Felt Like Fall

The high temperature today was in the 60s, there was a stiff northwesterly breeze, and the birds were cooperative.  Started the day with Lucy who had 9 woodcock as well as a pair of grouse that I walked up.  Maggie was up next with 3 woodcock that I know she found and a little rambunctiousness when she may have had a bird I didn't see.  Then came Pete with 8 woodcock and a grouse.  Pete had the find of the day as I found him standing high and tight but could not get a bird up.  When I sent him on he executed a perfect relocation on a woodcock that had run down the hill about 15 yards.

Today was also the first day that Glo and Ruby have been on the truck.  They have both had numerous encounters with the house grouse but it is now time for them to be run individually and in different covers.  Glo went first and I was able to put her on a couple of woodcock and fired over her for the first time as she was following the flight of the bird.  Ruby was up next and hit the mother load as she found 6 woodcock and grouse in a relatively short run.  I shot over her a number of times as she chased birds that she flushed.  Both pups hunted and handled well.

Cider also got on the truck this morning to make for a full six pack of bird dogs.  Cider is a littermate to Lucy and LJ and is kind of a rescue dog.  He ran really nice.  Listen wells and charges hard it will be interesting to see how he develops as we move into the fall.  I haven't decided what I'm going to do with him yet.  He may be looking for a new home soon as a started dog that will make someone a great hunting dog.

Finished the morning (it was actually afternoon) with Sam and Peanut up at the dam.  Being away from the home course did not seem to deter their exuberance as together they were a handful.  Tomorrow they'll go on the truck and get a couple of good puppy spots where they should find some birds.

Temperature in the morning is supposed to be in the low 40s.  I should have plenty of time to run another whole truckload of dogs.