This is my Griff's first season of hunting. After the first three days, I was beginning to wonder if my dog had any hunt in her. She seemed more interested in dried cow pies than anything else. Finally on day 4 the switch was flipped on. We were crossing a large field and checked some bushes. She got real birdy and took off nose to the ground. She headed over to an old ditch that was mostly filled in but had enough cover for a pheasant to hide in. We followed that ditch to where it ended and she locked up. I walked forward and a large rooster flushed. I shot and feathers flew but that rooster glided about another 100 yards or so and came down in some short cover. We headed over there and searched for over an hour and never found that rooster.
The next day. my dog and I went back to the same area to hunt again and to see if we could find the rooster from the day before. Swasey, my Griff, locked up hard not far from where we had found the rooster the day before. A rooster flushed and again feathers flew when I shot. It flew and landed just on the other side of a fence. We walked over to where it had landed and there was an old ditch on the other side of the fence. We walked down the fenceline and didn't find anything. We turned around and walked up the other way. Swasey was kind of looping around when she locked up, head almost on the ground about 4 feet on the other side of the fence. I looked in the short cover and couldn't see a thing. While I was looking for it, Swasey would shift her eyes up at me and I could read her thoughts, "Are you blind, it is right THERE!" I thought if I climbed over or went under the fence, it will flush and if I walk down to the gate it will flush and I will not get a shot at it. I told Swasey to get it and she flushed it. This time I knocked it down and she was on it.
After that, we walked further into the field towards where we found the rooster the day before. After making a big loop and not finding anything we headed back towards the truck. We passed in the general area of where we found the roosters. Not long after that, Swasey locked up in an area with very little cover. I walked around and didn't find anything. I had Swasey start hunting again. She started tracking and had a couple of false points. We came to a small patch of brush and she locked up hard. I walked forward and a rooster flushed. It tried to fly but one of it's wings was injured and it flopped back to the ground and took off running. Swasey took off and after a short chase, brought it back to me. I don't know if it was the one I hit the day before or not, but it had been shot before we came across it.
I really enjoyed watching Swasey start to figure things out. I haven't done any tracking work with her but she had two nice tracks on running birds. This was all on public land in Utah that had seen a lot of pressure. She works a little closer than I would prefer but I will take that as she is a little sweetheart and is easier to train than some of the other dogs I have had in the past. These were her first birds and my first pheasant. Now to work with her on Chukar and Grouse.
View attachment 8709
View attachment 8710.
The next day. my dog and I went back to the same area to hunt again and to see if we could find the rooster from the day before. Swasey, my Griff, locked up hard not far from where we had found the rooster the day before. A rooster flushed and again feathers flew when I shot. It flew and landed just on the other side of a fence. We walked over to where it had landed and there was an old ditch on the other side of the fence. We walked down the fenceline and didn't find anything. We turned around and walked up the other way. Swasey was kind of looping around when she locked up, head almost on the ground about 4 feet on the other side of the fence. I looked in the short cover and couldn't see a thing. While I was looking for it, Swasey would shift her eyes up at me and I could read her thoughts, "Are you blind, it is right THERE!" I thought if I climbed over or went under the fence, it will flush and if I walk down to the gate it will flush and I will not get a shot at it. I told Swasey to get it and she flushed it. This time I knocked it down and she was on it.
After that, we walked further into the field towards where we found the rooster the day before. After making a big loop and not finding anything we headed back towards the truck. We passed in the general area of where we found the roosters. Not long after that, Swasey locked up in an area with very little cover. I walked around and didn't find anything. I had Swasey start hunting again. She started tracking and had a couple of false points. We came to a small patch of brush and she locked up hard. I walked forward and a rooster flushed. It tried to fly but one of it's wings was injured and it flopped back to the ground and took off running. Swasey took off and after a short chase, brought it back to me. I don't know if it was the one I hit the day before or not, but it had been shot before we came across it.
I really enjoyed watching Swasey start to figure things out. I haven't done any tracking work with her but she had two nice tracks on running birds. This was all on public land in Utah that had seen a lot of pressure. She works a little closer than I would prefer but I will take that as she is a little sweetheart and is easier to train than some of the other dogs I have had in the past. These were her first birds and my first pheasant. Now to work with her on Chukar and Grouse.
View attachment 8709
View attachment 8710.
