Guided hunt on 2/15/15 german shorthair pointers GSP at coon creek pheasants

Got out to guide a hunt today.  Conditions were not ideal, as the temps were struggling to reach 0.  The dogs had a decent day considering the temps and rough snow they kept falling through.  Hunted them one at a time due to the cold weather.  Willow got to go first and found most of the birds. She pointed 4 of the five that were taken.  Autumn ended up pointing a few birds, but we only got one for her.  The guys released 6, took five, and missed three.   These guys were a good pair to guide for.  They seemed to have a good time and I hope to see them out at the club again.  This puts Willow at 176 and Autumn at 102.  I hope to do some more guiding before the season is over.

2/8/15 Coon creek hunt with GSP and Mark

Got out today despite the weather forecast calling for rain.  It was a good overcast with a bit of mist, but actually a good day to be out.  The dogs worked hard and found a lot of birds, but we missed a few also.  We released 6 and took home 9.  The birds were holding good, but some were flushing at weird angles.  We only hunted for a little over two hours and let 5 get away for another day.  It was the best conditions I have had so far this year, snow on the ground, birds hold fairly well, and two dogs having fun in the field.  What more could you ask for.  It's not about the number of birds in the bag, but rather the experience in the field.  This puts Willow at 172 and Autumn at 101.  I wonder if Willow will get to 200 this season?

Pheasant hunting 1/31/15 with Jeff and Mark and the two GSP s at Coon Creek

Took Jeff from deer camp and Mark for a hunt on this day.  We missed a few, but the dogs worked hard.  We ended up taking nine on a nine bird release.  The dogs are really starting to work better and better together and seemed to back eachother on every point.  It was fun to get out with someone new.  Going to try and get the rest of the deer camp guys out soon.  Willow is up to 167 and Autumn is at 96 for their careers.  It's hard to decide who to give credit to on the birds, so as long as both dogs are working good I am just going to split what they got.  I could give them both credit for all the birds, but that just doesn't seem right.

Got out to Gum Farm. Took home three

I took pictures of this hunt on a camera.  I will load them when I can.  Took my daughter out and we took home three birds.  She was taking pictures during the hunt for me.  Both dogs were working great together and point all birds as a pair so I am giving both of them credit for the birds, that puts Willow at 162 and Autumn at 91.  It was a great day to take a kid out and hunt.

Big phesant hunt. Lots of Hens flying. German shorthair pointers

Sorry haven't posted in a while.  It's been busy around here, but I have been getting out and hunting.   Here is a 13 bird hunt from a while back I didn't post.  Willow is at 159 and Autumn is at 88.

Gum Farm hunt club genoa il, 1/2/15

Got Autumn out for her second solo hunt.  She did great with her range!  We released 3 and got 6 or 7 up, but I only took two.  I think it was my worst day shooting in a long time.  Autumn is now at 78 birds.

Sunday December 28, 2014 hunt

Got out for a hunt last weekend.  We decided to hunt the sourgum field.  I knew the birds would be running hard in that field with the rows of sourgum and sun shining bright in the afternoon.  Well, my predictions were correct and the birds were running hard.  We ended up taking twelve birds, unfortunately one if them was hit by all three of us and nothing was left to salvage as usable meat.  I hate when that happens.  Willow and Autumn were pointing birds good but the birds were running and flushing fast.  I think we only missed three for the day that actually got up, but I know atleast another half dozen just ran from us and never got up.  We released nine so it was nice to overshoot again with a few scratch birds.   I love watching the dogs work a different field like the sourgum field, but man is that stuff tough on the dogs.  Willow is down for at least the next week with a nail bed infection.   I am just happy I caught it quicky and that she is being treated before it got bad enough to really knock her out of a longer time.  The dogs both did good and I can't wait until they are back in the field doing what they truly love to do.  There is nothing better than seeing the dogs tails start the quick wag as they catch the wife of a bird and then freeze like a deer in headlights, tail frozen straight up, and nose pointing in the direction of a bird yet to be seen.  The memories of the sting points from all of our hunts will linger with me for many years to come.  I truly feel blessed to be working with such a good dog as Willow, but then again I am more than lucky as to have Autumn as well.  I have heard many people tell me I will only get to own and hunt over one truly good bird dog, but when Autumn came into out home I found out I might have beat the odds having two dogs I would trade for no others.  I can honestly say I am not a great trainer of dogs, but rather my dogs just want to hunt and have the desire to do so at close quarters.  They have taught me how to hunt, rather than me training them to do so.  This hunt puts Willow at 151 and Autumn at 76 birds for their life time.  Please remember Willow turned two in June and Autumn turned one in July.

On a side note.  I have had a few people see Autumn and ask me what kind of pointer she was.  If you look at her pictures you might easily say she is a GSP, which is correct, but if you saw her in person and looked at her you might question that answer.  She is a very short and a little stockier female that is weighing it at 41 pounds.  If she had the traditional frame of Willow I bet she would be closer to 35 pounds, so what I am saying is she is Small!  So my new answer when people ask me is she is a new pointing breed called the miniature pointer.  I had one guy laugh at her until she saw her hunt, then he asked if I wanted to sell her.  Lol, I guess what they say is true, size doesn't matter.