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Subject: Churchill's first waterfowl hunt!

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hooligan
Southern California and Vancouver Island

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09/20/2007 2:50 PM	Alert
Got back last night from a great hunt for ducks and geese near Edmonton. There were big Canada geese, snow geese (even one of the blue phase, which is a gorgeous bird), specklebellies, pintails, and mallards, and maybe another type of duck or two. Lots of firsts for the pup-we had never worked from a layout blind; he had never been in a multi-gun hunt situation before; he had never been on a hunt where birds flew over and were shot down-and he was a superstar! After the first morning Churchill had it all figured out. Nothing better than watching your dog do what he was bred to do. Talk about a natural ability test-thanks for the GREAT pup, LeRoy! I could write an epic, probably, but I'll stick to a couple of retrieves that were special. The first day, he went out for a Canada goose that wasn't dead and was pretty cranky. It hissed, bit him, hit him in the head with his wing-and he didn't want any part of it. After the hunt (more geese were coming in, and it wasn't the time to work with him right then) I got one of the geese out and let him figure out how to pick it up and carry it-the one I have in my freezer for practice is about half the size of these birds. The next day, a Canada landed in the field and stood up looking around. I sent Churchill-and the goose started running and flapping it's wings trying to take off. As they crested a hill, Churchill caught the goose (probably a 60 yard chase), grabbed it by the shoulders, and brought it back proud as could be. All the goose for the rest of the trip were no problem, and he always went for crippled ones first-and he never killed one. A Specklebelly goose was shot and flew a while before falling to the ground. Churchill took off after it, and when he wasn't back pretty soon, I started walking over his direction. I see him running back and forth along the fence line-obviously the bird was on the other side, and he couldn't get through. I went over, let him through the fence, went after him-and the bird wasn't in the brush on the close side of the road. We crossed the road-bird not there, either. We went through the second fence into a big pasture with lots of slough grass-big, thick, tall stuff-and the pup started looking for the bird. Found it a couple of minutes later. The bird landed about 325-350 yards from where we were when it started to fall.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

hooligan
Southern California and Vancouver Island

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09/20/2007 2:58 PM	Alert
More pics-

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Liv2Hnt
Overland Park, KS

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09/20/2007 3:11 PM	Alert
Hooligan, Congrats. I am extremely jealous. I still have a little over a month before North Zone opener in MO. Ive been doing some simulated duck hunts and we went out for early teal, but it is great to see some training pay off on the day of a hunt. Im really looking forward to my pups first real duck hunt. Ive seen young dogs who have not been exposed to just one of the situations you referenced have totally different experience so Im trying to get him aclimated to as many simulated hunting experiences as possible. I guess Ill have to live vicariously though you until a cold Northern pushes some birds down for us at the mid lattitudes. Good luck with the rest of your season.

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Top Dog Kennels
South Dakota

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09/20/2007 3:15 PM	Alert
Great pics.......sounds like hes a keeper!! Looking forward to hearing more hunting stories and seeing more pictures

"Gettin' Straight To the Point"

2Blackdogs!
Kansas City Area - GO CHIEFS !!!

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09/20/2007 9:22 PM	Alert
What a Great Day!

GirlsHuntToo

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09/21/2007 6:12 AM	Alert
Looks like the boy did great! Excellent pictures!!! Glad you guys had fun. See you Saturday!

Doc_E
N.E. WA state

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09/21/2007 7:00 AM	Alert
Now that is as cool as it gets!!!!!! That's why I'll take hunting over testing any day of the week. Thanks for the story and the pics ---- especially the last pic. I love to see a dog that is worn out from doing what they love most. Were there any chances to hunt Upland near Edmonton? .

Doc E and Cujo Casey boy.

hooligan
Southern California and Vancouver Island

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09/21/2007 7:04 AM	Alert
Doc-no upland-we didn't even see any upland birds in any of the fields we were in. The guides did say there were grouse and (I think) huns. WOuld have been nice! We're off to the Washington test to run CP-wish us luck!

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Liv2Hnt
Overland Park, KS

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09/21/2007 7:33 AM	Alert
Hooli, did you use a ground blind for the dog. The birds seem to tolerate the dog being outside the blind down in KS/Mo when you are hunting water, but not field hunting and the dog had to be in the blind. I used to use a super mag canada shell that I added dowels to raise up so the dog could slide underneath when resources where more limited, but got an actual blind this year. I didnt see a blind in the pics so just curious if the birds up north would tolerate a dog sitting out when field hunting.

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Trout Bum
Elbert County, CO

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09/21/2007 9:02 AM	Alert
Way to Churchill and Hooli! What a wonderful experience for his first hunt and the memories and joy for you, Hooli! He looks great with that duck and that goose in his mouth. Like Doc, I especially like the last picture. Those would probably be sharp tail grouse. Huns are one of the finest upland birds to work dogs on. They have an abundance of scent, are usually in a covey and will flush when pressured. It really teaches a dog to stand off their game and lock up on first scent. Congratulations on a great hunt and the wonderful memories. I hope you enjoy many, memorable seasons with your buddy!

¶r²

Rhenee Fadling
Pierce Nebraska

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09/21/2007 3:00 PM	Alert
Terrific pix - sounds like a great day - the last pic made me smile! Best of luck w/ CP this weekend too.

Russ and Rhenee Fadling --- CPR Big Air Buster APR Crown's Pistol Pete Crown's King Gordon

hooligan
Southern California and Vancouver Island

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09/23/2007 12:05 AM	Alert
Liv2hnt-Churchill was not in a blind. The first day, he was just laying beside me (in the layout blind) without any cover. The birds were wary-how much of that was him and how much was the field, the decoys or just the day, I don't know. We did get some birds that day. The next two days he was lying next to the blind, too, but we covered him with a camo jacket and/or some of the cut barley. The birds didnt even seem to see him-his head was out, up and looking around-more on the third day than the second. He was good about staying down until the shooting started-not sure how it would have been if he was sitting up. Thanks, Rhenee-we passed the test today, so he's now CPR TDK's Dusty Gunslinger aka Churchill!

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

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