As the summer days shorten and the temperatures drop, the urge to be on the mountain becomes stronger and stronger. My instinct to find birds is stronger as autumn approaches. My main purpose in life is to lead you to places where the upland birds hang out.
Follow me to places where the leaves are so colorful that it is hard to focus on what we are here for; hunting. What is going on in the rest of the world will be far from your mind as you watch a golden aspen leaf float to the ground and quietly land on the red colored leaf from the same tree. The only sounds you will hear are my paws rustling through the leaves in search of a game bird for you. Somehow finding birds loses it's importance as you gaze at the beautiful colors of autumn mother nature has provided and you realize that you have been in a place similar to this with other partners in the past.
Follow me into the breeze as it blows over the hills of cheat grass, making waves like a gentle ocean. At times, watching the waves of grass becomes an overpowering feeling of calmness and you'll forget the purpose of our mission. Follow me through that calmness and watch me search for the upland birds. Hopefully, you may find me on point as you did with Tucker so many times. Tucker's points seem so long ago, but it was only yesterday. Tucker is still pointing in that ocean of cheat grass and waiting patiently for your arrival.
Follow me, through all the strong scents that accompany the autumn season. The scents of sage brush, bitter brush, and all the different grasses we'll encounter. I'll guide you through the smells in search of our quarry. My nose will filter through all of those wonderful smells until it finds the most wonderful smell of all, chukars. I'll probably find them close to the seep that magically comes from the ground high on the hill. The seep soon becomes a creek that empties into the river where we parked the truck. As I take a break to lap up some water, the sounds of the creek trickling down the hill may take you back to yesterday when Dakota sprawled in some pooling water to cool with a retrieved bird in his mouth. Like Tucker, he's waiting patiently for you to take the bird from his mouth.
Follow me through the rain and snow. I'll take you up the steep rocky slopes and canyons you've been on hundreds of times before. The ones that make you feel so close to heaven. I know you'll be huffing and puffing, but I also know how good you feel about yourself after you have reached the next ridge. I don't know what you are looking for over that next ridge but I know you always find it. Maybe it will be the tall outline of Riley pointing a snow drift in the fog. Under the blanket of snow is a covey of upland birds. Like Tucker and Dakota, Riley doesn't mind being patient and waits for you.
Follow me through all of the splendor God has provided us. Everything looks and smells fresh. The autumn colors are magnificent and the wildlife will be plentiful. There will be plenty of challenging mountains to encounter and the only thing that breaks the silence is mother nature itself. Maybe the call of a chukar or even a rock falling down the canyon after being dislodged by a bighorn sheep. I'll stop to let you listen to the coyotes scolding us for trespassing in their territory and won't question you for packing out the shed horn from a big muley. When we stop and eat a snack I'll patiently wait while you lay on your back and watch the clouds slowly move across the sky. Since we are one, I know where your mind has taken you.
Follow me on the rimrocks of the desert canyons where the hawks and eagles not only fly high above but can also be seen hovering below you. You have to wonder if their screeches are also warning you of trespassing or if they are just screeches to announce this is their kingdom. Having the big birds here makes my job easier. they also help to make the birds hold.
Follow me to these places because you love it as much as I do. I see it in your face when we are chasing upland birds. There is no need of pursuit of peacefullness when you are on the mountain. You are at peace the moment you step from the truck. That is why God gave me to you. We just are, and that is all that matters.
So, follow me in pursuit of upland birds again this year, as you have the past two. It's not only the autumn of the year 2015, it is becoming the autumn of your life. I have several years left to lead you over the terrain and am honored to do so. I hope to guide you through as many memories with me as you have with your other hunting partners and hope to one day be standing by them waiting for you. We'll be waiting patiently in a place where autumn never ends. Until that day comes, follow me and let's make many of our own memories.
