two weeks in a row

[dougell]

Jordan and I hit SGL 54 in Elk county this saturday.It was raining pretty hard when I woke up so I let Jordan and Bailey sleep in a little.We got out there later than I wanted and the place was mobbed.It's a big area though and other hunters were very respectful.It was cold and windy when we got there and with all the pressure,I figured the birds would be down in the valleys where it's too thick in most places to really get some good shooting.Jordan and I were standing on a gated road,loading up when Bailey goes on point.These birds are in sorghum fields and constantly moved ahead.When they move the dog creeps a little and more often than not,they flush.That was the case here.A big rooster takes off cackling within easy gun range and neither of us were loaded.Probably 100 guys and dogs went right past there in the last hour so we never expected to get on one that fast.We ended up limiting out in about three hours but Bailey decided to go after another porky.She must be learning because this time she just had about 6 in her nose.The dog and the kid get better every time out.It's really neat to watch them both figure each other out.That dog is turning out to be some of the best money I've ever spent.Attachment Deleted

[rem700]

Good stuff doug the smile on jordans face says it all

[dennyf]

SO I'm guessing there is no longer any question about the dog staying now?

Critters go where they want to go, especially ditch chickens. Back when I was still out after them, more than once we headed for an area and had somebody say, "There ain't gonna be any birds in there, it's already been hunted". Pffft.

Birds get pushed from one area and fly to another all the time. Been there, seen it happen, had pheasant for dinner.

Same with deer. Two years ago I stopped down the road from camp to heckle the locals that gather near a gas well pad. One group was there watching the mountain side as others up there drove it. As the drivers were coming down off, another group pulled in. First bunch told them they were wasting their time, as nothing had come down from the drive.

I've been down there when drivers pushed oodles of deer down, not that morning. So the second group decided they were gonna punch out the 300 yard long stretch of high weeds down by the creek, an area that used to be open pasture, but is now grown up because of stream bank fencing. They weren't in there ten minutes and a doe jumped up and was killed. Went another hundred yards, another dead baldy. Got up to the end and one of 'em killed a small buck that ran out of the brush.

Back at the well pad, myself and one other local who I knew, said yep, ain't no deer in there, when the first doe was shot. By the time that bunch got to the other end and had their third deer, the original group of "experts" was leaving in a huff.

[dougell]

The biggest hurdle with the dog was Mom.Fortunately,this dog has so much personality that even Mom has a hard time resisting her.She can be a real PIA at times but the entertainment value and affection that she shows everyone makes up for it.I'm not a professional dog trainer by any means.We just did what other more experienced people told us to do.Basically,we just spent a bunch of time with her and made her listen.Obedience wise in the field,she's 100%.What's amazing is the way she learns to adapt and understands that we're supposed to kill the birds.Jordan will go up one side of a field and I'll go up the other.The dog will run up ahead 50-60 yards and work the field back to us with the wind in her face and then repeat the same thing.We didn't teach her to do that.She just kind of adapted on her own.When a bird hits the ground,she's on it instantly.Several times she's found them quite a ways from where I thought they were.She doesn't have a soft mouth though and the more alive they are,the more she kills them.She does bring them back and drops them but she usually takes a victory lap or two.She didn't do that as much this past weekend.In fact,she retrieved very well.I made him do most of the obedience training but when it's all said and done,this dog will teach him more than he could ever teach her.She found several birds in fields that were worked over pretty hard.Her nose is incredible.I think she was missing quite a few at first because she was such a spazz for the first hour or so.Now she seems to get right to work and be more methodical.She used to go nuts when she saw another dog.Now she hardly pays them any attention.

[gobblerhunter]

Nice!