Thanksgiving weekend training

Like most of you, I was out with my dogs over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. I hunted over a few of my own dogs and ran clients dogs on wild birds for experience. The results were mixed.

The heavy cover … continues to confuse and cause young inexperienced dogs frustration. When they finally do get into some wild birds they usually cannot see the covey rise due to the thick cover. This is just how it is sometimes. I am pleased with bird numbers and accept the heavy cover as a blessing though it is tough to hunt and train in.

Nubbin’ started out his first quail hunt of the year a bit perplexed this past weekend. After about 30 minutes he settled in and put on a clinic in how to find bobwhite quail. The Bobwhites can and do run when there is good overhead cover created by broom weed. They do not run like blues though, thank goodness.

The cold wet weather this weekend should knock the blooms off and cause heavy cover to die back. That will be welcome by many including myself.

Among client dogs, Gunner did a nice job and held quite steady on a 20 bird covey that flushed in 2 parts. I was thrilled for him and hopefully this will be his ‘breakthrough’ from the terrible two’s that I have dealt with for the last year. I wish him the best at Nationals this week as he departs today.

Ginny, a young two year old, had her first ever wild covey find in which she did everything right. She was steady to wing and shot. Her owner trials her so this is great news. Her find was in a place with less broom weed than usual so was fun to watch.

Lady did well too with a very nice point, back and stop to flush.

Lots of other dogs ran but nothing above average sticks out in my mind to comment on except that my friend Scott’s male Vizsla ‘Chase’ did a nice job and should finish out well. Scott judges and runs his dogs in hunt tests and I see no reason why Chase can’t finish out a Master Hunter title and obtain a field champion title.

Right now the snow storm from yesterday is rapidly melting off.  The pasture is a wet, mucky mess but with a few hours of sunshine and some wind, we should be fine for horses and dogs this afternoon.  We also had snow this past Wednesday.  Two snows like that are unusual but do happen out here from time to time.  Our average snow fall over the year is only a few inches so we are definitely well over our average.

I suppose that’s enough catchin’ up from the last few days.

Take care and take a kid hunting!

Dave