Thread: Game bird diary for all

Here is the back story to this bird.
I drove into this skid site in the forest, eyed it up for a bit, got out of the car and had a short look about without letting the dog out.
Just as I open the door and start to get back into the vehicle, this rooster lets out a crow.
Right you f...er lets see where you are!

I open the back and let Charlie out, the rooster jumps up.
Waay waay out and at the top of the hill, he starts to fly up and over the top instead of down. It must be 55m away at least. So I give him a tap from my tightest choke ( modified ) and send a load of 6's towards him. He folds a wing and goes down!!

We have to get up there pronto, I send Charlie out but he didnt see the bird go down and is seeking in way to close. I send him up, but its that steep he keeps turning back.

Nothing for it, I have to get up there myself, I know its wounded but not dead. It could be running down the far side of the hill for all I know.
Its bloody steep (worth mentioning again). I use the shotgun butt as a climbing stick (yeah its unloaded) untill I reach the ridge line.

By now Charlie is along side me and starting to get out in front a bit seeking, I give him encouragement, and as we near the spot I dropped the bird he locks up hard!
When he does this I know the bird is REAL CLOSE, as I gain ground toward him the rooster jumps and trys to head down hill. Each time he jumps the broken wing prevents him from flying and he goes to ground again.

This makes it real hard for the dog to pin him down, sometimes Charlie overshoots the spot and tumbles farther down the hill (did I mention how steep it was?) And as he scrambles back to where the bird has gone to ground, the rooster leaps again!
Finally, near the bottom of the hill we have just been up, Charlie finally pins him, gets a good grip and proudly marches toward me. The rooster in his mouth blinking as I take him from the dog.

I grip his clawed feet and hold him behind the head. A gentle stretch, a flutter of wings, then I feel his neck click and he goes limp.
Its all over, a great effort on every ones part.

The sun is shinning on a clear crisp May morning and I lay Mr Rooster down to admire him. His plummage is magnificent and glows in the morning light, I dont often take momento pictures but this one is well deserved, who knows it could be Charlies last season, hell it could be mine.

As I write this I got up to check what chokes I have in the gun, they have been there for many many years, as I bring the gun into the room to get a bit more light into the subject, Charlie looks up from where he lies near the fire, stands and gives a stretch, as if to say
I'm ready boss, are you? Then as I take it back to the the safe he settles back down onto his spot and dreams of birds as his feet twitch in memory.