A day in the park.

We were invited to a wildflower tour in the Great Smokies with an eclectic group of individuals. They've been meeting on the same weekend for over 30 years. They are in to the third generation, now.

We took a long hike the first day and I logged almost 20 new species of wildflower. I downloaded a wildflower app on my iPhone 5. It enabled me to not only identify plants, but also to keep a log of the ones I found.

We had a great time with good people. I'm hoping we are invited back!

It looks like the Purina Brittany has the lead early in the first turn, over to you Bob...

Ace and me at the Ironman, Sparta, GA

 

 

 

Sitting around telling lies and stuff during a field trial, a few of us came up with an idea that still has me chuckling. I think we should put a mini cam on both dogs, a cam of both shooters' guns, mic the shooters and the judges- oh, and a camera on the heads of both judges, as well. Then we could run the feeds back to the "control booth" and have announcers give a blow by blow account of the brace. Dog cam to gun cam to judge cam with audio feeds of the judge making comments. Of course sponsors would be encouraged, Purina, Tritronics, etc.

I can hear it now...

Bob; "Bill, it looks like Randy and his Tritronics Brittany have a nice find in the back corner there!" 

 Bill: "Yes, Bob! Randy is still humping out of the ditch to get to his dog. Ace, The Tritronics Brittany, is locked tight and we just have a glimpse of the little rooster quail, right there, in the clump of grass just upwind of his nose. It looks like a good find, here! And, now over to Andy and the Purina Setter.....Andy?"

Andy: "Thanks, Bill! Buck, the Purina Setter, is having a terrible run here and seems to be a little loose in the front end after a strong start. His half mile, full out intial cast was dry and now he's low on fuel and his tongue is dragging the ground. Wait! Here's a point...(bird flushes)...Oh, no! Team Buck won't be happy with that flushed bird! Back to you, Bill."

Bill: "Thanks, Andy! Randy is flushing the little Triple A Game Farm quail, you can see it here on the Purina dog cam- there it goes!"

Switch to the Tri Tronics gun cam.....bang, bang..."expletive deleted"!

Judge audio..."Hey, Randy, I'm sure you hit it twice. Amazing, how those little buggars can fly with all that lead in them, isn't it? Well, it looks like it went another mile out of bounds..."

Bob: As Ace, the Tri Tronics Brittany, and Buck, the Purina Setter, head for another find, let's take a short station break to learn how to force fetch a dog in 30 seconds or less with Dr.Bubbas secret training system...

And so it goes......

Flowers are out!

The best time of year! Other than the terrible pollen, the South is great in the spring. It's a constant surprise when the bulbs come up, the grass begins to green, the turkeys are gobbling and the bird dogs are depressed. All the trials here are finished and we are beginning to make plans for next year already! One of my dogs, Cap, is off at summer camp to sharpen up his retrieving. He's good, but he needs to be better. I know a professional trainer, who is also a NSTRA competitor, who can fix this little glitch. I can and do force train dogs for others, but this will not be an easy one or two day fix, so I wanted an outside opinion and expertise. He should be back in a week or so, ready for the summer conditioning and brushing up in anticipation of that first hunting trip in September. Where will it be this year? Montana, Idaho, South Dakota, Minnesota? It really doesn't matter....it's all good!

The backyard looking to the pasture.

Can they just not come in?

Ruby

She's a month late.  Ace is looking at me like I can do something, and I don't have any answers at all.  What a lousy time to not come in season! She's been as regular as a clock for the past 3 years and now, after permission from the Ball and Chain and all the hoops to jump through, she decides to not come in to season.  The vet says she appears close, and I've checked her out so much she is starting to turn away from me and jump up on her front legs to get her rear end in the air as I approach! I'm thinking some more investigation as to dogs and estrus cycles, etc., is in the cards here. 

The Georgia Region NSTRA Championships 2013

Click HERE to watch a video of the Championships.


We met at RB and Gary Garrett's Gold and Grass Farm in Ball Ground, GA, 16/17 March, for the Georgia Regional Championships. The last few days were warm and many were hoping for some cool weather. When the sun came over the hill, it was still in the high 30's and the shorts-wearing crowd were re-thinking the strategy. The heavy dew and cool temps were perfect for a field trial, and then a light breeze came up, making the scenting even more outstanding. We drew the trial at 0700 and braces started immediately after that, with Ed Murdock and Sugar and Randy Schultz and Cap leaving the line at 0800.

