. . . into one great Pheasant dog! These are preserve birds that think they’re wild, but pup did a great job of pinning runners. Hank had a helluva workout today, but he was flawless. I bought 4, the owner threw in 2 hens, & Hank found 3 more birds that were leftovers from somebody else. I got tired of cleaning Pheasants & had to drop the first 5 off at the truck, but at a little less than 22-months-old, Hank is absolutely flawless! He did some good tracking & trailing today, too & the points were rock-solid. I couldn’t miss with my 20 gauge Montifeltro (rare day for me . . . maybe Quail hunting last week put me fully in snap-shooting mode, lol.). We both slept very well last night, but we're ready for a trip East next year.
Growing up, we always had dogs as my father was a hunter. The two I loved the most were the German Short hair and the Weimaraner which I will be getting myself. Great bird dogs. Congratulations on a fine dog. I bought my wife a Golden Retreiver, wonderful dog and very loving and protective but, if it hears a firecracker, it is under our feet. I can't imagine what a gun would do.
I didn't introduce Hank to gunfire until 16-weeks. Prior to that, I ensured that he had max exposure to live birds (pigeons); the focus was on making him nuts about finding birds, then chasing them with reckless abandon once they were released. At 16-weeks, I killed the first one over him with a .410 . . . it's been smooth sailing & extremely rewarding since then, but we work together all year long & I took great pains to get him into a lot of birds this year; when wild birds weren't to be found, we'd default to preserve birds & it has paid huge dividends. Ours has been an intensive, almost-2-year training effort that will continue. Those regimens and the fact that ElkRun Kennels produces fantastic Braque du Bourbonnais versatile hunters from absolutely wonderful sires & dams have been a winner. Hank lives to hunt & he's in good company, lol. Hank has also learned a lot from my partner's radar-nosed Griffon.
Well done, Jim! I know training Hank and then building the teamwork has been a great experience for both of you.
Thanks, Karl. And we ARE indeed partners . . . Hank goes everywhere with me (within the realm of reason & possibility, anyway; would that it were more.). Yesterday was "One of those Great Days" for sure. We'll make a last Quail foray tomorrow.
Jumpinjimaneez, this bird hunting stuff looks as fun as I dare say...fishing. His expression in the back of the truck is great...as if saying... "how's that for a days work"
And it is; every bit as addicting, too, lol. We'll do this a few more times before March or shortly thereafter.
Great pics and report Jim. Looks like Hank is going to be one fine hunting dog. I'm trying to figure out how to photoshop my mug into one of your pics just to piss off Mumbles.
Lol . . . Mumbles is the one who christened him "Handsome Hank" when I posted a puppy pic after I brought the little guy home.
looks like you found yourself a great hunting partner and a better companion. Good looking dog and from the pic looks like he has some attitude. Have to bring him up for a hunt.
We'll do that now that Hank has put it all together. He definitely has Pheasants & Quail figured-out. And he's showing a bit more dominance, judging by the way he no longer defers to my hunting partner's Griffon and took to "marking" the fence on the side of the yard that abuts another dog's domain, lol.
Jim your first pic of him is fantastic. Look how proud he is sitting there! Nicely done and definitely a picture worth framing.
High five to both you and Hank, Jim!!! New Tyer 1, I have two Field Trials Goldens currently, and lost our first some years ago. In the field, they're stellar dogs, with great noses, and not a gunshy dog among them. Something must have happened to the one you got! Mine hear a gunshot, they whine to start looking for the bird, but they do come with attitude. You really don't want to miss many shots, or they'll remind you why they're here!
He's a good looking animal! I really ought to get mine a little more experience through pay to play. I know there's a pheasant dog in her, but our wild bird hunts haven't been productive enough to have her see that many birds. Plenty of ducks though. You must be so stoked on the many years ahead.
Thanks, folks . . . and that IS a great day on a river right there, Benjy. Prior to Hank, I had Labs; great dogs & partners.
