New Mexico Blues next on the Agenda

We are leaving out on Friday the 8th for a week or so in NM.  Tons of public land and no hunters to speak of- this is a diamond in the rough!  This will be my third season hunting the area.  As I like to do, the first time I hunted there, I used a local guide (Tim Bartlett- 575-631-7375) to show me the techniques used in the local area. That was a tremendous resource and cut my learning curve down a lot. 

As you suspect, the bird population is highly dependent on the weather in the spring and summer months.  This year, they are calling it a poor year, but with local hot spots.  My friends in the area are finding 5-16 coveys of blues per day.  Where I come from, that’s a good day.  To be on the ground with my dogs and busting up 5,6 or 7 coveys, I’m a happy camper!  Well, I’m pretty OK with far fewer than that, but I like to see the action as much as the next guy. 

I’ll keep the blog updated as I go along.  Cell and Net signals are few and far between in the region around Hobbs, we’ll see how it goes. 

That’s one “locked down” Brittany- Ace.  “Here they are, Boss!”

A Nice Retrieve on Pheasant

Airline Travel with your Buddy

Of all people, I should be the one to tell you travel with your dog is a piece of cake.  (I'm a 27 year retired pilot.).  However, the anxiety is still there when I approach the flight- no different than anyone else.

It takes me about 45 minutes to an hour from the time I arrive at the front of the airport to when I clear security and head to the gate.  That's to check dogs and get them through security and then do the same for the guns.  It's a goat-rope for sure, but the 2 1/2 hour flight versus a day and a half drive sure makes up for it.  That is....until something doesn't work according to plan.  In my many years of airline flying, I've seen a lot of that- things not according to plan. 

We wrapped up our hunt in South Dakota with a last day that saw a lot of birds and a filled possession limit.  It was time to head home for Christmas and a lot of family time.  We packed the bird cooler with the birds (with all the requisite information on the birds) and headed to the airport and our Delta flight home.  We got there with plenty of time to spare and got the dogs and guns checked and on their way and eased to the gate to settle in for a short wait.  Piece of cake, I said to myself.  I'll be home by 10 p.m.  Our seats were called and we headed to the plane to stake our claim to the back row.  About 10 minutes before takeoff, the gate agent came back to us.  She said this airplane had a malfunction in the cargo bin and the dogs could not go with us, but would be on the next flight! We knew if we got off the plane we would spend the night there, since all the other flights were full. We decided to go to Atlanta and wait for the dogs there.  "What if they don't get on the next, and last, plane?" I asked.  "They go to a kennel for the night and we'll send them first plane in the morning." she answered.  I sure hope so, I thought.

We arrived in ATL and claimed our bags, guns and birds.  Everything but the most important stuff- the reason I go hunting- my dog! It turns out they arrived about 30 minutes after we did.  We were a little late departing and they were on time.  I have to say, I was glad to see the shaggy eared mutt roll out of the oversized luggage space.  I took his crate outside and let him out to water down.  It was then I noticed his kennel was cleaned out, the attached water bowl was new and different, and the security tabs were different than the ones on the crate earlier.  In addition, he didn't need to relieve himself- he'd been watered before he left.   Those Delta folks did all that in the 30 minutes they had before they loaded him on the next flight!  I was, and am, thankful for those good people.  I know, having worked extensively for two huge bureaucracies, the US Navy and Delta Airlines, that supervisors like letters to inform them of who's doing what.  So I wrote them a complimentary letter using as many names as I could remember.  I do know they will get the word.

That dog trailer is looking prety good for the trip to NM to bag a few blues in January....stay tuned!

SD Late Season Rooster

Absolutely perfect!

SD late season Hunt

It's perfect today! Notice the CRP behind me. Loaded with birds. Temp 15 deg and warming nicely.

