Gun Dog Forum

I will be happy to put 2020 and all of its issues in the rear view mirror. Holding on to hope for a better 2021. But, one bright spot from the requisite social distancing and working from home, was the ability to get out and hunt more than ever. We still have a handful of days left in California, but it is winding down.

It was my young dog’s first full season with me, so we limited our shooting to only properly handled birds. This equated to many more days hunting and less bird cleaning, but he really progressed from the start of the season until now.

The old man (10 years) did amazingly well considering the vet said he should probably be riding the pine due to a heart murmur three years ago. Hardly ever in sight but always in touch, found his fair share of birds and had one of his best retrieves on a cripple that was in the next county of his career.

We got out multiple times a week and worked valley quail with the blank gun around the house, we headed to the local mountains almost every Wednesday/Sunday and bagged our fair share of some really tough to hunt mountain quail. Had fourteen solid days of hunting in the Eastern Sierras for chukar and quail, and even started off the new year with a chukar double on the youngster’s first point of the day.

All told one of the most enjoyable and memorable hunting seasons I have had to date.

Garrison

Beautiful pics! Lucky man. What kind of deer were those?

Sharon wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 22, 2021 4:17 pm

Beautiful pics! Lucky man. What kind of deer were those?

Big ones!!! It was an elk herd.

Grateful for the days I get, and trying to make the most of them.

Nice bunch of pictures. It looks like nice country over there. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for the great photos and the words of wisdom regarding the top side of this year of the plague.

Beautiful dogs and lovely country!
And I agree with your take on the year..

I can't open the files why is that...Cj

Now I can. Weird......Cj

cjhills wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 23, 2021 1:59 pm

Now I can. Weird......Cj

That’s because I had you blocked. Just kidding!

Fit in a quick afternoon hunt. Some fresh snow helped tighten up the coveys. Got a quick pic of Bodie holding tight on some late season mountain quail.

Garrison

nice picture -- I hope you killed it for him.

deseeker wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 28, 2021 8:33 am

nice picture -- I hope you killed it for him.

Luckily I did, brought a shotgun with me. But rest assured I missed another that flew behind a tree and blew my opportunity on the next single he pointed when I was taking my time tying my boot!

Mountain quail in this area is tough hunting, the cover is so thick that it takes a lot for it to all work out, even with good dog work. Would probably help if I was a better shot too.

Good news is, it is smooth sailing after this weekend, I’m a crack shot with the blank pistol.

Nice pics. I recognize several spots. 20-21 season was a bumper crop year at my home. We were finding just feathered chicks on opening weekend. Hit 2 coveys of over 100 on the last day of the season. next year in my area is going to be zero birds. Only 2 half inch rains since 10-20.

Same this year sucked so many tourists they scared off all the birds not to mention the elk and dear

Great looking dogs and scenery 🏔