The geography in Hun country can be as picturesque as it is steep. Northwoods Comet (CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen, 2018) beat Northwoods Gucci (CH Erin’s Hidden Shamrock x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2015), on left, and Northwoods Jane Eyre (Northwoods Louis Vuitton x Houston’s Dancing Queen, 2022) to the find at the top.
Even though Northwoods Bird Dogs was conceived decades ago in the grouse woods of the Great Lakes states, Jerry and I have also trained and hunted our dogs in the open prairies of places far to our west. That we now have clients spread across the country is a testament that our dogs do equally well in either terrain.
Just to be sure, though, Jerry loaded up the dog box and dog trailer with as many dogs as would fit—from seasoned adults and young dogs to puppies—and spent virtually the entire month of September in western North Dakota and Montana. The objective was coveys of Hungarian partridge and sharp-tailed grouse.
Here are highlights of his trip.
In a lovely, undulating valley, Northwoods Rolls Royce (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2013) points a big covey of Huns.
What a fine training moment for three young setters on a Hungarian partridge covey. Northwoods Charlotte Bronte (Northwoods Louis Vuitton x Houston’s Dancing Queen, 2022) is credited with the find while Northwoods Snow Swept (CH Northwoods Sir Gordon x Northwoods Valencia, 2023), on right, is next to the find, followed by Northwoods Snow Boots (RU-CH Northwoods Atlas x Northwoods Stardust, 2023).
Setters and pointers alike take a well-deserved, midday rest.
Northwoods Stardust (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2019) inherited that high-headed pointing style from her dam.
Hun country is incredibly scenic. On a gentle hillside, Northwoods Jane Eyre (Northwoods Louis Vuitton x Houston’s Dancing Queen, 2022) honors a find by Northwoods Redbreast (Northwoods Rolls Royce x Northwoods Minerva, 2021).
Don Julio is a nice sippin’ tequila to toast a special day in the field.
The vistas in north central Montana are spectacular—and the dog work can be, too. Royce had no trouble adapting to the different terrain. Photo by Jeff Decker.
My annual hunting trip to Montana is a highlight of the fall. As usual, I met Bill Heig, of Bowen Lodge in Deer River, Minn., in eastern Montana. We stayed in that area for a few days and then hunted our way west to our final destination in the central part of the state. We rendezvoused with two friends from Denver, Colo., for several days of bird hunting.
For a grouse hunter used to dense woods and listening to a bell, the open country of Montana is especially alluring. Comet can be seen hundreds of yards out—whether hunting, working a bird or on point. Photo by Jeff Decker.
Puppies have a blast and can learn so much on a big hunting trip. Tally retrieves a sharptail with gusto.
My string was a little light on experience this year; three of our females were back at the kennel in various stages of getting bred. Even so, I had a strong group of dogs: Northwoods Grits (10 yrs.), Northwoods Rolls Royce (8 yrs.), Northwoods Leon (3 yrs.), Northwoods Comet (2 yrs.), Northwoods Gale (1 yr.) and puppies Northwoods Redbreast (7 mos.) and Northwoods Talisker (4 mos.). All dogs did well but watching the younger dogs develop their skills in the expansive terrain was a fun and gratifying.
Royce had a beautiful find on a steep hillside and young Robin backed. But when the bird flushed, she chased. Photo by Jeff Decker.
The ongoing drought had a severe impact; sparse vegetation and warm temperatures made for some challenging hunts. But bird numbers were good—and after all, that’s the most important part.
It’s always fascinating to imagine the story behind an abandoned homestead. This one is in eastern Montana.
A picturesque North Dakota morning. A majestic point by Northwoods Rolls Royce (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2013). Not too shabby.
September seems to be when a good number of our clients who live in the Midwest head to North Dakota and Montana. Judging by the reports and the accompanying photos, both owners and dogs had fun.
Jerry, too, headed west. He loaded up our trailer with seven bird dogs—five adults and two puppies.
