Wild Pheasant Trials

Winchey · Post by **Winchey** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 11:50 am

Do they exist? I have no experience with wild pheasants but it seems to be the consensus that people prefer a dog that relocates on it's own. If there are wild pheasant trials, are the dogs allowed to relocate on their own? Are there special dogs that just seem to always pin them? Anyway's just curious, looking forward to replies.

Birddogz · Post by **Birddogz** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 2:27 pm

I would like to see one also. No released birds, just wild.

Post by **ezzy333** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 3:15 pm

Invite all of your friends and have a trial. All you need is a place to run and some dogs to do it. All of you put 10 dollars in the pot and pay the winner.

Ezzy

Birddogz · Post by **Birddogz** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 3:35 pm

You mean to tell me there is no wild pheasant trial in the U.S.? SD harvests over a million birds. ND around 650,000, KS around 6-700,000, NE around 400,000. I'd say it isn't for lack of birds! Plus, I believe American sportsman spend more money pursuing wild pheasants, than any other bird. There HAS to be a wild pheasant trial.

Winchey · Post by **Winchey** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 4:04 pm

Get one going, in 5 to 10 years I should be able to make the trip out with a dog or two.

Brushbustin Sporting Dogs · Post by **Brushbustin Sporting Dogs** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 5:17 pm

And here we go again..

Birddogz · Post by **Birddogz** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 5:46 pm

I can promise you every bird alive in ND right now is pure wild. You have trials on wild Prairie Chickens, Sharptails, Ruffs, Huns, etc. Why not Pheasants? They are the most hunted wild bird in the U.S. There are FAR more pheasants than Sharptails or PCs. Why the anger? It just seems wrong to hold a "pheasant" trial in Maryland. Maybe a "Chicken" trial.

Absolutely no excuse for not running phez in SD or ND or KS or MT or NE or, well you get the idea. A matter of fact, I think that there are wild phez trials some where. If you can do it with other birds, why not phez?

ckirsch · Post by **ckirsch** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 5:47 pm

Brushbustin Sporting Dogs wrote:And here we go again...

+1

Birddogz · Post by **Birddogz** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 5:52 pm

Where are the trials guys? If there are none, simply say so. Don't beat around the bush. We need info. I had asked if there were trials in the late season, and there are not. I thought that there were some wild bird trials though.

Kmack · Post by **Kmack** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 5:59 pm

I have been to a trial in Timber Lakes South Dakota that last two years. It is held the end of August or first of Septemebr. WIld birds only and one is at least as likely to encounter pheasants as any other species. Broke dogs are not allowed to relocate unless released by their handler to do so.

It is one of many such trials held in that region. Would that meet your criteria.

djloder · Post by **djloder** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 6:00 pm

UKC run's wild trial's on phez. They have wild bird trails, it just matters what type of bird is wild in the region. My pup ran in Montana and found a covey of huns this year, while others found blue grouse. I have ran a trail were the game was wild phez in MN. I'll tell you that not alot of dogs place on the wild birds. There is one in GA and FL this Jan and FEB that will run on wild quail.

The dog can relocate it's self as long as it doesn’t bump the bird.

Chukar12 · Post by **Chukar12** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 6:06 pm

ok, they pointed some out. Now you have to go. Your dogs are broke ... right?
We don't have any out west, pheasants cannot climb and our dogs aren't good enough to handle them. Mine anyway...
Thanks alot winchey and I was starting to like you...

Birddogz · Post by **Birddogz** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 6:13 pm

Thank you Kmack and DJ. Any dates?

Post by **topher40** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 6:15 pm

why would a broke dog be allowed to relocate on pheasants and not quail? A bird is a bird, especially in a trial. :roll:

Kmack · Post by **Kmack** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 6:22 pm

Birddogz wrote:Thank you Kmack and DJ. Any dates?

The dates change from year to year. They announce them usually in the beginning of the summer. PM me if you would like contact information. I can tell you who to call if you're interested.

Dave Quindt · Post by **Dave Quindt** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 6:23 pm

Winchey wrote:Do they exist? I have no experience with wild pheasants but it seems to be the consensus that people prefer a dog that relocates on it's own. If there are wild pheasant trials, are the dogs allowed to relocate on their own?

