A tough day hunting is better than a great day working...

After harvesting my first dog of the year, the fever has set in and the forecast called for three or more inches of snow.  I make it an effort to make sure I hunt the first snow day of the year every fall because animals are generally a lot more active directly before and after a snow storm.  The chilly morning offered no wind, along with a solid cloud cover which lead me to believe it was going to be an epic morning for calling in hungry dogs and I was very confident in encouraging Johnny D that these factors would almost guarantee success.  After four solid sets and calling in every animal on God's white covered Earth except a legal predator, I was glad I hadn't bet the farm on what I thought was a sure thing.  We decided that it was time to scout a few areas that we have been wanting to hunt and haven't had the chance.  As we warmed up in the truck, I was reminded that homework is a very important part of becoming better at this sport.  I am always interested in a new hunting ground, but I always hesitate to bother a home owner early in the morning to push for last minute permission to play in their backyard.  I prefer to call days before I plan to hunt with a "no big deal" low pressure approach, and generally have better luck getting a hold of them along with the answer I hope to hear.  As the morning moves into the day and life goes on, it's tough to remember to make those calls until the next time you drive by at 7 a.m.  This is also another huge time factor when you are trying to utilize every precious moment of your calling time.  My goal for this week is to try and make some of these phone requests to expand my repertoire of hunting grounds. After work, I tried two sets as the sun went down and had the same results... No fur.  Although I couldn't believe it, I did get to spend the morning with a great partner, we called deer within ten yards (which is the closest I've ever been to a muley in the wild, and it was a rush), we spotted some new possible honey holes, and I got to watch a full moon rise over a Colorado prairie in the middle of nowhere, which reminded me of two things.  First, coyotes love to hunt at night and if there is a full moon after a warming day of snow melt, then hunting dinner treats becomes easy enough that there is no need for a daylight meal.  Secondly, I had a great productive day that ended with both a rifle in my hand and a call in my mouth; A tough day calling beats a great day at work any day.