Well, in case you have been pulling a Rip Van Winkle and sleeping under a large tree, take a look at your calendar now. Hunting seasons are open. Time to hunt!
Or to be more specific bird hunting seasons are open, across America. The list of birds to find, point, flush and retrieve ranges from mourning doves to sage grouse to chukars, plus ducks, geese and more. These are the days bird dogs live for. Take your dog hunting–now. Yes, it’s time to hunt, indeed!
This season I have been climbing tall mountains and scrambling along high-altitude rock cliffs. I’ve been crawling through dense brush and wading across muddy mountain bogs. All in search of elusive grouse. Yeah, I should wear a red cape and fly faster than a speeding bullet! Right out the gate this hunting season I found and flushed three ruffed grouse at around 7,500 feet. I did all that work, then Mike missed the first bird winging up. Ugh, why does he do that? He has great shotguns, so I can only inject it is an operator error. Hmm. I may just stay home the next time, but I like to hunt birds too much, so I’m going no matter what and with all those misses.
Anyway, Mike redeemed himself a few days ago. Two shots, two grouse. My stares of disbelief at his misses must have made him concentrate and point (even I know you don’t aim a shotgun) better, and then follow through on his swing. Down came a spruce and then later a ruffed grouse. Mike’s friend Marlon has a better score and is 2 for zero with two shots and two birds on the ground. I like hunting with “chute ’em!” Marlon.
Once the shotguns sounded and the birds were on the ground, it was my turn to move. My score is now 4 and zero. No birds on the ground can escape my nose whether they are dead or alive. I should count my score as double this number since I had to find the birds twice, including while they were alive and hiding where I then flushed them. I believe if I could shoot a shotgun, I may leave Mike in the truck and avoid his frustrating misses of birds on the wing — har-har.
Anyway, it’s hunting season across America so put your dog in the truck and go hunting. Oh, remember your shotgun and shells. Don’t want to be like someone last year who drove miles to only then discover he had forgotten to pack along his shotshells. The hint of who this is can be determined by noting he misses of a lot of shots on birds. –Cameron the Weim
All dogs live forever in the hearts of their owners. But hunting dogs take that love to ultimate dimensions of affection. The dogs and their owners have worked together to obtain skills and understanding of the outdoor world where they thrive. The stories here are real accounts of hunting dogs in action. The dogs may be gone now, but the affection they provided and their performances in the field are everlasting treasures. Buy Now
