cj65
Gold Member
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2008
- Messages
- 35,989
I have only duck hunted once before Saturday at Wister, and enjoyed myself tremendously both times. I am sure some avid hunters would say it was a slow day, but hey, I got 3 shovelers, outshot my buddy who goes all the time, and watched my beloved Gracie perform fantastically for not really being trained at all for duck. She would not put the whole body in her mouth, she grabbed them by the wing instead. She knew what to do. She has learned to look up for falling birds as I shoot, she has dove hunted 2x.
I kept her tethered in the blind for the first hour to keep her from going labrador bat shit crazy (lab owners chime in anytime here
). Since it was slow, I let her off the tether, and we had this whole side of the pond to ourselves. There were a few squadrons of teal (they fly in like jet fighters), but mostly shovelers flying.
I am still high from hunting with my dog, she is primarily a family dog, but she performs so well for me in the field, I get all choked up. I have to be careful of bragging about her at home, my wife gets a tad jealous of our bond. Hope you enjoy the pics....
Tethered next to me, not really liking this so far.
Looking for my first bird. I winged it, and it swam into the tules. I found it later and we harvested it. I am glad to report that I downed 3 and took 3. I hate not finding them.
These 3 shots are Gracie retrieving #2. Another hunter in the private club shot at this one, and diverted it right into my path. Boom, it went down textbook style right in front of Gracie and I. She went right after it. I felt like a pro hunter with a pro dog. Proud moment yes.
These are just some quiet times between shooting. I dared to take the camera out and take some shots, knowing that I will miss shots at birds flying over. I only missed a couple chances, but I am glad I took the time to take some photos.
I am not sure why she did her tail like that. I know she laid a huge toxic dump as she spaz'd out on the levy, I think she might have had burned her tail in the process LOL. Either that are she knew she did good and was just showing off.
Thanks for looking!
I kept her tethered in the blind for the first hour to keep her from going labrador bat shit crazy (lab owners chime in anytime here
). Since it was slow, I let her off the tether, and we had this whole side of the pond to ourselves. There were a few squadrons of teal (they fly in like jet fighters), but mostly shovelers flying.I am still high from hunting with my dog, she is primarily a family dog, but she performs so well for me in the field, I get all choked up. I have to be careful of bragging about her at home, my wife gets a tad jealous of our bond. Hope you enjoy the pics....
Tethered next to me, not really liking this so far.
Looking for my first bird. I winged it, and it swam into the tules. I found it later and we harvested it. I am glad to report that I downed 3 and took 3. I hate not finding them.
These 3 shots are Gracie retrieving #2. Another hunter in the private club shot at this one, and diverted it right into my path. Boom, it went down textbook style right in front of Gracie and I. She went right after it. I felt like a pro hunter with a pro dog. Proud moment yes.
These are just some quiet times between shooting. I dared to take the camera out and take some shots, knowing that I will miss shots at birds flying over. I only missed a couple chances, but I am glad I took the time to take some photos.
I am not sure why she did her tail like that. I know she laid a huge toxic dump as she spaz'd out on the levy, I think she might have had burned her tail in the process LOL. Either that are she knew she did good and was just showing off.
Thanks for looking!