• Northwoods Grits (Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis, 2011) • Northwoods Rolls Royce (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2013) • Northwoods Comet (CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen, 2018) • Northwoods Stardust (RU-CH Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2019) call name Dusty • Northwoods Gale (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Minerva, 2020), call name Windy • Northwoods Redbreast (Northwoods Rolls Royce x Northwoods Minerva, 2021), call name Robin • Northwoods Talisker (Swift Rock Jetson x Swift Rock Granny, 2021), call name Tally
The dogs Jerry chose for this hunting trip are (front to back): Grits, Windy, Dusty, Royce, Comet, Robin and Tally.
His first stop was a visit with my brother, Jake, who owns a nice piece of property in east central North Dakota. Jake is a passionate waterfowl hunter but was tickled to take a walk for sharptails with Jerry and a couple setters.
Jerry then headed farther west and teamed up with Minnesota friends Ian Mactavish and Frankie Kartch. Besides the good hunting, they ate well. One tradition is always sharptail kabobs, grilled over charcoal.
Two clients who met Jerry in western North Dakota for a couple days of hunting are Tom Beauchamp with his two tricolor setters Lupin (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Stardust, 2021) and Ellie (Northwoods Grits x CH I’m Blue Gert, 2014); and Frank Ilijanic with his black-and-white pointers out of CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen, Jade in 2015 and Jax in 2018.
Later, he hunted with Frank Ilijanic and Tom Beauchamp, clients from Michigan and Indiana, respectively. The idea was first hatched this summer when Frank and Tom picked up their eight-week-old setter puppies out of the Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Stardust litter.
Frank’s young pointer Jax (CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen, 2018) bounds across the prairie, happily retrieving a sharptail.
Frank deserves an award of some kind for not only was that setter his second puppy this year—his first a pointer female out of Northwoods Comet by CH True Confidence—but these puppies join two other Northwoods dogs. In 2015, Frank bought Jade, a pointer female out of CH Rock Acre Blackhawk x Northwoods Vixen. He was on our list for a repeat of that breeding in 2018 when he chose a male, Jax.
In addition to Tom’s 2021 puppy, he brought Ellie, his first Northwoods dog, a seven-year-old female setter out of CH I’m Blue Gert by Northwoods Grits.
What do you get when you have 15 Northwoods Bird Dogs, one English cocker, five gaited horses, five guys and endless Big Sky country?
World-class upland bird hunting!
Here was our dog roster.
Our host, Sam, brought five setters and one pointer.
• Northwoods Ahniwake Grace (Northwoods Blue Ox x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2010)
• Northwoods Jeter (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2011)
• Northwoods Audi (Elhew G Force x Northwoods Vixen, 2014)
• Northwoods Gucci (Erin’s Hidden Shamrock x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2015)
• Northwoods Hercules (Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2016)
• Northwoods Dixie (Shadow Oak Bo x Northwoods Carbon, 2016)
Bill had three setters.
• Northwoods Louis Vuitton (Northwoods Grits x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2014)
• Northwoods Flint (Sunny Hill Sam x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2015)
• Northwoods Madrid (Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2018)
I hauled my dog trailer and so had room for one pointer and five setters.
• Northwoods Vixen (Westfall’s Black Ice x Northwoods Prancer, 2011)
• Northwoods Nickel (Shadow Oak Bo x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2014)
• Northwoods Minerva (Erin’s Prometheus x Northwoods Carly Simon, 2016)
• Northwoods Istanbul, Northwoods Geneva, Northwoods Dublin (Erin’s Hidden Shamrock x Northwoods Nickel, 2018)
Pat had his stellar cocker Rocket.
On our hunts, there were several moving pieces. Picture the five of us on horseback with at least three bird dogs on the ground and the cocker heeling alongside the horse.
When someone called point, we had one dog on point, two dogs backing, quick dismounts and two gunners going in to shoot.
And every time, a big covey of sharp-tailed grouse flushed.
Gary Lester, an all-age handler with numerous championship titles, watches while Miller’s Creative Cause backs.
Even though the bulk of the business of Northwoods Bird Dogs is training and breeding, I really like to guide wild bird hunts. Not only does this get me into the woods but I get to see how our dogs stack up against others.
While here in the Red Hills region of southwest Georgia/north Florida Georgia during the winter, I handle dogs off horseback on wild bobwhite quail hunts. It gives me ample opportunity to compare our dogs to others on the hunts.
