First wild birds for the pup

[setternewbie]

Grouse opened last Friday so I loaded the truck for a quick Saturday morning hunt (man I really gotta find a way to outta working for a living). I woke up Saturday and stepped outside to miserable drizzle. I decided to go anyway. I planned to hit 3 spots that give me quick (1/2 hour or so depending on pace) passes each through 5 year growth on the edges of meadow and hardwoods. I passed the first two spots on my way to the third and had to stop for a grouse in the road...Good sign. I backed up so as not to flush the bird who had wandered unconcerned into a laurel thicket. I parked next to a nice thick patch that butted up to a creek bed. The dog worked well, staying close and quartering until he came to a treetop from a deadfall. He slammed on point and held. I got to him and saw some droppings under a little brush pile. I thought given the drizzle there might be one buried in there. While I tried to flush the dog held point. All I got was the sound of beating wings from some laurels 30 yards or so ahead. I didn't get a look let alone a shot, but I got what I wanted...A solid point on scent alone. We had one more point that went about the same way in another spot. I decided to come out and work my way back to where we had seen the bird in the road. I walked out to the road (gravel forest road) and as my habit is unloaded my gun before setting foot in the ditch. I called the dog to heel. He came, but didn't want to leave the thick stuff. He got to my side as I put the last shell into my pocket and on cue...You guessed it... A hard flush to my left. I have to say...I have never seen an easier shot. The bird sailed into a clearing in no apparent hurry to get away, then banked right slowly while pondering where to set down. That was the last time I saw him. We looked but never got him up again. I know it's a grouse and nothing's given, but with a loaded gun, I don't see how I would have missed the shot. I swear I heard him whistling something that sounded like "Summertime and the living is easy" as he sailed off. That was it for the day. I was pretty nervous leading up to the hunt that I might not see an actual wild bird without a lot of hours in the field AND that the dog would need way more wild bird contacts than I could give him before he figured out how to hold a wild bird that doesn't just sit and wait for you to step on him. I fell better about it now. Game on.

[millerms06]

"I was pretty nervous leading up to the hunt that I might not see an actual wild bird without a lot of hours in the field AND that the dog would need way more wild bird contacts than I could give him before he figured out how to hold a wild bird that doesn't just sit and wait for you to step on him. I fell better about it now. Game on."

Dogs always have a way to surprise their owners. At this stage, even though you might have thought you were unprepared going in you did some things right:

1. Gave pup exposure to its hunting environment.
2. Pup worked cover and got on some wild birds.

Keep it going and give the pup as much time in the woods as you can. That alone is more important than harvesting a bird. But from the sound of things you two will get a few sooner than later.