I am going Possibly d.r.

Todd Duncan Tennyson

Todd Duncan Tennyson

Well-known member
I want to get out and see the winter sky.
to hear the sound of the sun rising over sagebrush.

I want to have cold hands and tired legs and a dead rabbit to share with my dog over a campfire.

I want to smell the smoke roll out of the pipes of that old 20 ga, and miss a few and hit a few too.


I want to go to the places on my map that i dream of all year
Just me and my dog.

So I am going to do it.


I will keep you guys in the loop, couple be a few ducks thrown in... maybe a flat tire... One never knows.


I miss posting up on here, It has been a long spell.... Might be good to share some words and photos.
 
Last edited:
It will be good to have your nostrils get involved with that acrid smell once again. Those distinctive aromas that only a duck hunt can give you whether it be a river or a marsh.

I'll look forward to what you and the dog find as you romp around in Mother Nature's back yard.
Al
 
Enjoy the adventure Todd, we look forward to hearing about it (especially those of us living in the icebox at the moment!).

I let the dogs out this morning and commented that it seemed quite warm...looked at the thermometer and it was 15 F, which IS warm compared to the last week :).
 
Thank you Gentlemen.

Kaden is in his 10th Season. We're going to give it a go and do the best we can..... Out where we are headed, generally it is in the 10- 25* degree range, but this time it is significantly warmer... which means mud...

The kind of mud that makes a truck stuck to the axels.


I'll be careful though. Might have to plan my driving for after sundown and before sunrise.... when the roads are crisp and hard enough to support the rig.


Mostly going for Jack Rabbits, maybe get lucky on a few chuckars or quail.

I got a cougar tag and am bringing a few cartridges of #4 buckshot and my sidearm... never can tell out there.


I'll give you a full report when time and spirit allow.
 
Todd, I can't wait until your back and have some time to post. I always look forward to them. Be safe and enjoy your time out there.
 
So I walk into a Gas station in a very rural town in SE Oregon.

I'd removed my heavy coat while driving because it was a little too much. I had my XD9 on my hip in its holster (which is hopefully where it will always be.)

I got a cup of coffee and some beef jerky for the dog, and the guy behind the counter said, "hey, no Glocks allowed."


I'd forgotten it was even there.

I said, "Shoot, sorry, let me just pay you for the coffee and I'll split."

The guy said, "I am jut playing with you, We allow Glock and Springfields too. They all burn a hole in the paper the same way."




"Where'd you get that Red setter in your truck?" he asked.

"Oh, that is Kaden," I said, "He looks like a red setter, but his papers are For AKC Golden. He rescued me back when he was about 4, he is pushing 11 now."

"You going bird hunting out there?" he asked.


"Just going out to camp and get a few shots off, probably jackrabbits more than anything." I said.


He nodded and said, "Hey, have a good day man, a guy and a dog make about the best team there is in my book"

"Amen," I responded, hoisting my coffee mug.


Untitled by



This is a "Fault block" topography. Massive shelves are shifted like wedges on the land. Steep and cliff like on one side, and slow and gentle downslopes on the other.

Untitled by



There is nobody out here.

Maybe a hay truck will roll through the area once a day.


That was ok With Me and the Red dog.


Untitled by
 
Last edited:
Was able to get out and get a couple shots off at a cottontail.


Chased him up along the scree, and just couldn’t line up a shot that would work safely over Kadens head.

Chased his tail up and over the hillside and into the rocks and lost him.



Suddenly, Kaden lit up and was hot on his heels.

I could see his little white tail and ripped off 2 rounds of 20 ga # 6 shot.


It was a long drive out here. It is a long haul between K-Falls and Lakeview.

Abert lake was as shallow as a shimmer.


"Hey the tide is out" said Kaden.

"Yep, looks like it may be out for a long time." I said.

Only saw 1 group of geese and 5 Avocets. Looked just like a mirror out there too.


Me and Kaden hunted a couple of hours just south of a huge Fault block rim on the way towards no place in particular.






One car went by about 10 miles away.




Soon We could see the milky way and the 7 sisters constellation.


Kaden laid there in the dirt by the truck and said,
"I like it out here.
It is quiet and cold and still.
It is starlight and coyote calls.
It is pure, free and sincere."

"Well said boy" I agreed.

At dark, I made a camp fire and cooked some clam chowder on the rocket stove.








Put on a heavy layer of wool on top, as I watched the windows of the truck form ice.

Let Kaden lick the pan clean, figured I'd burn it sterile tomorrow.


I thought that Kaden would want to lay down next to the fire where I was sitting, listening to the radio,
but he just wanted back into the truck.


