Monday, July 25, 2011

Bandit (l) and Ace (r)- the son learns from the old man....


It was a warm one last September in Montana! Ace was giving Bandit a few lessons in the fine art of Hungarian Partridge hunting. We stumbled in to a real hot spot and had some great hunting for several days- not only Huns, but Sharpies, too. At one point in this cast, both dogs were pointed on a large covey that had dropped off the alfalfa field and was hunkered down in tall grass on a steep slope down in to a hardwood bottom.  The dogs were still in the field pointing the edge.  When I stepped in front, about 5 feet from the edge, 30+ birds got up and headed to Canada.  I dropped two and they both fell well down hill in the brush and grass.  Bandit broke and went over the edge like a Olympic downhill racer.  Ace went left along the edge, nose up and hunting.  Bandit stayed in sight and I worked to get him on one of the dead birds.  I used voice and hand signals and put him in the area- then he found it and started his climb up the hill.  It was hot for him, and when he reached me, we had a little love-in with water and shade.  Still no sign of Ace.  After a bit, I started thinking he got down in the brush and went on point.  I grabbed the Garmin and noticed him well off to the left and about 200 yards away, but making his way back.  I gave him a short toot on the whistle and looked for him down the hill.  A few minutes later, he came trudging up the hill- with a Hun in his mouth.  Evidently, I didn't kill the first bird as dead as I thought!  Ace was on him the whole time.   He said he'd let the young buck jump off the cliff and fetch the bird in front, grabbing show points! In the meantime, he'd ease on down there and trail, find, retrieve the wounded bird.  Good job, buddy! 

This reminds me of the bumper sticker I saw- "Preserve Game-Hunt with a Dog".  Also, kind of reminds me of the "Young Bull, Old Bull" story....
Posted by Picasa