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Randy Schultz |
I grew up in Anchorage, AK. I learned early in life to appreciate the outdoors and athletic
lifestyle. After college, at Oregon State University, I joined the Navy to become a Naval Aviator,
like my father, and flew off numerous aircraft carriers. I left the
Navy to fly airliners for Delta Airlines for 27 years and retired from
Delta in 2005. Concurrent with flying for Delta, I also flew for the Naval Reserve in Marietta, GA. Since retiring from both the Navy and Delta, I've
entertained my passion of raising, training and hunting with my bird
dogs- all of them Brittanies. I field trial (National Shoot to Retrieve- NSTRA) with them, and I've have had great
success over the years, but, mostly, I enjoy traveling around the country
from September to February hunting upland game birds. After my retirement from Delta and doing nothing for a year, my long-suffering wife came home and told me to "get a job". I promptly earned my Real Estate License and, after 8 years, retired from that endeavor, as well.
I am married to the former Billie Jean Prince, of Griffin, GA and I have three children- all grown.
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| Me and Ace |
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| Montana with Sage Grouse |
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| Bo and Me in Arizona
After more than 20 years of bird dogs and bird hunting, I was
able to free myself of the day to day "making a living" that is the
curse of all those men and women to whom bird dogs and bird hunting is a
way of life. Traveling around the country now, from September to
March, I indulge my passion for bird dogs and bird hunting with my
Brittany bird dogs. Recently, I added to the pack by keeping 2 pups
from the last litter of 11 that Ace and Ruby had. While having 5 dogs
and traveling the country can be problematic, I've noticed I don't need
to worry as much about "running out of dogs" before the trip is
complete. With a little prevention, care and planning, I can rest dogs 1
day in 3 and still have 2 on the ground in the morning and 2 more in
the afternoon. In the event a dog is laid up (cut pad, intestinal
distress) another dog can step up. Bird dogs and bird hunting will make
you a tremendous manpower (dog power) planner!
Another beneficial side effect is the planning of actual trips and times of the year. As an example, September is my traditional Montana Sharptail and Hungarian Partridge month. Great birds for the pups, they hold tight and live in easy country, It's a good way to get the dogs back in to "hunting" mode. October is Pheasant and Ruffed Grouse month. Usually the Dakotas and either Wisconsin or Minnesota will get a visit from the Brittany pack. In November, my bird dogs and bird hunting show will visit quail states like Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kansas, Texas and Arizona. December will be the Mearns Quail deployment to mountains of Southern Arizona followed by Gambles Quail in Arizona and Blue Quail in New Mexico. January is a toss up and for the last several years has been Nebraska for pheasant, Oklahoma for Bob Whites, Arizona for Gambels and New Mexico for Blues (again). However, I've been known to head to Idaho for Valley Quail and Chukar. In February, in order to instill some discipline and keep the boys and girls in top form, I start hitting the NSTRA Field Trials real hard, with an eye to the National Trials in February, April and May. While I know this schedule with my bird dogs and bird hunting looks to be excessive, I look at it like a cup of water with small leak. I'm not getting any younger and the water in the cup is the time I have left. Thank God, I'm in excellent health (no thanks to my younger years) and still have the drive to chase the Chukar and Huns, but time will advance none-the-less and before too long, I will be remembering and wishing instead of loading up the "Beast of Birdin'" with dog boxes and shotgun shells. |