The last hunt of this season was held on the prestigious, historic Dixie Plantation, near Monticello, Florida. First farmed as a cotton plantation in the early 1800s, the property eventually was purchased by the Livingston family, magnates in the railroad industry, in the 1920s. They turned it into an 18,000-acre wild quail hunting plantation, definitely one of the premier plantations in the area.
The main house of the Dixie Plantation is landscaped with boxwoods pruned in the shape of horseshoes. The entrance way features a life-sized bronze statue of a Tennessee Walking Horse, the favored horse for quail hunting plantations.
Ownership of the Dixie has since been turned over to Tall Timbers Research and Land Conservancy, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fire ecology and wildlife management in the Southeast. The plantation, now 9,100 acres in size, is used primarily for quail research. But Tall Timbers also leases hunting days during the quail season and continues the tradition of hosting the Continental Field Trial Championship, an all-age stake now in its 119th year.
2015 National Champion Miller’s Dialing In has a covey find in a clearing of longleaf pines and live oaks.
Joining our client and his two friends on this final hunt was Gary Lester, professional, all-age field trial competitor. Gary has been wildly successful in field trial placements. Besides numerous championships, he has handled three dogs that won the three-hour National Championship at the Ames Plantation in Tennessee.
How fortunate that two of those champions were with him on this hunt: CH Miller’s Dialing In (2015 winner) and the recently crowned 2017 National Champion Lester’s Sunny Hill Jo. It would be fabulous to hunt with just one of those dogs…but here were two!
In addition to Dialing In and Jo, Gary brought CH Miller’s Creative Cause, another dog he ran in the 2017 National Championship, and three winning, derby-aged dogs.
All pointer males, these dogs are big and muscular—weighing more than 55 pounds—and they are powerful, athletic animals. They moved with strength and class but were also extremely responsive to Gary. Very impressive!
Lester’s Sunny Hill Jo shows his championship style on covey find and a hunter moves in for the flush.
I was both thrilled and humbled to see our dogs braced with some of the best in the nation—so I wanted our best in my string.
On the truck were setters CH Houston’s Blackjack, RU-CH Northwoods Nirvana, Grits, Rolls Royce, Jeter, Carly Simon, Nickel, Carbon and Anhiwake Grace and three pointer females, Vixen, Platinum and Audi. I also had two English cockers, Yoshi and Arrowhead Penny, to retrieve dead birds.
The hunting party readies horses, dogs and equipment for the morning hunt.
The first morning brace was a good one. Gary ran Dialing In (the 2015 National Champion!) and I chose Rolls Royce. Both dogs were on a mission to find quail and, to my delight, they ended their hour equal in bird finds.
The highlight for me, though, was the last brace of the day when I ran Grits, a strong 50-lb. male that always hunts hard and stylishly, and Gary ran one of his winning derbies. The open, rolling terrain allowed us to see them on big, beautiful casts. I was so proud that Grits compared favorably on the ground with Gary’s all-age dog. Even better, Grits out-birded his bracemate and pointed four coveys in the hour, giving the hunting part plenty of action. I think Gary was impressed because he asked me to call him if I get another setter like that…and he’s a pointer guy!
The next morning was foggy and warm. Gary braced CH Lester’s Sunny Hill Jo and CH Miller’s Creative Cause. These two all-age champions put on a show of strength, class and bird finding with five covey finds in a bit more than an hour. Again, very impressive!
At about noon that day when the temperature was 82°, I ran two of our dogs. I braced Royce with female setter Nickel (out of 2X National Champion Shadow Oak Bo x Northwoods Chardonnay). I was so proud that both dogs ran well, and found and pointed birds.
Both days were great hunts…and it was a special honor to watch Gary and his championship dogs.
Northwoods Blue Ox (CH Peace Dale Duke x Blue Silk, 2007) has always been a soft-mouthed, natural retriever.
Grouse populations might be up or might be down but no matter where we are in the cycle and since there are only so many autumns in a life time, October finds me in the woods. And 2015 will go down as another good year.
What a beautiful sight……and the Holland & Holland is nice, too.