Dogs are allowed to relocate on their own in every FT run under either the AF or AKC; the idea that they can't is an internet myth. Whether they are allowed to by training or not is another matter. There is no rule or judging standard that does not allow for this. As a matter of fact the inverse is true; if a dog doesn't relocate on its own, and doesn't produce pointed game and is charged with a non-productive the dog's chances of places drastically reduced. Two non-productives and the dog is done.

At the same time, if a dog self-relocates and bumps a bird most judges are going to DQ the dog. If the dog bumps a bird on commanded relocation, he's virtually always DQ'ed.

The only thing that a dog can't do is relocate on it's own (without a command from the handler) once the handler is attempting to flush the bird. Once the handler commits to a flushing attempt, the dog must stay put until the handler releases him for a relocation.

Where are the trials guys? If there are none, simply say so. Don't beat around the bush. We need info. I had asked if there were trials in the late season, and there are not. I thought that there were some wild bird trials though.

At any of the wild bird trials held throughout the plains states pheasants are routinely encountered and must be correctly handled by the dogs. If you were to attend a wild bird championship you would know these things.

OK - time to stop feeding the troll......

JMO,
Dave

JKP · Post by **JKP** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 6:25 pm

Attend an hour championship sometime and you will see the difficulties of trying to run a trial on exclusively wild birds.

Are the birds at Ames wild? Do cover dogs run on wild grouse? Don't see why there can't be trials on phez. The problem might be that the traditional trial enthusiasts are not going to run their rock steady longtails on running birds....and I can understand that. I don't run dogs on phez until they have proven they are steady.. usually run the older dogs...it can cause problems for the amped up juveniles...that said its the only way they learn.

Won a fun trial a year back (and some side wager money) because there were lots of phez on the coarse by accident and my big ugly fuzz face is just a master with the elusive "Gaudybird"...was our day with a quarry that the dog understood.

Birddogz · Post by **Birddogz** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 6:45 pm

I have never understood why FT guys get so angry when you ask questions about FTs for phez. If you were to ask one of them where some wild grouse trials are they will gladly tell you, but when you mention pheasant, they become angry.

This has been the most informative thread about the subject, and I thank you all very much.

Post by **topher40** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 6:53 pm

I cant see the anger, what am I missing?

Birddogz · Post by **Birddogz** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 7:04 pm

The "Here we go again" and the +1 after that. Then the troll comments. All Winchey was asking was for info. For some, that is way out of line.

Post by **Greg Jennings** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 7:09 pm

It is, BD, that you ask the same disingenuous questions over and over from different angles. The bottom line is that you are criticizing, no matter how you try to hide it, something that you know zip about.

Put some manners on those dogs of yours and take them to a wild bird trial in the fall. Till then you're not going to get any love on the subject. You just have too much history to overcome.

Greg J

Brushbustin Sporting Dogs · Post by **Brushbustin Sporting Dogs** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 7:19 pm

I have no problem with what winchey asked. He is new and asked a question. Its others that repeatedly hound on certain subjects.

Brushbustin Sporting Dogs · Post by **Brushbustin Sporting Dogs** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 7:34 pm

Birddogz wrote:I can promise you every bird alive in ND right now is pure wild. You have trials on wild Prairie Chickens, Sharptails, Ruffs, Huns, etc. Why not Pheasants? They are the most hunted wild bird in the U.S. There are FAR more pheasants than Sharptails or PCs. Why the anger? It just seems wrong to hold a "pheasant" trial in Maryland. Maybe a "Chicken" trial. Absolutely no excuse for not running phez in SD or ND or KS or MT or NE or, well you get the idea. A matter of fact, I think that there are wild phez trdials some where. If you can do it with other birds, why not phez?