Throughout the day, with a short break for lunch, the competition was stiff. All the dogs did a good job and most of the handlers managed to keep errors to a minimum. (Did he really turn his dog loose to have it pick the bird up?). At the end of the day, Keith Koon and his Skeeter (p/f) managed, not only First Place, but her first Championship!  (Something tells us this will be the first of many!). Second went to Ed Murdock and Sugar, third to Gene Pritchett and Snicker.

That evening, after all the stories (some true), we got down to the serious business of electing officers and awarding outstanding performance throughout the year.  RB Garrett was elected to President, with his brother, Gary, Vice President. Angela Healan was too tired to protest when we voted her is as Secretary/Treasurer for the 20th year in a row. (See, we told you it would only be a two year commitment.).

High Point Dog went to Tripp and Jeffery Keck. High Point Female went to Skeeter and Keith Koon. Most Improved Dog was Taz and Brandon Pritchett. Rookie of the Year is Bill Green (we are lucky to have him) and Sportsman of the Year is Dale Aldridge. Dale is also this year's Scott Clark Award recipient (signifying someone who will go the extra mile for NSTRA and/or the Region). Judge of the Year is Corey Perdue. Bodie Ray and David Healan were elected as Directors at Large.

Sunday weather was more of the same. Perfect,  as we broke out the sun block but kept the jackets close in the morning. The competition was still fierce. In fact, by the Final Hour, we had a first for the Georgia Region, a father/son final hour brace. I'm not doing the research, but there is a possibility it might be the first in NSTRA. Johnny Murdock and Bo and Ed Murdock and Sugar took to the fields and didn't show any mercy, at all. In the end, youth had a slight advantage as JOHNNY MURDOCK and BO earned the title of Georgia Region Champion!  Second was Ed Murdock and Sugar, Third - Jeffery Keck and Tripp (the 2011 and 2012 Champion), Fourth- Ricky Gunnyon and Smoke!  Corey Perdue planted birds, Wesley Downs (Alabama) and Gary (TN) judged. Thank you all for making this possible!

Johnny Murdock and BO

Waiting for Ruby

Flyboy's Ruby Deux (Ruby)

NSTRA CH Julia's Flyboy Ace (Ace)

I am waiting patiently for Ms. Ruby to come in to season. We are excited around here for the breeding of my Ace dog to Ruby. I'm hoping it will be within the next two weeks. That would put a litter on the ground around 1 June. That would put a 6 month old bird- finding, fire- breathing, brush-busting, eager, happy, obedient Brittany in the field in December. Can't wait!! I'd take 10 more Caps if I could. And this cross will be very close to the last one, since Ruby is a half-sister to Cap's momma.

Gunstock Work! They're here......

20 ga. Ansley H. Fox (top)
16 ga. Ansley H. Fox (bottom)

In a past post, I discussed getting my older guns' stocks repaired.  After long discussions with others in my same predicament, on the Bird Dog and Fly Fishing Facebook group and others, I settled on a long established gunstock maker in Warsaw, MO.  Macon Gunstocks was only a little out of my way on my trip to South Dakota and points West last October.  So, I dropped in and had a tour of the facility and met some of the people.  I was impressed, not only with the quality of the work, but with the knowledge of the owner and his employees.  The amazing inventory of stock blanks, the gorgeous wood blocks from England, Europe and California, the highly technical machines and just the over all attitude of the place- I liked it all. 

Perfect fit.

I left my two oldest and most expensive guns with them, after taking about 3 hours of their time as they explained everything anyone would want to know about gunstocks, etc.  The conversation was only limited by my ability to ask the question. The finished product came yesterday.  It was like Christmas! You can see by the pictures, they did an outstanding job. They measured me for the stock size and now I have, for the first time in my life, a stock that fits ME.  My shooting will probably fall apart now!

Checkering on the Fore-end

To be completely transparent, the wood used on both guns is upgraded. The Walnut blanks that come with the quote on the website is beautiful enough.  But, when he mentioned that these guns may deserve some special wood, my ears perked up (and my wallet opened up!). I may have this backwards, but the darker wood is English Walnut and the lighter one on the 16 ga. is European Walnut.  He brought the blocks out and rubbed some oil on them and the wood just came alive- almost a 3D effect on the lighter one! I thought, "I don't golf, drink a whole lot, chase women or gamble. Why not spend a little extra and get exactly what I want?  Besides, the kids don't need spoiling anymore and the Ball and Chain can start driving my sharp-looking, bondo-colored 1989 F-150."  "Sure," I said, "let's put some nice wood on these old things!"  I think the price of the wood may have been an extra $500/gun.  (I know one of the blocks had $650 written on it, but I didn't pay that. Perhaps because I was doing both guns, etc.)

