Get Your Dog in Shape! He goes 10X farther than you!

Ace (B/M), ready to go! 

To my mind, the very best method to get old Buck in shape for the upcoming bird season is "roading"- a method by which a dog will run and pull on a heavy object at the same time.  The benefits to the muscles and cardiovascular system are tremendous, in a short time. Brian Lynn, at Outdoor Life Magazine, just published an excellent article about dog conditioning, in general, and roading, in particular. (Click HERE to see the article.)  

I've made a few roading videos over the years viewable on YouTube. (Click HERE to view.) 

I highly encourage you to use some form of roading in your dog's conditioning.  Off a bicycle, perhaps.  I don't have the numbers, but I would be confident saying roading is more than double the benefit of letting your dog run free. My dogs really enjoy it, which is another mystery of life.  

Family Secrets

The $200 Shotgun

The Old Ball and Chain
Her First Quail on a Covey Rise

We have a little family secret down here.  And since this is just between us, I'll share it. 

It seems that sometime in the distant past, I may, or may not, have mentioned to my wife, that although I do have several shotguns they are all inexpensive.  In fact, the story goes, none of my guns cost more than $200, so she says I told her.  While neither confirming nor denying said statement was made, I do admit I was guilty for allowing the misunderstanding to exist.  Over the years, as shotguns were acquired, I assured my lovely bride that I would never pay more for them than the usual amount.  And, so, life blissfully carried on.   Until the fateful day, in my barn, during a field trial.  It was cold and raining so several of my bird dog friends were warming themselves by the fire and talking about all things bird hunting.  BJ joined us for a bit. She usually holds her own in these meetings regaling the audience with stories of my adventures with my various dogs.  Laughter and good natured ribbing was the name of the game, with everyone chipping in to tell an anecdote about their favorite dog or hunt.  Conversation got around to shotguns and who just bought what, the various makes and models and quality thereof.  Finally, someone happened to spy the gun I'd set aside as I came in from my brace and asked if that was the old A.H.Fox and why would I use it in such bad weather.  I explained I did like to shoot the gun, and I would probably spend quite a while cleaning and oiling after the day was over.  Another friend opined that he would never allow a gun like that to get wet, and so on.  I happened to glance at my wife and noticed a puzzled look on her face.  Warning flags shot up all over (Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!).  Uh, oh!  But then, BJ smiled and announced that it was no big deal, since "..none of Randy's guns cost more than $200 anyway.".   (At this point in the tale, you could hear the wind blowing dust in the empty street and the hawk screech high overhead.)  Mouths opened, jaws dropped and men froze in place.  After a long, quiet moment....... "Absolutely! Yes! Uh huh! Yep, that's right, BJ!" was heard throughout the barn.  Then, slowly, the laughter started and I heard several of my "friends" explaining to BJ the book value of a few of my $200 guns. It was generally acknowledged that I was dog meat for the rest of the year, I would never see the Dakotas, Montana, Minnesota, Kansas, Texas, Wisconsin, or New Mexico again (or, at least, during my natural lifetime)! She laughed and enjoyed my discomfort for a while and then gracefully bowed out to head back to the house.  Always a class act, she gave me big kiss and said she needed to get going.  "It's a long drive to Atlanta, honey, and you don't mind if I do a little shopping, do you? Oh, and I promise not to get anything that costs more than $200!  Honest!"

There is a lesson here, somewhere.....

Review- Spot Tracker

So far, I've owned five of these little goodies; one given away.  A few years ago, I reviewed the unit. Since then, I've traveled thousands of miles and hunted/covered thousands of acres of land all over the USA- most out of cell coverage.  A lot of that hunting was solo, over ground I'd covered before, but it gives me a sense of security knowing I can get help if life takes an unexpected bad turn. (Click here to read the original review.)

I mentioned above that I've owned Five of the devices.  The first one was the earliest model.  I used that one until Model 2 came out, lighter and faster response.  I used that one until it fell out of the truck in a rest area in central Montana, while I was returning from my first trip to Idaho and on my way to MN for some Ruffed Grouse hunting.  Discovered missing the next day, I realized I would spend more than the cost of the unit, in diesel, to go back and retrieve it, so I bought another one at the first sporting goods store I encountered.  I bought number Four when I realized number Three was missing and the season was fast approaching.  I found number Three and gave it to another solo hunter I met in MN.  Number Four was lost in AZ in January of 2013 and Number Five just arrived via UPS.  So, if you are like me, you are wondering if perhaps they have a reverse sensor so that knuckleheads like me can find their SPOT when it is lost.  The irony was not lost on me when I called the good people at SPOT and told them the unit was lost- not me. Maybe they are developing something like Apple has in "Find my iPhone/iPad".  That would be a very nice feature!  

