16ga.com ~ View topic

Guest

Here's the story of the Bird Dog that trained my daddy and me.

http://quailtales.blogspot.com/2006/02/dog-that-done-it.html

Member Joined: 23 Jan 2007 Posts: 46 Location: Illinois

My wifes "swamp collie" named Katie giving it her all on a Wisconsin grouse hunt in 1996. When we got back to the cabin I started combing out ticks. I stopped counting at 40! My wirehairs are much easier to maintain in this type of cover. Katie has been gone for two years now.

Member Joined: 04 May 2005 Posts: 123 Location: Oregon

This is a picture of my first Brittany and me up hunting chukars on the Snake River in 1980. That's a 20 gauge Citori I'm holding, what was I thinking? Shocked

http://lmiles.photosite.com/Album7/Larry___Jessie_1980.html

This is a picture from the year before of Jessie and Killer, the best Springer anyone ever saw at the time. Jessie made it to almost 16. Her ashes along with the ashes of two other Brits are scattered under a Juniper tree in chukar country. Mine, hopefully not soon, to follow.

http://lmiles.photosite.com/Album7/chukar_hunting_1979.html

Larry

Member Joined: 04 May 2005 Posts: 123 Location: Oregon

Jim, great story and pictures. Thanks for sharing. That was one smart dog.

My current French Brittany has never come looking for me but she has backed away from birds before. It was a really cold windy day and she got cold standing there waiting for me so she moved about 50 yards away from the birds and started running around in circles to stay warm. I had a beeper collar on her and couldn't figure out why it was beeping in running mode but was getting louder as I approached. When I finally showed up (it was a big steep hill) she looked up then headed straight for the birds and went back on point.

Here's a picture of her the next weekend wearing her new warm jacket.

http://lmiles.photosite.com/Album7/12_21_03_020.html

Larry

Guest

Great pics and story Mtjim.

Larry, that photo on the Snake is outstanding! Your 20 Citori looks like a twin to mine, and that is where I first heard the term "Birdswatter". When I was buying the Citori w/26" barrels, the guy behind the counter said, "I have the same gun and it's real bird swatter." I hunted that gun a lot this season. (Just to give the 16's a rest, of course!)

Member Joined: 04 May 2005 Posts: 123 Location: Oregon

Birdswatter, yes I have to admit that I shot that gun really well. I think I paid 600 dollars for it brand new in 1978. The same gun in 16 gauge might sorely tempt me today.

Larry

Guest

Larry, I have the same gun in 16 but with 28" barrels. If you find one grab it, you will love it. But not likely to be had for $600.!!! Wish those prices were still around.....

*Last edited by revdocdrew on Sat Mar 17, 2007 5:41 pm; edited 1 time in total*

Bill's commentary to follow Very Happy

Andy and Allison Christmas '87

Andy age one

Member Joined: 23 Jan 2007 Posts: 46 Location: Illinois

Here's another of my dogs named Follie who I miss very much. She had the most gentle disposition I have seen on any animal. She also had a nose like a vacuum and loved to hunt. These are two Illinois roosters that found that out the hard way. A friends brother put a bunch of his farm in set aside and it payed great dividends.

This is the first dog I had after coming home from the service. Almost forty years ago. This is the dog that tought me that the dog is smarter then I am when it comes to bird hunting. Lived in southern Minnesota at the time. Had a farm by Faribault. I don't know how many of you have hunted behind an Irish Setter. He was not a show dog. Would hold a point as long as you wanted. He would chase a running pheasant and turn it so it flushed right back at you.[img][URL=http://freeshare.us]

[/URL]. He was one that when we went hunting everybody said, you're bringing Brandy. One of my hunting partners at the time raised English Setters. He wanted to breed my Irish to his English. So we did. Had ten pups. By the time we got done, I realized I had sold all of the pups and didn't have one for myself.The pup my friend kept was pointing and retieving at 6 months. Oh yess, old Brandy would also retrieive ducks. [/img]