 

They told me six months.  They beat that by a month and I'm tickled to death with the result.  These are oil finishes- not the high gloss finish you normally see. I asked for  that, along with the extra checkering and different butt plate.  I encourage you to give them a look at: https://www.macongunstocks.com/.  

Looking for a pocket holster?

Do you carry a concealed weapon?  In Georgia, my home state, it is legal to carry a concealed weapon, with a permit.  Of course, our autos are considered an extension of our homes and it is also permitted to carry a weapon there without a permit. 

I do, in fact, "carry".  Not all the time and not every place, and some places such as churches and government buildings, it is not permitted (I can only suppose that is so that we don't start shooting lawyers).  All the political arguments aside, there are some practical considerations involved when you decide to place a concealed weapon on your body.  First, it must be accessible. Second, it must be concealed (duh!). Third, it must be comfortable.

For me, a pocket carry is just fine, either my clothing or jacket, etc.  I looked around and found several cheap designs and tried them, but they all came up short.  Either they would wear out quickly, slide around in my pocket, or cause difficulty in getting the firearm out of the pocket.  None of these is desirable.

Mikas Holster and my .38 Smith and Wesson

A friend introduced me to "Mikas Pocket Holsters"- seen here.   Robert Mikas, in Wisconsin, hand makes every holster (he even signs and dates the interior). Shown above is my .38 Smith Airweight.  When you order, he gets the make, model, frame, etc. from you so he can match the holster to the gun. Don't worry, if he has any questions, he will call you and make sure he understands before he makes the holster, so ensure your contact information is correct. 

Profile

Interior showing autograph and smooth leather

After wearing the holster several days, I appreciate the way it is stable in the pocket and, if the gun is drawn, the gun comes out and the holster does not.  Robert told me the holster is manufactured such that it is also easy to get the gun BACK IN the holster- not a feature on most pocket holsters.

 

All in all, I do like the holster.  The cost is moderate, under $30 and I think the quality is excellent.  Occasionally,  I leave the gun in my locked vehicle, and it would be nice if there were a removable strap to secure the gun while not on the body.  I'm sure he could make one, if asked.

 

The website is: http://www.frontiernet.net/~akim/index.html.  I encourage you to go and browse.  He makes many different types of holsters and other items as well! 

Working on the Video

Click HERE to see a video of my last hunt.

I've been working on producing short videos of hunts.  Mainly, I do this to attempt to involve the Gen X and Y'ers and, perhaps, interest them in the videos and hunting.  Here is my latest effort.

Click HERE to see a video of my last hunt.

NSTRA Field Trialing and the End of the Season

NSTRA CH Julia's Flyboy Ace (Ace)

Flyboy Aces Delta Captain (Cap)

Flyboy's Ruby Deux (Ruby)

This is a great time of year.  After messing with the dogs for 6 mos., getting them ready to travel all over the country, then getting them prepped to field trial, I can see the end is in sight.  The weather is warming, the daffodils are up and the Forsythia is as yellow as it's ever been. We finished the last regular trial of the year, this past weekend, and the dogs did very well.  Ruby ran the second brace and was leading until the last few braces, when she was bumped to second.  Cap was in the running the entire trial, but came up just short, although it was not through lack of effort. The Georgia Championships are just around the corner, March 16,17 in Ball Ground, GA at Gold and Grass Farm.  I will do everything I can to get these guys ready.  Usually, around this time, Ruby will come in season and will need to be pulled from the Region Trial.  I'm hoping this year that does not happen.  At any rate, this year I will breed Ruby and Ace for a litter.  Since Ruby is the half-sister to Bea, Cap's mother, I'm hoping for another good cross.  I would take ten Caps, any day!   It is a rare dog that can hunt well and win trials, as well.  I have three of them and I'm not complaining.

Ruby and Cap are shown with a few of their placement trophies for the past two months.  Ruby is missing her first and third place trophy from a few weeks ago, but this shows they are doing well.

The breeding should take place within the next month and then pups 60 days after that. I, of course, will keep my pick and we have a few more fellows in line.  Ah, the smell of puppy breath! 

NSTRA FIELD TRIAL

Ruby working a pen raised quail.

Cap investigating some Palmettos.

