Colorado Traditional Archers Society Annual Pheasant Hunt

[bullcalf]

Spent another blessed day in the field with good company, my hunting partner and lots of arrows in the air.  We walked away with three pheasants and 4 Chuckar.  Great day.  Love chasing birds with trad gear.  Truly as raw and primal as it gets.  Now how in the heck do I post photos?

[old_goat2]

That's awesome! Wish i was there. I've been trying for three years I think to do that hunt but it got snowed out. Forgot about it this year andit didn't get ssnowed out. Just my luck!  Hopefully somebody posts some pictures

[BigTimber]

It was a "Big Time" for sure.

BT

[sheephunter]

Will get pictures loaded tonight.

[sheephunter]

The hunt started out as most hunts do, a wake up well before the sun was to come up. Bows in the truck, coffee in a cup and out the door, on the way to pick up bullcalf (J.D.). Crazy to be that excited about hunting small game but I was jazzed!

[sheephunter]

After an hours drive north, we arrived at the Valhalla Hunt Club. On the road just before the clubhouse, we spotted pheasants and chuckars along the side of the road. It is obvious that the dog was ready, he was sitting on top of the hill looking to spot some  birds!
 
 

[sheephunter]

Me and bullcalf met up with Marv Clyncke at the clubhouse, as he would be our hunt coordinator. Marv informed us that there would only be one flight of hunters for this year, a morning flight of 7 hunters (that count includes me and bullcalf). Usually there are two flights, a morning and afternoon that consists of at least 7 or 8 in each group. So obviously the numbers were down this year. After all of us had arrived and strung bows, we shot s few aerials for warm up. Thankfully the wind had died down at the hunt property from how strong it was at home or else our arrows would have been all over the place. Marv was the main photographer for this hunt, wish I had some of his to post so I will try and show what I took.

[sheephunter]

Hopefully BigTimber (Jack) and bullcalf (J.D.) will join in here. Not a real Colorado back country adventure as most would like to see but right now we have record amounts of snow in the mountains so the plains are much more inviting!

[sheephunter]

I will say up front that these are raised and released birds, not all wild birds (though they are around too), but still tough targets with a bow. The record for a whole days hunt up til this point was 5 birds if that lends any incite into how difficult it can be.

[sheephunter]

And with the practice in and bellies filled with some of the best homemade donuts I have ever ate, we were off!
 

[bullcalf]

What a fantastic time with a great group of men.  All sharing a special passion.  As we spend time through the day admiring each others bows, I made the comment on one "what a beautiful bow."  Marv replied, "They're all beautiful.  When was the last time you heard some compound folks say, "wow, what beautiful wheels you have there."  Ha, ha!  What a perfect retort!

[bullcalf]

How the heck do I post photos?

[Matty]

That was one I missed for sure.  That dang WORK nonsense always seems to get in the way of the things I really enjoy? Did Ben from Loveland show up? I don't think he's a member here.  He sent me a text about going and was all excited about making the trip.  Maybe next year for us.  We did attend the banquet though, got to chat with Mike and catch up with some friends.

[BigTimber]

I'm glad I finally got involved with the Colorado Traditional Archers Society.  The Pheasant hunt was a Hoot.  Great bunch of guys, great dogs and a super guide.  The Banquet was excellent also.  Mike Mitten is a Stud.

What I remember most about the Pheasant Hunt was Bullcalf double lunging the first Rooster that got up.  I believe Bullcalf also put a Texas Heart Shot on a Hen later on.  I witnessed some fine shooting during the hunt.

I came close to a couple of birds but didn't make meat on this hunt.  I recall shooting at one Chucker who zagged (that's the story anyway) as I released and I think I missed him by at least 10 feet.  It was a humbling experience.

I'm looking forward to the High Country Shoot.  Hope I can make it.

BigTimber

[kadbow]

I missed the pheasant hunt this year, always fun.  We did have a good banquet though and the High Country Shoot will be awesome as always.

[Homebru]

I'm going to have to pay more attention to my schedule next year and take Friday off to hunt pheasants.  This sounds like a ton of winter fun.
homebru

[sheephunter]

Sorry about the delay, should be farther along by now. We crossed the creek bed and started up thru the middle of the trees in the bottom. Soon enough we were on the first bird.
 

[sheephunter]

bullcalf was the first to strike, hitting the first rooster to come up. The rooster continued for about 100 yards thru the air before going down. Reba (one of the pointers working in front of us and a great bird dog) tracked down the rooster and brought him back. What a way to start off the day, first bird in the was also the first on the ground! I would not have bet on that happening!
   As we continued on thru the bottom, more birds were found and kicked up. So close and yet so far on most. Another member of the group brought down a hen pheasant from the air, two birds down on our first sweep! More birds continued to be found, more arrows in the air. It was getting western for sure! On one hen, i watched as my arrow skipped off her back.....what a rush and let down all in one!
   As we moved along, it was nice to meet one another or old friends catching up.
 

[sheephunter]

Soon enough, dead eye bullcalf was able to bring his second rooster of the day to bear. The bird was able to travel about 150 yards before landing. We marked the location and were able to find the bird along a steep bank along the creek bed.
 

[sheephunter]

After the second rooster and third pheasant of the day, we had a dry spell. we made a loop to the south following the creek bed (coming across the 3D range and flinging a few) we circled around to the east and then north, arriving at the north end of the boundary. Shots were few and far between and few birds spotted outside the treed bottom. We then headed west and arrived at the north end of the creek bed for our first sweep in this area and kick out the plum thickets.
   By this time, more focus was being had on conversation than on the sky and the dogs. No surprise as we all watched as a chuckar flew over our heads and landed behind us in the sand of the creek bed. One of the other members and I looked at each other and decided to give it a shot and try to track down the bird. We marked where the chuckar moved off into the thicket and started our sneak in. Let me just say that I am bad with names so sorry for not remembering everyone's name! I spotted the bird hunkered up under a big cottonwood limb. By this time, we all agreed that ground pounding birds was readily acceptable. My first shot was just over the back of the bird, sticking in the dirt with a flu flu feather laying on its back. My second shot slammed the chuckar in the head. A shot I am quite proud of (and the only shot I was to make on a chuckar as well three years earlier). Notice how well I was able to get a good picture of my tradgang hat and sweater.