This has to do with terrain all of the suggested birds above live or are more likely to live in "bigger" terrain. To run an hour championship on wild birds you need a lot of acres to make it work. For example... you run 7 hour stakes in a day. Average speed of let's just say 4 miles an hour. Now I your running on only wild birds when they are flushed they get out of the country so you can't just run back and over all the same ground so in theory 7 tines 4 is 28 so you need 30 miles of new course to run on every day. Now that is easy to do in the sanhills of nebraska where there are lots of chickens and sharpies but very few pheasants. I'm just sick of reading about people complaining about the way field trials are ran. Field trialing is a timeless tradition that has been going for a few years now. I know several things have changed since they started but trials are ran the way they are because it works and that's why we do things the way we do...

dan v · Post by **dan v** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 7:36 pm

ckirsch wrote:
Brushbustin Sporting Dogs wrote:And here we go again...
+1

Hi handsome. My name is Lucy, what's your name? Ah, Charlie Brown.

Birddogz · Post by **Birddogz** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 7:38 pm

Greg Jennings wrote:It is, BD, that you ask the same disingenuous questions over and over from different angles. The bottom line is that you are criticizing, no matter how you try to hide it, something that you know zip about.

Put some manners on those dogs of yours and take them to a wild bird trial in the fall. Till then you're not going to get any love on the subject. You just have too much history to overcome.

Greg J

Greg, when you kill a tenth as many wild birds as I do then you can talk about hunting.

If that is how it is played. Unless you have competed and been a champion then I can't ask why wild birds aren't run on? I didn't start this thread. My dogs have manners. They do exactly what I tell them. They are broke, and move on my verbal command. I am not walking out on 2 inches of ice to release my dogs. They release when I tell them. They have far more manners in retrieving than most FT dogs do. I haven't seen many break through ice to retrieve many birds in a FT. Come to think of it, they don't even shoot birds in a trial.

What is the point of a forum, if only "experts" are allowed to discuss.

Oh, by the way, why shouldn't I be able to criticize the fact that there aren't many wild phez trials? It is my opinion that wild birds are best, and there are PLENTY of wild pheasant in this country to run on.

Winchey · Post by **Winchey** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 7:41 pm

I wasn't trolling, I have never hunted pheasants, except preserve. From how I hear people talk, unless you have a very good experienced dog you are much better off with a flusher. Believe me I hope I get to go out west and down south to do some trialing someday, before I do though I am going to have good dogs and I am going to know what I am doing, or if that never happens it will happen when I have money to burn. I have no problem with trials on planted birds or wild, I would prefer wild but this isn't a perfect world. Wasn't saying there were no wild pheasant trials either, just wondering how the dogs do on the if there is any. People say it is extremely hard to nail down ruffies too, it is but the dogs figure it out pretty well. Also, one more question, can a dog relocate over and over on his own without penalty as long as you don't call point?

Birddogz · Post by **Birddogz** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 7:44 pm

Brushbustin Sporting Dogs wrote:
Birddogz wrote:I can promise you every bird alive in ND right now is pure wild. You have trials on wild Prairie Chickens, Sharptails, Ruffs, Huns, etc. Why not Pheasants? They are the most hunted wild bird in the U.S. There are FAR more pheasants than Sharptails or PCs. Why the anger? It just seems wrong to hold a "pheasant" trial in Maryland. Maybe a "Chicken" trial. Absolutely no excuse for not running phez in SD or ND or KS or MT or NE or, well you get the idea. A matter of fact, I think that there are wild phez trdials some where. If you can do it with other birds, why not phez?
This has to do with terrain all of the suggested birds above live or are more likely to live in "bigger" terrain. To run an hour championship on wild birds you need a lot of acres to make it work. For example... you run 7 hour stakes in a day. Average speed of let's just say 4 miles an hour. Now I your running on only wild birds when they are flushed they get out of the country so you can't just run back and over all the same ground so in theory 7 tines 4 is 28 so you need 30 miles of new course to run on every day. Now that is easy to do in the sanhills of nebraska where there are lots of chickens and sharpies but very few pheasants. I'm just sick of reading about people complaining about the way field trials are ran. Field trialing is a timeless tradition that has been going for a few years now. I know several things have changed since they started but trials are ran the way they are because it works and that's why we do things the way we do...

