Journal and Pictures from Hunting (some training)
                       October, 2006 - into 2007  

   Oct 14 Taffey, Kooly and Daisy ran three cold blinds at Brian's and then worked on steady to wing, shot and
              fall = this is review for Taffey and Kooly while not quite finished up with Daisy = initial training was
              chaining verbal sit, whistle sit, sit to flush and sit to shot which means any single one of those means
              sit, this was done long before any real hunting, today's field drill consisted of two remote wingers
              loaded with Dokkens, using the different "cues" for sit, the dogs move through the cover individually
              and the various "commands" are "explained"
                       note: the dogs are not in a walk-up mode, they are searching and the flush is as if by another
                                dog, the focus is on the standard which is to respond correctly to any of the four
                                "commands" meaning sit
                       note: Taffey and Kooly were solid in all ways
                       note: Daisy had a short controlled break on the first "flush", but was flawless the rest of the drill
                       note: all three did extremely well on the blinds, Kooly was the most precise using the least
                                number of whistles & Daisy was just wonderful for the short time she has been running
                                blinds, very good initial lines carried far and the few casts she needed were literal and
                                accurate, she lined the short 100 yd one - wow! 

  Oct 15 (afternoon) Daisy, Taffey and Kooly - wearing a vest were "kenneled up" in the Kwick Hide near the
             Square Pond, listened to duck & goose calling, I shot a primer pistol a few times & each ran a cold blind
             (I was in a "camo" layout chair .)
                   note: standards were - stay in hide, lay down, don't move and be quiet
                   note; Daisy's session lasted 45 minutes and she was perfect
                   note: Taffey's session was 30 min. & received effective corrections for occasional whining - very good
                   note: Kooly was given five singles in the pond first as he rolled in something nasty a few days ago
                            and was still not very sweet smelling, he did a 30 minute session in the hide & received a few
                            corrections for whining
                   note: all three were relaxed with their heads down most of the time
  Oct 16 organized ND trip inventory & rain came late, ATV trailer back Wednesday each dog spent 4-5 minutes
             on the "whoa barrel" (inside)
                   note: Daisy was first and acted very skittish at first, wanted to sit, but stayed up and began to
                            relax...read = "I'm OK with this......if you are."
                   note: Kooly was very intimidated at first and just barely tolerated it at the end read = "Woe is
                            me!....when will this be over?"
                   note: Taffey didn't like it a bit, but was willing to work with me.....read = "I know what whoa
                             is........what's with the thing?"
  Oct 17 (morning) Daisy had a short "stint" on the whoa barrel = first on the carpeted side & then it was rotated
             to a smooth plastic side
                    note: on the carpeted side she became comfortable quickly, too much so that she was lifting her
                             feet, so "upped the ante" , within about a minute she figured out moving her feet was not a
                             good idea on the "slippery" side (not upset - just more careful), she's learning quickly
             (afternoon) walking singles at the Rockton Road DTA (evening) clean out van for trip  

    Oct 18 (morning) trained at Brian's - all three dogs ran three cold blinds using orange bumpers (175, 185 &
               161 yards) left blind = angle crossing a grassy erosion strip, through a bean field and finally up on
               top of a rise (second erosion strip), right blind = angle across an erosion strip, across heavy cover for
               about 50 yards, angle entry and exit of short grass wedge to another section of heavy cover, exiting
               this there is a small draw of grass & then up to the edge of a corn field, middle longest blind = angle
               entry to heavy cover and exits across a grassy path and crosses a wide garden strip, then crosses the
               corner of the bean field and finally on the other side of an erosion strip the bumpers are up against
               the corn field  (ran the 1st & 3rd from the left side, 2nd from the right)
                                                                      (left click on thumbnails for full view)

