My Main Dog "Ace" and a Sharptail Grouse

This kind of says it all.

Minnesota Grouse Woods

We are hunting the Superior National Forest near Hoyt Lakes, MN. Scenes above show typical cover and the bottom pic is typical food, plus greens. We are getting only 6+ flushes per day and it's taking walking 10 miles per day to get those. If I wasn't in shape before I got here, I am now. The dogs are worn out and skinny from 12 straight days of hunting. It's tough to keep the dogs' weight up with all the running they do, but they are on double rations, plus a little wet food, too. Ruby, my young pup, is downright skinny. Today was the last day and we are heading back tomorrow. I'm looking for a stop in Osseo, WI to get my wife a pie at Norsk Nook! She said I could go hunting all I wanted, but if I'm anywhere near the Norske Nook, Osseo, WI, I'd bette come home with one of theor world famous, home cooked pies! Awesome.

Next trip is end of Oct to ND for pheasant!

Grouse 3- Me 0

Secret Minnesota Grouse Trail


Every year, it's the same thing.  For the first few days, those wiley grouse kick my butt.  Ace, Ruby and Cap all did a marvelous job.  Ruby pointed 3 birds.  On the third find, the bird got up and flew directly away from me high and down the trail.  I calmly lifted the gun, while mentally putting the bird in my game bag- and missed!  I was tempted to start a little "Navy talk" right there.  But I resisted (remembering PSR) and gave Ruby a lttle love on the trail.  The other two finds, the birds got up too far out for shots.  You look out boys!  We'll be back tomorrow.  And we'll be ready!

Last Day Photos

A herd of horses comes over to see what bird hunting is all about. Cotton, a young pointer, is getting in to her stride on Sharpies. Bob and his Pudelpointer, Raz, put one in the bag. Bob and his Spanone, Sophie, and Gordon Setter, Tink, after a successful cast. We saw, among the group, many different breeds of dogs. There was no way anyone could pick a "best" breed. To my mind, and I'm a hard core Brittany man, that Spinone did one fine job and would be the dog of the day!

Wow! Honeyhole!

Five covies huns, five covies sharptails, 20 pheasant and some darn fine dogwork marked this perfect day!  My puppies are handling the birds with not only technical correctness,  but also a type of grace. I can read them so much better now. I know when Ruby's tails starts that little wag, you may as well cock the gun.  And when Cap starts and stops a.few times with his head high and moving back and forth, he'll be locking down in a matter of seconds.  And Ace was his usual typically outstanding self.  When my pups get 24 hunting trips under them (as Ace does) I hope they have the attitude, intelligence and class he has.

On to Minnesota and Ruffled Grouse.

PSR- Live for the day!

PSR, it's what we all strive for.  Point, Shoot, Retrieve.  As I was on a 3 hour cast today, with my pup Cap, I got to pondering that.  Point, Shoot, Retrieve- all the rest is details.  I suppose you could write a book about each event and we all know the "devil is in the details", but PSR is really what it is all about.  Do you ever get dissatisfied after a hunt?   I find myself thinking of the finds we had throughout the day and critiquing my dogs and even myself. If I'm not careful, I will start getting too critical and then it becomes a competition.  I laughed coming in yesterday when I realized I'd worked myself up and what was a really nice day in the field, I was turning in to a disaster! "Hey", I reminded myself, "you are hunting and living your dream.  Get your head together and enjoy your dogs and blue sky and your friends, for crying out loud!"  I laugh as I remember how I really had to jerk my own chain!  If you are like me, start every day with the realization it may your last day behind a dog.  Enjoy it!!  Also, like I tell my hunting  friends, "Try to be the man your dog thinks you are!"  

Ruby and Me

Ruby is new to the Priarie. She's doing so well. Today, she pointed and held 2 large coveys of sharps. Then, whule we were resting about to doze off, my Garmin alerted that she was on point! I looked up and she was on the side of a grass hill, locked down tight on (what we learned later) what was another covey of Sharps. She's a great little dog!

Cap on Point and Retrieve

Here's my guy on his first successful day. I called the ball and chain and told her that her puppy was now a dog. She said, "Guess again, Captain!" Well, perhaps not.

