Tomorrow is a big first

[isonychia]

1) First interview for a state position
2) First time hunting with a dog
3) First time hunting with MY first dog
4) First time hunting in Colorado
5) First time hunting blue grouse

Wish me luck! My dog was in the field with me all summer and we came across a lot of blue grouse (50 + groups at the ranch I worked on). He only pointed maybe one, I am hoping it was just because the scent was hard to get in that heat cause he did great with the pen raised quail at a younger age.

[bwjohn]

good luck on all accounts.

50 birds that is a big difference from the asheville area, you could hunt all season or two and not see that many birds.

brandon

[isonychia]

good luck on all accounts.

50 birds that is a big difference from the asheville area, you could hunt all season or two and not see that many birds.

brandon

Yeah it is, part if that is a result of working on a ranch where no one hunted blue grouse, another part was because I was in the field with my dog 6 hours or more a day all along aspen stand edges (was mapping them). Gonna be a little different on public land I'm thinking.

[dugger13]

do yourself a favor and don't load your gun until your dog points the grouse. you might find it hard to resist. Wish i would of did that with my first dog.

[proudag08]

do yourself a favor and don't load your gun until your dog points the grouse. you might find it hard to resist. Wish i would of did that with my first dog.

wow thats really good advice!

[isonychia]

Great advice, I'll do that. Anyways I'm outta here, wish me luck

[ACooper]

So??? How did all of it go? Birds? Job?

[isonychia]

Still out trying new places with my dog. Amazed I get service here. Im at an oak and snowberry ridge now and about to try it out. Saw 4 groups of grouse between last night and this morning but my dog flushed all of them and just seems to enjoy running more... even after a 3 hr run. Pointed one solo grouse but at only 3 yrds. That boy didn't hold long enough for me to get my leg back over the barbed fence. Once he flushed a group and chased off while I stood there lookig at one on the ground 10ft away. So tempting! Called my dog back hoping he would scent the bird but he just stood next to me until the bird finally jumped. No wind and about 65 degrees out. Im hoping he gets it soon cause this really is torturous.

[dugger13]

Good job. I think the best thing for dogs is wild birds. Nothing compares to the real thing.

[Ruffshooter]

BUnch of good first there.
Your pup will catch on. You are doing the right thing. Although I might shoot one when he is away if you have a chance.

Good luck and enjoy. (Sounds like you are.)
Rick

[isonychia]

Well! Where do I start? I'll just give a brief overview and send a link to my blog when I get that written up. Almost left this one area until I came across a game warden and asked for directions then got on to grouse, he said I was in a good area and to hunt the road I was just checking out. About 15 minutes in my dog pointed when he was close by me and when I looked up I saw 2 grouse in the road about 25 yards away. He pointed by sight surely, however he started moving up with me so I reinforced his point with our stay command (there seems to be a lot of debate on this here and I never used the command around birds before, but I thought he could learn something from this). I walked in on the birds and they just sorta putted away from me so I ran at them and got one to jump, shot and killed that one and my pup went nuts, he ran over and shot past the bird skidding on his feet and finally went in for the kill (which was more like a grab). After he felt that the bird was good and feathery dead in his mouth he went running off after the other grouse from the group. Not one hint of gun shy in him (the cap gun was a good resource for city limit gun conditioning). We hunted some more and flushed some birds, then he went on another point, this one somewhat half-a$$ and had to be from scent. I told him to stay and walked in a bird flew down from the top of this ridge right in line with where the wind was coming from and I nailed it on a glide. Again my dog checked to see if the deed was done and then bolted for the other birds. I knew he wouldn't be a retriever (going to force fetch next spring) but I thought he would have a little more interest in the dead. I called him back to help me find the bird which I found first and started flopping around so my dog came in and pinned it down till I could get it. Hunted more this morning but hit the road just as another guy was leaving, didn't see anything and my pup seemed a little low on energy today. Anyways we saw a lot of birds friday and saturday and could have easily limited both days but he is still learning and we had a great deal of fun. Now I have something to think about while trying to fall asleep at night.