At any rate, while four of the five units is on me, the last lost unit was directly on SPOT.  It fell out of the carrying case that came with it and which I used, attached via carabiner to my vest. I noticed the new case was changed to prevent that from happening again, however the quality of the current case is suffering.  The snap that secures the unit separated the second time I used it and I substituted a zip tie.  While a zip tie is a good fix, I wonder how many more units will be lost when the snap fails during use and the unit falls away? 

So, I do recommend the SPOT for those that want peace of mind while hunting or in areas there is no cell coverage or as a backup to cell service.  Personally, I would NEVER use my cell phone as an emergency device.  I've seen too many of them fail.

I still rate this as a MUST HAVE- BUY IT! 

(Just don't lose it.  Buy the extra loss insurance.  Modify the carrying case and back up the snap.)

Finally! It looks like Ruby is ready!

She normally comes in around March. I know exactly, because that is the around the time we have the Georgia Championships for NSTRA. A female in heat cannot participate in a NSTRA trial, so for the last two years she's be unable to go out and have a good time at that event. This year, however, she did not start her cycle. The one year when I was set to breed her to Ace, my main dog who is 8 now, she does not even come in to season!  I was disappointed, to say the least, but I realized I had three great bird dogs and a season of hunting ahead- where's the downside to that?  We are not sure why she didn't come in, perhaps the coccidia infection from NM or AZ in January?  Vet says that could slow her up as her body fought the infection then fattened up afterwards. 

Either way, it's been 8 days since she started bleeding and it's time to introduce Ace to his girlfriend. Puppies in 60 days, my friends! 

Barbed Wire Tears Them Up!

I've encountered barbed wire practically everywhere I hunt.  Most places are along fencelines, where it belongs, but sometimes it's just sticking out of the ground, waiting to snag the loping bird dog.  I have two scars on my right leg, one from Texas and one from Nebraska, where I got hung up crossing a tight barbed wire fence.  (The one in Texas is the worst one, but Bo was pointing a large covey 100 yds. on the other side and I figured could stitch it up later.  EMT Gel works great on humans, too- that's all I'm going to say about that.)

Waiting for the Sedative

The stuff is ubiquitous.  The dogs learn to avoid.  The dogs (and hunters) get cut.  It's just part of the landscape.  Sunday, I went for my afternoon constitutional around the pastures and took Ace, my main dog. I walked and pondered while he ran and pondered.  He would get out a hundred yards or so, cut in the woods, come back out, check my position and stay up front on the trail.  I looped back to the barn a few times and one time I noticed Ace wasn't with me.  I called and whistled and got a little annoyed, since he knows better.  The time came for me to leave for church and half way there my wife called that Ace was home. "Awesome!", I thought.  "Is he OK?"  "Well, not really.  He's bleeding pretty badly out of his mouth and I don't see where the problem is." I checked him over that night and noticed some blood seepage, but figured it would stop.  The tongue has a lot of blood and bleeds like crazy, but will heal itself quickly.  The next morning, he was still bleeding.  At 0700, I was at the vet's door, and by 0720, we had him sedated and were stitching up his tongue/mouth. 

12 Stitches Later

We found fresh metal chips in the wound and near his molars.  Apparently, he hit the fence and the wire went under his tongue and got caught up and he chewed on the wire to free himself.  Finally, he did and came home, bleeding all the way.  It took 12 stitches under the tongue to re-attached the bottom of the tongue to the floor of the mouth. My vet (Kevin Barlow) said Ace was extremely lucky to have avoided puncturing one of the huge arteries supplying the tongue and bleeding out while hung in the fence.  Chilling thought.

Review: A Cooler for the Bears? Engel.

I've been hearing rumblings about these "super coolers" that keep food cold for 10 days. Right, I'm thinking, 10 days in Alaska, in the shade, in the Fall.  I did some research with my friend in the research business, Google, and discovered several coolers make the claim of keeping food cold for several days, some even up to 10 days.  Yeti, Engel, Coleman and some others are making super insulated coolers for fishing boats and camping. Yeti, from what I hear, is the benchmark of the crowd- and the most expensive.  The size shown, by Yeti, might run to $350+, depending on where you get it. 

