Tomorrow please

[salmonchaser]

Sugar is trying to tell me, get your gun, let's sneak out, mom is sleeping.
Tomorrow, I promise


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[truck driver]

Great looking dog.

 

[SJB358]

Great picture!

 

[truck driver]

Great picture!

Yeah it looks like everyone is enjoying a nice nap

 

[salmonchaser]

We snuck out today for a while
Hope you all had a Merry Christmas morning.


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[DrMike]

And it looks to have been a great day! Congratulations to the girls. A fine Christmas harvest.

 

[salmonchaser]

Dinner tomorrow, pheasant and chukar enchiladas. Merry Christmas Dr. Mike.


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[DrMike]

And a delightful meal with which to observe Boxing Day!

 

[salmonchaser]

29 degrees, molly barked for about five minutes at a bird that had dropped on a gravel bar. Figured no way she goes for it. Finally just had to have that rooster


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[truck driver]

Now that's determination. I hope you gave her a special treat for that recovery. the water was probably warmer than the air temp but oh my the chill factor when she came out of the water.
Great dogs just keep on giving.

 

[salmonchaser]

There was ice on the river a few days ago, but yes warmer. Thankfully no wind and the grass was dry. Shorthairs just don't have the insulation a retriever has. She is one of those dogs, I'm blessed. I also didn't have to drive to the bridge and hike two miles up the other side to retrieve the bird. I like that!


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[salmonchaser]

Sugar is giving Kent the "how did you miss that bird" look.




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[cloverleaf]

Great pics- looks like a lot of fun. Gotta ask though, I recognize the ring necks but what are the "dark phase" birds? Obviously a pheasant, but are they wild in your part of the country? Grew up is SD so I know there is some variation in color, but too me those are unique.

 

[DrMike]

Troy,

It looks to be a melanistic mutant ring-neck cross. Here are a couple of references that may help clarify.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/...tant_Ringneck_Cross_Pheasant_(4482356808).jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/...tant_Ringneck_Cross_Pheasant_(5293726943).jpg

Strange looking when you're used to seeing ring-neck pheasants.

 

[sask boy]

This was my Son & I this past Thursday .

Blessings,
Dan

 

[DrMike]

Great haul, Dan! I sure do miss pheasant.

 

[Anonymous]

outstanding!

 

[salmonchaser]

Dr. Mike, this comes as no surprise, is correct. The bird is a melanistic. They are a released bird but have shown themselves to be very hardy. Those that survive until March and April will breed with wild ringneck hens. That results in a bird that is noticeable larger and a blend of the colors.


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[truck driver]

Great haul, Dan! I sure do miss pheasant.

Yeah me also. There hasn't been any pheasants in MD since the bird flu epidemic along with the lose of habitat and no till farming they have died off. I had a pair in the fence row behind my house for a while back in the 1980's and left the fence row grow wild to proved them with cover and a place to nest. My neighbors threatened to force me to clear it and I registered it as a bird sanctuary. They're gone now but I have tons of other birds in it to watch and come to my feeders. :grin:
Great pictures and very envious of you guys that still have them to hunt.

 

[truck driver]

Dr. Mike, this comes as no surprise, is correct. The bird is a melanistic. They are a released bird but have shown themselves to be very hardy. Those that survive until March and April will breed with wild ring neck hens. That results in a bird that is noticeable larger and a blend of the colors.


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How do you tell the difference from the hens and roosters of the melanistics?
There used to be a Golden variety that was abundant also but don't see many pictures of those any more.