Peaches passed away on Friday- a good, solid dog.

Here is Peaches (Julias Southern Peach) with a limit of Blue Quail in NM last year and nailing a sharpie in MT. She was known as a "deliberate lady" and was just a solid bird dog. Not a lot of flash, but I could put her on the ground and she would go about her business in a determined and focused manner. She died way too soon of kidney failure last Friday at 10 years old- young, I think, for a dog.

Not long now!!

This time of year, I count down the time by grass cuttings. 4 weeks to go means 4 times strapped to the lawn mower cutting grass. Hunting buddies want to go even earlier, around 4 Sept. That's really tempting. The temperature in MT is hot enough, but we can break in the heat of the day....maybe 4 Sept doesn't sound so bad.

Snake Vaccine

Red Rocks snake vaccine is a great security blanket for guys like me who hunt MT in the fall. I know the big rattlers are there, even though I've never seen one. I try to avoid the places I think snakes would be- rock outcroppings, etc. I'm hoping when one of my dogs gets too curious and takes a hit, the vaccine will give us enough time to get to a vet. Heck, I hunt an hour or more, usually, away from any town. I always put the vet number in my phone and I have injectible steroids and benadryl, but this vaccine really makes me feel a lot better. One problem is Ace reacts to the shot. I called Red Rocks Biologic, the manufacturer, and talked to them- very friendly. Ace is that 1% dog that does swell up. Actually, he doesn't swell up due to the shot reaction, he swells about a week later with an abscess. then I drain it and give him some antibiotics and we are good to go. None of my other dogs (5) react. I still think it's worth the effort. Of all my dogs, Ace is the one to stick his nose where it doesn't belong.

Running up and down the coulees of MT in Sept, you know we are passing some snakes, but we've never seen any. Just lucky, I guess and I hope to stay that way.

Knucklehead is OK!

Some sort of fluid buildup in the body caused the swelling.  Well, he’s better now and I should be garnering more tales and adventures about him in the fall! 

Bo to the Vet

The knothead goes to  the vet for an operation to remove a swollen testicle.  The vet took a look at it a few days ago, got “that look” on his face and strongly recommended that we take care of this ASAP.  I know this guy and I know his “looks”.  He did offer up that it might be cancer, which I deduced right after I found it.  I do hope, if it is cancer, that we get it all and the Bocephus has a few more seasons running the ridges and coulees.  Well, it was tempting to start telling another “Bo story”, but I’ll wait until after the operation.  

Too Dang HOT!

It’s been 90-98 degrees every day for  a month now……and we have July and August to go.  Hey, you guys up in WI, is it nice up there?

Old Bo is still on the prowl!

This is Julia's Bocephus (Bo) this spring outside my barn. He's 11 now, but still active and looking for mischief. I just got back from the vet and the old boy may have some type of testicular cancer- one is swollen and hard as a rock with no pain. We are doing a surgery Wednesday to remove the problem and get him back into shape for this season.

I just noticed that he's wearing one of the Garmin Astro collars.....

Garmin Astro

I've been using the Astro every day for a while now. I have to say, it appears rugged and it most definitely does everything they say it does. I like the way that it not only tracks the dogs, but allows you to put the data on a laptop and look at the track to get distance, average speed and a visual of the track on a map. I mark any whistling birds I come across on my sojourns and it keeps track of my current trip as well as the total mileage. The compass feature is also very useful. You don't have to be moving to have an accurate compass reading- very nice. But I noticed that it's best to re-calibrate the compass before every trip. I would like a more frequent update on the dogs, but 5 seconds is useable. When I decided to get one of these, I merely Googled the name and found it for $470 delivered to the house. Then, for the extra collar, I did the same thing and found it for $170 delivered. So total out of pocket for the handheld and 2 collars is $640.

Hey, Honey! Only 6 months to bird season....

That's the way the conversation started and it ended the way it usually does, with her saying something to the effect that "you are a sick man" or some such! I have to say, however, in my defense, that I do think about the days and dogs and weather and shots- a lot. When that stuff isn't going through my head, I'm pondering new places and stuff.

