Hello and welcome back! I bet you-all figured I gave up on this blogging stuff. Well.... I almost did. You see, Rufus and I have been busy trying to learn the art of quail hunting. Since I don't have the resources to send Rufus to a trainer, I had to try and figure it out myself. Rufus is 11 months old now and his maturity level has been slow growing. Upon many attempts to teach him some manners and how to use his nose, he seemed more interested in wrestling with his "older adopted brother" Bear. October is the beginning of quail season, and I, like many of my friends figured we had this year whipped.... we had a dog! Well, not so fast. I took Rufus on our annual 3 day campout during opening weekend. I thought what a better place to teach him how to hunt then on a real hunt. He learned to hunt alright.... he chased every rabbit he saw ! Ok, so this weekend was really a lesson in what NOT to hunt and me getting used to the fact of him running loose and coming home again.
I spent the next two months, every chance I had, taking Rufus out and trying to get him into wild birds so maybe....just maybe, his instincts would fire-up ( I even bought 3 bob white quail for practice at home.... which two of them died). Trip after trip to the field, Rufus learned that the little birds fluttering between the bushes were a lot more fun to chase than rabbits. After-all, he is a "bird-dog", right? In addition to our outings, we worked on his manners on-leash around the neighborhood. He took right to this routine and now, thanks to me, I have to walk this sucker every morning and every evening or he turns into a real pain in the ?? I have successfully transformed Rufus into a first class "Yuppie-Dog ! ( too much time in the subdivision I guess... as Phil Roberts would say).
New Years Day, I figured, what a better way to start the year than a little huntin trip. Rufus was all excited when I suited him up with his huntin collar and loaded the shotgun. We went out west of town to a little spot where I have run into quail in the past and figured he would at least get some excercise if we cxan't find anything. After about 15 - 20 minutes of hiking through the bushes, I spotted a covey on the run. I cast Rufus off in that direction and figured I would have to run to catch em before they dissapeared. Rufus ran past me and ended-up right in the middle of em. Quail began to fly in all directions and Rufus took off after-em. After he figured he couldnt catch em, he came back around to where I was. I started to slowly push throught the area and WHAM ! Rufus went on point like he had been doing this for years! I didn't know if he really found birds until he could not control himself and bolted into the bush. Lo and behold.... out came two wild birds from the otherside with my "bird-dog" hot on their tail....feathers. Rufus came back around and again.. WHAM ! right on point... stiff as a board, this time, he didn't move. I closed in on the bush and before I could get too close, out came a quail like a rocket. I took three shots at this bird and missed it.... I was so excited that it really didn't matter.
We continued to hunt for another hour, only now,... we... were... hunting! We did get one bird before we had to leave, and I don't think I will ever forget the beginning of 2013, New Years Day, when the Lord God Almighty, taught my dog.... how to hunt !
Happy Happy Happy New Year to me!
- sg