"Kaden, don't you want to hang out by the fire?" I asked.

"I am so tired, I'd like to go back on my mat in the truck" He motioned.



"Ok partner" I said as i helped him on up.

I unrolled my sleeping bag for him and wrapped him up in it like it was a cocoon.

It gets dark out here.

Really dark.
 
Last edited:
Got up at dawn, it was about 20* and took the truck about 20 minutes to finally pump out heat from the 2 vents that still blow.

Kaden and me headed down more towards no place in particular.

We set off at one stop and I had to get out and open the gate.





Kaden asked, "Why do they need a sign that tells people to close the gate?"

"Because many people are inconsiderate, and do not think about anything or anyone other than themselves." I said


"What makes them that way?" Kaden asked.

I thought about his question for moment.

"Kaden, that is a difficult question to answer. I am not certain why it happens, but it appears to be something that we are going to have to figure out a way to work around."

Kaden wagged his tail and seemed to understand.


We stopped the vehicle along a long escarpment and it looked like a place where there might be something to chase.


We managed a long shot at a cotton tail.

It looked like I must have connected with it, as it scrambled up the scree slopes.

Kaden was just going bananas and I reloaded and watched where the rabbit went. It popped out again and I shot 2 more times.


Kaden and I got up the hill as a best we could, but the red dog lost the scent in a rocky ledge overhang that was too small for him to veture into.


I am certain that the rabbit was in there, but there was no way I could fetch it out, and despite Kaden's efforts, we still didn't have any meat for dinner.


Kaden said "Damn, we've been flummoxed again."
I nodded and said, yep, they'll do that."


"Why do they do that" he asked.

I said, "Ok, that is about enough questions... lets go to the rabbit HQ."



We continued on toward a secret location.
there is a turnoff and fork in the road.


I got a Rabbit there last year and decided to try again in the same spot.


Sure enough, there was the rabbit, right on cue.

One shot at about 35 feet rolled it hard,
Kaden was so happy to get one.










Apparently My internet skills have slacked, but here is a brief video clip you will need to copy and paste to see.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUg7CyuTqBA

We kicked up another one about 20 minutes later in the same general area.

I Thought i saw it falter as it bolted up the hill…. it was a shot I knew I connected on.

I made a note of where it went, despite a sincere effort to pick up the scent, no bunny was found.


They are a tough lot.


We still managed enough to get some food in our bellies.




Decided to peel off up the hillside and see if we might find some birds up there. It is windy as hell, but the sun is out, so that helps.

Kaden and i stopped off for a rest and I field dressed the rabbit.

It had a huge bot fly larva in it about as bg around as a quarter and over an inch long.



More video for you to interpret



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USL5Ge6yYzE



I cooked the rabbit up and shared it with kaden. He seemed to be happy to have some of it.



Here is video of the culinary experience.


I suppose that Anthony Bourdain has little to fear from the likes of me.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVzcDbnhsI0


I think i will head out over to another secret spot later today.
It looks birdy,

I know there are birds near there, because I got a couple on the very last day of bird season long ago with alex and ginger.



I always share with my dog, because my dogs have always given 100%.


Kaden likes to relax in the truck, so as a surprise, I gave the backstraps to him with his kibble.


He seemed to enjoy them in this video clip. Sorry you'll have to copy and paste it on your own.


PS, You know it is windy when the wind keeps knocking over the camera tripod!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkKm1Qm39k4
 
Last edited:
After we got done hunting tonight, we went towards the Hart Mountain antelope refuge and I realized that I didn't want to go over those hills with the darkness rolling in.














With only about half an hour left of daylight we decided to come back to where we camped out last night and set up a fire and pulled some dead sagebrush back so that we could have some wood.

It got dark and cold quickly looked like it'd be a little bit cloudy tonight it's not as clear as last night.

Last night was superduper clear tonight is fairly clear. Can see stars but I can tell there's a high overcast so it's a little different occasion.

Funny, after we got done setting up the fire, I thought that Kaden would want to lay near it and warm up.

He did for about 15 minutes, but after that, he really wanted to get up into the truck and get into his sleeping bag and he was tired out (understandably) but we sure had a good time today.

Got some rabbit to eat, I'm hopeful that we can get some some birds on the other side of the hills tomorrow we shall see.




As we drove along, Kaden remarked on the sign below, he said,

"Why don't they put up a sign of an Alligator, or one of a band of street thugs wielding baseball bats... Or even one of a pink bikini clad woman riding on the back of a bucking Triceratops, At least people would keep their eyes peeled."





I said, "kaden, never change," and I laughed out loud a bit.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top