She has just had her first day out shooting and she was really good. Some of the woodlands she hunted were on a very steep slope going down to a river below and she found and pointed a lot of pheasants down there,plus several from the easier ground. I had no problems from her during the entire hunt of about 2 hours. She was a pleasure and a doddle to work with. Her steadiness was absolute even though ,due to the lie of the land and thickness of the cover, I could not get anywhere near to some of her points.... I had to send her in from her points to flush the birds up to 25 yards out from me. She didn't run in even once.
I did think I was going to lose one of the birds shot , it had fell way down below into the river at the base of the woods and was carried off downstream. From her position among all the fallen trees and branches down in a little gully she could not see where the bird she had flushed had fallen . I handled her down to the river then recast her along it's bank. She galloped along the bank for a long way then winded the bird out in mid-stream and at once went in for it. The water was not swimming depth but it was still a very good retrieve. I am as pleased as punch with the way this bitch has developed. She isn't a big runner out on open ground but in woodlands she is very good.
The point in the gully and the return with the sodden bird from the river.
A couple of her other points out on much easier hunting ground.
I don't usually use this "brag" section but this bitch deserves it, for a show bred dog she is better than just "good."
Bill T.
