My first successful hunt ever

[Atroxus]

First huge thanks to stilly bay, for letting me hunt with you and your dogs.

It was a slow start, first flush of the day was a hen that presented what should have been a gimme shot, I got flustered and forgot to turn off the safety on my gun. Missed opportunity but I learned to keep my thumb near the safety.

Next bird flushed was a rooster about 50 yards out, but he had a death wish. He flew straight at me. I remembered the safety and let one off. I saw a puff of feathers, then he was flopping and falling and I was thinking "holy crap, I hit him in one shot!" From the amount of flopping on the way down I was certain I only wounded him. Stilly's lab made a great retrieve though and the bird was dead before it got back to us so it seems I made a clean kill after all.

The only other bird of the day was a duck that some other hunter shot and either failed to retrieve, or left. Stilly's lab found it and brought it, so we decided to keep it rather than let it go to waste.

It was a great time, I can't wait to get out after some more birds now.

[singleshot12]

Congrats on your first rooster Looks like a fine one

[RifleRidge]

 

[Stilly bay]

it really was a nice specimen, the pics don't do it justice. it had big old spurs and a blondish gold highlight on its flanks alongside that normal blue/grey.

...he made me pack it around all day for him...  :chuckle:sound familiar singleshot? and then he made me clean it too!

it was nice hunting with you Joe, welcome to the upland addiction.

[Atroxus]

it really was a nice specimen, the pics don't do it justice. it had big old spurs and a blondish gold highlight on its flanks alongside that normal blue/grey.

...he made me pack it around all day for him...  :chuckle:sound familiar singleshot? and then he made me clean it too!

it was nice hunting with you Joe, welcome to the upland addiction.

In my defense, after you showed me how to clean a bird using the pheasant, I did the duck myself.  It just took me about twice as long. 

[Kola16]

Nice going  So you are cleaning the ducks when we go hunting 

[Atroxus]

Nice going  So you are cleaning the ducks when we go hunting 

Why not, I could use the practice if you don't mind me man-handling  your ducks.

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[Kola16]

Nice going  So you are cleaning the ducks when we go hunting 

Why not, I could use the practice if you don't mind me man-handling  your ducks.

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Did you pluck the feathers off, then gut it, or did you de-breast it 

[Stilly bay]

Did you pluck the feathers off, then gut it, or did you de-breast it 

he ripped the breasts out with his teeth, it was pretty gruesome.

[Atroxus]

Did you pluck the feathers off, then gut it, or did you de-breast it 

he ripped the breasts out with his teeth, it was pretty gruesome.

Well you were the one who told me "real men don't need knives"

 

  

Did you pluck the feathers off, then gut it, or did you de-breast it 

Seriously though it was a small duck so just breasted it out, so I still don't know how gut a bird. If we get any larger ducks maybe you can show me on one then I'll do the rest.

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