Submitted by: Kirby on Feb 11, 2009
I wish I could have gotten him out earlier for pheasants. He is 13 months old now.
As you know, he did perfectly well during dove season at 9 months old, retrieving a few doves and several pigeons.
Well, we finally made it out this weekend for pheasants and he did great. Each retrieve was like lightning and brought directly to hand. On one of the retrieves I shot the bird and he flew about 300 yards and then just fell 75 feet from the sky and bounced. I had told Belew "No Bird!" because I didn't think the bird was hit and he stopped. When I saw the bird drop I said "Git him" and he ran to the area and located the bird and brought it right to me. It was magnificent!
He stops at whoa when hens fly or shots are missed, quarters(comes around) with almost imperceptable double tweets on the whistle. I wish we had the moisture we got today, because it was drier out east than I've ever seen it. He had a tough time smelling them and they were getting up at 30 yards(I'm glad I switched to a full choke), so, he didn't really get any chances to flush or point, but he knew what he was doing.
He is a machine in the field, but, tests me around the house. Maybe I should have had you house train him too! Not really. He's a joy. He just loves to play.
I cannot thank you enough for training me such a WONDERFUL partner. He's with me all of the time, and everything you've done shines through each and every day.
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You Rick!!!!!
Happy New Year
Kirby
Englewood, CO