bad day at iroquois

[GRIMJIM]

I went pheasant hunting this morning. The good news is we limited out in about an hour and a half. Also the other guys just went to run their dogs so they gave me all their birds.

The bad news is I hit a patch of ice on a country road, slid left, slid right, slid left again, spun 180 degrees and ended up backwards in a ditch with my truck on it's side. After the tow truck pulled it out it started right up, drove fine, just a dent in the rear drivers side quarter panel.

Could have been a lot worse but still a bad end to a great day.

[GRIMJIM]

Oh yeah, I'm alright too.

[Glanceblamm]

Great to hear that you are ok, must have been quite a shock to see your truck parked sideway's in the aftermath ..."to borrow a quote", Dont ask me how I know.

[jather]

+1 on good outcome of a bad situation. just hit the birds, not the ditch. stay safe, jather.....

[Glanceblamm]

[quote]..."to borrow a quote", Dont ask me how I know. [/quote]

Ok, I'm tellin.

The year was 1972 I believe and my cousin was at the wheel of his Dad's two week old Mazda pickup. I was riding shotgun and we had an english pointer in between us. The road was gravel but had 6" of the soft fluffy snow on it.

We were going too fast of course and I remember the rear of the truck sliding just a little to the right but then spinning 180 degrees to the left, catching hold, and then turning over on it's top down in a brush filled ditch.

It is funny that neither one of us really remembered the truck turning over but I still have an impression of seeing that dog, with very wide eyes, somewhere in between.

We were ok and even had the presents of mind to shut the ignition off before getting out. The dog wanted to start hunting the ditch right away and had to be captured and leashed. Once we climbed back up on the road we turned to stare at the undercarrige of that new truck with mouths open for an undetermined amount of time.

Had a long hike back and my Cousin told his Mom. She insisted that we wake his father who was sleeping as he had worked a midnight shift the night before. We woke up my Uncle but my Cousin broke down as he started to tell what happened so I had to do it!...All ended ok of course but at our age we did not realize that our safety had priority over a new truck.

** My Cousin was killed just six years latter by a drunk driver while on his way home from work. I think of him especially when Nov rolls around each year as he was the best hunting partner I ever had.
     George shot a Rem 20 ga auto-loader and could do anything with it that I could with my 12 ga pump.
   

[S.B.]

Oh yeah, I'm alright too.

Good to hear Jim. You are the most important of part. Have you ever hunted the Des Plains conservation area on I55, for pheasants?
Steve

[GRIMJIM]

I've only been pheasant hunting twice. Both times at Iroquois. A guy I work with's father has a britney spaniel and invited me after we got to talking about guns and hunting.

I've been to Des Plaines skeet shooting and went bowhunting one day early in the season. I got about a hundred mosquito bites in about an hour and a half so I left.

I applied for the free hunt that they have every year but I didn't get it.

Do you go there?

[S.B.]

Not yet but, plan on it in future? Maybe get a Thermacell?
Steve

[GRIMJIM]

I have one. It was at home.

So you have a dog? I've never gone without one. it looks pretty rough.

[S.B.]

Had a Brittany for 15 years until he passed away, now raising a German Short Hair bitch.
Steve