Pheasant Hunting in ND

   

 (Chase Helmeke with his first rooster ever)

     During this past weekend I went pheasant hunting with my dad (David Rud), Ken and Pat Peltier, and Brent and Chase Helmeke.  I have been pheasant hunting many times before and this trip has become a yearly tradition to our hunting group.  This trip however was different and a little more exciting since it was Chase's first Pheasant hunting trip ever!  He just got his gun safety certificate a couple weeks ago and was ready to hunt.


     The guys and Chase had hunted a few places in the morning before I was able to catch up with them but I think the story goes something like this....

     As they were driving to another location, they passed some Youth only hunting land and upon driving by saw several pheasants fly into the CRP grass.  Chase, Pat, and the three labs were released on a mission to land Chase his first Rooster Pheasant ever.  Magnum (Pat and Kens black lab) started working over the area immediately and it wasn't long until a rooster busted out of the tall grass.  Chase managed to get a shot at the bird and was able to hit the wing.  Down the bird went into some cattails.

      After watching the bird soar down, David and Brent walked the dogs into the cattails to find it was a little more wet then they expected.  Brent made his way back to the truck to grab some hip waiters and the dogs began to search the area.  Not too long after, another rooster (could possibly have been the same one), shot out of the cattails and was met by flying lead straight from Chase's 20 gauge shotgun!

     Upon hitting the bird, Hunter (Ted and Davids yellow lab) took off after the bird with Pat close on his heels.  It was now a foot race as the bird took off running.   Hunter proved to be faster then the bird (and Pat for that matter) and was able to retrieve the bird.  Hunter in all his glory received many head pats and was enjoying every moment of it.  Chase too received lots of high fives and there were plenty of smiles to go around for this new hunter!  Many memories were made and we had a very fun hunting trip.

 (Pictured above with his first rooster ever is Chase Helmeke along with Hunter)

     Chase not only proved to be a good pheasant hunter, but back at the hotel room he cleaned out our pockets by winning several games of 5 card pinochle... and I guess I won a few too ;)-



I was just looking through some of my old hunting pictures and was able to find a pic of me on my first pheasant hunt.

(Pictured above is me (Ted Rud) on my first pheasant hunt in 1999)