After reading all of this I certainly feel better about my Pup. We lost one the other day that seemed to hit the ground real hard. When Elsie went in for the retrieve, she instead locked up on point. When I got there and released her she lunged in several directions as if to trap the bird under the CRP grass. Just as fast as it began it ended as she then went cold. She ran around for maybe 15 minutes, all downwind and showed no sign of being birdy. I called her back to the original spot (I was still standing there watching her work) and she just ran thru as if nothing happened. I let her run for maybe 10 more minutes with no sign from her. We went to a cattail marsh nearby and found nothing so we came back to the spot where the rooster had dropped. About 30 yards from the original spot she locks up on point and again when released she lunges in several directions as if trying to catch the bird...then again went cold. We spent 45 minutes looking for that bird, her scenting, me kicking. But we never found it despite me being convinced we were right on top of it a couple times. Its nice to hear this happens once in awhile (not really, but it does happen). I dont want to blame my dog for not finding it.