The Youngsters Team Up

Cap in front and Ruby backing him in Montana! Wow, that's why I drove 1700 miles. These dogs are getting good work and this is not too hard on them. The terrain is just steep enough to work them hard, but flat enough to let them "get their legs under them". Today, we saw Sharptail Grouse, Hungarian Partridge, Dove and turkey. This is a bird hunter's dream up here.

Cap's First Wild Bird Retrieve

He looked like a million bucks bringing that bird back to me!

Introducing Flyboy Ace's Delta Captain (Cap)- Bird Dog

Today, Cap put it all together and really showed his stuff! After a fine point on a covey of eight, he held solid while I dropped one bird and sent him on the "fetch". Two good retrieves later and three more finds and he became a DOG. So proud of the little guy! He is an Ace mini-me, which pretty well answers the question about breeding Ace again in the Spring. (To Ruby)

It Pays to Have the Right Friends

Terry, one of my hunting patners. He's a North Carolina game biologist and it's so nice to hunt with him. Whenever I have a question about habitat or feed or type of cover, he has the answer- good deal!

Long Cast and Birds in the Bag

It took 6 miles of walking and lots of watching the dogs work, but we got into 2 large coveys and another smaller covey. Ace did wonderful work and Ruby (shown) did her very best. We harvested several Sharpies. I checked the Garmin Astro and noted the dogs ran over 30 miles on this cast! The terrain was not the easiest, either. I think both the pups will make excellent dogs!

Weather Cooler

Finally, some relief!  Highs in 60's for next few days and none too soon. Huge difference in dog work. Here we are shown eating grilled sharptails and sage grouse for lunch.

Resting in the Shade

Cap and Ace and me. It was only 0900, but the sun was hot and the wind was dry. We'd seen sharpies, pheasant and turkeys on the cast, so far. My Wing Works vest allows me to carry as much water as possible and yet be able to move and shoot. Cap, in close, is on his first grown-up hunt and is finding it to his liking, I guess. I noticed him cruising the hills not long before this picture. I don't need to worry about his getting out. Ace is an old hand and reminds me of the soldiers that knew when it was time to "take five".

Skunked!

Just a little love tap to the chest. Ace was working tall grass near a stock dam and came out of there straight to me.  I saw the green on his chest and knew immediately what happened. It wasn't in his eyes or nose so we finished the cast. He wasn't really all that upset, either. Two years ago, he took a full load right in the snot-locker and that was when I discovered the recipe.  Since then, I never hunt without the ingredients in my truck. What could have been a major disaster was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.  Hydrogen Peroxcide, baking soda and Dawn soap.  Mix in gallon of water and pour on dog. Rinse. Repeat.  Magic!  Most highly recommended for bids hunters!

Too Hot!

I woke up and the temp was 48°!   We hustled to the area and put dogs down right away. By the time we finshed a 4 water  bottle cast, it was 85° and getting hotter. We can't hunt from noon until five. Tomorrow it will start a welcome cool down. By Tuesday, the temps will be in the 60's.  It can't get here fast enough. 

Country

This is typical of the country we are hunting. 85 now in the shade.  There is very little humidity and the dogs dry out fast.  We went through a flat of water bottles in one morning.  Water is critical for hard running dogs!  Beats working.

Ruby Patiently Waiting

She's patiently waiting her turn. The temps are in the 80's in the afternoon and I'm keeping the work to short casts.  We are finding Sharpies but the Huns have been cut back severely by the hard winter and spring.  For a first morning hunt, the pups did very well. Range was very good and I couldn't ask for more drive and attitude out of either young dog.  Of course, Ace was spot on.  Afternoons may be problematic due to the heat. I saw 2 huge coveys along the road driving in and my first Sharp of the year was harvested by my F-250.

Finally Ready to Put Dogs On the Ground

Every year, the drive gets longer and more arduous. Every year the feeling gets better and better!  Finally, months of work, cutting grass, etc. are behind us. It's time to put some paws on the ground and birds in the bag.

The dogs are fed, watered and ready to go. The big question in everyone's mind is- who's up?  Ace,my main man, is chillaxing in his kennel. He already knows.