 

I did like my kids and went to YouTube for a little investigation and found an interesting video comparing four high end coolers side by side for an "apples to apples" comparison.  At the end of the day (or week), the Engel Cooler (shown) did as well or better than any of the others.  It wasn't the cheapest, by far, but it maintained the temperature near or at the top of the rankings and was about $100 cheaper than the others.  I got it off Amazon and got free shipping, as well. 

 

 

You can see the stickers on the cooler informing you that this thing is airtight and to not put live things in it and expect them to live.  Also, it has the added benefit of being "Grizzly Bear proof", just in case you have a Grizzly Bear problem near the soccer and baseball fields where you are tailgating.  Actually, I find that to be a good thing, since I will be in bear country hunting Ruffs and Blue Grouse. 

 

I will test this one extensively this coming season and will let you know of any problems.  I'm looking forward to keeping my birds frozen for the two day ride home this year!

 

 

 

 

Awesome First Aid Kit for Dogs in the Field

Hunting & Trialing Safety, Shawn K. Wayment, DVM

---

Birddog Doc’s First Aid Kit for Bird Dogs

Thanks to Shawn K. Wayment, DVM for putting this First Aid Kit together for us!
The following is a list of the things that I personally carry in my field dog first aid kit. Rarely have I needed more than what is listed below. If I needed more than this, I would pack up and head for the nearest veterinary facility. Field trial bird dogs are faced with numerous perils in the field, so it is very important to carry a field first aid kit and know a few basic bird dog first aid procedures. Another important item is to choose a family veterinarian that understands field trial dogs and the rigors that they are challenged with while in the field. Contact your veterinarian and have them help you get a good first aid kit together for your days afield.
1. Ointments: Neosporin, Silvadene Cream (for cuts and burns), triple antibiotic eye ointment, Panolog/Animax or some other topical antibiotic/hydrocortisone ointment.
2. Betadine Solution: Povodone/Iodine 1% solution mixed with H2O to weak “iced tea color” for cleaning out wounds (punctures or lacerations). I typically use a syringe and an 18 gauge needle to flush wounds. This gives enough pressure/force to clean off debris and bacteria.
3. Hydrogen Peroxide: I only carry this to induce vomiting if my dogs ingest something they should not have eaten. It also can be combined with baking soda and Ivory dish soap to aid in de-skunking your bird dog. I never use hydrogen peroxide on a wound because it is more damaging to the tissue due to free radical damage than beneficial.
4. Saline Contact Rinse/Solution: Used to clean the eyes out/rinse the eyes. Rinse the eyes from medial to lateral.
5. Clavamox (Antibiotic): A good all around antibiotic for cuts and infections, etc. 250 mg for a 40 lb dog twice daily for 7 to 10 days is a typical dosage.
6. Metronidazole (Antibiotic): Great drug for treating Giardia and general diarrhea.  The dosage is about 25 mg/kg or 500 mg per 45 lbs of dog twice daily for 8 days.  Don’t leave home without it!
7. Ear Cleaner or Wash: Any good quality one will do the job.
8. Benadryl: For allergic reactions. The dosage is 1 to 2 mg per lb of bird dog or one OTC capsule per 25 pounds every 8 to 12 hours as needed for allergic reaction.
9. EMT Gel: Or some other form of collagen gel for rapid wound healing.
10. Rimadyl or Other Dog Approved NSAID: For swelling or pain. Rimadyl is giving at 1 mg per lb twice daily as needed.
11. Syringes of Various Sizes: I like the 12 cc curved tip one for cleaning out debris from wounds. A 12 cc syringe with an 18 gauge needle can give enough force to clean out a wound. You may want some 3 cc ones as well for injectible Lidocaine (2%) if you are going to suture some wounds. Can use a plastic case from a 20 gauge syringe for tip of the tail protectors (especially for pointer/setter people).
12. Gauze or Store Bought Muzzle: To prevent from being bit by an injured dog. Learn how to make a gauze muzzle—it is easy and can prevent unnecessary harm to you.
13. Bandage Material: Vet wrap, Elastikon, Telfa pads or other non-adhesive dressings, gauze and cotton padding for support wrap. I always carry duct tape! 2 x 2 or 4 x 4 gauze is also very handy to have around.
14. Dog Boots and Athletic Padding and Zonas Tape: These also work well for wraps of the feet.
15. Lidocaine (2%) Injectible: If you are going to suture wounds.
16. Cotton Tip Applicators: Q-Tips work fine. These can be used to help remove things (grass awns, fox tails, etc) from the eyes.
17. Kaopectate: Works very well for diarrhea. I usually give 10 mL (1 mL is equivalent to 1 cc) every 6 to 8 hours to an average sized 50 lb dog.
18. Suture Material and Stapler: I use Nylon to suture most skin lacerations. A stapler is a very effective method for closing up skin gashes. I would clip the hair around the wound and flush it using a curved tip syringe or a syringe with a needle prior to stapling it.
19. NutriCal Gel: This is an excellent, quick source of calories for a working filed dog. You can order this from Drs. Foster & Smith. I always have a few tubes in my pack.
20.Proparacaine Ophthalmic Topical Eye Drops: This is for numbing the eye if you need to remove a foreign object.
21. Tuff Pad/Foot or Copper Tox: This will help cut pads and protect the feet.
22. Needle Holders: Suturing wounds.
23. Hemostats or Leatherman Tool: For quill or cactus needle removal.
24. Digital Thermometer (Normal Dog’s Temp is 100 to 102.8 degrees F).
25. A Good Dog Brush
26. Space Blanket
27. Tissue Forceps (Tweezers)
28. Matches
29. Head Lamp: or other light source.
30. A Good Dog First Aid Book: (Field Guide: Dog First Aid Emergency Care for the Hunting, Working, and Outdoor Dog, Randy Acker, DVM).
31. Caloric Dense Canned Dog Food: I always have some cans of dense calorie canned dog food or GI canned food just in case.
Here is a pdf version of this information: Field Dog First Aid Kit_Shawn K Wayment DVM
 