Dinner

More Dinner

The Chain Gang

After all the dust settles from the hunting season, it's very hard to just put the dogs up and dream of next year. That's where field trials come in. My field trial of choice is NSTRA (National Shoot to Retrieve Association). It is exactly what the name implies. Originally intended to replicate hunting, it's been smoothed and regulated to a competition similar to hunting. It is nationwide and a barrel of fun. You need a registered pointing breed that will point, back and retrieve.

This trial is one of the national trials, of which there are five. Each region of the country puts on their own local trials, too. There is a National Championship and a method to gain a championship on your dog. Give them a look: www.nstra.org.

Parasites, Worms and other bad things

Ruby (l) and Stella (r) checking on her.

I noticed about halfway through this last trip to New Mexico and Arizona, that one of my dogs, Ruby, was getting pretty lean. I made several comments to my fellow hunters about how hard she was working and eating a lot and, still, she seemed to be losing weight.  Her energy level was high, as usual, and she would eat every morsel of food placed in front of her. I've had dogs before that would work so hard, no matter what I fed them, they would lose weight on a hunting trip.  Ruby seemed to be one of those dogs.  When we were on our way home, I wondered about the weight loss- she was basically skin and bones at this point.  The day after we got home, I went in to feed and she turned her nose up.  I feed Royal Canin Medium, a super quality kibble with excellent digestion and protein/fat ratio.  Normally, she attacks the bowl, after spinning around about 15 times in anticipation.   She wouldn't touch it.  The next day, same thing.  Too late for the vet on Saturday, I called him on Sunday, at home.  "Bring her in Monday, first thing!" he said.  Monday at 0730, this boy was standing at the office door with Ruby in tow.  She tested positive for Coccidea, a single-cell parasite in the digestive tract.  Normally seen in puppies, it is a killer- and she was full of them.  Apparently, she ate or drank something which compromised her immune system and this opportunistic parasite started to multiply in her gut.  It only took a fecal sample for diagnosis and some strong antibiotics to get her back on her feet.  By Wednesday, the next week, she was back to her old self, flying over the fields and putting the boy dogs to shame.  She'd lost 7 lbs. from her 35 lb. frame!  I think that was a close one!

Videos, Equipment, Impressions

Crossing the Rio Grande

Cockpit View of the Crossing

Rough Ride

We really put the diesel beast through it's paces this trip.  The 5000 miles in two weeks was plenty, but then a friend told us  if we wanted to hunt the secret spots, we would need to drive some rough areas. At first, I'm thinking "No big deal."  Then, things got progressively worse with sand, tight turns over rocks, and steep climbs up shale and gravel inclines linked with tight turns over washed out roads and ditches.  Other than that, it was a piece of cake.  

The trailer absorbed most of the abuse, but there was some damage.  I am so glad Jones went with the extra strong hitch on their trailers.  We both agreed a lighter hitch would have never taken the damage.  The jack took a major hit, with a bent foot plate and it will not jack up or down now. It will fold down, however,  and I can lift the trailer off and it can set on the lowered jack just fine.  Replacement on the way for that. 

If I lived in the desert Southwest, I would not have a long wheelbase truck. Probably, I would stick with a short wheelbase F-150 or similar truck.  That would make the off-road stuff much easier.  

The other piece of equipment I picked up is an emergency battery.  This thing is fully charged and has ports for 120V, 12V, and even a USB port for charging your cell phone.  In addition to that, it has a compressor and air line integral to the unit, good to 125 psi! To top it off, it has mega starting power for your truck, if the battery fails, in lieu of a jump start from another vehicle. I got this one at Walmart for about $100.  After seeing the one Bob had in his truck, I knew I would not be going back in to the desert without one.  

One more interesting piece of equipment came from REI.  It is a solar-charged battery that will charge your cell phone or anything else. Unfortunately, it will not work with my iPad or iPhone (purchased before I owned said items), but will work OK on Android phones. 

Some Dog Pics

Ace

Cap and some cholla

Ruby taking a break on the quest for Mearns

Cap and Ace pointed

General Recollections

You know, every trip is different, and they are all the same. I have indelible memories that will be with me forever, or until my hard drive crashes, and I still value pictures. Each one brings back sounds, smells, temperatures, wind, and impressions. Such as, Skunk wrapped around herself, with Ruby backing, on her first Gambles quail across the river from Truth or Consequences, NM. Cap standing tall and tense on a Gambels in Arizona. Ace working a covey of Blues in the desert near Halfway, NM. Ug locked down on Blues from the same covey as we battled 50 mph winds and a sandstorm.

