FML Outdoors.com

Willow Creek Pheasants

It was -10 degrees with white confetti falling all day

It was Sunday, December 7, 2008. Matt and I agreed to meet at Willow Creek Kennels in Little Falls, MN.

As planned, I prepared to leave early before the snow started. The radio that morning was playing for travelers like me — warning of the hazardous road conditions that lay ahead.

By the time I reached Little Fall, MN the visibility was down to one-quarter mile. (My phone rings) It was Matt calling to see where I am. I was within 45-minutes of reaching our destination. Matt communicated he wasn’t too far behind.

Willow Creek Kennels is where Abby received her training four years ago. Chad and Jodi Hines, owners of WCK, is a husband and wife team. They are wonderful people and do a excellent job training and exposing young dogs to hunting.
They are in the process of expanding their facilities by adding a new building with more kennels and a cleaning area for birds. A total of 40 indoor/outdoor runs, office, banquet/indoor training room, pro shop, dogie fitness center and bathrooms.

The kennel runs large. About 4′ x 8′ on the inside and 4′ X 10′ on the outside. They’ve even taken the time to create walls between kennels, so to create a “den-like” effect for the dogs. With heated floors – what dog could ask for anything more!

They’ve also been working on managing the land and creating a hunting preserve. I’ve never hunted a preserve, but had always said, “I’m going there one of these days!”

What drove me to my decision to go this Sunday was simply, I’m sick and tired of all the Wildlife Management Areas looking like run-ways for dogs and their hunters. Every Management area I pull into has heavy traffic signs. Obviously someone had just been there — most likely 30-minutes prior.

Snow wasn’t the only thing flying that day!

The Pheasant Dance

It didn’t take long to see our first pheasant. As we pulled into the parking-lot. There stood a pheasant near the old farm house.

We loaded our guns and prepared our hands and feet for the sub-zero temperatures. I put Abby’s in her vest to protect her from weeds and hopefully keep her warm. Remember, it’s damn cold outside!

We are hunting a 40-acre patch with 12 birds released the day before. We followed a trail to the back side of the field and proceeded to walk inward. No sooner did we enter the weeds— Matt calls, “Rooster!”

Boom! A pheasant falls to the ground. “That’s ONE!” I yelled out.

The day was like a dance that never would end. We walked and zig-zaged through the weeds, food plots and spruce trees. As the snow continued to fall— so did the pheasants. With a cackle here…and a cackle there…our shots hang out like church bells.

All totaled— we lost 3 and took home 9! Against all the weatherman’s predictions, it turned out to be— not so bad of a day after all!