DID SOMETHING REALLY STUPID TODAY...

I did something really stupid today.  I was at a site where the state stocks pheasants for its tag-holders.  My partner, George and I were returning with our dogs from a morning romp through the swamp, field and alders when the state stocking truck pulled up.  We unloaded our guns and stood still in the open field watching the whole operation.  Unfortunately, the dogs could see the birds being released too.  Yep, you guessed it.  My young dog was on hyper-drive for the rest of the morning.  In fact, she was so wound up that I called a “time out” with her and went back to the truck.  My partner had already taken a couple of roosters, so rather than chase these newly released birds, I opted to wait for another time.  (Other hunters couldn’t believe that I was walking my dog OFF the field!)   When I got home, we took a couple of pictures and called it a day.  And a pleasant day it was!  We talked with other hunters, met new dogs, and "enjoyed the moment".

George and "Abby"

The aforementioned lack of judgment reminded me of a similar thing that I did when K-Lee and I were getting ready for the Natural Ability (NA) test at our local NAVHDA Chapter.  I let her watch runs that preceded her.  She saw points, shots, falls and retrieves.  Between the gun noises, the flying and falling birds and running dogs, she was so wound up that when I released her for the test, she ran from one edge of the field to the other.  She would turn on my whistle, but she just ran too fast and too far.  She broke point and caught the birds, and then she played “keep-away” and wouldn’t give up the bird!  Worst of all, it was clear that I didn’t have a solid “recall” in-place.  I was embarrassed.  (We all know that the tests help us to determine where the holes are in our training program,  but it stinks when the hole is staring you in the face!)

So like a dummy, I made a similar mistake today, by letting her watch the unloading of crates of pheasants.  There were between four and eight birds in the air for what seemed like twenty minutes or more.  It certainly did increase her “drive” to search out birds.  She just KNEW that they were birds ‘in there’, so perhaps there was some good in it.  ...Just the same, I don't advise it.  

K-Lee with a bird after she calmed down

After K-Lee settled down and rested a little, we went out just before evening to a place I know and K-Lee was back to business and gave me a couple of really nice points.  

Then came  the conflict between gun and camera --which should I do? I decided on the gun.  The pup needed the retrieve more than I needed the photo.