Hunting
2011 Dove Opener
Sep 15th
With 100′s of doves working our freshly cut wheat field it was hard not to grin as I scouted for the mornings hunt. My buddy Brian and I met up at 6 am and got to the field in complete darkness. Just as shooting hours begun, which was still pretty dark, we started hearing the zipping wings of Morning Doves wizzing over our heads. It was fast action from the first minute of the hunt until we limited out. The first couple (10+) shots were a little rusty as we could barly see the fast birds, before they were right in front of us. But as the morning broke and the sun warmed the day, so did our shooting (at least for Brian, I pretty much always suck) Brian sharting making shots that I wouldn’t of even dreamed of taking. The only problem we had, was that most the morning was spent trying to find the birds we shot, instead of shooting the birds that were flying over our heads. I guess it was a pretty good problem to have. It was a great way to start off the 2011 bird hunts and an even better way to spend a morning with Brian, laughing and smiling about the birds we shot and the 100′s that we missed.
Honk, Honk, Honk
Feb 10th
Honk, Honk, Honk is all I heard for three straight weeks in late January as the 2010 waterfowl hunt came to a close. The bad part was that most of the time I was making it up in my head . The good part was that there were enough Geese around that its all I could think about and wanted to do. Die hard goose hunters are pretty easy going and have great patience. So for me, I struggle sitting in a blind freezing to death with a hope that a flock might come. Like all hunting and fishing its the behind the scenes planning and scouting that assured me that freezing in a blind would be well worth the pain. 5 am my phone was about to go off, but it didn’t matter. I had been up since 4:30 am too excited to sleep. What I’d seen the following evening boiled my blood with anticapation. I couldn’t wait to meet up with Derek and the rest of the group as we set up the decoys and preped our blinds. By the time we had the spread out we had missed out on two smaller flocks of geese that wanted to be where we were standing. We hurried and drove the trucks back to the barn and started walking to our field, but before we got half way back we heard a Honk, Honk, Honk. Like clock work a pair of geese came straight to our spread, made one pass and locked up. Luckily Weston had stayed back at the blind and with two shots. Had our first two geese of the morning. By now Derek and I started jogging to get back to the blind, but again we had a group of five locked in and heading right at Weston. SUCKKKK! We though, as they passed right over Westons head without a shot. We now ran to the blind. Getting there, I asked what happen! Weston shrugged his shoulders and said “I didn’t want my hunt to be over yet”. Wow! I didn’t think I would ever hear a goose hunter say that. It didn’t really matter, our scouting paid off. The 200+ geese that ambushed the corn the day before wanted another buffet. Flock after flock gave us a shot and after all was said and done, we had a ditch full of geese and a bunch of happy hunters. This was one of the best days of the 2011 waterfowl season. It was hard not to feel like we were in Cananda or Chesapekee Bay, but being surrounded by the grandour of the Rockies I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world. Its a hunt Derek and I will have a hard time beating. Can’t wait for next year…
First Deer
Nov 2nd
For all those that know me, know the ups and downs I have been through over the past 3 years hunting big game. It has been a roller coaster of ups and lots of downs. (Past Deer Hunts and Elk Hunts) I haven’t taken the tradition road as most hunters do, by learning how to hunt with their dad or family. I didn’t have any hunting partners, so I was self taught, from trial and lot of error.(And hunting shows which aren’t very realistic, since I can’t hire a guide) To top that off, I didn’t start with a rifle, I started with my bow and made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t shot anything under a 4 x 4. So now you know where I am coming from, here’s the story of my first deer. It all happened Sept 5th. I had been in Milwaukee, WI for grueling 3 week work training. So with only 2 days left of the muzzleloader hunt, I decided I needed to get out and at least try. I got to my tree stand around 4:30pm and waited what felt like days, but nothing moved until the last golden hour and then there were bucks moving all over. I first spotted a little 3 point that was out of my range at 200+ yrds. Then across the meadow, I saw a buck that we called The Freak, because of its non-typical thick antlers and big body. It was moving toward the 3 point and in a hurry. After I lost site of 
The Freak, I heard some noise to my left and saw a little 2 point and spike working their way down a trail only about 40 yrds away. I had to make a decision and fast! I thought what the heck, I need to finally get a deer, so I climbed down my tree and started my stalk on the 2 point. Just like the millions of times before the wind swirled and the deer busted me and took off. As I was walking back to my stand bummed about the stalk, I noticed the three point looking right at me 100 yrds away. SUCK!!! I thought as I froze stiff. After what felt like forever, the buck put its head down and kept moving the same direction. Since I had spent 1000′s of hours with these deer I knew right where he was headed. So I waited till he got behind a tree and I ran to get into position to meet him. Sure enough, just as luck would have it the deer came right down the trail and within 40 yrds. I took aim and let it rip. What I thought was a vital shot, resulted with a deer standing up looking right at me and them bouncing off. No way I thought, I had to have hit him. So I went to see if there was any blood. As I got to the spot where I thought the 3 point was standing, I saw nothing. But then I heard the most beautiful noise, 5 ft away in the thick bushes was The Freak lying down slowly kicking its feet. With the low light, I didn’t noticed that that freak had moved in with the 3 point and was leading the pack. I Did It! . After lots of yelling and self- fulfillment moments, I called a buddy to help me pack it out. It was and still is an awesome feeling to be able to learn and go through so much without quitting. Then right when you are ready to quit, it all comes together and you reach your goal that you have worked so hard for. I have learned that nothing can replace hard work, time in the field and determination…Sooner or later luck falls on your side. I am a big game hunter in the field and in the stream.
