|
Post by jimh on Aug 9, 2006 9:51:40 GMT -5
how long will donnie have her? and i assume when you go to pick her up you'll need to see her retreiving results first hand under field conditions so a hunt will have to be in order right?
|
|
donnie
Grand Member
Posts: 584
|
Post by donnie on Aug 9, 2006 11:32:18 GMT -5
Yup! Ruffed grouse in October. Strictly"work related" though absolutely no fun at all. Fortunately the area we intend to hunt has shown a 58% increase in grouse numbers over last year according to the spring drumming counts, SO, while we will undoubtedly be shooting birds and smoking cigars by a campfire in the evenings it won't be any fun at all. I doubt we'll even have opportunity to notice the golden leaves of a northern WI fall or the crisp smell of the tall pines mixed with the heady aroma of burnt chordite, probably won't marvel at the flush of the woodcock as he goes spiralling upward through the alders or the thunderous flush of the grouse that boil out fron the tangles in a heart stopping roar of pinions crashing against the clean fall air,.......... Yeah it's probably gonna suck. Just work Jim nothing exciting.................
|
|
|
Post by deputydon on Aug 9, 2006 19:02:32 GMT -5
|
|
donnie
Grand Member
Posts: 584
|
Post by donnie on Aug 14, 2006 21:27:32 GMT -5
Well guys here's the latest report on the progress of Bills little girl. Yesterday morning We headed out to pine island with a half dozen live quail. I pulled the feathers from one wing of the first bird and with Molly at heel I tossed it up into the air. I fully expected her to break heel at that point and tear ass off after it. I wasn't surprised. The whirring wings and bird smell add up to near sensory overload levels as thousands of years of instinct take control and she's off like a shot. The bird is able to stay airborn for about 30 yards before crashing in the heavy cover and trys to burrow into the cover to escape. Molly didn't miss a trick! She was on him and smartly delivered him to hand very much alive. Lotsa praise and again the bird is launched out into the cover for a repeat search and recovery mission. After several of these I decide I will set the remaining 5 birds and we'll hunt 'em up. I place the birds heads under thier wings and hold them upside down so they sleep and then with molly in the truck I move off to plant them in the field in likely cover. I return to the truck uncase my shotgun and make Molly heel to the edge of the hunt area, 75 yards downwind of the first bird. As we work our way closer I notice she is shortenning her search area and starting to get what will become birdy. Though she doesn't quite know what this is all about yet she is definately game to give it a go. As we approach the planted bird I can see him in the weeds still asleep with his white belly showing. Molly gets the wind and closes in, as she reaches to retrieve, the bird wakes and flushes right under her nose. I make the easy going away shot and though she hesitates at the shot for a milisecond she goes on to make a brilliant retrieve complete with delivery to hand from heel! Still four birds in the field so after making a big fuss over her and telling her how proud her daddy is gonna be we head off to collect the remaining 4 birds. All told it was like clock work from there on. We did lose one bird to heavy cover, and I did give her a bad time for giving up the search on that one. But the rest were flushed flown killed and delivered to hand neatly. She is doing quite well for a 6 month old pup and though we will undoubtedly have issues ahead of us to work through I am quite pleased with her progress. This has all been natural training to this point and I have not seen any justification for an E-collar. (testimony to the tractible well manored pups DD has produced) Very nice Don! If I was in the market for a pup I would not hesitate to take one of yours! I'm sending Bill pics and if he would like he can post them!
|
|
|
Post by deputydon on Aug 14, 2006 22:28:37 GMT -5
Thanks Donnie!! Gald to hear that my reseach in backgrounds is proven,. I hope she continues to do good!!!!! I'm also sure that your guiding hand has alot to do w/ her progress!!!!
|
|
|
Post by Bill on Aug 14, 2006 22:31:34 GMT -5
Thats all just making me want to come see her all the more. Dang I miss that pup.
