# Sharp shootin!



## tigerpincer (Dec 5, 2009)

Earlier this fall I had a neighbor friend ask me if I'd be willing to take him out if he were successful in the sharptail draw. He'd never been and wanted to give it a try. I told him sure thing. As luck would have it he drew out as did my son and I. We chose today to get after em and had a very nice morning doing so. Not long after our hunt began we were beckoned to our right by the beeper on his collar that Ruger was on point. We made our way across the flat and into a small bowl where across the way stood Ruger locked up tight n steady. As we approached a pair of sharptails thundered off and my son dropped his first bird of the day. The second bird flushed between us and we were unable to attempt a safe shot. An awesome retrieve provided by my pup Denver polished off a nearly perfect encounter. Wasn't long after and the previous scenario played itself out in a similar fashion. This time I dropped a bird flushing to my left and my boy flushed his second bird flushing to his right. Denver quickly retrieved mine but my boys was a longer shot that took a wounded flutter over the hill into what looked to be a crash landing. Before I could get my bird in the bag and begin out to help my boy find his bird Ruger came trotting up the hill proudly toting the wounded bird. I almost felt as though my dogs were showing off for our rookie guest.
Whether intentional or not they were certainly making poppa awful proud. It wasn't long before the next bird made an appearance allowing the neighbor his first shot opportunity. He missed his first shot but dropped a bird on shot 2. By this time the birds in our area had become a bit spooky and were jumping at range but both neighbor and I polished off our limits after each chalking up a miss or two. I'm happy to say the neighbor really had a great time but I'd better keep an eye on him, I think he wants to steal one of my dogs.


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## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

Nicely done! This year was my first targeting Utah sharpies (columbian sharptails)--I killed a couple in North Dakota (plains sharptails) a few years ago but never had specifically targeted them. They are a neat bird, come up clucking and the way they fly is pretty interesting, reminds me of sage grouse a little. I think I would have seen more had the safflowers been cut when I was hunting but they were all still standing. Not sure if they hang in the safflowers but I found mine next to those fields in CRP. Congrats on your hunt--the pics are nice!


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

That is awesome. Nice job!


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Awesome job man!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Way2go 

Great pictures, thanks for posting.

.


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## ZEKESMAN (Sep 14, 2007)

Great job! But is it fair to have the birds outnumbered with dogs? Nice pack


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## tigerpincer (Dec 5, 2009)

ZEKESMAN said:


> Great job! But is it fair to have the birds outnumbered with dogs? Nice pack


LOL! perhaps it isn't but then again its not so fair that they can fly and I cant. Hiking the hills with Plantar Fasciitis, bone spurs in my heels and an ankle that the Doc says requires fusing together is a pretty good equalizer for the birds, don't ya think? If not an equalizer well I do handsomely pay the Karma collector for my unfairness. When I get home I cant hardly walk for a day or 2 and that hardly walking is quite painful. 

You should see the packs when I go with a friend or two who have dogs. One of my buddies has 3 DD's and another buddy has 2 GSP's one sired by my Bronco. When 2 or 3 of us get together its a sight to behold.:grin:

It'll be nice as I get into full swing with the Chukar hunt as I'll be able to rotate dogs. I don't think Bronco will be able to handle 2 days of chukar hunting in a week let alone in a row anymore. He's 11 now and these hunts are clearly much harder on him anymore. :Cry::Cry::Cry:


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## fishcarver (Sep 10, 2007)

Sounds like a great hunt with some great dogs. Just watching the dogs is rewarding enough. Thanks for sharing your story.


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