Then run a dog in an 20 acre cattail slough followed by thick CRP. They won't cover much more than 160 acres in an hour. Shorten up the run time. To not adapt a format is silly. It isn't like that would be difficult to do. To not run on wild pheasant is not right. Those that do, I applaud.

Dave Quindt · Post by **Dave Quindt** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 8:02 pm

Winchey wrote:I wasn't trolling,

Sorry 'bout that, comment wasn't directed towards you. Your question was perfectly valid.

Dave

Post by **topher40** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 8:06 pm

Birddogz wrote:
Greg Jennings wrote:It is, BD, that you ask the same disingenuous questions over and over from different angles. The bottom line is that you are criticizing, no matter how you try to hide it, something that you know zip about.

Put some manners on those dogs of yours and take them to a wild bird trial in the fall. Till then you're not going to get any love on the subject. You just have too much history to overcome.

Greg J
Greg, when you kill a tenth as many wild birds as I do then you can talk about hunting. If that is how it is played. Unless you have competed and been a champion then I can't ask why wild birds aren't run on? I didn't start this thread. My dogs have manners. They do exactly what I tell them. They are broke, and move on my verbal command. I am not walking out on 2 inches of ice to release my dogs. They release when I tell them. They have far more manners in retrieving than most FT dogs do. I haven't seen many break through ice to retrieve many birds in a FT. Come to think of it, they don't even shoot birds in a trial. What is the point of a forum, if only "experts" are allowed to discuss.

Oh, by the way, why shouldn't I be able to criticize the fact that there aren't many wild phez trials? It is my opinion that wild birds are best, and there are PLENTY of wild pheasant in this country to run on.

So Killing wild birds is a badge of honor? I see more than most and dont kill but a dozen or so a year, where does that leave me? :roll:

JKP · Post by **JKP** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 8:07 pm

Also, one more question, can a dog relocate over and over on his own without penalty as long as you don't call point?

A good pheasant dog is completely different than a good trial dog, if I understand FT. A good pheasant dog only points and holds point when the bird hunkers down....otherwise they keep relocating and attempting to make the bird "squat" so the gunner can approach. Pheasant spend much of the day moving to and from feed plots as well as grazing....and they like to use their legs to escape, rather than flying.
Pheasant hunting is the domain of the best meat dogs....probably not for your FT dogs until they are done campaigning

Brushbustin Sporting Dogs · Post by **Brushbustin Sporting Dogs** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 8:09 pm

winchey I'm sorry someone had to h ijacked your thread with his same ole BS!

Birddogz · Post by **Birddogz** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 8:09 pm

Brushbustin Sporting Dogs wrote:Your trying to fix something which isn't broken!! My head hurts from pounding it against the wall...........

If trying to see which wild bird dog is best, by running it on released birds, when there are tons of wild ones around doesn't make your head hurt, then what will?

If that isn't broke, the I don't know what is.

Birddogz · Post by **Birddogz** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 8:15 pm

So Killing wild birds is a badge of honor? I see more than most and dont kill but a dozen or so a year, where does that leave me? :roll:[/quote]

Much more so than not. That is why they call it hunting. My point is, that just because you only kill a dozen or so a year doesn't exclude you from a conversation on the subject anymore than me not being a trialer excludes me from commenting on the fact that wild birds are best for trials. That was my point.

Brushbustin Sporting Dogs · Post by **Brushbustin Sporting Dogs** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 8:18 pm

BD, obviously your not going to change yhour stance, regardless of how wrong you are, but seriously quit trying to push it on everyone else!!! I guarantee they aren't going to move the national championship to north dakota and run it through a freakin slough! You have no idea whatyour talking about so please just quit already...

