I'm getting that itch, too. It's been one hot summer and very tough to run a dog in the heat. Tomorrow I receive 30 quail to use for training and I've been out early mornings with the pup getting him ready for bird work. We've been working on retrieving and whoa. His nose is going full time. He's ready. I can't wait to ease him into that first bird and see him react.
Along with dog work, shooting has to start, too. The first seasons of my last two dogs I shot very well, owing the higher success rate to all of the shooting I did over the dog in training.
This is always a busy time of year. No kids in the house anymore, but my wife and I are busier than ever. I have other hobbies besides hunting. Next weekend is the last big golf tournament of the year, a Ryder Cup-style match play tourney against the other club in town. It's my favorite event of the season, but I'm having a hard time finding time to practice due to working the young pup. After the Cup weekend it will be all dog work heading into the grouse opener. It's a good time to be alive!