                       note: Kooly was first, "mo" steady and precision was terrific, he is the easiest of the three to
                                run blinds with - nice job
                       note: Taffey scalloped the first about four times (as usual to the right), the right and middle
                                blinds were crisp and fast
                       note: Daisy was straight with no hunting, fast off the line, took literal casts very well, she sat
                                very patiently and waited for each cast, first two were extremely good, the last one I lost
                                her right at the end when I misjudged the depth, but she never hunted and took all my
                                casts (even though 4 or 5 were wrong), she never gave up and kept at it until I sorted it
                                out, very responsive even when at long distances - neat pup!
               (afternoon) tried to get some "roading" early = rain delay, later it let up and we got about three miles
               in when it started raining again = with a mile and half back to the van..........I GOT WET! "roaded" 4½
               miles & the dogs seemed to love running in the rain, Daisy moves out much farther than the other two
                        note: Kooly is getting a small hot spot low on front right leg, sprayed with Bactine - tastes nasty
  Oct 19  (early morning) ran all three dogs on a blind at Blonhaven = for Kooly and Taffey it was a pattern blind
              from last year, for Daisy it was a cold blind
                        note: Daisy did a really nice job ("cheaty cover")     
             (morning) guide/train for client at Blonhaven Hunt Club at 8:00 am - eight birds release & help work
             his 16 month old pup on them one bird at a time
             (afternoon) short notice guide - eight bird release = ran Taffey in area #1 & all the birds were running
             in heavy, weed choked sorghum, Taffey's nose was a bit raw and so was the skin around her eyes,
             great shape and ran hard in the heavy cover for three hours
                         note: afterwards - ATV up to areas 11 & 12 to put in four miles of "roading" with Daisy and Kooly
                         note: fed when we got home, moving feeding time up so that when we hunt in ND, they will
                                  eat soon enough to "recover" for the next day, Taffey will get the main work with Kooly
                                  doing a good share, Daisy will be "spot" hunted where we can avoid any tough issues
  Oct 20 day off of Taffey & Kooly, made "box" to stack Ainley crates in Steve's truck 
             (evening) Daisy ran four walking singles and two long cold blinds at the Rockton Road DTA, charge
             all collars & unthaw goose
                         note: Daisy stepped on all the marks and confidently ran the two
                                  blinds, Wow! she likes running blinds as much as marks
             (evening) work with hide in living room (flaps are on and new)   
  Oct 21 (morning) Daisy, Kooly and Taffey ran 150 yard cold blind with a 9 pound goose (the ATV sure makes
             planting the blind a lot easier = all three ran very nice initial lines & Daisy two whistled it, after the
             blind "roaded" 3 miles with the ATV
                         note: trained at BT's
                                                                         (left click on thumbnails for full view)

