Strange Pheasant tale

noweil Mike

noweil Mike

Well-known member
Decided to do a scouting/float hunt today with the unseasonably warm weather. I'm floating this stream and I see a bird come thru the trees on the north side of the river up ahead of me about 60 yards and hook out over the river coming towards me. It cups its wings and flares it's long tail feathers to land. I'm thinking "that looks familiar but that isn't a duck." Then is slides right in on the water probably 10' feet from the north bank about 35 yards in front of me and starts swimming like a duck to shore. Gets to the steep bank and runs up over the bank and disappears. I was shocked. That pheasant landed on the water so perfect and when it swam it was head bobbing like a wood duck. When it hit shore it ran up that bank like a road runner. I could see the ring around its neck plain as day.
 
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But I must admit, THIS was the strangest thing I'd ever had float by.

Don't know where they came from (just appeared, coming from the back end of the slough about 12:30), or where they went (last I saw they were headed out to the main-stem of the River - good luck with that!). Weren't fishing, weren't hunting - just out paddling down the slough at an agonizingly slow pace.... but we did enjoy their LOUD talking & singing all the while. Having them stop right after they passed us so the guy in the red sweatshirt could crawl to the back of the paddleboat and take a leak was also entertaining.


I especially enjoyed the "Look at all those ducks over there!" statement when they spotted our decoys. Actually, that paddle boat might not be too bad camo-ed up ;-) ;-)...... Nah
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I probably would have had an accidental discharge when he was on the back of the paddle boat.

I had a woman take a lot of pictures of my goose decoys on a state site one time. Another time I had guys fishing the edge of my decoys when geese started coming. I stood up and asked them if they could go fish some place else. It surprised them when I spoke. Many people amaze me.
 
Sometimes it's best just to smile to oneself and let the blissfully ignorant float on by. Now had seen there were guns aboard, you can bet I would have let my presence be known when they were a long way off (for my own well being ;-)). Have had one too many parties try to "sneak" my decoys, including a rabbit-hunter who I never knew was behind me until his gun went off.


That being said, had birds worked into range for a safe shot, I'd have taken it; but there's no sense in shooting a gun for effect or to "teach" anybody a "lesson." That doesn't ever accomplish anything positive and has the potential to turn ugly for no good reason.
 
A number of years ago I saw an article in Wildfowl magazine where a reader pulled the top off it and used the hull for a twin pond box. Ever since then I keep my eyes peeled for a fixer uper.
 
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