Gun Dog Forum

Just got going this morning - 15 minutes in and found my young pointer like this....on a woodcock! I flushed and shot my blank. She looked exactly the same way as I found her AFTER the flush & shot. Sorry...it's the best pic I could get in this gnarly covert. Good thing she has a long neck!!
1- GPS collar. If I lose her for any length of time the coyotes will have her for dinner,
2- Dogtra locate/beeper collar (point-only mode) so I can find her pointing in this dense cover reasonably expeditiously,
3- Flat I.D. collar with nothing other than, "Call (phone number) For Reward".

Nice dog! Gotta love the ones that don't let down after the shot.

That's some gnarly cover. How'd you get in there to flush?

I was wondering the same thing---How did you get in there to flush it
Nice looking dog.

Probably wondering why you missed? Being a blank . Is it the same with a fall ?. Nice looker.

Thank you all for the kind words.
Well...typically she has more...fire in her style but I think she was getting annoyed with my lengthy circuitous approach.
I often look like I've been in a cat fight when I get home from these woodlots- scratches on my cheeks, my hands/wrists, etc. I wear shooting glasses because I got that wrong but once. I had a scare and now try to wear the glasses every time. There are many hawthorns which you can't make out in this pic. I've been in the shower only to find a red mark on my knee(s) months later. It's a hawthorn tip that finally surfaced.
I've had situations with woodcock (not grouse because they won't take the pressure) where I have been reasonably close to my standing dog, then had to back out for a less abusive approach. Sometimes, for the sake of a young dog, I "man up" and plow in. Hence all the cuts/scratches/thorns BUT the dogs are worth it!
Polmaise, this pointer has been nothing short of therapy. On a shot bird when hunting, she stands solid of her own volition. She marks almost like a Lab. She is patient yet intense without let-down while waiting for me to release her for the retrieve. I tease her saying things with gusto like, "OK...FETCH...Get it...Alright...Go ahead..." then wave my hand over her head but she stands staring at the area of the fallen bird. I tap her head for the release. She LAUNCHES for the retrieve. OK...I don't do this all the time but I did in her early development to test her and still on rare occasion just to keep her sharp. I started this many ears ago when trialing because some of the folk I was braced with didn't care how they won and would say key words in casual conversation while my dogs were on point. (I chuckled.)
She has an UGLY jowly face. I endearingly called her Ugly Rita for awhile....until she pointed.