So, I managed to get off work a bit early today (which doesn't happen often enough!) and figured, why not head out into the woods for a little bit before supper?
Until today, I've only managed to get out twice this year looking for birds, and my luck so far had been limited to scaring up one ruffie, which was so far away from me when it flushed that I had no chance at all of getting it, and the heavy leaf cover at the time meant that I never found it again.
Now, with the leaves almost all down around here, I figured my chances were better.
Within about 10 minutes of leaving my truck, with my old Lakefield-Mossberg model 183T (.410 bolt action) at the ready, I heard a noise in the dry, fallen leaves. Moving slowly, I spotted a grouse just behind a small spruce tree about 15 yards away, walking slowly away from me. Gun up to shoulder, lined up the bead, pulled the trigger... nothing. Forgot to take the safety off... D'oh! Safety clicked off... bird still there.... This time, it went bang, and the bird dropped. I reloaded the gun, just in case, and walked up to the bird.
As I was bending over to pick it up, I heard another rustle in the bush. Thought it might be another grouse, since I've often seen them travelling in pairs or threes, so I stopped and looked carefully.
About 10 yards away, I saw another bird walking slowly through the leaves, and brought the gun up again. As I was looking over the barrel ready to pull the trigger, I realized it wasn't a grouse at all... but I did recognize it as fair game!
Another shot, another bird down.
The surprise was the second bird... It was a woodcock. I'd never seen one before in person.
(I know, they're not that uncommon, but I've been bird hunting for about 30 years or so, off and on, and never seen one until today!)
Here's a picture of the two birds...
I suppose this is may seem a pretty boring and commonplace occurrence to many of you more experienced bird hunters out there, but it made my day! Unfortunately, the rest of the two hours I was out walking, I saw nothing more than chipmunks and woodpeckers.... but at least I didn't go home empty-handed.
And now, I can tell everyone that I've got a woodcock (and then explain that there wasn't some unfortunate accident that left me with a prosthesis.....)
Until today, I've only managed to get out twice this year looking for birds, and my luck so far had been limited to scaring up one ruffie, which was so far away from me when it flushed that I had no chance at all of getting it, and the heavy leaf cover at the time meant that I never found it again.
Now, with the leaves almost all down around here, I figured my chances were better.
Within about 10 minutes of leaving my truck, with my old Lakefield-Mossberg model 183T (.410 bolt action) at the ready, I heard a noise in the dry, fallen leaves. Moving slowly, I spotted a grouse just behind a small spruce tree about 15 yards away, walking slowly away from me. Gun up to shoulder, lined up the bead, pulled the trigger... nothing. Forgot to take the safety off... D'oh! Safety clicked off... bird still there.... This time, it went bang, and the bird dropped. I reloaded the gun, just in case, and walked up to the bird.
As I was bending over to pick it up, I heard another rustle in the bush. Thought it might be another grouse, since I've often seen them travelling in pairs or threes, so I stopped and looked carefully.
About 10 yards away, I saw another bird walking slowly through the leaves, and brought the gun up again. As I was looking over the barrel ready to pull the trigger, I realized it wasn't a grouse at all... but I did recognize it as fair game!
Another shot, another bird down.
The surprise was the second bird... It was a woodcock. I'd never seen one before in person.
(I know, they're not that uncommon, but I've been bird hunting for about 30 years or so, off and on, and never seen one until today!)
Here's a picture of the two birds...
I suppose this is may seem a pretty boring and commonplace occurrence to many of you more experienced bird hunters out there, but it made my day! Unfortunately, the rest of the two hours I was out walking, I saw nothing more than chipmunks and woodpeckers.... but at least I didn't go home empty-handed.
And now, I can tell everyone that I've got a woodcock (and then explain that there wasn't some unfortunate accident that left me with a prosthesis.....)
