Macy and Cedar backing her. I took a number of photos and then eased towards the trio when a bird flushed to my left, Jim made quick work of his second bird and I assisted in the retrieve. I snapped a couple pictures of Jim holding the bird then noticed that once again my three pups were pointing. I was going to move behind the dogs, trying to keep the sun behind us when another rooster exploded flying backwards between me and Skip. I snapped my Weatherby to my shoulder and pulled the trigger on a ¾ ounce load of #6’s. The birds head dropped and I knew I had made a good hit on this trophy; I always hustle to the spot where the bird folds and as I neared I could see that Royale and Cedar were in a ‘tug-of-war’ over the bird. A step closer and Royale relented, pulling off of the bird, leaving Cedar holding another long-tailed Hoosier pheasant. Cedar is soon to be 14 and each bird this season is special…I whoaed him and knelt down, taking a few photos of him and the very red bird. I hope that he and I have many more excellent moments in the field but the truth is that I know our time together is limited!

What an incredible day as the five of us continued around the edge of the grass moving several other birds and eventually harvesting 8 of our 10 bird limit in just over an hour. The dog work was supreme and will leave a mark in my memory that is not soon forgotten. The camaraderie between friends and bird hunters was what it is all about as we all treasured a special day chasing pheasants and sharing memories…Enjoying the Great Outdoors.