Northwoods Bird Camp 2010 Day 6

I just realized that it has already been one week ago today that I started out on this journey to the North woods. Six days have flown by! Madison (now Sadie) and Copper have already been with their new families for a week and I still miss them! Kenai (now, Madison) has been with her new family for just 3 days. I hear all is going well with all of them.  I hear Snake is doing great as well. 🙂

Today was a beautiful day and I was pleased to get into some nice cover and birds!  I keep venturing out to new areas that I have never hunted before. I put no birds in the bag today and many of the birds today were never seen–only heard at a distance. It was very thick cover, but the dogs did fantastic. They had some beautiful points and some really incredible dog work. Jess, Jenna, Count, Luke, Midge, Boone, and Mia had points on birds. Fantastic, I say. Sorry I didn’t put any in the bag, partners! I have found it difficult to be able to get photos in these areas and sometimes I don’t even take the camera. My vest is way too heavy, the cover thick and nasty, the action fast and furious, and just handling the gun is challenge enough! I do look forward to being able to hunt with others in a few weeks so I can just forget carrying a gun and get some great photos of the dogs on point.

I feel awful that I didn’t get to work the rest of the dogs. It is hard to get all the chores done, get all of the dogs out in the morning, get organized, and out the door at a reasonable hour. I had to go to town for gasoline and must have sat in line waiting for 30 minutes! I can’t just squeeze into one of the middle spots, either so had to wait quite a while.

There are bear hunters and bear dogs everywhere! They all look like they are having a grand time driving along with their “strike” dogs on top of the dog boxes. I love seeing all the dog-rigs they use and seeing all the dogs. I’ve seen men, women, and children all participating–they look like they are having a great time!

I was able to get the puppies out for a nice, long run in a remote, quiet area with a nice long trail thru all types of cover. They are really something else. They run along and catch scent of something and have no fear at all to go investigate this new interesting smell. All three of them run with such style and confidence, high-headed and sassy–I love it! I love when I can find a spot like this to get them out for a nice run. At the farm, I really am no longer comfortable getting them out much. They are quite bored with the yard area and want to investigate the high grass, the driveway out to the road, and the dangers beyond. I need a three-dog leash!  They take off in a flash, with one going one way and one the other way! It scares me and I am really appreciating (and missing) our 1-acre fenced-in yard at home in PA for the safety of these puppies.

In other news, the breeding between Nashua and Brier did not take place. I fear I waited too long (I was so busy the last few days before I left) to breed her and when it was finally attempted, she wanted no part of the ordeal. So no Nashua and Brier puppies this time around.

Jenna is in heat! I will work her as much as possible over the next few days because then the poor girl will have to stay quite underfoot and in the box until her heat is over. The boys already know–and have for several days before I could figure it out and see the signs–and are being irritable and standoffish with one another. I don’t like to have a gal in heat on a trip. It’s hard on everyone–the bitch is miserable, the dogs are miserable, and they are all in one giant divided box together and it really must make them all insane. Poor things!

Have a great weekend, everyone!