I just got a GPS tracker. I waited for the reports and stuff from the initial models to come in before I made the plunge. I think this item will revolutionize bird hunting. Already, I foresee no more beepers, bells, or anxious minutes waiting for the mutt to reappear out of the Wisconsin brush, Montana coulee, or New Mexico Sand Dune. I read a book recently called "A Comfortable Range" or something similar. It was hard to read because I've had similar feelings for my dogs- where are they? This tracker system is wonderful and totally alleviates the anxiety! The newer version seems more rugged and reliable than the first version. The capabilities are very practical and you can watch as many dogs as you have (up to 10) on the ground. I don't hunt with 10 dogs, but I do know a guy that hunts with 4 at once. It alerts when a dog goes on point, etc., too. I will get an extra collar before bird season, so I can run two dogs at once on Opening Day in Montana. This thing will really open up Grouse hunting too! The grouse woods are notorious for sucking up dogs and spitting them out a few days later. This collar will stop that nonsense. With all that said, I hope the thing works in the field like it works around the farm- and we all know that it won't! There will be limitations that we'll all have to discover.

More later. And, by the way......did you know there are only 6 months to bird season?

I was flipping through some photos looking for one for the artist who is doing a sketch of Bo and found this one from years ago. Bo is getting some years on him now.....I have to say, so am I. This is after a long, hot day hunting Gambel's Quail in AZ. The old campaigner did good for me that day, and thousands of other days, too. He deserves a place on the wall of the den- with Ruby and Rocket. Aw, heck, I really can't imagine hunting without him. He's got one or two more hunting years and then he'll be as retired as he wants to be- just like me.

Randy Schultz and his beloved Bo.jpg

Only 6 mos to bird season, Bo!

What's waiting at home!

This is Yellar (as in "Old Yellar"). I hate to admit it, but he may be the smartest dog I've ever had. He pretty much runs the house. I caught him peering at us eating lunch one afternoon. Can you see the drool? What a dog.....

End of the Hunting Year

On the way home. A few field trials and some dogs to train and it's another summer. Hey- only 8 months to bird season!!!

Land of Enchantment

Bird numbers are down this year, but I can't resist even just 1 day of hunting this beautiful place. Ice on the ground and 19 deg this morning. I may be a little impatient heading out so early, but it's good anyway.

Wow!

Kansas hunting in January.

Turns Fast

Beautiful to ugly in less than an hour. Wow, the weather turns fast on the Great Plains. It pays to be ready for anything out here.

Fog and Rain and Snow

On the way. This should be an interesting day! Oh, did I mention the 25-30 mph winds? This might be a good time to evacuate to NM. Dogs are working very hard and well, but the birds are getting 100's of yards out. There's been a lot of hunting pressure here. We'll see what happens today- lots of times, a dramatic weather change affects the bird's behavior.

Very Nice

How will we be remembered. This not far from Loretta, KS. Birds are here but they are real spooky and don't hold for nobody- as they say.

Finally On The Road again!!

It never gets old! Too darn cold in SD- even though they are et up in birds still. I figure I'd have no problem hunting I single digit temps if I was already there, but to drive 2 days to do it? Naw. NM is out of blues. The pros and the dedicated hunters alike say the birds are WAY down. I do love that country...... So I decided on a return to KS. Good birds, low pressure and lots of public land. Will hunt out of Hays and points south- as per DNR.

Woodcock in the Backyard

I am fortunate to be able to hunt right outside my back door. Peaches (top) and Ace (bottom) are both pointed on Woodcock. I have a creek and swampy bottom that runs along the back of my property. The Woodcock hit this creek every year in their migration from up north to the nesting spots on the gulf coast. They are such an overlooked species down here- the season is only a month long- and most bird hunters don't even know what they are. It's like shooting a butterfly- they juke and jive and twitter...... It sure is fun and my dogs love it!