Miforester
Well-known member
Made my annual trek to SD with my son and his buddy and we had a great time. Had our stable of 4 dogs, Bella 11 year old Brit, River 9 year old Setter, Remi 3 year old Britt and Vera 15 month French Brit. Also tagging along was my son's 4.5 month old setter Frankie. Both setters are out of Prairie Drifters Kennel. We hit a great weather window as Monday was the coldest following a small snow event, but after Monday it was blue bird skies and warm with mild winds. Three days hit 70 and very dry which was really tough on the dogs, in my opinion. My two youngest dogs Remi and Vera where in good hunting shape after a full season of grouse guiding and were close but had significant time off after our Michigan season. We hunt a mixture of public lands and ditches. I like to use the ditches to give the dogs a bit of a break, least in my head it is a break for them, roughly 70 percent fields and 30 ditches.
Dog of the trip was Remi, she has really come into her own this hunting season both in the grouse woods and fields. We shot numerous birds over her points and she did a great job locating winged birds. Her downfall is she is not retrieving, but she will point a winged bird until to get to her and then she will grab it. I will continue to work on her retrieving. She really works well in the field and is a natural backer which is great to see as well.
Bella has lost most of her hearing this year and we have had to learn a new way of communicating in the woods and fields. The use of a GPS collar has really helped, i will tone her if she is ranging to far or she will just stop to look for me and will stay put until we make contact and back to the hunt. She is still a bird finding machine and we shot 8 roosters over her points. My highlight of the trip was her retrieve of 250 yards on a winged rooster. I was watching to the GPS and she hit 250 then started coming back and had the bird. Would love to have a cameral on her during these long retrieves.
This was Vera's first pheasant trip and she did a very good job for her first time out. We killed 3 birds over her points and missed a few as well. She nail a handful of hens as well. She also helped located winged birds she improved everyday and will be a fine hunting dog with more experience. I do have a few videos of her with her points once i get everything edited.
Bird numbers seemed to be like last year, we had a good ratio of roosters to hens and I think we shot more birds over points this trip than in years past, or at least it seemed that way. We were able to limit out 4 of the 5 days and came home with 40 birds. We definelty had our opportunity for 45 and that is all i can hope. Our shooting was pretty good as we made most of the easy shots.
Only downfall was having camera issues and unknowingly our camera would just stop recording so much of our trip was not captured, alot of great visual memories that will stay with me as long as my mind stays sound. I will post some videos from the hunt once i can get them edited area reviewing all the footage.
Wife has offered up her holiday bonus if I am planning on going back in December, my just have to take her up on her offer. Just need to find lodging closer to my core hunting area. Typically in December I'm staying in Redfield then having to travel about an hour north to hunt.....Anyone with good suggestions on dog friendly lodging in the Faulkton/Mellette area let me know, have a couple VrBO's i'm researching. Have seen several sign for lodging in that vicinity when hunting but don't have the info.
Dog of the trip was Remi, she has really come into her own this hunting season both in the grouse woods and fields. We shot numerous birds over her points and she did a great job locating winged birds. Her downfall is she is not retrieving, but she will point a winged bird until to get to her and then she will grab it. I will continue to work on her retrieving. She really works well in the field and is a natural backer which is great to see as well.
Bella has lost most of her hearing this year and we have had to learn a new way of communicating in the woods and fields. The use of a GPS collar has really helped, i will tone her if she is ranging to far or she will just stop to look for me and will stay put until we make contact and back to the hunt. She is still a bird finding machine and we shot 8 roosters over her points. My highlight of the trip was her retrieve of 250 yards on a winged rooster. I was watching to the GPS and she hit 250 then started coming back and had the bird. Would love to have a cameral on her during these long retrieves.
This was Vera's first pheasant trip and she did a very good job for her first time out. We killed 3 birds over her points and missed a few as well. She nail a handful of hens as well. She also helped located winged birds she improved everyday and will be a fine hunting dog with more experience. I do have a few videos of her with her points once i get everything edited.
Bird numbers seemed to be like last year, we had a good ratio of roosters to hens and I think we shot more birds over points this trip than in years past, or at least it seemed that way. We were able to limit out 4 of the 5 days and came home with 40 birds. We definelty had our opportunity for 45 and that is all i can hope. Our shooting was pretty good as we made most of the easy shots.
Only downfall was having camera issues and unknowingly our camera would just stop recording so much of our trip was not captured, alot of great visual memories that will stay with me as long as my mind stays sound. I will post some videos from the hunt once i can get them edited area reviewing all the footage.
Wife has offered up her holiday bonus if I am planning on going back in December, my just have to take her up on her offer. Just need to find lodging closer to my core hunting area. Typically in December I'm staying in Redfield then having to travel about an hour north to hunt.....Anyone with good suggestions on dog friendly lodging in the Faulkton/Mellette area let me know, have a couple VrBO's i'm researching. Have seen several sign for lodging in that vicinity when hunting but don't have the info.