In early October, I load up our string of veteran grouse dogs and young dogs and head to Bowen Lodge, northwest of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, on Lake Winnibigoshish. I’ve been guiding for Bill and Gail Heig for almost 20 years and spend most of the month with them. Even on a day off from guiding grouse hunters, I still walk tote roads and slosh through bogs while training our young dogs.
Jim DePolo is justifiably proud when he finds his four-year-old Morris (CH Houston’s Blackjack x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2011) on point.
Bill and I were disappointed in the grouse numbers. We expected an uptick based on good spring drumming counts but reproduction did not follow. We flushed about the same number of grouse per hour as in 2014—which continues as the lowest number since the peak in 2010. We had better dog work on the birds we found and shot more than last year.
Northwoods Carly Simon (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2011) receives well-deserved pets from Ben Johnson and his son Seth after a warm morning in the woods.
As in 2014, we had another big year for woodcock flushes. Fortunately, woodcock keeps guiding clients happy during a slow day for grouse.
Some dogs–like Northwoods Vixen (CH Westfall’s Black Ice x Northwoods Prancer, 2011)–have a natural affinity to find ruffed grouse. This gnarly, nasty cover screams grouse.
As for the dogs, it was a good year, too. Four-year-old Northwoods Vixen put it all together this fall. She pointed and handled grouse as proficiently and stylishly as any. No matter time of day when—or hunting spot where—I ran veterans Ox and Carly, both were, as usual, simply outstanding. Young sisters Carbon and Bismuth and pointer Platinum advanced and by the end of the season, all handled grouse like mature dogs. While not as far along, one-year-old Nickel and Mercury still found lots of birds and pointed many.
It’s hard to beat an afternoon like this in autumn–two happy hunters Ken Taylor (on left) and Jim DePolo, their handsome setters Tyler (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2011) and Morris (CH Houston’s Blackjack x Northwoods Chardonnay, 2011) and evidence of some good shooting.
My time at Bowen Lodge is special. The dogs and the birds are instrumental but it’s the clients, too. Most have been with us for those 20 years and now are friends. In fact, I can’t wait to see them all again in 2016.
Prior to a day in the woods, grouse hunters, guides and their dogs gather at Bowen Lodge on Lake Winnibigoshish. With the exception of the pointer, all the setters were bred and trained by us.
As expected, ruffed grouse were hard to come by this year in Minnesota. The drumming counts were up last spring but the early-to-mid years of a decade have always been times of fewer grouse. The late spring and wet nesting season did not help as few broods were found. While warm temperatures in October were common state-wide, conditions varied from very dry in the northwest to quite wet in central Minnesota.
Based on personal observation as well as client reports, some areas of the state had higher numbers of birds flushed.
Low grouse numbers usually mean a higher proportion of adult birds encountered. These survivors are the most difficult for both a bird dog to handle and a for hunter to shoot. They run more, flush farther away and when they do flush, they fly low. (Age a bird shot that flushed across a trail and flew straight away and it’s likely to be an immature bird.) The woodcock numbers were again a pleasant surprise and made the spans of time between grouse flushes more exciting.
Besides all that, it was still a great season.
It doesn’t get any better than this. After a successful hunt on a quintessential autumn afternoon, Ken and his setter Roxie walk back along the tote road.
I spend most of October guiding out for Bill and Gail Heig of Bowen Lodge on Lake Winnibigoshish. A special group of hunters have been coming to Bowen for decades and most have become good friends. It’s always fun to see them and share our passion in the woods.
Hunters John and Brian bagged a big male drummer that had been pointed by experienced bird dog Shaq.
Again, as in recent low-cycle years, we all saw how valuable a savvy, experienced grouse dog can be. With their knowledge and experience, they find and point far more birds. Shaq (age 10) and Ox (age 7) perfectly fit that description; Carly and Vixen (both age 3) came into their own by mid-season. Rum Rickey and Slash filled in when needed and did solid jobs.
Ray and Carly take a break after a good morning hunt in central Minnesota.
