August -- In The Home Stretch

As August rolls in things are turning for the homestretch here at the kennel.  We ran in some different spots and had some better bird numbers this morning moving 9 grouse and 10 woodcock.  All three of the Bud Bros had bird contacts in what was really still, humid air.  Tick had a great back on G-III and got a good look at a grouse fly back past him and then bumped a woodcock that he and G-III were both trying to sort out.  Steve had a really nice piece of work on a woodcock that was 50 yards away and he held the bird until I got to him.  He took a step and the bird popped then he stayed steady to wing and shot.  The puppy of the day was Spot with three woodcock finds two on his own and one when he failed to back Trash and got the bird in the air.  He had two other opportunities to back and handled them well.  On his best find he let me flush the bird and it would have been one of those shots for a puppy where I tend to try a little harder and usually get the job done as the woodcock climbed up through an opening in the poplars giving me (and Spot) a really clean look at it.