Ending Where We Started
Feb 4th
This years waterfowl hunt flew by like a Teal through the decoys. I was only able to get out a handful of times before it was to late. This season started out awesome with a great opener at FB and finished off with a crazy goose hunt in my backyard.
Read more below
The Making of a Pheasant Tail
Nov 17th
One of the all time most successful flies in fly fishing is the Pheasant Tail nymph. It works on fooling trout all over worldwith its mayfly appearance. I personally took a liking to it early in my fly fishing days, in fact I remember the first summer I started fly fishing on a regular basis. I was sixteen and had an old 70 Chevy truck that was my vessel to places and things I always wanted to experience. With the freedom to drive I started fishing the Lower Provo River whenever I got a chance. Since I could only tie a few flies the pheasant tail became my go to fly. At the time I didn’t realize what it imitated, all I knew was that it caught fish and it made fly fishing fun. That summer alone, I probably tied over 200 pheasant tail flies to full fill my fishing craz and all those dang break offs. (2 PTs per break off) Since those days I have expanded my fly boxes, but when the situation calls for it I don’t forget my roots. I always have a few trusty PTs to pick up some picky trout.
To me the making of a pheasant tail nymph goes a lot deeper than simply tying feathers on to a hook to imitate a small mayfly. No to me its a unique experience that makes these little bugs special. The process starts ever early November as the cold weather graces us with its presence. It is the time to bag the birds that carry the tail feathers that make up the flies name. The ring neck pheasant is a majestic bird known for its beautiful colors and long tail feathers. It is the king of all upland game birds. 
A week already into the pheasant hunt I was starting to wonder if I was going to have the chance to bag a bird and rep 
the benefits. So with an open Saturday and a fresh coat of snow, I was off to try my luck. At first things started off good as I heard a rooster chuckle, but somehow the wiley birds eluded Cash and I. For the next few hours Cash I pushed through the thickest brush possible, but all we had to show for it was
soaking pants, cold hands and a wet dog. As I was about to give in, I noticed in the distance a couple pheasants walking back into the pasture where we started. I sprinted to the spot and started looking around for the birds, but again nothing. By now I was done, I couldn’t believe they had given us the slip again. So I started walking back to the truck, when I thought what the heck I’ll try this patch of tumble weeds on the way out. I walked through the weeds confident-less, as I approached the end of the patch aroyal ring neck erupted from my feet. I only had seconds, I brought my gun up, shot! Missed!!! I pumped in another shell this time aiming at the target that was flying away like a jet, it was getting out of shooting range, but I pulled the trigger…the bird dropped like a rock!!! Cash ran after the fallen bird and with a big dog smile, let me know our day and season was a success.
As I looked at those tail feathers today I couldn’t help but feel a longing for summer fishing and pheasant tail nymphs. Its funny as I am hunting pheasants I sometimes envision the fish at I will catch on the pheasant feathers I that I harvest and make into flies. It is truly the purest form fly fishing that I can get when I can harvest the features from the pheasants I bag and than get peacock from a friend who raises them to make up a completely pure fly that symbolizes the reason why we all fly fish. So to me a pheasant tail isn’t just a fly, it is a story of a bird that I bagged and a fly that I personally handcrafted to imate a mayfly nymph that will outsmart a trout that is as wild as the pheasant that roamed the pastures. So next time you tie on a pheasant tail nymph sit back and think for a second about what its story could be, because I will.