An exciting surprise was our 18-month-old pointer male, Northwoods Jaguar (Elhew G Force x Northwoods Vixen, 2013). He showed a natural inclination to point and retrieve grouse with very little handling. His composure around game and ability to follow flushed birds and point them again was developed well beyond his young age. Jaguar’s five-month-old half sister, Platinum (Elhew G Force x Northwoods Prancer), also showed her proclivity by pointing grouse and woodcock as well as retrieving/carrying the dead birds around.
All guides and most of the guiding clients at Bowen Lodge have purchased dogs from us over the years. It’s insightful to watch the dogs develop over the years and gratifying to see the bonds between dogs and owners.
Setters include:
• Sunny (Blue Chief x Forest Ridge Jewel, 2003)
• Roxie (CH Terhaar’s Rocko x CH A Rolling Stone, 2005)
• Casey (I’m Houston’s Image x Blue Silk, 2006)
• Cammie and Daisy (Blue Chief x Blue Blossom, 2007)
• Bobbi (Northwoods Blue Ox x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2010)
• Tyler (Blue Shaquille x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2011)
• Morris (CH Houston’s Blackjack x Chardonnay, 2011)
Pointers include:
• Maggie (Dashaway x Good Going Moxie, 2009)
• Ice (CH Westfall’s Black Ice x Black Bama, 2011)
• Ginger (Elhew G Force x Northwoods Vixen, 2013)
Bill Heig owns Ice (age 4) and she put on clinic after clinic. She proves there are dogs that can pin—freeze in place, not just point—ruffed grouse.
Near the swamp edge at the base of a beaver-chewed maple, Slash has his bird pinned and remains steady as Jim moves in for the shot.
Mike Powers again did a great job working our young dogs. Not only does he know how to put dogs into birds, but he is extremely proficient with a shot gun, too. Low populations can make learning about grouse more difficult and there’s only one way to get that education—keep hunting them.
A big disappointment in our central region was 12” of snow on November 10, followed by bitter cold and strong winds. That put an immediate end to all late-season hunting.
Looking ahead, I’m optimistic that next season there will be more grouse in the woods. But even if there aren’t, I’ll still be out there!
May, our 10-year-old Labrador, poses with part of her retrieved stash of ducks.
Not unlike bobwhite quail hunts, duck hunting on a southwest Georgia plantation is a complicated, carefully orchestrated, social event. In addition, preparation for the actual hunt begins months prior to the season.
Most duck hunting is done in ponds specially created by digging or damming. In spring, those ponds are drained so corn or millet can be planted in the dry beds. The ponds are re-filled in fall so ducks can easily feed on the heads of the crops.
Various camouflaged blinds are installed. Some are half-submerged, wooden structures with a below-water platform (hunters wear chest waders) and an above-water, dry ledge for shells and gear. Other blinds are built on stilts above the water, complete with walkways from land.
In this far southwest corner of Georgia, ducks could have arrived via either the Atlantic or Mississippi Flyways and include wood ducks, mallards, redheads, pintails and ring-necked ducks.
Betsy and I are renting a small cottage and kennels which is part of plantation. One evening, Langdon, the plantation’s owner, called and invited me on Saturday morning duck hunt. I eagerly agreed and Langdon then asked, “Does your Lab retrieve? Bring her.”
May clambers on shore with her retrieve of a colorful drake wood duck.
This would be May’s debut as a duck retriever. She is a great upland flushing dog and has been on countless hunts and training sessions with pointers and setters. And she’s always loved to retrieve. Betsy began throwing dummies for May when she was a puppy and has continuously played fetch in many lakes and ponds. We bought her from Dennis and Janice Anderson, who specialize in Labradors out of British stock.
So early the next morning, I gathered my clothes, shotgun and loaded May into the truck. Langdon, a group of friends and family members and I gathered at 6:00 a.m. at the plantation’s lodge for coffee and planning. Licenses and duck stamps were verified; steel shot inspected; and, most importantly, hunters were assigned partners and blinds in one of three ponds. By 6:30, we were heading to our blinds.
Just as it was getting light, about 7 a.m., the wood ducks started to come in from a large body of water to the east. The ducks were easy to spot but not so easy to shoot because they were backlit by the sun. The action was hot and heavy for brief time, though, and several woodies hit the water after good shots. Later ring-necked ducks, mallards and a few redheads trickled into our pond, along with some coots and mergansers. By 9:30, the sun was up, the sky had turned blue and the hunt was over.
