6th Prize
Hunting Journal with Weatherby Logo (100 awarded)
Gerold Stephens, Missouri
“My dream hunt would not be a dream hunt unless my brother-in-law and close friend Matthew and my dad was with me. My dad’s favorite hunting is upland bird (actually it is the only kind of hunting he does). Matthew and I try to do it all but mostly predator and deer. Every year we go pheasant hunting to the southeast corner of Nebraska and hunt pheasant. We are unfortunate to not know any landowners in the area and we are usually hunting the public grounds in the counties that make up southeastern Nebraska. The problem is that we normally don’t go until later in the season and you can imagine that the ground that is public has been hunted to boot and not very many birds are in these areas.
We will use the CRP maps to find the ground to hunt. So on our way to each piece of ground we pass a lot of private ground. The frustrating thing is that we then see birds crossing the road or maybe sitting in a thicket along the side of the roads on the private ground. This used to excite us and we would get to the public CRP and jump out get the dog out and go go go. As you would know we quickly had the ‘late season public ground blues.’
My dream hunt would be in early December and in Nebraska. My dad, Matthew (bro-in-law) and I would be staying at a lodge where they specialize in upland game. The hunt would start in the morning after breakfast. We drive to the place the guide has selected for us and get ready. I would be hunting with a 20 gauge Winchester, my dad with his 12 gauge Ithaca and Matthew (I am sure) would have his Charles Daly 12 gauge semi auto along. (Of course I would love to win a 12 gauge over and under from Weatherby so in this hunt I would possibly be shouldering that instead of my old Winchester.)
Well it is hard to tell a fantasy story about an upland bird hunt. All I can think is that we would be in the birds all day and the thing that would make this kind of hunt a dream hunt would be being with my dad and brother-in-law. They are the nicest guys and lots of fun to be around and talk to. We don’t get to fling the lead at the beautiful ring necks very often but when we do, it is the best time I can think of.
After a day of hunting I invision two of us being limited out and just one of us needing one more bird to complete the limit. With two guns shouldered and the dog locked up on point. The last bird of the day is soon to be in flight. (Obviously, this a dream fantasty hunt so I would be that guy one bird short.) To hamm it up a little—when this rooster gets up I think I would miss the first shot and then drop the rooster. Hey just a little suspense to make this story a little more fun.
The whole thing is that we would get a lot more shooting than ever before and I know it would be awesome for my dad to say that is what it used to be like when he was a kid and his family knew a bunch of farmers in the area.”