And the people: All the friends we met again or met for the first time. Tim Bartlett in Hobbs, NM, John Ashbaugh in Truth or Consequences, NM, the ladies at the Patio Cafe in Oracle, AZ (best Portabella Mushroom Sandwich in America), and two fine, young men who stopped and told us of a forever-secret valley that held covey after covey of those little devil birds, Gambels quail.

I fondly remember humping steep, tree covered hills and encountering my first Mearns quail. All the dogs pointed while we were yacking and huffing and the covey coming right over the top of us!! One little rooster didn't quite make it by.

The land was amazing..dry and harsh, then mountains, and huge trees, then White Sands Missle Range and more mountains. John took us to a secret valley that held some 60 bird coveys of Gambels and on the way Ruby pointed a nice little Scaled quail and made a perfect retrieve to hand. I took the diesel beast up steep hard scrabble roads, through rivers and over steep dips I would have never done on my own. But, I couldn't turn around and the only way home was straight ahead. I'm smiling now, but I was nervous as a pointed quail when it was happening.

It was an awesome trip! I called my wife midway through and thanked her for understanding. Somehow, she knows me and let's me wander around doing this many weeks every year. She says she can tell by my demeanor when hunting season is close and she knows it's an important part of who I am. Thank God for an understanding wife! A wise man said happiness is mostly about marrying well. Amen to that.

Guess what.....only eight months to bird season!

Last Day

The effort to achieve the Grand Slam of New Mexico quail, Scaled, Mearns, Gambels and Bobwhite, fell short today. Although we visited areas that produced Bobs in the past, the weather and drought worked against us. The temperature never hit 45 degrees and the wind velocity hovered at 30 mph with gusts to 50!! The pictures show the dust storm coming out of the desert as we drove to the hunting area. We did manage to find a good sized covey in the morning, but not Bobwhites. By late afternoon, we realized the area drought more severely affected the Bobwhite than the Scaled (Blue) Quail. We never laid eyes on Mr. Bob all day. Maybe in another year, there will be another chance.

Bob, Robert and I finished up with our top dogs on the ground, the temperature dropping and wind howling. We managed to scrape together some fine China goblets for a toast to good fellowship, bird dogs and quail. Another bird season is in the books, as we packed up and headed home with worn boots, scrawny dogs and empty wallets. Plans for a new puppy, with a breeding of Ace to Ruby, were discussed, as well as a stop by the Jones Trailer store in Woodson, TX for minor trailer fix-ups.

Georgia on my mind...

Moving the Operation and The Grand Slam

Cap got his Gambels Quail yesterday. I saw him throw that head up and start marching upwind, tail up and cautious. Right then a bird flushed, off to my left, and I swung and dropped it. Cap came flying back to make the retrieve. We started back to the place he heated up, and, he went to work. A few minutes later, he locked up on a patch of cactus, looking like a million bucks! I really meant to get his picture, but, I confess, I was excited, too, and I walked in from his right side, kicked the edge of the cactus and a good-looking quail ran out 5 feet and took off. Cap was on him when he hit and made a picture perfect retrieve to hand.

Today, we are moving back to New Mexico. I would like to bag a Bobwhite there. If I do, I will have harvested all four species of quail in the state, in one week. Mearns, Gambels, Scaled, and Bobwhite. It's probably been done many times before, but certainly not by this old bird hunter, and probably not without a guide. I killed a Bob there two years ago, and I will head to the same area. Tomorrow is the day for the Grand Slam of New Mexico!

Also, I will not miss the cholla cactus! Hate the stuff.

Tires and Technology

In 348,186 miles of driving my 2001 F-250 7.3 diesel, these BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A tires are, by far, the best I've had on it. I used Goodyear, Cooper, Perrelli and the rest. These BF Goodrich tires got me through freeway driving, snow, rain, rivers, rocks, sand and mud....on this trip alone! I will get them again and they will always be on my hunting truck.

Using technology makes our hunting so much easier! Especially, when hunting an area for the first time. We used the map and satellite function of my iPad and iPhone to find tanks, elevations, power lines and trails here in AZ. Tech is supposed to make our lives easier. This is one more way we make it work for us instead of vice versa. Now, if only I could get an overlay of the BLM Land Use maps!!!

Hunt pictures

The older I get, the more exhausted I am at the end of the day. What's up with that? Hunt, feed dogs, clean gear, sleep, water dogs, hunt..... I wonder what the jobbed people are doing??