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Joined: Mar 2002
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Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,718 Likes: 479 |
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.
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5 members like this:
spring, Cameron, FallCreekFan, Run With The Fox, Parabola |
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 7,463 Likes: 212
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 7,463 Likes: 212 |
Thanks for sharing the field story with your dog, making great memories.
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Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 3,160 Likes: 319
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 3,160 Likes: 319 |
Jon, you and Stan are really frontier poets.
Baluch are not Brahui, Brahui are Baluch
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,154 Likes: 1152
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,154 Likes: 1152 |
My friend, that is an afternoon I have lived with previous Labs myself, and can absolutely relate to. Thanks so much for sharing it with us.
.410s and doves are just sooo much fun ....................
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,154 Likes: 1152
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,154 Likes: 1152 |
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.
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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2 members like this:
Parabola, Run With The Fox |
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 996 Likes: 7
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 996 Likes: 7 |
Thanks for the story! I could picture the whole set up in my mind's eye with the telling of it!
I was hunting the dove opener with a friend in S ID with his two labs. He doesn't hunt them on waterfowl and not much on the doves, almost exclusively on chukar, huns, quail and pheasants. I had to laugh at the younger of the two, he'd sit there and whine, walk 5-10 yards around where we were standing whining the whole time, stop look at my friend as if to say, "what are you guys doing, this isn't how we're supposed to hunt birds"!
Cameron Hughes
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,415 Likes: 193
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,415 Likes: 193 |
Jon, I really enjoyed reading your story, a great time to remember! Tanks for sharing! Karl
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8,158 Likes: 114
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8,158 Likes: 114 |
Let me guess, Sran.. That 9&1/2 lb. double might be your 12 gauge 32" Super Fox-- both barrels choked as tight as a banker's wallet?? RWTF
"The field is the touchstone of the man"..
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,624 Likes: 13
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,624 Likes: 13 |
Jon: Thanks for sharing notes of your morning Mourning hunt. A joy to read. Gil
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,154 Likes: 1152
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,154 Likes: 1152 |
Let me guess, Stan. That 9 1/2 lb. double might be your 12 gauge 32" Super Fox-- both barrels choked as tight as a banker's wallet?? RWTF You got it, Francis. Or, if the gun might be a bit less weight, the wonderful 32" Smith 3E I got from you a few years ago.
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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