  Oct 22 rain early = load van, trailer & Marsh Rat for the trip, leave for Steve's at 2:30 pm  
  Oct 23 off very early to North Dakota for the week  
  Oct 29 limped back home at about 7:00 pm.........I'm beat
  Oct 30-31 R&R for all
  Nov  1 finally recovered enough to resume the journal.......Wow....what a trip.....if I'm
             five years younger and thirty pounds lighter next year........I might go back  
                 with the area new for the experienced ND hunters in our group the trip turned
             basically into a scouting trip, saw lots of duck and geese with plenty of water to
             use, but we were never in exactly the right place at the right time, on Friday we
             found huge numbers of geese and mallards with no time to really target them
                   note: dogs had little real action, Kooly never had one retrieve, Taffy and
                            Daisy had two cold blinds apiece........both were nice, the trip was
                            very disappointing in terms of getting the dogs experience
                   note: Taffey had a long cold blind on a crippled goose which she brought
                             back with no trouble, Daisy's first duck was a blind retrieve of a big
                            "Bull" Canvasback - will always remember these two retrieves          
                   note: the place we stayed at worked out well and was inexpensive, also
                            learned that field hunting....often....with no birds....is very "not fun"
                   note: not much time spent chasing pheasants 
  Nov 2-3 slackers' holiday, couldn't run tower shoot on Friday - appointment with lawyer
  Nov 4 Taffey & Kooly ran a guided hunt at Blonhaven..Taffey did the first three hours
            alone and Kooly came out to run with her the last hour, clients were father and
            young son (13 years old). both were excellent shots and knew how to read a
            dog's work on birds, Taffey got in a bunch of nice points and handled the running
            birds flawlessly (released pheasants, chukars and huns) with 19 birds up and 17
            in the bag, quite a few of the birds were running & with wind blowing at 25+ mph
            the shooting had to be exceptional (another group had 13 birds up and bagged 3)
            two dogs working as a team at the end seemed to work nicely at the end, Taffey
            continues to do a very solid job of covering the cover for both hunters & somehow
            manages to point or switch over to putting birds up that refuse to be pinned,
                   note: clients love Taffey
                   note: Taffey again had raw spots around both eyes and on her nose. Kooly
                            sliced his tongue on the sorghum and was bloody for most of his
                            hour (small cuts on the tongue produce much blood - not a serious
                            problem)
                   note: Taffey didn't loose one bird & had some really nice points, Kooly
                            pointed twice & in the heavy deep cover was not pushing birds so
                            hard as to flush them up out of range (he is a natural)
                   note: no time to run Daisy & she gets a full day to herself tomorrow
  Nov 5 day off for all
  Nov 6 Taffey & Kooly had another day off, Daisy worked in the yard on a push/pull
            two bumper lining drill - awesome effort
  Nov 7 "roaded" all three dogs in the bean field at the Square Pond DTA - three miles
            at about 12 mph
  Nov 8 "roaded" all three dogs in areas 12 west & east plus 11 a total of four miles,
            let them hunt cover and got into some birds, had to take a break half way
            through because it was 68° - heat and dry conditions got to them, some water
            and short "blow" got then to their second wind and all three finished strong
                    note: Kooly seemed to have the most problem & he has put on some
                             weight (cut back on his food), needs a chest protector
  Nov 9 day off
  Nov 10 tower shoot at Blonhaven Hunt Club - went early and ran Taffey, Kooly and
             Daisy on three blinds - then it started to rain = the tower shoot was cold, very
             windy and then the rain (not a very nice day to say the least!) Fortunately the
             thunder and lightning started up right after we were finished.
                    note: Taffey ran the first eight rounds and Kooly did the last four, not many
                             retrieves as the gunners racked up the worst percentage of any
                             previous "Euro" at Blonhaven 
  Nov 11 day off
  Nov 12 two "Euro" shoots at Blonhaven - Daisy worked the first one and was really hot
             for the first three rounds, then she settled down and did fine, worked some on
             mouth issues........Kooly worked the second session, but went way to the north
             because the strong winds were carrying many pheasants beyond the normal
             stations.....Kooly did not get a huge number of birds, but the marks were very
             long in tough cover......his marking was sharp and his behavior at the line was
             much improved........lots of watching, Taffey ran three blinds afterwards just for
             something to do (guided hunt coming up on Thursday for her - four clients with
             a "many bird" release)
  Nov 13 day off - goose hunting closed until the 20th
  Nov 14 Taffey, Kooly and Daisy ran a 200 yard cold blind & then "roaded" three fast
              miles at the Square Pond DTA bean field (damp, cold with a crisp breeze)
                    note: was going to "road" at BT's, but it looked like someone might be in
                             either scouting or bow hunting deer (not sure & didn't check)
                    note: many geese in the bean field down near the pond (no ice yet) &
                             after feeding on beans for the last few weeks they should be tasty        
  Nov 15 day off - Daisy in for yearly exam & shot updates = 3 yr Rabies, Dhp-Pv Booster,
              Lyme Booster, Leptovax 4 Booster, Bordetella & Fecal exam -- wt. 53 pounds
              all dogs given Interceptor 
  Nov 16 guide at Blonhaven (morning) - 36°, very winding and dry = only used Taffey
              15 bird release, 21 "opportunities" and 9 in the bag (tough shooting & very
              little experience), the birds did nothing but run A LOT, blockers & being quiet
              seem to work best
  Nov 17 guided hunt (afternoon) - three hunters & super conditions = 40°, slight breeze,
              cloudy with cool, moist air....scenting conditions were almost perfect and the
              birds were not nearly as spooky as yesterday, Taffey got in a lot of points and
              pretty much "cleaned" the fields (12 bird release, 24 birds up in range and 12
              bagged = shooting not all that great)
  Nov 18 trainer's morning deer hunt in WI = no deer, Taffey had the day off, Daisy and
              Kooly had a long session of "roading" at the Square Pond DTA, pond still not
              iced over & a bunch of geese are roosting there and feeding in the bean field,
              Monday goose season opens back up
  Nov 19 ran all three dogs on a "push/pull" two bumper lining drill (front yards at dusk)
                        note: vet thought Daisy looked like she might soon be in heat, didn't
                                 eat all her food yesterday or today (keep a close watch on her)
  Nov 20 day off for Kooly & Taffey, Daisy went along for a short afternoon goose hunt
              at the Square Pond bean field, set-up with 12 new Avery flocked head shells
              by 3:30 pm and the geese arrived at 4:15 Pm - dropped a nice one and with
              sunset being 4:30 pm picked up and went home (five minute drive)
                        note: Daisy had fun "dragging" this one back - 12 pounds
                        note: Daisy ate all her food tonight (appetite loss from shots ?)
  Nov 21 geese on the pond early in the morning.....gone at 11:00 am, check tonight, 
              but let the field rest a few days
              spent part of the day preparing the goose (after reading about methods of
              properly handling goose meat & many recipes - here's my own recipe), the
              "test" was....Would my two grandsons like it? Passed with a two thumbs up
              from both!
                                              "Big Bird Soup”

