This was a perfect morning to be out with dogs. Frost on the ground, sun in the sky, not a cloud in sight.
I took Molly to Donnells farm to try for a Woodcock in the wooded areas. She was really motoring well in the low briars and covering her ground very well. Sometimes she has a tendency to be right handed in her pattern but not today. She was covering a very nice even beat. I think the bit of game scent helps her to push out more and cover the ground better.
There was nothing in the first beat of briars along the ditch so I moved to the middle to try the bank of whitethorn and briars. She flushed a woodcock to the far side of it and was steady to the flush. I got not shot through the trees. I walked out to her and praised her and walked back to my position again and waited a minute before sending her on. Further along at the bottom end of the wood she flushed a hare and went to give chase but ran straight into a tree and toppled herself over. Before she got her bearings I was on top of her as well and dragged her back the 3 yards to where the hare flushed. I let her know in no uncertain terms that this is not on. I think she got the message in a few different languages ;)
We then went into an area of trees that gets flooded in wet weather but it was dry mostly today. There is a lot of rushes and white grass in here and she was hunting it nicely. She flushed a Snipe and was steady. It was obvious though that the Snipe was injured as it only few about 10 yards on "one wing". We hunted towards it and Molly flushed it again. It flew through the trees a good 30 yards this time but still obviously injured. We hunted in the general direction of the Snipe and Molly flushed it again and was steady. This time I got a clear view and shot it dead about 15yards in full view of the dog. She was steady to this. I kept her down for a minute while I put a fresh cartridge in the gun and opened the game bag. Then I sent her for the retrieve. She had a good mark on the fall and went straight over. She picked the Snipe and brought it about 5 yards and spat it out. And I mean SPAT it out (in disgust even). I told her to fetch it and she picked it again and did the same thing. On the 3rd attempt she brought it to hand. I am trying to think back but I think this was her 2nd Snipe. I know some dogs don't like to bring Snipe. I am only guessing here too but maybe the wounded and distressed Snipe produced a less than pleasing scent or something I don't know. It was in the bag anyway. I will have to get out this weekend for some Snipe shooting with her and see if the problem arises again with a fresh shot bird. I'll let you know how I get on. If anyone has any theory's also, I'd love to hear them. Do wounded distressed birds produce a different scent/taste than fresh shot birds???
We called it a day then with Molly as she had a long run out.
Later that morning I had Tyson out on Saddliers Hill and he tore the heavy cover to shreds. He flushed a lovely Melanistic cock pheasant that I shot into the heavy cover and after a bit of searching he brought back nicely to hand.
It was a magic end to a good mornings hunting. Good dog work, 2 shots and 2 birds in the bag, the sun was shining. Does life get much better than this???
No comments:
Post a Comment