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snowy day rabbit and bird hunt-hide and seek!
Attachment 44302Attachment 44303Attachment 44304Attachment 44305The morning alarm rang out calling on us to rise and battle the elements once again. With slick roads and bone chilling windchill we braved our way down the road making our way to our favourite spot. We arrived and took out our cold guns. I joked how my Browning was begging to be warmed up to breath fire and warm its cold steal. The snow was deep but light and covered the bush like a beautiful scene on a Christmas post card. We trudged our way happily, taking in the crispness of the cold air and the first fresh snow.
It didn't take long when we started bumping birds. They were spooky flushing well ahead of us as usual leading us on a game of hide and seek. We stopped for a minute after a couple flushes and pondered which direction they could have flew? We wondered if it was the same bird or where there a few around? We had 3 quick flushes but with heavy air and thick snow covered trees found it difficult to hear them flush or see them.
We stopped after chasing down a flush we barely heard and didn't see. We talked for a few minutes wondering what to do next when a grouse sitting on a branch about 10 ft away, chest high, lost its cool and blinked first. It decided to make a run for it and flushed through the trees. I cursed to myself as I watched it weave magically between the thick cover. I feared I would not get a shot as it stayed in the thickness avoiding the opening in front of me but it made its mistake and briefly broke out of the cover looking to make its final escape. I knew I only had one chance before it would disappear behind the row of thick spruce once again and only a split second to take a shot. My Browning was already raised instinctively, ready for action, waiting to warm its ice cold barrel. It was in that moment, I went into auto pilot and squeezed the trigger hoping to connect. My heart filled with joy and emotion when it folded and fell to the light pillow of snow below.
"I can't believe it was sitting between us, we were staring right at it" I laughed. "it flew in the trees and came out in front of me!" I hollered to my partner who was standing 20 ft away with thick spruce between us.
"Did you get it" He questioned, me not realising he was still in suspense and his heart racing waiting for the verdict of my shot.
"Ya! It buckled and fell straight ahead in the open" I answered. As I said that I thought I shouldn't of taken my eye of the spot it fell. Maybe I celebrated to early. I hope I can find it in the thick snow covered brush. I marched ahead hoping it would be lying in wait.
To my surprise the grouse was no where to be found. We searched high and low praying that we would find it. We were sad and upset at the thought of it becoming coyote food or worse wounded and left to suffer.
We were about to give up thinking maybe it was stuck high in a tree or covered in deep fresh powdery snow when I looked to the edge of the tree line just a few feet away and saw grouse tracks walking into the spruces. Tracks were fresh and came from no where. Was it possible that it survived the wrath of the Browning and walked away? We followed the tracks and soon noticed it seemed to be wounded and on the run. About 15 yards away we heard an attempted flush and saw the grouse hop to the air only to fall and run for cover. "I got a shot" I screamed "Ill put it out of its misery". Aiming for a head shot and a little high to not hit the body, just about to pull the trigger again and my hunting buddy screams "No! don't shoot it. I'll catch him"
What? I wondered. I didn't want to take a chance of loosing it again! There was a lot of ground cover and thought how easy it would be to disappear but decided to hold off anyway. We were able to catch it quickly and celebrate our success finally. It wasn't easy but we did everything we could and never gave up. We owed it that and are thankful and respectful for its offering and I did not let a single piece go to waste. I sauteed it in butter, olive oil, garlic and hot peppers. It was a plumb and tasty snack, well deserved and hard fought for Lol. The crop was full of tiny buds.
