Just another Day at Work

This turned out to be a non-productive but LJ looked good.

The fourth of July may be a holiday for most of you but up here in the North Woods it's just another day to get out and work dogs.  We did start a little later than usual because it rained until just before 8, but then we got out with three braces of dogs.  First up were LJ and Frankie.  I don't know if it was the rain or the humidity, but the scenting conditions seemed a little tough as both dogs bumped a woodcock early in their brace.  Then they settled down and had a couple of better finds with Frankie pointing a pair and then LJ pointed one briefly until Frankie got close and he took it out.  Almost back to the truck was their nicest piece of work as they had a divided find on a woodcock and we were able to get to both of them and keep them steady on the flush.

Little Thuddy on a nice back of Wild Apple Jack.

In the second brace Little Thuddy got to run with Jack again.  Jack took off from the truck and when the Garmin he was almost 300 yards away.  We found him standing on the edge of the clearing where Yogi stole out picnic basket last summer.  Little Thuddy came in and backed on sight.  I couldn't get a bird up so we let them relocate.  Jack moved up and pointed again then Little Thuddy stopped off to his left.  At least tow chicks got up in front of Jack and Little Thuddy had the hen pinned briefly but her protective behavior worked as he broke when she flushed in a thunder of wing beats and squaking to attract his attention.

I couldn't get a bird up in front of Trip and she showed her frustration by
breaking.  Fortunately I had anticipated the possibility.  After the rope brought
her up short I set her back firmly.

The third brace was Trash and Trip both ran hard in section four but neither produced a bird.  Tony needs to get his customers up here and weed whack the trails in section four -- it was kind of rough going.