My heart sank. Three shots, three hit birds, none in the bag. It’s called hunting for a reason. Do it long enough and things don’t always go right. Good dogs, responsible shooting, and practice mitigate lost or crippled birds. Normally, in a given season I might lose a couple, but this was entirely new, Read More
It isn’t South Dakota. Grease wood at eye level impedes all progress. Russian olives pierce through layers of clothing, and they are out for blood. It’s tough country not traditionally suited for pheasants. Roosters take on the character of their surroundings – tough, wily, birds with well developed legs, that loathe to fly. They relish in mocking, Read More
Rays of golden sun and smoke gray clouds fight for dominance. Ultimately the sun wins. The Wyoming wind also has skin in the game and seeks to make a shot at the title. The dogs and I are merely props in the scene. Pulling up a hood and zipping my collar I seek to keep warm. The, Read More
I was once told that speaking critically of girlfriends and spouses was one thing, but to do the same about someones gun dog is crossing the line. There are a ton of great hunting dog breeds out there but most of us settle on one or two. From that point on we espouse the, Read More
Kirk Billings is one of those guys who just seems to be good at everything and really good at the things he likes best. He’s formerly an elite rock climber (although I wouldn’t doubt his abilities off the couch), who still has his picture on the cover of the local guidebook. He is a, Read More
It’s Black Friday, the national holiday of acquisition and consumption. I bet attendees of the original Thanksgiving set about finding and collecting assorted provisions after their feast too. It was called hunting back then. Team STS may find time for some old-school shopping this afternoon, but first we need to finish counting our blessings., Read More
Filled with energy and as stubborn as her mother, she used to have a motor that never quit. She’s helped raise two kids and has pointed birds for over a dozen years. I didn’t know her in the early days, but as a grey faced elder she’s hard not to love. A few weeks ago, Read More
Noses down, tails cracking in the cool morning air, the dogs worked in-between the Russian Olives. As the tails moved faster their pace became more methodical. The morning had been kind already, and with a limit in the truck I was able to focus solely on handling the dogs. My friend was one shy, Read More
To a Lab nothing else matters once the smell of a rooster fills their nostrils. These majestic birds display colors that are almost other worldly. The bird is reward enough but a little petting is always appreciated. All the attention goes to the head, but the subtle shades of turquoise and silver on the, Read More
Over the years I’ve done a handful of european mounts myself. It’s always tedious and doesn’t turn out as well as it would if done by a professional. But I like the process and often don’t want to throw down the money to have a taxidermist do the job. This year I had decent, Read More