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I'll kick it off. Took the green dog grouse hunting today. She was a pup from a litter we had in 2020 that got returned- she was never hunted solo. We took her up the mountain and back down with the goal of just getting her a first real contact on game birds. We managed that- the wife shot a dusky grouse and Macy did mouth it, and then later in the day she busted a bird without pointing, which is okay at this stage in her field work.
Nice day to be out. Hit the mountain at 8:30, back by 2:00. Lots of elk sign where we were at too. And the wifey used my 20ga to bag this dusky grouse.
Well here's one that has never happened in 13 years living here in the wooded north hills of Helena. What animal could set 4 bird dogs off into an absolute frenzy for days?
A pheasant rooster-
Apparently FWP stocked 40-50 birds about a mile or so down the hill at Lake Helena. Presumably for the pheasant youth hunt that started Saturday. Apparently one rooster decided to take refuge in my front property (which only has strips mowed where the drainfield is). So plenty of cover, seed and forage.
Yesterday my wife and I were working on a stone walkway and our young dog Macy must've bumped this guy. I heard the familiar cackle and take off. I wheeled around and said "Holy Shiite!! A rooster!!!". Then all 4 dogs took off like a rocket after the bird.
So I figured we'll never see that again in our lifetime. Ours is not pheasant habitat at all. Well this morning- he was back! It's kinda cool but my dogs have been ape **** bananas because of him, lol.
Not much here yet, the early bow season is just getting underway.
I have been hearing geese in the air late at night (10-11) but I don't know if they're the first wave of migrants or just the resident ones, although they usually don't move at night, even with a full moon, unless something kicks them off the roost.
Did see a bunch of Mallards today in one of the marshes, but the same as with the geese as far as whether they're migrants or just the stay arounds showing themselves again.
It was a tough call. When I’ve encountered porcupine 90% of the time they are in those gooseberry thickets or woody shrubs. I started pulling my dogs off point just because of the possibility of getting quilled. And as luck would have it, over the past 5-6 years I yank them out and a bird shoots out.
So this was her first rock solid point, so I came up along her side to peek into the brush and as soon as I broke past her nose and saw it was a porky she broke in. The good news is she had a good response- she jumped about 2 feet in the air and cried her butt off. Hopefully she’ll remember and not do that again.
But yeah I was solo so had to wrap my arm with my jacket, hold her neck down with my left elbow and hold her paw with my left hand and yank quills with my leatherman with my right. She tagged me a few times, lol.
It was a tough call. When I’ve encountered porcupine 90% of the time they are in those gooseberry thickets or woody shrubs. I started pulling my dogs off point just because of the possibility of getting quilled. And as luck would have it, over the past 5-6 years I yank them out and a bird shoots out.
So this was her first rock solid point, so I came up along her side to peek into the brush and as soon as I broke past her nose and saw it was a porky she broke in. The good news is she had a good response- she jumped about 2 feet in the air and cried her butt off. Hopefully she’ll remember and not do that again.
But yeah I was solo so had to wrap my arm with my jacket, hold her neck down with my left elbow and hold her paw with my left hand and yank quills with my leatherman with my right. She tagged me a few times, lol.
I had to de-quill a couple dogs over the years. What I was found that works, if the dog will hold still, is to cut the quill if you can and then pull it out. Some old guy taught me that, something about cutting the quill makes the barbs on it relax and not open when your yanking.
We don't have porcupines in my part of Maryland so I haven't done it for decades.
If you get on them right away they are still soft and can be pulled out easily without breaking. So we do it straight away. Hold pliers just off the skin, don’t squeeze to tight and a straight yank.
If you get on them right away they are still soft and can be pulled out easily without breaking. So we do it straight away. Hold pliers just off the skin, don’t squeeze to tight and a straight yank.
I always kept a muzzle in my dog first aid kit. It can come in handy.
I always kept a muzzle in my dog first aid kit. It can come in handy.
I could’ve wrapped her muzzle with a belt but it was hot out. Some soothe talking and comfort rubs and we were fine. Just a few yelps and bites for quills that were between her joints.
She’s right as rain today.
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