Reason to smile

[Mike Vines]

I was just going thru some pictures of different game I've taken, and out of all of the animals I have killed, this one is my finest trophy.  I took my limit (5 geese) that day during the early season with that longbow and wood arrows.  That was my first goose with a longbow, after MANY attempts in years prior.  This day, I was able to pick fly poop out of pepper, every arrow I shot, connected.  Everything just felt right that day.

Any of you ever have one of those days?  I'd love to see what you killed after chasing for so long.  

I've taken ducks, pheasants, turkey and geese (my Canadian buddies call them "Sky Carp"), all on the wing, except the turkey.  All that's left is a grouse and a woodcock, and I will have taken all of Michigan's game birds.  There is always hope as long as I keep trying...

     

[Orion]

I've taken ducks, pheasants, turkey and grouse with my bow.  However, all but one pheasant were in the pre-flight condition.  Only one pheasant on the wing.  Never tried for a woodcock with a bow.  By the time I start bowhunting in northern Wisconsin in November, the timber doodles have all gone south.

[Steve Jr]

That's awesome!!! The only birds I have shot is 5 grouse when I was on a elk hunt and to be honest it was the most fun I have had hunting.    

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Congrats Mike.  definitely a  good reason to smile.

[Uncle Buck]

The way they zig zag, you would have to be psychic to hit a woodcock

That is awesome! I really want a sandhill crane out of the air. A friend of mine has one mounted in his house and it is the coolest looking bird mount I have ever seen.

Geese and ducks would be cool too; esp a wood duck drake. I have been trying to get a dove out of the air for the last two years. I've come real close, but no birds in the bag yet! I guess I'll just have to keep trying.

Bisch

[bruinman]

Well I have had those days, However they were almost to long ago to remember, and they were not at flying critters,lol. Thats just awesome!

[elkken]

I'm impressed .... go get'm Mike

[Izzy]

Good shooting. Have you ever shot at a woodcock with your bow? Ive seen a few I think I could have hit on the wing but never had bow in hand at the right time.

[Mike Vines]

Yes Izzy, I've tried, but that one is going to be the toughest, especially without a dog.  At least with a dog, you get a little bit of warning a shot is getting ready to happen.  I'm not giving up hope, just got to keep trying.

I had what I considered the best dog ever (Chocolate Lab named Grizz) that we lost last year, and I'm not going to go thru losing another hunting dog again.  That was one of the lowest points in my life the day Grizz got called back.

Here is a throw back picture of the best hunting dog I ever had the priviledge of owning.  Notice the pheasants on top of the Trailblazer...

[Steve O]

Shooting birds out of the air is tough. Nice job Mikey    

Thanks for sharing.

[Izzy]

Good luck, I think the timberdoodle will be easier than the grouse. My two favorite birds.

[reddogge]

I once shot a chuckar partridge out of the air with an old Ben Peason longbow. It was flushed by a Springer Spaniel and I used a Snaro bird point and hit it flying dead away and killed it dead. This was in the early 80s and we didn't take a lot of pictures back then so the event lives in my memory alone.

Out of curiosity Mike, do you use a sustained lead, shoot out in front, or track the bird and pass it much like shotgun shooters like to do?

[twitchstick]

Very nice! The few birds I have taken on the wing will always be chariest memories.
Bish X2 on the Sandhill!