# Success!



## GoldenGrady (Jun 5, 2009)

My 18 mo old Golden and I went Grouse/Woodcock hunting for the 1st time ever last weekend in Nrthrn MI. He has been at the preserve 1/month since 6 weeks old and a few times in the duck blind with me last year for some easier single retrieves on ducks. This being our 1st time in the uplands pursuing wild birds, I was unsure of what to expect. I have put in a tremendous amount of time working with him on marking, retrieving, tracking etc, but I relaized when your in the woods on wild birds it can be a lot fifferent than what he's used to. 
Well, what a weekend! we basically flushed 17 birds, 12 Woodcock and % Grouse and we connected on 3 birds, 2 Woodies and 1 Grouse. (it was crazy thick cover in some younger Aspen stands, leaves were on the trees and birds popping off all over, tough to harvest this time of ytear for sure...) My Golden was very impressive, he "got it" 1/2 hout into the hunt. His most impressive moment was on a Grouse I shot that flushed right to left. I couldn't see the where it would have fallen due to the dense cover. I brought the dog to where I thought it most likely fell, gave him the "dead bird" command and he started searching, nost to the ground. He kept wanting to go 30 yds or so straight back, but I continues to recall him back to thew area I thought it was. After several times doing this I released him and off he went. He ended up in a chest high bramble of prickly Hawthorne and he started getting real "birdy". I figured the Grouse was missed but I told my buddy I was with (it was his 1st time ever too) to be ready as he might flush a new bird. Well his head snapped back and I caught a glimpse of a running Grouse, he pounced on it in the middle of the thicket and came up with the wounded Grouse I shot!!!. It was hit in the wing but still running. Never would I have figured it would have ended up where it did, what a great job by my Golden. He made a nice retrieve to hand all that hard work payed off.


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

GREAT job! It's so amazing to see these guys do what they were bred to do. I sure wish we could come play, too....


----------



## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

What a great day the 2 of you had! Congratulations


----------



## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

It's nice when everything comes together and your hard work pays off!


----------

