Gastro Gnome - Eat Better Wherever

First upland season for both (dog&human)

Ak in the summer, Or by oct 1. Primarily hunt the snake but make at least one trip to the Owyhee and Steens every year.
You still thinking of an owyhee trip this year. I’m pretty packed on tags but October or December may have some openings.
 
Been a long time since I've hit the chukar hills. Bad knees took me out. Loved my shorhairs, has to be one of the best bird hunting dog's there is. Had E Pointer's but my view of them is not good. Needed horse's to hunt them and then couldn't stay with them in chukar country, Couple E Setter's but they too were huge runners and lived to run! Today I have AF Red Setter's and first breed that stole me away from shorthairs. One's I have will probably be my last as I'm getting awful long in the tooth. Went to check on a new catfish spot a bit back and saw a few chukar coming out I might be able to hunt, sure gonna try it this fall. Really miss having good bird hunting and around here it's in the toilet. This will be Snickers first season. he's out of my Sis and Stormy.
YXr9T95l.jpg
 
Been a long time since I've hit the chukar hills. Bad knees took me out. Loved my shorhairs, has to be one of the best bird hunting dog's there is. Had E Pointer's but my view of them is not good. Needed horse's to hunt them and then couldn't stay with them in chukar country, Couple E Setter's but they too were huge runners and lived to run! Today I have AF Red Setter's and first breed that stole me away from shorthairs. One's I have will probably be my last as I'm getting awful long in the tooth. Went to check on a new catfish spot a bit back and saw a few chukar coming out I might be able to hunt, sure gonna try it this fall. Really miss having good bird hunting and around here it's in the toilet. This will be Snickers first season. he's out of my Sis and Stormy.
YXr9T95l.jpg
Gorgeous pup, love the style. What state are you in?
 
Been a long time since I've hit the chukar hills. Bad knees took me out. Loved my shorhairs, has to be one of the best bird hunting dog's there is. Had E Pointer's but my view of them is not good. Needed horse's to hunt them and then couldn't stay with them in chukar country, Couple E Setter's but they too were huge runners and lived to run! Today I have AF Red Setter's and first breed that stole me away from shorthairs. One's I have will probably be my last as I'm getting awful long in the tooth. Went to check on a new catfish spot a bit back and saw a few chukar coming out I might be able to hunt, sure gonna try it this fall. Really miss having good bird hunting and around here it's in the toilet. This will be Snickers first season. he's out of my Sis and Stormy.
YXr9T95l.jpg
Beautiful pup, Don I hope you can get in a Chucker hunt. Getting old ain’t for sissy’s
 
Pretty pup. How did she do for retreiving? My little Fr Britt is hit or miss at retreiving unless it's a cripple and/or duck on water (go figure). But she's always had Labs around for that work. My now six year old goofy black Lab is also an upland hunting machine. A fantastic pointer and very close working. She's perfect for late season birds that are jumpy. And I'm getting up there in years too so it helps to have a clingy dog that works with me instead of me having to run after it. At home Ellie is equally "entertaining." Never had a Lab with so much personality. Fun with a capital F. She is unusual.20200410_120706.jpg
The mailman has arrived!
20210125_112007.jpg
Time for you to get up, Dad!
 
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Pretty pup. How did she do for retreiving? My little Fr Britt is hit or miss at retreiving unless it's a cripple and/or duck on water (go figure). But she's always had Labs around for that work. My now six year old goofy black Lab is also an upland hunting machine. A fantastic pointer and very close working. She's perfect for late season birds that are jumpy. And I'm getting up there in years too so it helps to have a clingy dog that works with me instead of me having to run after it. At home Ellie is equally "entertaining." Never had a Lab with so much personality. Fun with a capital F. She is unusual.View attachment 187255
The mailman has arrived!
View attachment 187254
Time for you to get up, Dad!
Haven't started him on retrieving yet. Got him back from my son at 9+ mos, problem with his girlfriend I think. Didn't have any birds, got wiped out by cats last fall. Just recently got new birds going and don't see a retrieving problem. Will force him if I need to. Right now he drag's me in every dead thing he can find!
 
