Solo in South Dakota
10/26/23
Losing track of days seems to be the goal right now and releasing feeling of being on a time, hour by hour schedule. When I pulled into Sioux Falls Rec Area to sleep, the dogs ran and ate, as I set up camp. The first night sleeping in the Flatted Truck Topper for my F-150 and boy was it cozy. Do you remember when you were a kid, and you would sleep in your backyard? In our tent when we were younger, we had pouches to put things in, like flashlights, snacks, books, TP, you know supplies. When I crawled into the back of my truck, I felt like a kid in my tent all over again. This trip turned into a solo trip to the mid-west one day out before I was to depart. Jenn R. (NY) called me that Argo had hurt his spine and possible ACL from running. As I hung up the phone tears were in my eyes, how in the world was I going to do this trip alone. but alone I was not… as I opened my eyes to the situation and changed my perspective; doing this alone became the least of my worries. I went to our group chat with the techs at the clinic as I begun telling the story. I began to explain, and no one ever doubted me or said think twice… “Go with force but be safe”. Lace up your boots a little tighter and put your balls on. You are going and some of you know that when I am gone, I dont look back. (Two steps forward, one step back but don’t ever turn back.)
I called my farmer friend Luci from SD and let her know that I was going to be coming in hot and hunting by mid- day Thursday. Fuckin’ A- I pulled in and Trigger had his first wild pheasant pointed, shot, and retrieved by 1:58 pm. Walking private wetlands and cat tails is just something you long for back in Pennsyltucky, these sunsets, and damn those sunrises. The rest of Thursday we went plot to plot just tearin’ shit up… Trigger and Logan double teamed this covey of hens and one rooster. The point, the release, the low movement through the thicket… as you make your way through... PHEWW… makes your knees weak and puts a smile on your face. We finished up that field with all 3 running just opening up on all birds every where as the sunset had around 100 birds up and I cannot kid you on that.
Friday we (Trigger, Logan, Dixie and I) took 90 west to the Badlands and spent the coldest morning I’ve felt so far with 30 mph winds adventuring through the frozen “tundra” of rocks and dried summer flowers that lay covered in their molded frames of ice. The Badlands move me, it gives you a moment to believe in the greatness that was behind that it took to form these cracks, curves, glaciers of rocks that stood so mighty, but yet so flat when you looked across the prairies. It’s not a silence, it’s a stillness that you feel when standing amongst the master pieces that are art, it surely makes you belief in something higher and stronger. We worked our way back on home, tromping through the Pierre National Grasslands to put some more miles on before heading back East. Kicked up a 4 by 4 muley and its white ass pranced on through the field. We stopped in Precsha on the way found a random field and 4 pheasants, 10 hens up by sunset. Trigger and Logan are finally picking up on working together. There turns are beautiful and there figure 8s are turning into something better then expected.
by Friday evening my Pennsyltucky dogs were dog tired and didn’t even want to move out of their kennels. The good part about bird season and just hunting in general in SD, everybody understands it, and everybody has loaded guns in their vehicles. That brush pants and orange is my kind of dressin’ up at one of the 3 local bars on the Woonsocket (population 600) strip. Sitting at a bar has become a comfort to me after a long day of hunting. The connections you make and the opportunities that you find along the way. As Bethany would say, “you never turn down a local dive bar.”
Sidenote: Behind the scenes of the Huntin Dix crew, we are rather raunchy. we are individuals or as a group walking into a public place such as a bar. We tend to walk in with an aura that screams don’t flex with us, but we do love some good dog work and talking about our day. We often have the loudest laughter that irrupts like a symphony. If you know, you know. Our give a fucks (in the best way) are busted but healed by our dogs.
Two more days to hunt, two more days to grind.
Early Saturday morning the dogs rested while I collected my thoughts and enjoyed the silence. Preparing for a day that I could not even begin to dream of. I rolled up being “the rando” that I am, to this parcel of private land, where the caravan of campers and dogs roaming circled around a campfire that was already being built at 10:45 am. “I have found my people (chimed yet again in my head). How I got to this place well only a dive bar would know. 18 birds in 2 hours with so many more flushes and dog work in between. The habitat of this property and how it was set up for success was incredible. How we decided to start in one place and push to the bottoms. It’s an experience to walk with an orange army around you with good dogs. The ache that a good hunt gives you in your guts and loins is one that is hard to explain, but if you ever get the opportunity to GO, just GO. The bird and dog people of this world are home to me. At one point Logan was retrieving a bird back to hand, threw the creek bottom he went to only lock up on point (with bird in mouth), the bird flushed, someone dropped it, another dog retrieved it, and then Logan brought the dang bird back to me. To watch an animal shine in its element is a beautiful thing. Those memories of that day are ones to hold on to. It’s that replay as your head hits the pillow.
My dogs are BEAT. It’s time to head back to the East. Spent the morning sleeping. Took a stroll around the farm with Jett (Luci’s grandson). we saw one rooster kick from the tractors down to the cat tails. We both decided we weren’t going to walk that far. We kicked a doe and buck nestled down in the middle of the field. Stocked a covey of hens. It was a clear and crisp Sunday morning. Packed up my things and organized the truck. Gave the biggest hugs and said see ya later to my SD family and headed for Pennsyltucky. When you conquer a trip like that, where you pray for protection and safety. You have faith that you will be supported through prayers, texts, phone calls, and the connections. I pulled over to pee in a small town by the name of… found a spot near a CREP field. I told Trigger if he had it in him, we could do one more hunt just him and I. There were many hurdles crossed and the best thing I could do for this puppy was to just throw him into the field with the older dogs and just figure it out and go to work. And thats what this dog did. Every single time. Trigger is special, he’s hard to explain, but when you see him, you feel him and that’s your answer… that feeling. we walked about 3/4 miles in, some excitement but not a bird, kicked a doe up. As we looped and started to head for the truck, the grasses stopped moving from the location where my dog was at. He was locked on point. As the bird flushed Trigger was already sprinting towards it. 1, 2, 3 it took all lead and dog work at this point to knock down this turkey size pheasant that irrupted from the cat tail field edge. And by the time I realized what had happened, Trigger had the bird in his mouth. I ran, more so frolicked, and then I said choice words. My swearing is 2nd nature to me, I rejoice with cuss words and dance with my shotgun over my head. Sometimes there’s even a battle cry.
Anyways Trigg worked and I trusted. That was that. We got into the truck and took off for home. Traveling across and driving was such a cool experience for me. I listen and read about people who travel and how it changes their life, and I finally can understand why. It’s life changing. The people that you meet and stay with you forever. The caravan of campers still check in and with stories to tell. Waves of pride, happiness, and confidence just rolled through my heart with each passing mile. Gratitude for each year that has lead me to this place to find adventure. Phone calls went out to those who pushed me to go and do this trip because without my circle I wouldn’t of gotten here. I love you guys so much, you know who you are. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the push and love. And with that being said…