Snow Hunting in SD

Great time yesterday!  Even thought the temp never got above 20 degrees, after humping around the fields and through the drifts, we stayed warm and toasty.  There are lots of birds here (so many that the SD DNR came within one vote on the board of upping the limit to 5 birds per day for the rest of the year) and when Ace pointed I nearly had to kick every clump to get them to fly!  Great hunting!  This part of SD has very little public land, but just south in the Huron area there is plenty.  The birds are fat and full of corn- one we bagged needed a running start to get off the ground.  He barely got the wheels up and he was grounded!  Today will be a balmy 25 degrees and our hosts need to get some outside work done, so we are on our own again with (estimated) 10,000 ac. to hunt.  However, we are taking them out to dinner tonight, if I can stay awake long enough. 

Day One

Woke up to frozen pipes. We got them thawed pretty quick and prepared for the Day One goat rope- trying to get all the beepers and bells and shells and guns and dogs sorted out. High temp today will be in the 20's and that's a manageable temp for everyone. It's only 0600 here and hunting starts at 1000, so we have plenty of time to get the minutia organized.

Yow! I'ts cold for a Georgia redneck like me!

Yikes. I jumped out of the van to let the dogs water.  Everything was going pretty well until I turned into the wind!  You need to be tough to live up here.  I grew up in Anchorage, AK, and I swear the weather is more harsh here in SD!

On the way.

The flight with Ace was perfect. -17 chill factor when we arrived, but he beat us to baggage claim. I heard him before I saw him. He was a happy little Brit when he heard my low whistle. Flying is a great way to get hunting in a hurry- I still think I like driving though. I can take all my stuff.

-18 Wind Chill

Good to be a travel day.

Getting Psyced Up

Ace is ready for the plane ride (his first) to Minneapolis tomorrow. Then a 4 hour drive to Redfield, SD. Dennis is taking his Lab, Gracie. Between us we hope to have enough dog power to make a dent in the pheasant population up there. Most, if not all, of the corn is down so it should be just like the start of the season. Aside from the fact that the high tomorrow is 4 deg, everything is perfect! Yikes, where's my Elmer Fudd hat?

SD changes limits on pheasant for the rest of the season....

Effective 5 Dec. South Dakota changed the daily limit on pheasant to 5 roosters and possession limit to 25 roosters (after 5 days hunting).  That little bit of news couldn't have come at a better time- we'll be heading up to hunt SD from the 15th -20th, just a little south of Aberdeen.  The corn is, or will be, cut by then, the dogs are ready, the guns are cleaned....it's time.

Training

It’s a little intimidating to talk about dog training.  There are so many men and women out there who are such good “dog whisperers”- I can’t hold a candle to them.  But, I do know and use a few techniques that work for me…..

Touch- Good work is rewarded with a stroke down the side of the body or along the side of the head.  Not excessive- just enough for the dog to know you are pleased. They love it!  Watch momma-dog with her pups.  Where does she lick them and touch them? Along the side of the face. 

Voice- Tone and cadence are very important.  Initially, all they hear is “blah, blah, Ace, blah, blah!”.  But soon, they get the gist of what it is you want.  They will respond to the praise- “Good, Boy!”, “Let’s Go, Buddy.”, “Look in there, buddy!”.  They will also respond to “You short-tailed, spotted, snub-nosed, shaggy-eared mutt!  Get away from that skunk!” when delivered with the proper tone!

Probably the most important technique for me is consistency and repetition.  Make it the same every time and do it the same every time- and do it over and over. 

One reason I enjoy my dogs so much is because all they want to do is please me.   No other living creature can say that.

I love the Fall!

This is what I am forced to look at in the mornings, this time of year!  Don’t feel sorry for me- really!

The only thing that could make that scene more perfect is my Ace dog on point- just visible in the fog…yeah.

One Big CAT.....

I got an email about how this Cougar was shot in SD after stalking a hunter.  Hey, I “ain’t skeered”! THIS is what I use to protect me in the woods.  “A big kitty…… C’mon, give me a break!”

