10/3/15 Opener pheasant hunt at Coon Creek with German Shorthairs

Got out today for the first hunt of the year.  Was really just going out to get them a little work and to see how they would do having been off birds for so long.  I figured I would be lucky to get one of the three I put out, thinking I would need to work the dogs on distance and holding points.  Well, got out and they both instantly froze on a bird.   Bird got up and bam one in the bag.  Start walking and less than five minutes later both dogs freeze up on point again.  The bird tried to run when I went  to kick the grass.  The dogs tracked it down and it took flight.  Bam, number two in the bag.  Walk for about 20 minutes and the dogs freeze up on another bird.  This one is moving.  I can tell by how they are pointing and breaking and pointing again.  After a good 10 minutes of this in a small area a hen takes flight.  Shot one misses, but shot two connects.  Three birds in the bag.  I figured that would be it for the day and decided just to work the dogs for a little longer.  Well another half hour goes by and we turn a corner and a bird  busts out.  I hear it but don't see it for a bit.  It was a good 75 yards out and I pass on the shot.  Walk a bit more and decide to practice a little by the tree line and bam the dogs freeze up!  I look all over where they are pointing and nothing flushes, but they are frozen.  I take another look and see a rooster sitting in the one area I guess I didn't check about 3 feet from autumns nose.  It takes flight and bam, number four in the bag.  The dogs are a little beat up from the grass so i decided to end the hunt.  I head back to the truck and see it's only 930.  Well for a short hunt and a first hunt I was sure happy to see the dogs working so good.  This puts Willow at 220 and Autumn at 141.  This us starting out as a good year!