Gently, I dug the tip of the Spruce paddle into the gravel, and pushed the Canoe out into open water. The glass 16 footer, glided, with almost effortless ease, out over the gravel shelf and onto the dark, glaciated waters of the Highland Loch. This high lake, I had known and fished since childhood –…
Conditioning the Urban Bird Dog–Problem Solved? Just What is "Roading?"
The old ways are often the best. Even better are old ways just discovered and renewed! How to keep Pride, the three year old English Pointer, conditioned during the off season in a densely populated urban environment and further, one in which even if a little land can be found, rattlesnakes abound and it’s just…
The Fireplace Pheasant.
At first glance, I had thought the long, low, rise in the ground, a quite natural feature. On closer inspection however, it became apparent that it was far too regular, to be just another rock or boulder on the hill. Myself and Hazel had been hunting hard all morning – and it must be said…
>Turkeys Can Drive a Person to Drink…or Pull Your Hair Out!
>Every Spring I tell myself that I’m not going to become obsessed with chasing turkeys…Drats…I failed again! It started out in Kansas on public land with my bow. I had 6 good chances to connect with a turkey gobbler and failed miserably on every attempt! Of course this made my turkey chasing become an obsession…
Mother Nature’s Cruel
My Friend Tim Schoenborn took these photos yesterday while we were scouting for Colorado high country toms. We sometimes forget how cruel and unkind Mother Nature can be! Don’t be fooled…Ellie is Hell on Pheasants…down right CRUEL! Even though she’s cute… The Wet Mountains are shown in the back ground…this leg was found in the…
>Sangre De Cristo Mountains and Colorado Turkeys
>My friend Tim Schoenborn and I headed to Southern Colorado to scout for turkeys and hang out at my cabin for the day yesterday. Tim is a world famous Equine Photographer (Check out Tim’s Site Here)…the below photos were all taken by Tim. Doc HolidaySangre De Cristo Turkey CountryAnimated Ellie My Home Waters…the Arkansas River
Hazel – a force of nature!.
So small, that this Farm bred, red, Working English Cocker Spaniel, can be lifted up, and tucked under the arm, whilst crossing wire fences!. Small she may be – but no dog on earth ever had a greater love of the hunt, or more spirit. Hazel is a ‘Force of Nature’. Born on a farm…
QUICK UPDATE
For those of you who have followed the blog for a while, I’m sure that you have read about my aspirations as a writer. I’ve been a big reader and collector of outdoor literature for a long time and I would like to leave my mark on this genre. Recently, “Rooty,” a story about my…
>Sticks & Stones
>I just returned from Kansas archery turkey hunting. It was the most exciting hunt I’ve ever had! I had several long beards strutting and drumming in front of my blind…even had hens pecking at my decoy and being bred by huge turkey gobblers…but never connected with one! I spent 30 plus hours in the blind…
WHAT’S IN A TREE?
With apologies to Joyce Kilmer, “Birds are chased by fools like me,But only God can make a tree.”(Please click on the photo for a good look at the action) Why this tree? I was at the game club with my friend Jack and his great setter Chappy. We put out a chukar and the game…
>Wild Birds Make Good Bird Dogs!
>Tim and I made a trip up north along the South Platte River to air some dogs and enjoy a beautiful Colorado Sunday! Birds were a bonus…as we found 3 decent coveys of quail and 2 pheasants and saw some white-tails and a coyote. It was a great day, and a blast watching the dogs…
Becoming a Bird Dog part 2
I apologize to those who might be weary of watching this “evolution of a bird dog” but to me it’s absolutely fascinating to watch the “dance” between a dog (especially a young puppy) and birds. I edited out a bunch of footage (gets kinda old just watching a dog stand there, unless it’s YOUR dog!)but…
Upland Ways 