Hunting & Trialing Safety, Shawn K. Wayment, DVM  |  June 11, 2013

Bird Dogs in the Heat

Georgia.  Summertime.  Heat, humidity, sun, heat, fleas, ticks, humidity, heat, afternoon thunderstorms. Still air, blowing rain, double humidity.

There is nothing more pitiful than a high powered bird dog with nothing to do.  We've all (hopefully) got one in the kennel.  The one you go to when bragging rights are on the line, when you've been driving for two days and the country opens up and it's time to put the main man on the ground.  He's the MAC Daddy, the Cover Dog, the Big Dog.....and, now, he's out of a job.  It's just too hot and humid, the training birds aren't available and the pasture is grown and full of ticks!




















I still work my dogs every day.  I road them in the morning (on very hot, humid weeks, even before light) and we play and do light yard work exercises in the evening.  When I take my evening 2.5 mile walk, one of the dogs goes with me so we can practice working together.  Of course, to them the evening walk is just a boondoggle with me interrupting every so often.  I think this type of work is important to a dog- they can remember it's a team effort. 

I use the Dog Den 2 in my kennels.  With the door up and the insulation all around, the inside of the kennel stays cool.  I often enter the barn to find them in the Dog Dens with paws and heads lying on the lip.

I change the water daily in the bowl.  That will keep it clean and cool. Bacteria will grow in the water bucket and cause problems with the health of the dogs.  So, I dump and refresh the water every day, and dump and clean with bleach and refresh once per week.

On really hot days and nights, have an oscillating fan blowing over the kennel. They seem to enjoy that, as well. 

One thing I do not have is a water-mister.  With the high humidity, I've always been dubious at the efficiency of the unit.  Other kennel owners, even here in the South, swear by them.  I may take a look at what they are doing.

I guess the bottom line is to keep them occupied, cool and well-hydrated....and have opening day marked on the calendar!

