When the wind chill is 5 degrees below zero, you start wondering if we're hunting pheasants or pheasant-sicles. But whatever the weather is, you're out hunting, and it's a good day to be in the field.
Several years ago, I began a holiday tradition of taking my two sons-in-law upland bird hunting when they come into town for the Holidays. One son-in-law, Rob Hall, lives with my daughter, Sarah, in Chattanooga, Tenn., and the other, Aaron Gach, lives with my other daughter, Therese, just outside of Grand Rapids, Mich. Both guys love hunting, fishing, rock climbing — pretty much anything outdoors. But because where they live, they don't get a chance to do much upland bird hunting. So it makes a perfect Christmas gift for the boys and me to spend a half a day in the field, chasing birds and dogs.
This year we had planned to hunt on December 23, but the wind was blowing 45 mph, and the air temp was closer to single digits. We decided to hold off a day per our hunting guide, Tim Sipolt. Someone had to have more common sense, and I'm glad it was Tim.
So we met up early the next morning and even picked up another hunter and good friend, Sam Heaton, Head of the Promotions Staff for Johnson Outdoors, who would serve as Tim's assistant guide. Now Sam comes from southern Florida, and spends a week up in Northern Illinois goose hunting with Tim, but today we were treated with having both of them along for the day.
As we walked away from the barn into the field, Mother Nature shot us the first cold gust of wind from the north. It was almost like she was saying, "boys, you're in my world now, and lets see if you can handle it".
After making a few adjustments to hats, gloves, clothing, etc., we felt we were ready to continue. As we entered the field, you could see how the recent ice and snowstorms had laid much of the high prairie grasses down, but not flat: There were plenty of places for birds to hide and run from one pile of grass to another, so don't think we had an easy hunt.
We saw two large cock pheasants flush well out of gun range, only to take to the wind and explode in a gust of speed away from us. Sam was heard saying, "That's how those boys got so big — they're smart birds".
Then after walking awhile with the dog, Kahlua (a dark brown, lab and German Shephard short hair mix), we had the first cock pheasant take off only a few feet above the ground heading for cover. One of the boys took aim and rolled the bird in one shot. Tim loudly called out "nice shot" and Kahlua retrieved the bird. Our second bird too be taken was another large pheasant, able to get up high enough to catch the wind and explode away in speed. Sam called to the boys "lead them far ahead of the bird" and in an instant two shots rang out, and the bird tumbled down. Sam commented, "Your boys listen well, Chauncey"
We then continued walking the field and we could hear the high pitch sounds of quail, calling to each other along the fencerow and thick brush at the end of the fields. Both Tim and Sam knew this was the boys' Christmas gifts, and did everything they could to let them get the first couple of shots off. The quail, when the dog or we found them, were in small groups, and would flush up and try to take to the wind to get away from us. But proper shooter placement had the boys popping bird after bird like they were in a shooting arcade. Our guides continued to praise them and help them as wind changed direction, and the dog would become birdie.
Taking the birds is far from what makes the hunt a great hunt. As we would be walking, the boys would ask Tim and Sam questions about pheasant and quail hunting. They would also talk about goose and duck hunting, which neither of my son-in-laws has yet done.
But then one of them would ask a question and the two guides would break into an acappella rendition of a song from the '70s that would make everyone laugh and forget about the cold. Shooting birds, making new friends, laughing, and singing, I kept looking over my shoulder for Curt Goudy and the crew from "American Sportsman".
What more could you ask for in the way of a Christmas present on a cold Christmas Eve morning? Sam summed it up best "Chauncey, I don't know about your daughters, 'cause I haven't met them yet. But these are two good boys, don't loose them." Sam couldn't have said it any better.
Join outdoor enthusiast Chauncey Niziol from 6 a.m. – 7 a.m. on Saturday mornings for The Great Outdoors Radio show on ESPN AM1000 in Chicago. Click here to find out more.