# 13th Day



## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Bean harvest is coming quick so I wanted to get out now before farming gets busy again. The forecast last night called for frost and fog early, then sunny and light breeze. Good time to go. Lately I've been splitting the dogs so they don't have to compete and it seems to be working well.

If you went hunting this morning you were going to get wet but it was worth the view. Had boots on the ground at 8AM.









Last week I visited with a couple fellows who had driven a long ways to hunt grouse. They were nice guys and very sincere. They were firm believers in the "big running dog" theory. My legs aren't young anymore so I wouldn't be able to get across 3 hills to the dog on point. If the birds stayed that long. I'm lucky Sam works close so I can keep up.









We were on a PLOTS that runs a mile and connects to a WPA and an open pasture and then another PLOTS. The whole shebang is about 4 miles long and a mile wide. Sam was working the hill tops on a ridge and when I came over the crest he had a solid point. With Sharptails you never know if it's the Lone Ranger or the point man or tail-end-charlie so it's good to be ready.









I was off to the side and slightly ahead when the first one came up and he went down with 3 more rising and I winged the second one. By the time he bounced once, Sam gave him the good night kiss. Cracked the action and stuffed in 2 more shells and 4 more got up. Took a squeaker at the last one and he wobbled over the hilltop and out of sight. I left my cap where I thought the first one fell so I could check Sam with that crip. He had it rounded up and we were done. Went back by my cap and the first laid a few feet away. Funny how you can't see them from a different angle. Sam got a double order of bacon on the way home.









We can count our blessings here when it comes to hunting. Those guys I talked to last week were dog trainers for a hunting plantation. $1500 a day. Hunt off horses with a dog handler, a bird boy, and a guy to hold the horses when the clients follow up the dogs. Most of the quail are planted. The gent that owns the dog likely doesn't recognize it and it is boarded at the on-site kennel. They don't get to sleep on the bed.


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

Great pictures and story.


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## Britman (Dec 18, 2002)

Very nice Dick, keep'em coming


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

I understand about the blessings. Our sage grouse season is going splendid here. I was wondering if my nearly 12 year old border collie still had what it takes and she surprised me again. Three days ago she hit scent 100 yards from the car and ran me pretty hard for 1/2 of a mile. Kinda hard to slow down a deaf dog! I guess one of those collars with the vibrating pager mode is in order, just something to let her know to look back for my hand signals. The birds came up under her nose and we were headed for home. No handlers, pedigrees, or tweeds. Just the part that mattered most. Sorry Dick, I forgot to take pictures this week. But I sure enjoyed yours!


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## Sask hunter (Sep 11, 2008)

Nice pictures :thumb: . I have only seen one chicken all year up here.


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

Good work! Glad to see someone is finding sharpies. And nice story, too. Can't wait to see Remy get his first sharpie point...hopefully tomorrow!!! :beer:


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Duckslayer100 I hope you got your pup into birds. I had a short hunt planned for this morning. Didn't sleep well last night and got a late start. I wanted to try my pup again by himself. When I drove in on the field approach I needed to get rid of some coffee and let the pup out at the same time. Gee whizz. There is Duke on point right in front of the truck, the gun is still locked up, shells are in the extra dog box, and all I can do reach is the camera. :eyeroll:









I should have loaded the dog back up and gone home because he was absolutely nuts for the next hour. That was his first and only point of the morning. Some days are better than others.


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

Well, Remy DID point two sharpies...but like a complete moron I didn't believe him. Both flush wild while I had my gun over my shoulder. DOH! Flushed a large covey of about 20-25 birds, but they were in a low spot in a hayed CRP field, and saw us coming from a mile away. Only other chance Remy had was in our honey hole, but the birds were in the middle and he was working the edge. Got to retrieve a shot bird, but the rest were flushed by my cousin's lab. Oh well, hopefully it all comes together before the end of fall! Maybe on roosters...


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