|
|
|
Post by Bill on Aug 20, 2006 22:03:49 GMT -5
Donnie sent me pics of Molly doing a retrive on a quai. They are awsome. She is growing like a weed and really looks good to me. I just can't wait till I get to hunt her the first time. I'm getting excited as all heck but when it happens I'm not going to get all excited and think she is going to be perfect right off the bat. I will just be happy if she goes and gets the birds.
|
|
|
Post by jimh on Aug 21, 2006 11:55:16 GMT -5
donnie asked me to post this progress shot.
|
|
|
Post by Bill on Aug 21, 2006 20:43:14 GMT -5
I don't know which pic I like the best Donnie. That one or the one where she is retriving it running like hell and ears straight back. ;D
|
|
|
Post by jimh on Aug 22, 2006 6:27:54 GMT -5
I don't know which pic I like the best Donnie. That one or the one where she is retriving it running like hell and ears straight back. ;D i would have posted that one too but it was sent to my work email and i have problems with that account now.
|
|
|
Post by Bill on Aug 22, 2006 6:49:46 GMT -5
I understand the problems with the work email Jim. What I see thru the pic's is enough to keep me happy for now though and its going to be pretty awsome seeing what she does in person.
|
|
|
Post by Bill on Aug 26, 2006 6:41:30 GMT -5
Well the last time Molly went out she did 15 retrives on birds, delivered them to hand. And Donnie says he is very happy with her. I got a pic of her yesterday and I thought "Where the heck did my puppy go and where did that dog come from" God she has grown and is almost as big as Donnies dog. No wonder Donnie says she is doing dummie retrives in the river in the currant and not having any problems. She is a dog now not a puppy.
|
|
|
Post by jimh on Aug 26, 2006 7:27:43 GMT -5
Well the last time Molly went out she did 15 retrives on birds, delivered them to hand. And Donnie says he is very happy with her. I got a pic of her yesterday and I thought "Where the heck did my puppy go and where did that dog come from" God she has grown and is almost as big as Donnies dog. No wonder Donnie says she is doing dummie retrives in the river in the currant and not having any problems. She is a dog now not a puppy. dag gumit Bill my eyes are about to well up. it's like sending your boy away into the army and he comes back a man. on the bright side you have just a ton of years waiting for you with her return as your new field companion. but i have to say i wouldn't want to be you when Donnies boy looks at you with those big ol eyes and tries to figure out why your taking away His Buddy. ;D
|
|
|
Post by deputydon on Aug 26, 2006 9:50:13 GMT -5
Well the last time Molly went out she did 15 retrives on birds, delivered them to hand. And Donnie says he is very happy with her. I got a pic of her yesterday and I thought "Where the heck did my puppy go and where did that dog come from" God she has grown and is almost as big as Donnies dog. No wonder Donnie says she is doing dummie retrives in the river in the currant and not having any problems. She is a dog now not a puppy. dag gumit Bill my eyes are about to well up. but i have to say i wouldn't want to be you when Donnies boy looks at you with those big ol eyes and tries to figure out why your taking away His Buddy. ;D Oh heck Bill that's easy.........I have to go thru that every time I sale a litter.My 7 year old is my puppy trainer..............when she's done w/ them they are people oriented for sure!!!! Anyhow I just pay her to allow me to take HER puppies away to good homes!!!! ;D ;DSSSSSSoooo Bill pay the (little) boy for helping to train Molly!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D
|
|
|
Post by Bill on Aug 26, 2006 23:05:17 GMT -5
I have been, I have been training his dad and someday his dad is going to repay him in kind. Let me tell you, that kid is going to be one hunting fool. One thing about it, I wouldn't let many people touch my dog except for Donnie. Its why she is there. Everyone her kept telling me have this person or that person train her. I said NOPE she is Donnie's to train. Between what he does with her and what I do with her she should end up being one awsome dog. She will be trained the way I want her to be. Not the way someone else thinks she ought to be.
|
|