Post by Uplander on Oct 19, 2009 18:17:09 GMT -5
Although the Massachusetts 2009 woodcock and pa'tridge seasons opened a few days ago, today was the first time I've gone out, and Dear Ol' Dad was there with me.
Puttered around an icy cover early in the morning with not much to show other than a woodcock in my gamepouch and a few wild flushing pa'tridges glimpsed momentarily. So, we headed over to another cover. After a punishing push through the second cover, I had one more woodcock in my gamepouch, and a few more wild flushing pa'tridge had teased us.
We were slowly walking up a two-track toward where we had parked when Piper, working the brush on the edge of the road, put up a pa'tridge that came right out in front of us and turned and flew straight down the road. Standing side by side, both Dear Ol' Dad and I raised our guns and with a simultaneous "Pow!" the bird fell like a rock.
When Piper gave me "our bird," Dad and I looked it over. It was a big mature bird, chocolate color on the tail band and breast markings, and more interestingly, the ruff was a deep chocolate color rather than black. I've never shot a chocolate "phase" before, and I don't believe Dear Ol' Dad has either.
With that, on to the last cover of the day. Dad and I both got ourselves a woodcock apiece, and to finish out the day I managed a snap shot on a crossing young pa'tridge that somersaulted and hit the ground in a hellacious flutter, to be pounced upon by Piper with a vengeance (lost a few feathers on that bird). :blush:
Good times.
4 & 2
Chocolate
Puttered around an icy cover early in the morning with not much to show other than a woodcock in my gamepouch and a few wild flushing pa'tridges glimpsed momentarily. So, we headed over to another cover. After a punishing push through the second cover, I had one more woodcock in my gamepouch, and a few more wild flushing pa'tridge had teased us.
We were slowly walking up a two-track toward where we had parked when Piper, working the brush on the edge of the road, put up a pa'tridge that came right out in front of us and turned and flew straight down the road. Standing side by side, both Dear Ol' Dad and I raised our guns and with a simultaneous "Pow!" the bird fell like a rock.
When Piper gave me "our bird," Dad and I looked it over. It was a big mature bird, chocolate color on the tail band and breast markings, and more interestingly, the ruff was a deep chocolate color rather than black. I've never shot a chocolate "phase" before, and I don't believe Dear Ol' Dad has either.
With that, on to the last cover of the day. Dad and I both got ourselves a woodcock apiece, and to finish out the day I managed a snap shot on a crossing young pa'tridge that somersaulted and hit the ground in a hellacious flutter, to be pounced upon by Piper with a vengeance (lost a few feathers on that bird). :blush:
Good times.
4 & 2
Chocolate