Late Evening Roosters

With all that has been going on with trying to acquire a house, I was a different level of fried, so Monday after work I hauled home to collect some gear and get out to walk with Mocha. I was far less worried about finding a rooster as I was bearing down to blow off some steam. I wanted a walk, and I figured this was about a good of an opportunity to be semi-productive in the process. Mocha and I walked the far outer rim of most of the small section we were on before she even came close to being birdy. Instead of gridding like one would try, I just followed the brown dog. Where ever she went, I followed. I could tell when she finally found scent of a bird. Her demeanor changed. Her head was down, and she was on a mission. I did my best to keep up with her as this bird was on the move. We covered almost 500 yards before she came to a halt. She paused. In her face went and no bird came up. She looked up and me, then bolted, she tracked a giant loop around and behind me and proceeded to flush the bird right at my face. I was so flummoxed that I almost dropped my gun. I was able to shoulder and squeeze off a round at the escaping rooster.

BOOM!

Down he tumbled into the prairie. Mocha retrieve the kicking bird without my feet taking another step. This dog may not have the stamina or the nose that she used too, but dang is she smart!

We continued our loop and she never really got birdy again for a couple of runs through the field. At one point I could hear the roosters cackling by the roadside near the unpicked cornfield. As we continued back towards the car, birds starting flying back into the deep grass strip in front of us. We were able to find a couple of hens, but the roosters were pressured and were flushing wild 100 yards ahead. I turned to get out of the grass and Mocha showed signs again. This time I chased her down as she tailed a bird. Another wild flush and no shots. We were doubling back and she locked up not 20 yards outs. Out bursts a group of birds and I try dropping the first rooster. My third shot connects and Mocha is off after it. Four more pour out of the small pocket and I drop a second rooster. As I collect the second bird, two more roosters flush 5 yards from me. It was WILD!!! I go over to Mocha to help her find the first bird of the group and we were struggling.... I have a suspicion that my shot merely knocked it down but did not actually kill it. We searched for 30 minutes while the last of our legal light expired. No Dice.


I always hate losing a bird, and in hindsight, I should have collected that bird first, but in the flurry I was certain Mocha was on top of it.
Oh well.


We finished our small walk back to the car and called it a successful first rooster outing.

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