Pheasant Hunting Yesterday

[tatonka2]

Our season is winding down... ends January 1, so we've been hitting it pretty hard squeezing in all the hunting we can. I got my son a new shotgun for Christmas (early present), so he's been breaking it in right. He'd been using an old Montgomery Ward 20 gauge that my cousin had given us years ago...

I am very blessed to have my son and daughter living here in Chinook (as well as my two granddaughters!). So many kids have to move away these days to find good jobs, etc. I am also very blessed to still be able to get out and hunt and fish with my family and friends, to have some great dogs, and to live in a place where we can still enjoy the great outdoors. We have a lot to be thankful for. Merry Christmas to all....

A few photos...

Luke and his dog, Rocky...

https://photos.smugmug.com/Other/Outdoor-Hunting-Photos/i-jmHLzXr/0/L/Pheasant%20Hunting%20-%20Dec%2021%20Luke%20and%20Rocky%20%20%20%202016%2 0047-L.jpg (https://tjwhitney69.smugmug.com/Other/Outdoor-Hunting-Photos/i-jmHLzXr/A)

https://photos.smugmug.com/Other/Outdoor-Hunting-Photos/i-N5Jgmsj/0/L/Pheasant%20Hunting%20-%20Dec%2021%20%20%202016%20025-L.jpg (https://tjwhitney69.smugmug.com/Other/Outdoor-Hunting-Photos/i-N5Jgmsj/A)

Sage and I...

https://photos.smugmug.com/Other/Outdoor-Hunting-Photos/i-BFQq5PC/0/L/Pheasant%20Hunting%20-%20December%2020%20%202016%20037-L.jpg (https://tjwhitney69.smugmug.com/Other/Outdoor-Hunting-Photos/i-BFQq5PC/A)

[CNP]

Nice photos! Merry Christmas!

[bagwan]

Looking Good. Merry Christmas as well.

[gs100bert]

your lucky to have an extra month over us our pheasant season ended nov 30
merry christmas nice pics

[tatonka2]

your lucky to have an extra month over us our pheasant season ended nov 30
merry christmas nice pics

They extended our season a few years ago to Jan 1 so that families who had kids, etc. coming home for Christmas would be able to hunt. It used to close December 15 here. Studies have shown time and time again that hunting has very little impact on bird populations. From what I've read, approximately 85% of the birds hatched in the spring will die before they reach one year of age whether they are hunted or not. With pheasants, hunting has even less impact as we can only shoot roosters. There is no biological reason for closing the season Nov. 30. My guess is that it's because landowners want it closed then. We have a couple hunting districts here (deer hunting districts) that are only open for 2 weeks... They are pretty much all private land (the rest of the state is open for 5 weeks). Landowners in the districts that are only open two weeks told the F&G that if they increased the season to 5 weeks they would close their land down to hunters completely... go figure.

[slopeshunter]

Love the photos Tatonka. Merry Christmas!

[2 Tollers]

Great pictures and I envy the time you have with your family in the field. Very nice. All the best for the Christmas season.

[jetta5678]

Nice looking Springers Tatonka, and that rooster in the photo with you has some nice tail feathers. Do you have mostly wild birds in your area?

[tatonka2]

Nice looking Springers Tatonka, and that rooster in the photo with you has some nice tail feathers. Do you have mostly wild birds in your area?

All of the birds around here are wild birds.... We didn't get much of a hatch this spring due to the weather, so the majority of the roosters we have taken are older birds, thus the longer tail feathers and spurs.

[fordtruckin]

All of the birds around here are wild birds.... We didn't get much of a hatch this spring due to the weather, so the majority of the roosters we have taken are older birds, thus the longer tail feathers and spurs.

How's the weather been up there in chinook? Missoulahas been kinda crappy. Merry Christmas and good luck finishing up the seasons with pheasants.