Upland Hunting 2012

      BIRDS! 2012

    It's been a while since my last blog. This is because I have been busy outdoors. With fall brings the hunting season for so many things. With Piper's first season I tried to get her out as much as possible, and to watch her progress within a few months has been a real joy. Someone once told me that a good bird dog is self trained, and although I overall disagree with that statement, a lot of that rings true.
     Hunting with Piper this year was what I would call, "controlled chaos." She was so excited to run around and find birds that she would, a lot of times, out run her own nose. Over the summer I had purchased a bird launcher and some live quail. This worked at first but I had done something wrong because Piper was blinking birds! Blinking birds means she knew where the bird was planted, but refused to find and point it. I was at a loss, and thinking I had ruined my dog for good, I reverted to the words of an experienced bird dog trainer and hunter who had a simple montra, "WILD BIRDS, WILD BIRDS, WILD BIRDS." These words rang truer than any other advice I had received pertaining to dog training.
    Since there are little to no wild birds in south eastern, Mass, I brought Piper home with me to the Berkshires while visiting my parents. There I was able to find a few spots abundant with both grouse and woodcock. From her first outing in the Berkshire hills, Piper was busting birds. She quickly learned the scent of grouse and woodcock and even before opening day she was pointing woodcock. In my opinion I was very close to ruining a good bird dog, putting her on wild birds was the best thing I could have ever done.
    By the end of the season I had shot (at) numerous birds including pheasant, quail, grouse, and woodcock. For a first season I could not be happier. She is also retrieving well. I took her out a few times duck hunting and had her retrieve a few ducks along with my aging 12 year old lab. As far as bird hunting goes, I would say the season was a complete success.

    The following photos were taken from the first day of woodcock hunting. Within a half hour of hunting in Savoy State forest I not only shot my limit, but missed quite a few as well. These three birds were shot in a row. Piper pointed, I took a step while "whoa-ing" her and one bird after another went up. Apparently this is a rare occurrence, but it happened to me on my first day out, within my first half hour. Not too bad.

Here's a video of Piper pointing, relocating, and then flushing a rooster pheasant. I made a lucky shot and dropped it.

Good girl

This photo was taken on a trip up to Maine. It was unsuccessful with only two grouse flushes, but it was a good experience anyway.

These photos were taken while duck hunting. These were Piper's first duck retrieves as well as what will probably be Smokey's (my black lab's) last. Even during the colder mornings piper did well in the cold water. The problem with her is that it's difficult to cover up a bright white dog while sitting in a blind, but we manage.

Attempting to hide

Piper's first retrieve, a wood duck!

Green winged teal

Smokey

Some last minute retriever training 

     Here's some pictures from the pheasant hunting season:

Piper's first Pheasants

Piper on a pheasant retrieve

Proud

Here's a video of Louie and I hunting from an old row boat on the Palmer River, Rehoboth, MA.  Piper was waiting for me to use the right command, "Back,"but in all the excitement I was the one who messed up and caused her a little anxiety.