Early on in the switching to the right shoulder, I was pheasant hunting with the dog, alone, on a day when sane people stayed home, threw more wood in the stove, and filled another shot glass with something to take off the chill. I had a 400 acre WMA to myself, about a week prior to the season closing. Stiff wind out of the north, maybe 5 degrees for the high. It was sub zero when I started.
I was working the edge of a set of railroad tracks that had cover that tapered down to nothing, and ran into a creek, that drained a big swamp to my left. The dog was interested in something off to my left, the narrowing cover was on my right. The wind was cold out of the north, and I should have realized the scent cone would be out of that side, but, I miss things like that when I’m shivering.
The big cockbird flushed right where the cover ended, and, I had subconsciously moved the BSS sidelock 12 to my left hand! I got the gun up, and took a poke at a bird I couldn’t see. I connected anyway, he tumbled out of the sky, but his running gear remained in perfect plus working order. I got to where he came down, but, he bounced, shook himself, cackled, and bolted into the swamp. I was literally thinking about how I was going to cook him as he was falling.
The only bird I saw that day. I figure a fox or coyote likely owes me.
Best,
Ted