                         2 fresh breast fillets from a 12 pound goose
                         slice 8-9 times crosswise almost through
                         soak in white vinegar for about 45 minutes
                         squeeze and rinse well with cold water
                         marinade for 12 hours in orange juice
                         rinse in cold water, repeat marinade in fresh orange juice for
                               another 12 hours rinse & squeeze out as much of the
                               remaining blood as possible
                         complete slices producing about 16-18 smaller fillets, drain
                               well & pat dry
                         in a cast iron frying pan, brown both sides well in hot oil
                         place in Crock Pot
                         add 1 can of thick potato soup
                         add 1 can of chicken noodle soup
                         add ½ to ¾ cup of salsa (select desired “heat”)
                         add ¾ cup of white cooking wine
                         add 1 cup of white, peach flavored cranberry juice
                         add 1 cup of Coca-Cola
                         sprinkle with powdered garlic salt (how much - your choice)
                         add ground pepper (to personal taste)
                         add three table spoons of Teriyaki “baste & glaze” sauce

                         cook on low for five hours
                         using tongs remove fillets, slice each into four smaller chunks,
                               place back in the Crock Pot & cook on low for another 5 hrs
                         serve with crotons & fresh dill or add a thickener to make
                               a meaty gravy served over hot buttered toast
                         peas or broccoli and carrots may be added to leftovers (if any)
                                for a little different look & taste
                         It doesn’t take much more time to make a double batch, and you’ll
                                wish you had.
    Nov 22 "roaded" all three dogs at the bean field, six geese were on the pond at
                1:30 am, but most were over at Legend Lake
                    note: Kooly's small lick sores are getting better now that I've started
                             using EMT under vet wrap (Fortunately, he leaves it alone.)
    Nov 23  ran Daisy & Kooly on the two bumper "push/pull" drill in the yard,
                 Taffey got the day off, with Thanksgiving dinner running late...the short
                 WI deer hunt was scrapped, scout geese at dusk
    Nov 23  two guided hunts at Blonhaven (morning & afternoon), traditionally the
                club's busiest day of the year, Taffey did a 4 hour hunt in the morning
                and after a half-hour break did another 3½ hour hunt in the afternoon
                25 "opportunities" and 14 bagged & 28 "opportunities" and 18 bagged
                "non-native"    pheasants, chukars and huns
                    note: Taffey did her usual impressive job and was going strong right
                             to the end (this is the most time she has ever upland hunted in
                             one day) 53 birds handled correctly (lots of points & just as many
                             running birds) & 32 retrieves
                    note: new first today, a son brought his 80 year old father along to
                             hunt, with congestive heart issues (30% functioning) we ended
                             up moving him to the end of each "drive" as a blocker sitting
                             on a chair, Taffey hit two beautiful points right in front of him
                             and he shot both pheasants & another flushed wild ahead of
                             us close enough for him to drop, his son was very happy
                             as they figured this might be his last time to go hunting & I was
                             excited that we even got the chances for him to get off a few
                             shots........"let alone" knock some down
                    note: scouted for geese at dusk & drove 35 miles = zero activity
   Nov 24 day off for dogs, invited for a field hunt with big set-up = lots of geese, but
               not finishing....three of us bagged two geese for the morning hunt
                    note: geese back on the Square Pond in the late morning & will scout
                             at dusk again tonight = empty

   Nov 25 trained Taffey, Kooly & Daisy at the Square Pond DTA in a bean field, ran 3
               remote line ATV singles (4 stickmen field) - primer pistol & hen pheasants
                    note: all ran excellent lines - gradual up-slope (shortest about 175 yards,
                             hen pheasant fairly easy to see if on line)
                    note: short sleeves = 58º & cloudy with no breeze (nice!)
                    note: the three have been "roading" with the ATV for quite awhile & today
                             Taffey was the first to run = she was "amped" to run with me as I
                             left her on the place board (but she stayed), Kooly was even more so
                             ready to leave with me, but I stopped a couple of times, early, to
                             "remind" him to sit, Daisy was the worst at wanting to take off on
                             another "roading" session, after stopping to "remind" her to stay,
                             I took off for the first station. Looking back she slammed into a sit
                             pretending to be a good girl except she was about 15-20 yards off
                             the board (closer to me). An indirect pressure correction of sit/nick/sit
                             was given followed by a verbal "back" cast got her back on the board
                             quickly. She was fine after that.  All three require only the single
                             "place" cast for the return to the line. With the ATV and the length of
                             these marks I could get to the next station before they got back to the
                             line. When they reached the board, they were given a loud whistle
                             sit. They turn and sit facing me for the next mark, and the length of
                             time before "sending" them is varied quite a bit. The place board
                             plays a very important role in making them very solid with this
                             routine.   

