Pheasant Hunting Report from "The Honey Hole"!

Well, I was getting sick of “that look” from Rufus every single night when I would get back from bow hunting or work. As I believe he was secretly planning on tearing the house apart soon, if he did not see a Rooster. So with my ND Bow Hunting plans falling through for this past weekend, I planned a day down at the Honey Hole for a day of chasing Pheasants and Deer. This is where “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” took place. After getting home @ 10PM on Saturday night from the Ranch Hunting Camp up North, where I knew I would not fill my rifle tag as I only had a buck tag and not very good odds of seeing a shooter up there. Yet, I still had a great time sharing camp with my Dad, Mom, bothers and my niece Sierra.

However, 3:00 am Sunday came way to fast as I started my routine and trek down to the Honey Hole for a day of Deer and pheasants with Rufus. When I got there it was 50 degrees which was about 30 degrees warmer then the morning before, when I hunted up North. I get the camera gear all set up and just as I finished, I heard one deer pass by in the darkness of the leave covered ground. That was it for the rest of the morning as I watched the Sunrise and with 9 am looming around the corner. I was itching like a kid on Xmas morning to see what was waiting for me under the tree on my trail camera as I have not been down there since the beginning of the Month. After getting down I glassed from the bottom of the hill to the top of the ridge towards my camera and an awful feeling set in. My trail camera was gone. Man, talking about taking the wind out of ya on Christmas morning. The trespass Saga continues for me at the honey hole. The story thickens, gets way more involved and interesting, but this is not the place to discuss this and I will leave it at that.

So after my ½ mile walk out and I’m sure using every cuss word I can think of on the way and seeing the bad and ugly part of my Sundays hunt. I get back to the truck and see the “good” part of why I’m down there. My lab Rufus is looking out the window at me, with his tail wagging as he knows what is about to happen and exactly where he is at. The seasoned Veteran has seen this time and time again. As I leave him at the truck under the cover darkness only to return later in the morning to let him out and take the blaze orange Hat off my dash, get my boots, pants and vest ready to chase some birds for the mid day event.

Now being in the daylight and being able to notice that not a stitch of crop was left standing on any side of the property. I knew my day would soon get better hunting behind my boy Rufus. What did shock me was the pent up energy and enthusiasm my 10 year old boy was about to unleash. I guess sitting around the house for 3 plus weeks does that to an old hunting dog. The ol’ boy took off out of the gate with vigor and energy I have not seen form him since SD a few years back. Then once he caught some fresh scent, he shifted gears into hyper speed quartering the field and soon pops up the first Rooster of the day. I instantly felt instinct take over and just like that I pulled the gun up and pulled trigger with out any thought of lead etc. and down goes our first bird only minutes into the day. I usually find myself doing this when I’m “in the zone” during late season, but I have not picked up a shotgun since late October. The bird barely hit the ground and Rufus already had it pinned down as he finally took some time to catch his breath and soon was on his way back with the first bird of the second half of our season.

It did not take Rufus only but another minute or two and he was birdy again as his tail starts to really whip. Up pops a Hen as Rufus chases the flying bird until he hears the “no bird command” and starts his retreat back to me. At about 15 yards out Rufus hits the brakes and with a sudden turn, I knew he was on another bird. Rufus is now locked up with his head tilted to the side and a bird in close vicinity under his experienced nose waiting for the command. I give my lil buddy the command as he pounces on the grass and up comes another Rooster cackling his head off and just like that BOOM #2 hits the ground with Rufus hot on his tail. They play a lil’ game of cat and mouse and Rufus finally runs him down after a few zigs and zags and in short order with 2 shells fired we are done. As we head back to the truck, Rufus was not quite ready to call it a day, so we took the long way back and got the boy a lil’ workout. Later again, I took him for another “walk” as we scouted some areas to see how thick the weeds grew back after the Construction of the drainage system and ponds and the birds were plentiful with all the crops being harvested and less hiding spots for these wiley birds.

Well, that pretty much sums up my Sundays hunt down at the Honey Hole minus a few things I rather leave out at this time. The Honey Hole sure lived up to her name once again and I can’t wait to get back down there for some more bird action. The Good makes the Bad and Ugly not seem so bad, but it still sucks losing out on another camera, making that # 4 that has either been taken or damaged from me in the last 2 years down there. With every passing hunt good or bad with Rufus, I enjoy the time together and appreciate him more and more as I know our hunts are probably numbered now.

Until next time I’m outie! The next adventure on the agenda is Rufus, Stacie and I are headed back to SD to celebrate Thanksgiving with Stacie’s family. Also this will be our SD Rifle Hunt for the year as Stacie and I both drew 2 tags for either Muleys or Whitetails on the edge of the Black Hills. I’m absolutely pumped and have been looking forward to this Hunt since the last time I hunted out there with the boom stick 2 years ago. I can not get out of here soon enough.