Parabuteo
01-15-2008, 08:05 PM
Today I packed up the pup and the bird with the simple goals of exercise for the bird, training for the dog and to better my field craft. We returned to a place that we hunted in the fall for grouse, hoping to explore the brush plies and an old creak bed, it was long hike in, and with a full day pack I was regretting not bring the snowshoes. But it didn’t take long for the Vs tail to start going, I knew he was sorting something out. Artemis and I waited, the pup was right, and off went the hare followed by Artremis.
Now, here’s a little insight to working in partnership with dog and bird, it is a real rush. The second the bird starts his/her chase or when it is free, your heart stops, adrenaline, panic all these emotions plus more set in. The fear of loosing your partner is always in the back of your mind. Normally this is when I call back Artemis.
Today, I let him work on his own. We worked through some THICK brush at times I was crawling and with water under our feet. The bird would pick a high perch and under the dog in search of quarry, the bird knows this game. We moved through this forest, and covered the ground well. At some point my heart started again, I relaxed and began to enjoy what has happening in front of me and as we started back to the path I had a huge smile on my face. In front of me was my pup who was looking to my bird in the tree as if to see if he was in position, Artemis in turn watching the pup and myself.
Today we came up empty handed, but I rank it as high as the days with a full limit. Today was a day that I will always remember.
“A bad day in the field beats a good day in the house”
Now, here’s a little insight to working in partnership with dog and bird, it is a real rush. The second the bird starts his/her chase or when it is free, your heart stops, adrenaline, panic all these emotions plus more set in. The fear of loosing your partner is always in the back of your mind. Normally this is when I call back Artemis.
Today, I let him work on his own. We worked through some THICK brush at times I was crawling and with water under our feet. The bird would pick a high perch and under the dog in search of quarry, the bird knows this game. We moved through this forest, and covered the ground well. At some point my heart started again, I relaxed and began to enjoy what has happening in front of me and as we started back to the path I had a huge smile on my face. In front of me was my pup who was looking to my bird in the tree as if to see if he was in position, Artemis in turn watching the pup and myself.
Today we came up empty handed, but I rank it as high as the days with a full limit. Today was a day that I will always remember.
“A bad day in the field beats a good day in the house”