doublegunshop.com - home Forums Thread Like Summary - 42 minutes.

I went out to shoot a few dove for my Lab, who missed most of the early season for dove. She had a few family matters to attend to as she came into heat just before the opener and had a date with her male friend. If there is a dog who loves dove more than her, I have not met her. We got a late start after work. It was not too hot, so I figured she could stand a good workout. Being the only person in the field, I only had passing shots, which I enjoy taking. The longer the better, within reason. Over about half an hour I shot and she retrieved 14 dove. Action was fast and the birds were coming into the field across a vee in the hedge row. We have all been there and seen how sometime they just follow a highway into the field, which is right through a spot in the hedgerow, or over a dead snag. Birds were a bit more educated than opening day but they flew true and were as good as I have shot this year. I wish my average was over .500 but it was not with my 42. Decent, but not my friend Stan worthy.

By bird 14, my dog was way overdue for a rest. She was gassed. So I got her to lay down next to me, and I sat on the ground petting her while she got a good drink. Birds were still moving so I figured I had plenty of time to get my last bird. We just watched birds come into the field and feed. Return the way they came and land in a small cut over woods by the field. A natural roost if there ever was one. She recovered after a bit but I just let her lay there and chew a bit of grass and roll in the dirt. As my wife says, do doggy things. I asked her if she was ready to go back to work and she immediately sat up next to me on my left side. Her position, ready to mark the bird and return to work. About five minutes later a high flying bird came out of the field, returning to the roost. I shot it, missed a bit behind it the first shot and then centered it with the second shot, dead as could be. It sailed over head, into the hedge row. She went straight to the line it took when released. It took her about a minute to locate it in heavy honey suckle and bring it back to me. Tail snapping back and forth, head up high and coat shinning with the sun behind her. Straight to my hand, for a good bit of praise and a hardy rub. From start to last bird, took us 42 minutes, even with our break, but to me it seemed like a lifetime. I love good dog work and she was a good as I have had in years. Not perfect or even well suited for a field trial but so enjoying her work it made me, just happy.

I have been hunting over 50 years, had many dogs, some better than others, but have to say never had one which seemed more in tune with me, than this one. I hope she has a nice litter of pups because I think she will be a great mom. I have decide to be the puppies uncle, because uncles get to spoil the young and not get blamed for any bad outcomes. Just wanted to share my 42 minutes, the rest of the day was OK but that small part was perfect and should last me a long time. Keep safe and hunt well my friends.

It is a learning experience for me each dove opener to use a .410. Strange, how it occurred, this most recent time. I killed the first dove that came in, and the second, then missed one or two and was 3 for 5. Heard of the "wheels falling off"? Well brother, the wheels, axles, and whole undercarriage collapsed at that point. I must have missed nearly 10 straight. Too frustrated to analyze the problem, I made an adjustment without realizing it. Next dove was a 90 degree right to left crosser that I killed dishrag dead. I paced it off at 37 yards to the bird. I suddenly realized that I had not seen nearly the lead on that bird that I had on the previous, closer, misses. Aha! I immediately got back in the groove and the hits just kept coming. There's no way to get rid of those zeros, so the day's average was nothing to brag on, but I was happy to have corrected the problem.

Those light little guns just jump out there too far in front so easily. I will move from a 5 lb. double on opening day to a 9 1/2 lb. duck gun at the end of the seasons. That's a lot of adjustment to make. But, I always seem to shoot the heavy guns better. I'm just hopelessly attracted to those petite little ladies. I'm NOT addicted ......... I could quit anytime I wanted to.