Book Review: What the Dogs Taught Me, by Scott Linden

My Study

I received a copy of Scott Linden's book in the mail, from Skyhorse Publishing.  I'm a reader, and a voracious reader of bird dog books, dog books, hunting books, books about dogs hunting books...you get the picture. I was very interested in Scott's book, because my impression is he is a bird dog man and bird hunter.  I don't mean merely a man with a bird dog, Lord knows there are  plenty of those.  I mean someone who values time afield with his dog and finds more to it than killing birds.  This book reinforced that perception, big time! I read it in one day.  It took me a few more days of digesting and note taking and pondering before I could really form an opinion.  But, I finally recognized that Scott's book is a 'must buy' for new bird hunters and old, broken down traveling wingshooters, as well. I learned some stuff and a lot of what I thought I knew was validated.  For example, my third bird dog I named "Bo".  Of course, that sounds a lot like "whoa" and "go" and "over" and really is a very poor name for a bird dog.  I remember yelling "Bo", at the top of my lungs, during a training run.  All four dogs on the field came to a screeching halt! Embarrassing!  As a new bird dog man, I would have learned about that in this book and avoided the situation, altogether.

The book is divided into several sections, each valuable.  The first three deal with the dog and focus on what's between his ears.  What he wants, how he thinks and how you can communicate with him. "When discipline is applied appropriately, instruction is melded with encouragement while correction is levied with restraint and sensitivity.  I think your dog acquires a sense of "fairness"."  "An honest relationship is easier to maintain if you are consistent: same words, same tone, same expectations every time."  Truth. 

Shooting, training and hunting are addressed next and contain nuggets for new and experienced alike.  Remembering to keep structure in your dog's life and keeping you at the head of the pack is critical, "Without order, chaos reigns, and dogs don't like chaos."  How many times have I had an easy double in front of me and bagged none? "Shoot the first bird first, see it drop, mark it carefully.  Only then, and if you have time, should you contemplate a second shot."  Yep. The hunting section is chock full of valuable information.  Stuff I learned over 20+ years in the field with my dogs.  Scott has graciously written down the good stuff for the new guy.  Learning from your mistakes is good, but learning from the mistakes of others is wise! 

Scott approaches the care and feeding section head on, providing useful and accurate information on what is takes to keep Old Buck up and running for a long road trip. His information is about hydrogen peroxide is right on! His first aid tips are worth memorizing. 

Before moving to the meat of the book, I tried to navigate through Chapter 8 and the "Road to the Utility Test". I plugged through it and found plenty to like.  I'm not a utility test kind of guy, but I know many are and this section will not disappoint.

Hunting skills and tips from pros and a Q and A section are really the heart of this book.  This is the "How to Bird Hunt" section.  I enjoyed, so much, perusing the skills imparted here.  I remember when I learned how to tell the amount of daylight left by using my extended hand.  I marvelled at such a simple and accurate way to measure how long I had to get back to the truck. Scott includes that, as well. Skills hard learned by others are listed here for the novice or experienced hunter to learn: making  fire, using a map (critical!), telling time, jump start a truck, breaking up a dogfight, driving on muddy roads, cooking game, delivering the coup de grace to a game bird, and helping someone find you. If you aren't familiar with all these, don't head up that two-track. 

To summarize: Get this book.  Better yet, buy two and give the book to the new guy, too!  

Congratulations, Scott!  I know it took a lot of effort, but you have a winner.  

The Evolution of Walking Sticks.

Ace and Me and a Yucca Stick

Finished Yucca Stick

Finished Walking Stick Cholla

Walking Stick Cholla

Walking Stick Cholla

End Cap of the Walking Stick Cholla

Getting Some Help from the Pro

Click HERE to see the video.

 

Cap pointed and Terry

Click HERE to see the video.

There are times when most of us reach the end of the line in our experience.  It may be in rearing a child, problems at work, or, even, training our dogs.  I was lucky, this time, and I was stuck trying to figure out how to fix a problem Cap was exhibiting during his retrieve. Now, I know his retrieving was acceptable to most bird hunters. He would aggressively search out, find and bring back shot game birds. The problem is, he is not only a hunting dog, but a field trial dog, as well.  Therein lies the rub.  The rules say he is to go straight line to the bird, pick it up quickly, and return quickly, straight line to deposit the bird in hand.  Any deviation will result in points deducted.  You can see that what is commonly accepted as "OK" quickly becomes "points off", if you want to play this particular game with your dog (NSTRA).  Cap (my fault) never got over the "let's play" part of retrieving.  It wasn't corrected in a timely manner (my fault) and became a problem for him (and me) in trials.  After the season, I RAN to the best Pro around and begged to have him "fix" Cap. He did it in four weeks (three, really, but I couldn't get back up for another week) and I'm very pleased with the result.  Bottom line: swallow your pride when you know your are in over your head. Get to a Pro!

Click HERE to see the video.

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.