Yeah, the old man still has it!  This is Bo at 11+ years old with a Grouse he retrieved.  It's fun to watch the wise, old guy work- not a step wasted.

Here's Ace and me in a ND wheat field.  The CRP comes right up to the edge.  Lots of birds this year- lots of good hunting.

It works great! Keep your birds frozen!

I had the usual dilemma of bird hunter everywhere- how do I get the harvest home without spoiling or defrosting? Last year, on my way home from Kansas after duck hunting with some great friends, I stopped in the WallyWorld in Pratt, KS. The were selling dry Ice. I gave it some thought and bought 10# to lay on the top of my frozen birds. It worked great- kept them solid for 2 more days until I could get them home.

This year, going from ND to WI for more bird hunting, I had a cooler with my Pheasant possession limit in the back and needed them to stay frozen for 5 more days. A quick search located a dry ice retailer in Fargo, ND. 30# this time kept them frozen from Tuesday until Saturday. The guy in Fargo was only a mile off the interstate and didn't slow me down much.

It isn't that cheap- about $1/lb., but I think it's worth it to keep the catch fresh. They wrap it in heavy brown paper and give you a warning about breathing it (for the moron). Definitely worth the extra effort.

A Garmin Story

We were about 2 hours into a cast for grouse in Wisconsin.  Bandit was working great for an eighteen month old pup- working either side of the trail and checking in, but not too far out. I guess I became complacent, because, the next thing I knew, his beeper was GONE!  I remembered watching him about 50 yards off the trail and backtracking, but I didn't think a thing of it- he'd done it all day.  I gave a blast on the whistle and expected him to come flying up like he always did- no dog.  I reached for the Garmin a watched the little sucker heading for the hills about 200 yards out.  The problem was, he was heading deeper into the woods and not turning in response to my plaintive toots on the whistle!  I yelled and blew the whislte as he kept moving deeper and deeper- 300, 400, 500 yds.....finally, at 1 mile he turned and looped around- and around- and around.  I knew the little guy was lost, couldn't hear me, and had no idea which way to go. Hoping he'd figure it out, I fired my gun in his direction, but although he stopped (and I fired again), he turned in the wrong direction and headed out away from me.  Finally, at over 1.5 miles in the thick, hilly woods of Wisconsin, I got a beep and message that the signal was lost.  I ran to my truck (about 400 yds away), grabbed my extendable antenna, got on the road and drove to what I estimated was the closest point of approach to a local road.  I stuck the thing out the window as I drove and picked him up at 2.5 miles from the truck.  Luckily, he was heading for another local road in the woods and I determined to head him off.  As I got there, I watched him turn in circles again about 700 yds out.  I jumped out and fired 2 quick shots and noticed him stopped ("On Point").  I fired 2 more shots and he started my way.  I noticed an old logging trail that headed in his direction and started up it with the Garmin in one hand and my whistle in the other.  When he departed from the track, I'd give a long blast and he would home in on it again.  Finally, he saw me!  That was one happy little camper as he jumped in to me and wagged around me.  I guess I was a little happy, too, to see the little bugger again.  I can only surmise at what caused him to head out and figure he bumped a bird and went after it, perhaps bumping it again, or chasing a deer.  Whatever the cause, I was darn glad I had and was using the Garmin.  I may have found him that day, but I may not have.  And it would have been a miserable night for both of us.   (On a separate note, I jumped 2 grouse on that old logging road heading in to find him.  It's marked on the GPS for future exploration.  There's a silver lining to every dark cloud.)

Typical Wisconsin Hunter Trail

Easy walking. Difficult shooting.

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Back in Wisconsin

It's good to be back in Grouse country! The frost is pretty thick this morning, so there's no need to rush to the woods. I'm having a nice leisurely breakfast at the Crystal Cafe and will be in the woods by 0830. I don't see many dog boxes around here today- a month ago it was a sea of Orange hats and dog boxes. The leaves are down and those that aren't are brilliant. The sun's out- it will be a good day!