Turning 40...

[Sportfury]

So yesterday was my 40th birthday and what do you do when you turn 40... go bird hunting. My son and I headed to the east side for the quail and chukar opener. We had a great time and would have brought some birds home had pheasant been opening. The first area we went to we got four roosters up and could have had a some easy shots. The dog did her job, but we could only watch them fly away. We also got into some huns, but they saw us and flew up the hill before we got to them. By the time we made it up the hill they had beat feet and it was so dry the dog had a hard time trailing them.

We moved to another spot and started walking the ridge down side hilling. We weren't going to go in the canyon because it was later in the day. We came to a nice looking side canyon/draw and I walked one side while my son walked the other. As we got near the bottom (which we weren't going to do) we were having a discussion about how steep it got and how we shouldn't go down there. While we were having this discussion the dog was in the bottom of the draw looking down (probably pointing, but we were not paying attention) at a bush about 10 feet below her. All the sudden the bush came alive with chukar going every which way. Had we not stopped where we were we would have been in range and we both would have got some shooting in. As it was the discussion went out the window, down into the canyon we went, and we chased chukar up and down the hills. I got above them and they ran down the end of the ridge, laughed at me (chukkled), and then flew off the end of ridge. Three hours later we were pooped, back at the 4Runner, and birdless. It was way to hot for the dog and by the time we got back I had used all my water on her. Don't worry chukar we will be back for revenge.

As we were heading home the original bird that we were going after, quail, decided they would grace our presence by having a whole covey run across the road in front of us and run into private property. Even though we didn't get any birds we had a great time, covered 10 miles (or more), saw a lot of birds, a coyote, a fox, and deer. We headed home and had dinner at my favorite restaurant where the owner made me a special (super strong) margarita. From there I went home and passed out.

Today we were up early and went to Rochester where we met my buddy and his daughter. In a couple hours we had three birds and were heading home. The dog had a ball and did her job with some great points. She is now passed out on her bed next me. When we got home we hid the birds and got my son's four month old GSP and let him find them. His nose works great and his drive is insane. He is going to make one great bird dog.

Well it was one great weekend, and if I wasn't so sore, I would tell you how forty feels.

[Elk329]

Well it was one great weekend, and if I wasn't so sore, I would tell you how forty feels.

When you hit 50 = X2

[daradke]

Happy birthday.  I wish I could have awesome weekends like that

[ungrounded]

Sounds like a great Birthday!

[jackelope]

Happy birthday. Sounds like a great weekend. I turn 41 on Friday. We'll spend that day on the road for modern deer season. 40 wasn't so bad.

[Hermit]

I bought a open fronted shirt, a bunch of gold chains and a 19 year old girlfriend on my 40th...... Sounds like you had more fun.......Now, I don't even remember 40.

[JLS]

Happy birthday.  I am in better shape and can hunt much harder at 42 than I could at 30.  I hope to be killing chukars at 70.

[h2ofowlr]

Sounds like a good time.  I hit the big 40 next year and am not ready for it.  I thought about sending my birth certificate to the Obama administration to have it altered.  Ahh, maybe next year.   

[Sportfury]

Hermit you crack me up.

JLS I have gone paleo/primal and have lost over 20 lbs and can now do 60 pushups. I am in a lot better shape than I have been.

h2ofowlr I don't know if I would do that. Next thing you might know is that you were the one that single handedly shut the government down and they would have proof.

[Bullkllr]

40 was easy. 50, so far not so much.

[netcoyote]

Getting to my "second 40" is turning out to be a lot more fun than getting to my first. 

[runamuk]

40 aint so bad...was a huge turning point for me, I kinda think of it as my second lifetime and am doing all the things I never thought I would.