Vonzeppelinkennels · Post by **Vonzeppelinkennels** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 8:19 pm

BD you just said it (That is why they call it hunting ) Field trialing is NOT HUNTING

Birddogz · Post by **Birddogz** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 8:23 pm

JKP wrote:
Also, one more question, can a dog relocate over and over on his own without penalty as long as you don't call point?
A good pheasant dog is completely different than a good trial dog, if I understand FT. A good pheasant dog only points and holds point when the bird hunkers down....otherwise they keep relocating and attempting to make the bird "squat" so the gunner can approach. Pheasant spend much of the day moving to and from feed plots as well as grazing....and they like to use their legs to escape, rather than flying.
Pheasant hunting is the domain of the best meat dogs....probably not for your FT dogs until they are done campaigning

Absolutely right on. Not that anyone will admit it, but very true. If I were judging a wild phez trial and a dog relocated several times and then half arced a bird to pinch it between the handler and the dog, I would award bonus points. THAT IS A GOOD DOG! It takes years to perfect a great phez dog, and hundreds upon hundreds of birds. Some dogs never get it. The phez is very hard for pointing dogs to learn how to handle.Blue quail and Spooky Ruffs are the only quarry that are similar in challenge. I have never hunted wild chukar.

Birddogz · Post by **Birddogz** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 8:24 pm

Brushbustin Sporting Dogs wrote:BD, obviously your not going to change yhour stance, regardless of how wrong you are, but seriously quit trying to push it on everyone else!!! I guarantee they aren't going to move the national championship to north dakota and run it through a freakin slough! You have no idea whatyour talking about so please just quit already...

You say you are a man of tradition, and FTing is about tradition. I wonder if they released birds for the first FTs?

tn red · Post by **tn red** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 8:34 pm

Birddogz wrote:
Brushbustin Sporting Dogs wrote:BD, obviously your not going to change yhour stance, regardless of how wrong you are, but seriously quit trying to push it on everyone else!!! I guarantee they aren't going to move the national championship to north dakota and run it through a freakin slough! You have no idea whatyour talking about so please just quit already...
You say you are a man of tradition, and FTing is about tradition. I wonder if they released birds for the first FTs?

Wonder is there was wild phez in America when they held the first FT ?

Vonzeppelinkennels · Post by **Vonzeppelinkennels** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 8:39 pm

Bd I think that one thing you FAIL to REALISE is that this is not yester yr when the first trials were run & everyone can't just go out their door jump a few fences & find WILD BIRDS.Those days are LONG GONE & have been for yrs.This county in Ohio use to be one of the top Bobwhite counties in the state & up untill 77 & 78 I could make a big circle & kill my limit when ever I chose to.Now it has been 20 yrs since I have even heard a quail call around here let alone seen one.Just count your blessing that you still have wild birds to hunt & realise that one day faster then you think it could all be gone.

Neil · Post by **Neil** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 8:42 pm

As pheasants are non-native birds, all in North America were pen birds at sometime or the other. So I guess your question is are there any trials run on born in the wild pheasants, and the answer is a few.

A couple of the Western trials, and many of those held in SD, ND, NE, and KS. I suspect a dozen or so total, one each for Britts and GSP's, the rest pointer/setter. Nearly all are held in early fall, when some pheasant tend to hold a bit better.

Until the last 30 years or so, they also had born in the wild birds at Baldwinsville, PA for the Shooting Dog National Pheasant Ch and Futurity, and the Harpster, OH All-Age Pheasant Ch and futurity, Open and Amateur. The still hold the trials, but they are early released birds and the Ohio trails have changed locations.

As Dave said, nearly all trial dogs will self-relocate, just many are not allowed to when in sight of the judges. If they did not, we would have 10 times the number of unproductives from run off birds, not just pheasant, but quail, Huns, etc.

My trial dogs have always done fairly well on pheasants, both in trials and hunting. They are allowed to self-relocate provided they do not bump the bird (or are so unlucky as to have one flush while they are still moving); but when they are doing it right (hitting the bird hard and penning it) there is often no need to relocate at all.

Neil

P.S. The first US field trial was in Memphis, not far from where I am sitting, in 1873. The first successful introduction of pheasants so some might breed in the wild was some 20 years later. So the answer is no.

N

tn red · Post by **tn red** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 8:47 pm

Thanks Neil .

Birddogz · Post by **Birddogz** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 8:48 pm

Vonzeppelin,

I used to have a shirt that said I survived the winter of 77-78. I grew up in Amherst, OH. I left because the grouse hunting got shytty in the Early 90s. I have lived in KS, NE, Wi, and ND since. No coincidence that those states have wild birds.

