So, while out in southwest KS this past weekend (down by Dodge City). We rolled in around noontime on Friday. We hit this really, thick, and I mean thick, like shoulder high switchgrass (CRP), that was a buttkicker to walk in. I mean who needs pilates when you have this kind of walking carrying a gun, shells, etc.
So, I had my 12yr old yellow lab male Titan and my 6 yr old chocolate female lab Roxie. They are both hunting, the field is full of birds, birds flushing up in front, plenty of scent. Now it was a little warm for January (like low 50s).
Titan was having a hard time keeping up. He is losing his hearing, so after a while, (he was hunting by my buddy), we lost track of him. I could hear him, but not see him (again the grass was like shoulder high). Then I couldnt' hear him, so we backtracked and finally found him, he was just walking really slow and he got lost. I was very nervous because I thought he might have gotten a bit overheated and maybe layed down....anyhow, he was okay...
So we continued to hunt and got everyone back in line....all of sudden Titan like stopped, smelled, turned and then literally pushed a rooster up and out of this thick grass. The rooster barely got up and flew right above grass level and my buddy shot him.
Now I am 100% sure (and we did have a couple flush behind us) that if I didn't have a dog, that I would have walked right past that bird.
I was pretty proud of my 12yr old lab. I will try and post some pictures later.
He moves slower but he still has the nose and the desire....I hope this wasn't his last year.
Greg
So, I had my 12yr old yellow lab male Titan and my 6 yr old chocolate female lab Roxie. They are both hunting, the field is full of birds, birds flushing up in front, plenty of scent. Now it was a little warm for January (like low 50s).
Titan was having a hard time keeping up. He is losing his hearing, so after a while, (he was hunting by my buddy), we lost track of him. I could hear him, but not see him (again the grass was like shoulder high). Then I couldnt' hear him, so we backtracked and finally found him, he was just walking really slow and he got lost. I was very nervous because I thought he might have gotten a bit overheated and maybe layed down....anyhow, he was okay...
So we continued to hunt and got everyone back in line....all of sudden Titan like stopped, smelled, turned and then literally pushed a rooster up and out of this thick grass. The rooster barely got up and flew right above grass level and my buddy shot him.
Now I am 100% sure (and we did have a couple flush behind us) that if I didn't have a dog, that I would have walked right past that bird.
I was pretty proud of my 12yr old lab. I will try and post some pictures later.
He moves slower but he still has the nose and the desire....I hope this wasn't his last year.
Greg
