Its all about the Hound

For me, this year has been all about the dog. I have been out a lot more over the last three weeks, and the hunting has been tough. Tough conditions, tough cover and most of all, smart seasoned roosters. With the weather turning cold and wind, the birds have found shelter in the cattails, making the dogs work a little harder then normal, not to mention the hunter as well. I am out of shape for pounding the cattail all day, OUCH!

The roosters have been wise, running seems to be their Mojo, heck thats why some of them are still around. We have been flushing 75-100+ birds a day, most being hens.

I am now down to one dog and this year has been unreal following this dog across the SW part of Minnesota. This year I have found myself hunting a little different then in the past. I just follow the dog, he leads the way. I work into the wind, but for the most part the dog leads me around the field, sometimes that has us going in circles, but it normally ends in a flush and me being out of wind. Watching this dog lock up on point is almost better then the kill. I just love to watch him get on a bird, run it down, and lock up rock solid. For me that is as good as it gets. Late season roosters may be few and far between, but they are worth every ounce of effort to put one of these late season cocks in the bag. My gray ghost has finally stepped into his own, it only took a few years, but I am loving each and every flush. “ROOSTER”-Happy Hunting-

Nothing better IMO than seeting a dog get birdy and then locking on. I hunt with a GSP, higher strung than a lab, not always a good thing . Good job on the hunt and story

I have hunted with a few amazing GSP, they are high strung, but fun as heck to watch tear a field apart. My lab works slower, so it mixes well with the GSP we hunt with. It’s a great combo

Absolutely one of the best reads I have read and I totally agree with you Bob. It is definitively “ALL ABOUT THE HOUND”. Thanks for sharing!

Great pics!

Nice job Bob and a nice little report! I agree – watching a dog flush or point a rooster is one of the most thrilling things to experience!

And it’s about time you figured out that the best way to hunt is to follow your dog because we all know that your dog has to be a lot smarter than you!

Lastly – I don’t remember that voicemail that you left me asking if I want to go with…

Great Article!

Brad – when we going hunting?

So maybe I should get that out of state hunting license in MN instead of IA… And you are right on… IT IS ALL ABOUT THE HOUND!!! Sorry it is ducks, I actually got one of her in IA last week chasing wily ringnecks, just haven’t downloaded to see how it looks.

Mark

Love that picture Mark!

Thanks Lip!!! I got a chance to look at those others from Thanksgiving week, so a little of ducks and pheasants even though I did not carry a gun in IA. The other thing I wished I would do more often is to make sure I have the flash on the camera to see if the eliminated shadows would make the pics better. The other thing I found in these pics (not shown) was that the auto focus is focusing on the closer framing items.

First photo is Mae with Dodge Boy working a 200 yard retrieve. Then a couple close ups of us laying in the mud dealing with bluebird weather waiting for da ducks and then a couple from the IA experience.

I am still so disappointed from two falls ago, when I got a bunch of great retrieve pictures with Mae and the greenheads we got that one day, then the card crapped in me.

Mark

Sounds like fun to me, I can’t wait until tomorrow

It is fun watching a dog mature into a hunting machine. More and more this year the game plan of working a field have resulted in getting great shots. You are right, watching a dog get birdy and lock up or get the flush is a fantastic rush. The feeling is real close to the feeling you get when a walleye whacks a jig.