[Ruffshooter]

Congratulations, you are on your way or more to the point your pup is. That is exactly the way it goes, you will see it get better, sometimes worse, but the fire and desire are there and come after hunting season you will work on the actual formal training and formal bird work.

Good deal, thanks for sharing. Your photo is too big for my screen.
Rick

[isonychia]

after hunting season you will work on the actual formal training and formal bird work.

I hope, I am on a big budget and live in town (it was worth the move ). Moving to Colorado has left me with not really knowing anyone close with property I can use. I am hoping to establish myself soon and either do work for trade with a local dog owner/trainer (which are limited here, everyone has a lab and no one has a pointer) or lease some land that I can put a pigeon house on. My other option is to trap these pigeons in the front yard of my duplex and stick 'em in a launcher (which were also borrowed and now back in NC).

[ACooper]

Way to go!

[ezzy333]

after hunting season you will work on the actual formal training and formal bird work.

I hope, I am on a big budget and live in town (it was worth the move ). Moving to Colorado has left me with not really knowing anyone close with property I can use. I am hoping to establish myself soon and either do work for trade with a local dog owner/trainer (which are limited here, everyone has a lab and no one has a pointer) or lease some land that I can put a pigeon house on. My other option is to trap these pigeons in the front yard of my duplex and stick 'em in a launcher (which were also borrowed and now back in NC).

Sounds like you had fun and the pup learned something. Will be a weekend you will NEVER forget.

Ezzy

[isonychia]

Can't wait till I can afford that 20ga O/U. My 12ga 870 did a number on these birds usin 6 shot

[ezzy333]

Can't wait till I can afford that 20ga O/U. My 12ga 870 did a number on these birds usin 6 shot

If you shot them up too much it is just a sign you were shooting to quickly. 20 guage will do the same thing just as bad. You have to let them get further away before you shoot.

Ezzy

[ACooper]

Can't wait till I can afford that 20ga O/U. My 12ga 870 did a number on these birds usin 6 shot

I would also try a lighter load, in a pump you could shoot 1 oz loads if you wanted. How is your gun choked?

[isonychia]

I bought the lightest load I could find, 1 1/4 oz, that is at the local store anyhow. My choke is IC, thinkin about getting a skeet tube. Shot one bird at about 25 yards, the other at about 15. Also not sure how you let a grouse get further away before shooting it in that gambles/scrub oak.

[isonychia]

Here is a pic of the southwestern dusky grouse with rice! This was one of the full breasts, I think a lot of the damage may have been caused by my dog.

[ACooper]

I bought the lightest load I could find, 1 1/4 oz, that is at the local store anyhow. My choke is IC, thinkin about getting a skeet tube. Shot one bird at about 25 yards, the other at about 15. Also not sure how you let a grouse get further away before shooting it in that gambles/scrub oak.

1 1/4 #6 is what I normally use for pheasants. I would defiantly look at another store, even walmart if you have one close. Skeet choke would help also.

[Pleasant Ridge]

good luck on all accounts.

50 birds that is a big difference from the asheville area, you could hunt all season or two and not see that many birds.

brandon

Aint that the truth!!!
Sounds like your dog is learning, if you have access to this many birds just make sure you don't shoot any he doesn't point, he will learn..
The 870 is fine, look at the wal-mart for Winchester AA's you should be able to find some light loads...

[Birddogz]

7.5s and an open choke.

[fishvik]

7.5s and an open choke.

I use the same for blues in a 12 gauge. 1 oz of 7 1/2's is all you need. What kind of job are you putting in for with the state?

[isonychia]

The job was with the fish hatchery doing manual labor, kinda glad I heard today I didn't get it. I got a really cool job fixing clocks at the moment working a very flexible schedule and making decent money. I'll go pick up some 7.5's and a skeet or cyl. tube today and try that out.

[Retiredbirddogman]

So fun to hear the excitement in your posts. Keep having loads of fun, and the dog will too.