So that they'd associate their new "kennel on wheels" with a postive experience from their first time riding in it, I took the dogs this past weekend to one of their favorite places: The Ringneck Ranch in Hanover, Mich. The dogs and I have done some guiding at "the Ranch" so we have privileges to run there after the customers have left for the day. (See video of when I picked up the dog trailer here.)
My 14-year-old son and 10-year-old son went too. In fact, dad didn't even take his gun from the case. I'm not saying it was easy walking away from the truck without the over/under. When the first bird flushed, going up behind us, I had to suppress my instinct to grab the single-shot out of the hands of my 10-year old who happened to be closest to me. The pheasant sailed unscathed into the field in front of us. A few minutes later, it held momentarily for a point and presented a fairly long shot opportunity for my 14-year-old son. I watched as he kept the barrel moving through his shot, sending the hen on a fluttering trajectory into a patch of foxtail between sorghum rows.
The dogs worked well, there were plenty of leftover birds and the boys ended up bagging two pheasants that were dutifully retrieved by the wirehairs.
The dogs enjoyed their first outing in the new trailer.
Watching the boys develop bird hunting skills, and more importantly, sensing them developing an appreciation of dog work and a love of bird hunting, made this one of dad's all-time favorite hunts.
After-hunt photo:
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