In the gathering light, May swims in with an easy retrieve of a floating duck. An elevated duck blind on the far shore is connected to land by a walkway.
Ducks aren’t retrieved during the hunt. Instead, they’re marked and picked up afterwards using hunters in waders and boats or dogs. So it was time for May and an English cocker spaniel owned by Langdon’s son to get to work.
May hunts for downed ducks in a corn stubble near the shore. Duck ponds in southwestern Georgia are drained and planted with corn or millet in the spring and then flooded in the fall.
With just a little encouragement, May took to it, well, like a duck to water! She first retrieved six, clearly visible, floating ducks. Several others were marked down in the corn stubble and I sent her out. May searched, using her nose, and swam back and forth several times with successful retrieves. She is now a great duck retriever!
Like many events at a plantation, hospitality plays a big part. After all retrieving was complete, hunters again gathered in the lodge to feast on a big Southern breakfast of eggs, sausages, bacon, grits, biscuits, fruit and more coffee.
Northwoods Prancer retrieves a grouse so gently that its pretty wing feathers remain untouched.
The early part of the grouse and woodcock season with its bluebird days and beautiful woods could have been an ad for Minnesota tourism but sure made hunting difficult. The temperatures were warm, the conditions were bone-dry and since no hard freeze had occurred, the cover was green and thick. Mid October brought a welcome weather change and, within days, most of the leaves had fallen in central and northern Minnesota.
It takes a tough, determined dog to hunt in the north woods in early season. Susie’s hard work pays off after a push through tall ferns and grasses.
Throughout the season I’ve found a good number of local woodcock and have just begun seeing flight birds. Ruffed grouse are a different story, though. I’ve only flushed two broods. Otherwise, dogs’ points indicate young birds—when grouse are walking on the ground in front of the dog—or mature, savvy birds. I’ve had dogs follow those running grouse up to 300 yards before they flush.
This isn’t surprising to me. The year 2010 was the last peak of the grouse cycle so we’re now in the third year of decline. In my experience, the next two years will be tough, too.
In years with low grouse numbers, an experienced dog truly shines. Blue Shaquille followed a running grouse for 300 yards before finally pinning it.
In years with plentiful birds, even a mediocre dog can look fairly good but in low grouse years, an experienced, talented dog makes a big difference. When birds are few and lots of cover separates them, the extraordinary grouse dog “takes you to the birds.” It will be exciting to see which dogs rise to the occasion.
In a beautiful piece of cover with tall pines, a small field and border of broomsedge bluestem, Lewis, left, and Buddy walk in for the flush of a big covey.
Although Jerry is perhaps most well known for his grouse guiding skills, he has several years of experience on bobwhite quail hunts in Texas. This year, though, is his first guiding in Georgia.
Just after Valentine’s Day, four guys from Atlanta, Buddy, Jack, Lewis and Oscar, loaded up their dogs and drove the easy four hours to our place here in southwest Georgia. They couldn’t have been a nicer group—real southern gentlemen—with soft drawls and easy smiles. Jerry enjoyed his hours in the field with them and we all had a good time at the end of the day with cocktails in front of a warm fire.
Most quail plantations that are serious about guided hunts have special vehicles. Ours has a Jeep chassis outfitted with dog boxes, gun racks and plenty of seats.
With shotguns in position, Lewis, left, and Jack move quickly up a furrowed row to the dog on point.
One beautiful morning, Grits (Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis) locates a covey along a picturesque two-track while Lewis, shotgun ready, is set for the flush.
Oscar, left, and Lewis display nice shooting form when the covey rises.
Many quail plantations own an English cocker spaniel or two to retrieve downed birds. One afternoon, our cocker Penny had a stellar performance. She searched tenaciously for 14 minutes (Jerry timed it) until she found the winged quail. Upon the command, “Bring it to the truck,” off she ran and jumped onto the front seat of the Jeep.
During a good day in the field hunting wild bobwhite quail, Oscar finds it easy to smile.