Sometimes I wish I'd have bought in Ashwood. More isolated than Antelope and all the traffic going by this time of year drives me nut's. I enjoy going out to Prineville out of Ashwood. Have hunted grouse a lot out that way but have only found them on private property and then not a lot. I like that back road out to Madras also comes out at the prison. But I think it's mostly private too. Follow the road out to the right turn to Madras and turn left. Go past the ranch and there's a lake down there I'd love to fish but owner only lets employees fish it I've heard. Beautiful country all over out there though!
 
I think that area has some of the best looking mule deer country around. The ranches we grew up hunting have been sold or leased for big money, been a few years since I hunted in there.
 
Haven't started him on retrieving yet. Got him back from my son at 9+ mos, problem with his girlfriend I think. Didn't have any birds, got wiped out by cats last fall. Just recently got new birds going and don't see a retrieving problem. Will force him if I need to. Right now he drag's me in every dead thing he can find!
Haha that’s funny. That’s one big hole in my GSPs game, she’s missing a strong natural retrieve. She’ll find it, pick it up and maybe walk a few steps in the right direction and then seems to say I’ve got better things to do and runs off. She’s going back to a friend for FF end of the month.
 
I'm similar to OP, my first season and her (1 yo Britt) first season. We've been going for Gambel's quail up in an area that is reliably productive year after year. Right now my pup is a great hunter.... of grasshoppers.... This area is currently overwhelmed with grasshoppers the size of crawdads that are about 1-3 every sq ft. She chases them like crack that jumps and hops. Hasn't displayed a single bit of interest in looking for a bird while their around. Did great in training and was already working on steady to fall after 3 months, so I know she has the drive.

Anyone else have a similar issue with their pups? I'm holding off on going back out until the area gets a good sustained freeze to knock those grasshoppers down and see how she does without that irresistible distraction.
 
I'm similar to OP, my first season and her (1 yo Britt) first season. We've been going for Gambel's quail up in an area that is reliably productive year after year. Right now my pup is a great hunter.... of grasshoppers.... This area is currently overwhelmed with grasshoppers the size of crawdads that are about 1-3 every sq ft. She chases them like crack that jumps and hops. Hasn't displayed a single bit of interest in looking for a bird while their around. Did great in training and was already working on steady to fall after 3 months, so I know she has the drive.

Anyone else have a similar issue with their pups? I'm holding off on going back out until the area gets a good sustained freeze to knock those grasshoppers down and see how she does without that irresistible distraction.
Pretty typical for a pup when they are looking for action. They make good entertainment out of anything when there isn’t bird scent. Grasshoppers, leaves in the wind, snowflakes and definitely dicky birds. Make sure you work with the pup in the yard with wings and keep the praise and excitement going when they do it right. Sometimes I just have to relax and laugh it off when the birds are not cooperating and the dog finds a new temporary hobby. As they get older and more obsessed they usually focus better. Good luck and enjoy the ride!
 
I'm similar to OP, my first season and her (1 yo Britt) first season. We've been going for Gambel's quail up in an area that is reliably productive year after year. Right now my pup is a great hunter.... of grasshoppers.... This area is currently overwhelmed with grasshoppers the size of crawdads that are about 1-3 every sq ft. She chases them like crack that jumps and hops. Hasn't displayed a single bit of interest in looking for a bird while their around. Did great in training and was already working on steady to fall after 3 months, so I know she has the drive.

Anyone else have a similar issue with their pups? I'm holding off on going back out until the area gets a good sustained freeze to knock those grasshoppers down and see how she does without that irresistible distraction.
Are you able to shoot a bird and show her what scent you’re looking for? That always helped me to get the hunt started when she was figuring it out
 
Awesome, thanks for the response. Makes me feel better than I'm not crazy. I think I'll see if one of the guys in the local QF chapter can help me with putting her on some singles at their property
 

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