Bird Hunting, a Bum Leg and new earrings!

So what does bird hunting, a bum leg and new earrings have in common?
well...let me tell you about my Friday the 14th of November!

It all actually started months ago when Matt and I were invited to go to the BOAC Charity Bird Hunt in Calhan, CO at Rocky Mt. Roosters.

I have been eagerly awaiting Nov. 14th., as I had never been "bird" hunting like what we were going.

I have been Dove hunting and Duck hunting (basically pond jumping), but had never been on a guided Bird Hunt.

The weeks kept coming and the more excited I was getting.

I had no idea what to expect on our hunt. Last week, as I was doing chores, one of my Boxers was chasing birds - just regular tweeties in our yard - and needless to say, I stepped right in her way, and boom, out goes the knee!

After a little doctor visit and a few x-rays it was decided that I had tore my Lateral ligament (LCL), put a crack in my small bone that my LCL attaches to by my calf, and a possible mincus tear on the opposite side.

Plus come to find out I had cracked my knee some other time pretty good, and didn't know about it!

So, I was now basically sidelined to do about anything much over going far from the couch.

Well a week wore on then, two, and my knee steadly has gotten better.

I called Paul, and told him I didn't know how well I would be able to hunt, but I was coming anyway!

Morning rolled around, and low and behold...its snowing...my battery on my pickup won't start...and I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do.

I decide I will be disappointed if I don't go, so I get the battery recharged and head to Calhan.

Unfortunatully my directions were not the best, and I had to stop for directions.

Once I got there, I walked on the property that had guys out shooting trap at 5 different stations, had a cleaning house and the main building.

I walked in and found Paul, Joel and Marcia.

I bought $20.00 of tickets for the bucket drawings, said hi to my friend Will, then proceeded to talk him and 2 of his buddys into trap shooting with me (even though they had already practiced.)
Paul also joined us.

This was unlike any trap shooting I have ever done.
It was all by remote and you could have 2 different "rabbits" or "brids" going at the same time.
It was great...push button simple! I loved it.

We took turns shooting and changing stations for a little over an hour!

Next was lunch. Yum, yum.

With BOAC, they do bucket drawings. Paul and Joel had went to Sportsmens Warehouse and purchased over $2000.00 in prizes including 3 guns that were raffeled of as well!
They had dang near everything you would need to hunt there!
$300.00 GPS systems, $300.00 Binaculars, and more!

I got lucky enough to get to draw numbers out of the bucket and win a cover for one of my guns.

Now time for the real fun - bird hunting!

At first I had resigned myself to just trap shooting, but when I got there I got a bit more excited and decided to hunt. Figured if my knee was shot, and had to have surgery, might as well hunt anyway, I couldn't make it much worse!

I got to hunt in a group with my friend Will and the two guys, Dave and Mike who I also shot trap with.

Our guide was Jarod and he took us about 10 miles to the ground that was actually his families.

He explained what we would do and that we would basically walk a line and let the dogs do the work of ferreting out the birds.

He had a black and yellow lab that did a great job. (check out my photo!)

We were hunting phesant and chucker.

Although I had a huge knee brace on with only a 15% moveablilty, it was a ton of fun and I would recommend it to anyone!

I was able to get a few shots off, but thankfully Will was with us and we were able to bag 7 birds!

Once we returned to the lodge, we went into the chophouse and began the process of cleaning our birds.

I wanted the feathers and sent all the meat home with Will, as we still have birds in our freezer.

Phesant feathers are beautiful and I brought mine home to use in several different projects. My first is to make earings and a pendant out of them. There are so many different colors its fun to experiment with them!

I will also use them in flower arrangements and for Prom crosages and bouts!

Now you know how bird hunting, a bum leg and new earrings all come together for a wonderful day! Oh, and my knee didn't have to have surgery...Thank the Lord!!!