2nd week since the opener. Got to my spot, glassed a little....bingo- two sentury's on duty. But, 40y from a ranchouse....FAK!
So I hop out the truck a lil ways down the road, gab the bird bustin' stick, scramble into a wash, skinny west down it, hop out about 300y from the covey, slink along through the bushes south till I hit the road they are next to, slink some more eastbound and there they are, feeding away, fat little grey chickens, 20-30 of 'em.
My stomach's growling and I'm drooling on my Benelli.
But- I gotta head these lil guys AWAY from the ranch house that they just came from gettin' some water, and brother when they bust they know where to go.
OK, I've hearded cat's, this can't be that hard....
Right. Cat's dont fly
So- I slooooowly stand up and begin coralling these guy with my arms away from the property (legal shoot limit is 150y min from a bldg.)...only 100y or so to go...how hard can this be?
Boing! there goes one, backflushes onto the ranch...boing! boing boing!
Fak, I'm losing them...slow up some...ooops, there's a few over there, comon lil doggies git back in the pack there. Good birdies, goooood birdies.....OK- back on the move...trotting along like good little chickens, OK now were running
, Whoa! ...now were slowing down, this is like a reverse Pie'd Piper going ballistic. Birds are starting to peel off and head back. That's OK, just need a couple, hanging in there, few more go bye-bye but still got 10 or so, 30y more to go and we can start blasting, looking good, ooops another couple go- I'm down to 10 or so. FAK!
I'm controlling the tempo, or are the controlling me? I dunno I'm loading my gun at a full trot...birds are starting to drop me and I can't shoot yet.
OK- slow it up some, comon' guys, 5-6 birds left and it's almost on, quick check in the mirror and I'm good to shoot, safety off and....
Gone.
All gone.
I slam on the brakes and hope a few holders bolt. Nada. Zippo. It's 90 degrees, I'm soaked, hungry, filthy hot and...no birds, no calls, nothing.
I kicked every bush in that 15 acre field- nothing. Left and came back 30 mins. later. Still nothing. Did that off and on all day 'till dark. Nothing.
And the start of my season? Nothing. Flushed a million Jack's though....swell. To depressed to shoot them. I think they were taunting me.
Birds: 2
Stovey: 0
At least I'm losing weight.
See ya next week!