Last Wild Wolves Part 3

The Pacific Northwest Wolves have a special relationship with Ravens.

Wolves In Pacific Northwest: Last Wild Wolves Part Two

Hauntingly Beautiful Video--Pacific Northwest Rainforest Wolves

Wild, protected environment.  Ghosts of the forest

Dog "Sings" Along With Piano

Such Talent!

Fast Pup Dog Training At Western WA Sportsmens Show 2011

The 2011 Western WA Sportsmens Show starts tomorrow, January 26th at noon.  Just some shots of our booth and some of the others in the hunting section. 

Congratulations to Fran And Disco

Hi Kate:

Just want to let you know how Disco did at the WRC picnic trial on Saturday.  Although she was noisy at the line for the first series, she wasn’t as bad as in the past.  As you know, Disco is not noisy when running blinds, but marks are always a challenge for her self-control.  But, in the last series, a triple with a retired gun, Disco was quiet as a church mouse!  I want to give the credit to your idea when we were training last week.   It was such a nice way to get her to understand what we want.  (no noise) 

Disco was also one of only a few dogs that took the cover all the way to the retired gun at the last series.  So, this is not only a big “thanks for your help,” but also a brag.   Scott’s “little elfin dog” did well!  

I’ve included a picture of me and Disco with her Qual reserve jam (a.k.a. 5th place).   See you at the Sportsman’s Show.

Fran

Bragging Rights: Skilled Handler Teamed With Well Trained Retriever

 Kate:

Colby may not be good enough for a callback but I'll take real hunting blind retrieves like this any time.  (Kate here:  Dennis is referring to our Washington Retriever Club picnic trial the day before.  Colby did an outstanding job on the marks in the Qualifying and had a more difficult time casting off the marks for the blind retrieve after.  Since he brought all the birds back, had I been judging, I would have called him back to the last series.  But this day, the judges thought otherwise. Colby is a great dog, Dennis--Saturday just didn't turn out to be "his day."  Looks like Sunday made up for everything!)

Jim and I were hunting at Ocosta yesterday and it was looking like a slow day when around 11:00am, I had a flow of geese come in range. It took 2 shots to down the first which landed 30 feet behind the blind. The third shot hit another goose which kept flying and dropped about 100 plus yards away.

Rainy went to retrieve the first bird but since it was huge and heavy--her buddy Colby helped her out, bringing it back to me.   Then we went to find the second bird. I spotted it about 150 yards away on the far shore--and thought what a great time to do a blind retrieve.

I sent him on a line across the water to land and then across water to the bird on the far shore with only 3 casts. He returned on the same line.

Again, all the training pays off.

Thanks
Dennis

Goose Hunting Season Coming To An End-Pictures From The Blind

The last geese were so big that a BIG dog was needed to retrieve them.  Good boy, Colby!

Colby and Rainy have had a great 2010-2011 goose hunting season.  Jim & Dennis posted these pictures from the blind on Sunday, January 23, 2011.  Congratulations on bringing home the groceries!

Rainy is ever vigilant for incoming birds

In all, 23 geese were harvested this season from the blind near West Port, along with many ducks.

A Beautiful Day To Be Outside With Dogs

Bob Morris getting ready to send his yellow lab pup for a bird

And pup is off and running

Pup searches for a bird

Pup delivering the poultry

This past Saturday, January 22nd 2011 it was 55 degrees out.  And it was reported that somewhere in Minnesota it was -44 degrees.  So, it was pretty darn close to 100' warmer out here in Western Washington.

WRC (Washington Retriever Club) had their first 2011 picnic trial for our retrievers.  What a beautiful day!

Almost summertime in January!

The "mountain" Mount Rainier was out in all her glory too.

WRC Picnic Trial This Weekend Jan 22-23

Washington Retriever Club will be holding our first 2011 Picnic Trial in Area 14 at Fort Lewis this weekend.  Sign ups for both days will be at 8:00 am on the runway paralleling 8th or Harts Lake Road just south of Muck Creek.  (See map, above)

Entry fees will stay the same as last year.  Cost for members $10 puppy, $20 Derby/Sr Gundog, $25 Qual/Master Gundog and Open.  Non members add $5 to each dog entered.
Membership for 2011 will also stay the same at $10 per person.

SATURDAY
Qual/Master Gundog
Judges:  Bob Crabb/Alice Ellis

Puppy stakes
Judges:  Matt Carlson/Michele Goans

SUNDAY
Open
Judges:  Harry Williams/Christine Robertson

Derby/Sr Gundog
Judges:  Dave Miller/Fran Seagren

Although our fun trials are competitions, we will carry to each series as many dogs as time allows.  This makes our trials also a great training opportunity. 

During training this past Wednesday, we watched jumpers descend to Area 14

Muck Creek Flooding Through Area 14 Fort Lewis

Muck Creek was out of her banks today

Today threatened rain, but while it looked menacing in the morning and the winds were relentless, we had a great dry day of retriever training. 

Late Season Pheasant Hunting Eastern WA

Friend and contributor Fran Seagren posted from her eastern Washington pheasant hunt yesterday:

Sarge "Finally" gets to retrieve a wild rooster

 

 We had such a fun time hunting.  It was REALLY cold (14-20 degrees), but one of the best days we've had.  We were dressed how you and I looked yesterday at Ft Lewis - but without the "white."  :))  Scott and I were laughing at ourselves with all our layers, but it worked and we weren't cold.  My fingers were cold at first - but then after a while, my blood figured out what it's supposed to do, because my hands warmed up for the rest of the day.

Late season roosters are usually the hardest to hunt.  By the end of the season they're pretty smart and tough to get close to.  But, it was so cold, we were hoping they wouldn't want to move much once they found some good cover.  And, we do have good dogs that know how to hunt them, so we got into a bunch.  Really fun and exciting.  :))

Sarge flushed about six roosters and four hens today.  He was a "Pheasant Machine"!  He hunted really nice.  His finds/flushes today just didn't result in us getting a shot.  Sarge doesn't look the same when he hunts as when we're training.  In training, I think he looks like a big puppy.  But, when hunting, he looks "serious" and he moves and hunts like a fully grown/experienced hunting dog.

Disco flushed two roosters today.  The one in these pics was Disco's find/flush.  And, she actually got a live "almost" grab on it!  Hardly EVER happens with wild roosters  I saw her jump the rooster and feathers flew.  It rolled away from her and as it took off, she jumped up and grabbed more tail feathers!  It gained altitude and Scott shot it.  Sarge saw it fall (he was hunting in front of me) and I sent him for the bird.  I knew Disco would let him have the retrieve.  She's like that.  Sort of cute in a high rolling dog like Disco.  But, she didn't mind at all.  He was SO HAPPY about finally getting a rooster in his mouth.  He works so hard - you should see how beat up he is.  He was in the nastiest cover hunting his heart out for two and 1/2 hours.  I wish I had a video of him hunting today.  But, that's why he found most of the pheasants.  They like the nastiest cover.  Not many dogs are that tough.  Sarge is like Jonz used to be - only Sarge stays within gun range way more than Jonz ever did.  :))

Earlier in the day, Ruby pointed two hens when hunting with Scott.  He said she held steady to the flush and did a great job.  I had been hunting with Robert and he was a kick.  He hunted hard, like always, but today he was a real "team player" - something that he hasn't always been real good at doing.  He went on one point - rock solid.  I kicked around the brush for quite a while.  He held his point - he was SURE there was a bird in there.  A few minutes later we saw a rooster flush out of gun range - maybe the same one? :))