The long trip home

[lenny7]

I'll post a trip report later tonight but for now I gotta throw this out there.

Last weekend my brother, my son, and I went to SoDak to meet up with my Dad and cousin for a couple days of pheasant hunting. My son just turned 11 a couple of weeks ago and though he can hunt in Minnesota, as a non-resident he can't hunt in SoDak. Consequently, he came along for the ride to walk the fields with us, block with his grandpa, and watch the dog work.

I had both my son and my dog riding in the back seat of my pickup. On the 6 hour drive home, my son played his Nintendo for a while then fell asleep. At one point I looked back and saw Kody, my lab, sleeping and using my son's head for a pillow:

That gave my brother and I a good laugh and we grabbed that shot. The dog had woken up by the time we got the camera out. About 20 minutes later I turned and looked again and this time the tables were turned:

They were two whooped pups.

[LABS4ME]

Nice...!

Labs and boys... much the same as peanut butter and jelly! classics that just go well together...

Good Luck!

Ken

[gspman]

How'd that little cocker of yours do?

[fishnhooks]

Those are great pics! Reminds me of a pic that my folks took of me and our new pup we had at that time. (Back when I was a pup myself). That was a great dog. Hang onto those pics, they are special memories.

"hooks"

[lenny7]

How'd that little cocker of yours do?

??

My lab did ok the first day (he was distracted by a black lab), for as long as it lasted, and he did great the second day. He even had four solid points for me. I'm finding he's doing that more and more.

The full report is HERE.

[setterguy]

Doesn't look like any other place either one of them would rather be. Great shot.

[LABS4ME]

How'd that little cocker of yours do?

I must admit, he is quite the little dog... just wish I had time to use him for grouse. Spent all fall trying to line up more work, it's ugly out there! So we didn't hit the grouse woods once. He got out to So Dak one in October and we're going this weekend and the last weekend of the month...

Everyone thought he'd never make it through the wasit high wheat grass, but he does fine. The longer legged labs seem to flush more birds as they are out 10-20 yards further than he, but he gets in plenty of flushes on birds that doble back or sit tight. He can retreive a pheasant, but in the tall grass it's a tall order. I usually walk towards him to cut the distance of the retrieve down. He works amazingly close and sweeps in a natural quarter out in front usually 15-20 yards. He loves when we push shelter belts... seems brush is his forte'.

All in all I'd give him fairly good marks that would be even higher if I could hunt him more...!

and you couldn't ask for a better family dog.

Good Luck!

Ken