First Pheasant

[DaSwede]

On Saturday I went out and purchased two pheasants because I just haven't been seeing that many in southern MN. I know the numbers are up this year because of the mild winter and dry spring, but Teegan, my 6 m/o BLM wasn't finding them. In fact, he was getting birdy, but I came to find out it was sparrows that he was chasing . Anyway, a buddy and I went out and planted the birds, and Teegan got on their scent, flushed them, we shot, and he went and retrieved them and sort of brought them back...usually about 3/4 of the way and then would drop and sniff and pull a couple feathers...all things I'm not worried about at this point since we haven't worked with bringing "real" birds back to hand.

Yesterday just he and I went out. We walked a fence line and he got a little excited but nothing too major. Then we hit a grass buffer between too fields; I call it a waterway, but it really isn't...no steep sides or anything. The second we got in there he started getting very birdy. We walked about 50 yards, and he got a rooster up, and I plunked it down...maybe a little too close, but I wanted to make sure that if he got it up, that it came back down!

I now have a pheasant machine on my hands, which is exactly what I wanted!!! I couldn't be happier with how he is progressing. He listens really well and retrieves better than I thought he would at this point. I hope we have a lot of years of successful hunts together!

[LABS4ME]

DaSweet!!!!

Firsts are always special!

Good Luck!

Ken

[SunnyFishin]

Beautiful dog and great to hear the story. Lab man myself, and while she and I hunt a variety (probably a bit too vast) I find her working a scent to a tucked up rooster the best.

Here's to many years of watching your pup work. Also, hope you are able to knock a few more down for him soon and keep that addiction going!