Great Older Dog still got it!

Kismet

UPH Guru
The last two seasons, I've been concentrating on the GWP pup, trying to get her the most exposure possible to birds and teaching herself how to work them.

Mick, my 11-12 year old Springer has been stoically watching the pup and I take the shotgun out.

The pup's coming along, and so I took Mick out on a perfect pheasant day--temps in the 50's, light breeze, and partly clouding.

He was wonderful, and you'd be hard put to an age on him when he was working.

He put up one bird about 20 yards away from me as we were working the crest of the property, which has fields which slope down on either side. I brought the day's gun (H&R Pardner 20 ga. med) up and took the shot. Amid a burst of feathers, I smiled, then got a little confused as the bird never stopped flying full speed away from me, going slightly up and out over the lower ground cover. Over to my right, I saw Mick hauling butt out in pursuit, chasing the fast-moving, altitude-gaining rooster. I had one of those " I KNOW I hit that bird" moments, reinforced by feathers floating down.

The darned bird just was disappearing when suddenly, his engine quit, and his wings folded...over a 150 yards away...and he augured in. It was great watching Mick work the cover for several minutes...a liver and white machine racing back and forth. Great scene to have time to savor.

He found, and returned the bird, scrupulous to look me in the eye, and gently put the bird down--almost exactly 12 feet away from me. :D

I trained him myself. :thumbsup:

I've been feeling the inevitable loss that will come for over a year. This hunt, and these images will stay with for the rest of my life...including the retrieve.
 
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Good boy Mick! He sure is a lucky dog to have found you Kis.:cheers:
 
Great to here. My dog is now 10. He's done well on two hunts so far. Did fade in the heat as did I.
 
Lost my Springer of 14 thi May

It's good to see your dog is doing well. My Springer hunted until age 12 with a few cameo appearances his 13th year. I really miss him.
 
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