What I am saying is that, there is no reason that a wild bird circuit couldn't be run. Are you going to have them in Ohio? No. But the prairie states are loaded with birds. By the way, if you want to kill wild phez, go to Williams county Ohio. There are still quite a few wild birds there.

Because I grew up in Ohio I CHERISH MY BIRDS! I left after college, but I still love those BUCKEYES!

birddog1968 · Post by **birddog1968** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 8:52 pm

There are wild bird trials all around you...the fact that you rant on here and don't do enough
research to know that and go see some proves the fact that your behind is firmly planted on your
shoulders. :roll:

Dereck Layne · Post by **Dereck Layne** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 8:55 pm

Well said, 68!

Neil · Post by **Neil** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 8:57 pm

JKP wrote: A good pheasant dog is completely different than a good trial dog, if I understand FT. A good pheasant dog only points and holds point when the bird hunkers down....otherwise they keep relocating and attempting to make the bird "squat" so the gunner can approach.

That is certainly one way to successfully hunt pheasants, but the creep and point, creep and point, etc. gets me charged up without a reward. Kind of jangles my nerves, here I am ready for a bird, and the dog relocates, over and over.

Another way is to have the dog hit them hard, and that a field trial dog will do very well.

Both ways work, and there are people that have their preferences, I have mine.

Neil

Birddogz · Post by **Birddogz** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:03 pm

birddog1968 wrote:There are wild bird trials all around you...the fact that you rant on here and don't do enough
research to know that and go see some proves the fact that your behind is firmly planted on your
shoulders. :roll:

WHy don't you give me the info? That is what I am asking for. I would really like to see a wild phez trial. I thought this forum was for info?

Mine maybe on my shoulders, but yours is in a couch, since the wild birds of the East coast are down this year.

birddog1968 · Post by **birddog1968** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:04 pm

Birddogz wrote:
Mine maybe on my shoulders, but yours is in a couch, since the wild birds of the East coast are down this year.

And this proves you are nothing more that a sad ole troll.... :roll:

birddog1968 · Post by **birddog1968** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:05 pm

birddog1968 wrote:
Birddogz wrote:
Mine maybe on my shoulders, but yours is in a couch, since the wild birds of the East coast are down this year.

And this proves you are nothing more that a sad ole troll.... :roll:

I guide parties every day, something that would probably have your dog unglued in no time, if he already isn;t

Birddogz · Post by **Birddogz** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:09 pm

Neil wrote:
JKP wrote: A good pheasant dog is completely different than a good trial dog, if I understand FT. A good pheasant dog only points and holds point when the bird hunkers down....otherwise they keep relocating and attempting to make the bird "squat" so the gunner can approach.
That is certainly one way to successfully hunt pheasants, but the creep and point, creep and point, etc. gets me charged up without a reward. Kind of jangles my nerves, here I am ready for a bird, and the dog relocates, over and over.

Another way is to have the dog hit them hard, and that a field trial dog will do very well.

Both ways work, and there are people that have their preferences, I have mine.

Neil

I have to see this infamous "pinning". If a dog charges into a slough with 50 birds in it, it just takes one to get nervous and away they go. Give me a dog that is patient and cunning. They will stick them when they stop. They will half arc them and pinch them. A smart dog learns what they can do with the phez depending on the conditions. I am not saying I want a slow dog, but I don't want one running too crazy. A happy medium.

Birddogz · Post by **Birddogz** » Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:14 pm

birddog1968 wrote:
birddog1968 wrote:
Birddogz wrote:
Mine maybe on my shoulders, but yours is in a couch, since the wild birds of the East coast are down this year.

And this proves you are nothing more that a sad ole troll.... :roll:
I guide parties every day, something that would probably have your dog unglued in no time, if he already isn;t

Those birds with the plastic on their beaks are tough.

I wonder why you travel to ND with all that action on the preserve.

Lighten up 1968, your BP is getting high, and you know your cholesterol is high. I have hunted my dogs with 15 guys on opening day of ND and SD for years. I don't anymore, because I don't like it. My dogs do fine. I'm not sure how my dogs came into the discussion? :roll: