ohland
10-23-2014, 07:25 PM
As always, my Brittany Spaniel, Belle, did something I have never seen one of my dogs do before.
Tuesday went quite well, where she worked in the woods and out on a big flat. Took her out today, and she didn't really want to go into the fairly open woods (popple/tags/shrubs). She didn't go back to the truck like last year, but when she reached her tolerance, she simply sat down out on the trail and stayed there.
She did come in for me, after a bit of cajoling. She was slow and quite cautious. Then when we figured it was a dry hole, she was ready to get back out to the trail. Not many birds down here, for all I know, she is not going to waste her time busting brush when there are no birds to be found....
On the way out, the old retrobate flushed one. I doubled back and got lucky. Belle was about 20 yards behind me, and I had to get her in to find the bird (it was on the trail...). She retrieved it to me, and then started to go back out...
It is raining now, tomorrow is supposed to be an "excellent" day, according to the Sun and Moon tables in my Astro 320. More moisture will help her scenting, but this 6mph and higher wind doesn't help. Forecast sez 2-4 mph before 11am. Oh, puh-lease!
Gods below, last year was dry, and between looking for Belle and trying to shoot, I got 3 woodcock. here we are, maybe two weeks left of Woodcock season, and I just got my second bird. Gaaahhh!
Plan 9 - cross the drainage ditch at the beginning of the back field, and immediately go into the woods with her. She will come to me. Either because I can still hear her, or still see her, or maybe because I feed her. Whatever.
But we won't mention the big loop she made by the Sugar River. She did come back. Got to test how far the Astro 320 can pick her up. But she was quite pleased to get to the car.
Tuesday went quite well, where she worked in the woods and out on a big flat. Took her out today, and she didn't really want to go into the fairly open woods (popple/tags/shrubs). She didn't go back to the truck like last year, but when she reached her tolerance, she simply sat down out on the trail and stayed there.
She did come in for me, after a bit of cajoling. She was slow and quite cautious. Then when we figured it was a dry hole, she was ready to get back out to the trail. Not many birds down here, for all I know, she is not going to waste her time busting brush when there are no birds to be found....
On the way out, the old retrobate flushed one. I doubled back and got lucky. Belle was about 20 yards behind me, and I had to get her in to find the bird (it was on the trail...). She retrieved it to me, and then started to go back out...
It is raining now, tomorrow is supposed to be an "excellent" day, according to the Sun and Moon tables in my Astro 320. More moisture will help her scenting, but this 6mph and higher wind doesn't help. Forecast sez 2-4 mph before 11am. Oh, puh-lease!
Gods below, last year was dry, and between looking for Belle and trying to shoot, I got 3 woodcock. here we are, maybe two weeks left of Woodcock season, and I just got my second bird. Gaaahhh!
Plan 9 - cross the drainage ditch at the beginning of the back field, and immediately go into the woods with her. She will come to me. Either because I can still hear her, or still see her, or maybe because I feed her. Whatever.
But we won't mention the big loop she made by the Sugar River. She did come back. Got to test how far the Astro 320 can pick her up. But she was quite pleased to get to the car.