  Nov 26 day off - slacker trainer & scouted for geese......too warm = no movement
  Nov 27 "roaded" at the bean field = no geese present
  Nov 28 day off - couch potatoes & scouted for geese = not much
  Nov 29 day off - cold rain & scouted for geese = lots moving today
  Nov 30 guided hunt at Blonhaven Hunt Club - Taffey hunted for 2 ½ hours - 6 bird release = 15 birds
             handled correctly (many running, but several points), 6 in the bag (18º, 20+ mph and
             overcast = tough shooting day for new members)
  Dec  1  hibernate = 11" of snow, 20+ mph winds, single digit wind chill & heavy drifting 
                   note: today's job.......getting out to the road "only" took 4 ½ hours
                         note: late this afternoon scout for geese & check ponds for ice = no geese and lots of ice
  Dec  2 day off
  Dec  3 "Euro" Shoot at Blonhaven - cold and deep snow = Taffey did this shoot while the other two
              stayed in the van, deep snow had some birds getting completely buried and tough to find
  Dec  4 Taffey gets the day off & Kooly and Daisy spend the afternoon "roading" in a nearby bean
             field - only problem is the 11 inches of snow
                   note: "roading" mostly one area so as to "stir up" the deep snow & attract geese (in theory)  
                   note: Daisy decided it was "dominate" Kooly day and would not leave him alone, she's too
                            quick for Kooly to "get" and she would not listen to me, back to the van and kenneled
                            her up after a  very "vigorous discussion", she did not respond very well until I got her
                            down on her back, "roaded" them separately, usually she has the collar on  
                   note: Daisy seemed unaffected by the correction episode, but it is clear that when "push comes
                            to a big shove" there is still some question in her mind about being totally responsive
                            THEREFORE, the OB expectations and standards must be "upped" another notch - she's
                            cute, but very, very tough to deal with when she gets in her "manic" screwing around
                            mode = no more "loose without a collar" situations     
   Dec 5 day off for the dogs again, scouted the bean field this afternoon AND there were at least a couple
             of hundred geese feeding - Theory is a Law now  
                   note: they were gone by 4:30 pm (right after sunset) so I'll set up in the
                            morning and wait, will use only a couple dozen decoys
                   note: some of the geese were packed into a line 5 yards wide and about
                            75 yards long (like they found a row which was a "soy bean trough")
   Dec 6 Today was Daisy's first true goose hunt...,,,.....hide, snow and all. She was terrific!

             We arrived at the bean field at 6:30 am and set out only 12 flocked shells along a row of un-harvested
             soybean plants. It was about 80 yards from the area broken up by my ATV a couple of days ago.  Daisy
             was tucked into the hide and everything was covered with two white sheets. I  wore my white field
             trial jacket over my "camo".  Geese started arriving about 7:30 am, but they were landing down near
             the pines about 200 yds away and too close to the road. Two other small groups "buzzed" over once
             and disappeared. With more to show, I passed on one long shot.

             More geese were heard and then again nothing. Glancing to my right, I could see the "decoys". Wait
             a minute those aren't my decoys.......they are walking south about 70 yards away. I moved, and they
             flew off with no shots. About a half hour later, there were more geese sounds behind me and then
             nothing. Sitting up and turning around, I spotted several heads sticking up from the rise behind us.

             Crouched down on my knees and dressed in white, I inched forward.......very slowly. They didn't seem
             to notice me until about at 50 yards a sentry stretch her neck up. She jumped and then everyone
             jumped. Why did I opt for improved cylinder today? I dropped the sentry (barely).  She was angry,
             lively and running, but 11 inches of snow slowed her down some. 

             Calling Daisy out of the hide (where she stayed nicely during my sneak), she came flying. I cast her
             toward the goose........but now she was just standing there in the snow. Daisy must have thought it
             was a decoy because she ignored her.  She kept looking for a bird. Each time the goose moved or
             ran, Daisy was looking elsewhere, and each time the goose stopped she'd look over (at the "decoy").
             It would have made a great cartoon. Finally, she ran when Daisy was looking and the "light went on".
             Daisy bowled her over and soon brought the goose back.

             She was banded!  One more goose wouldn't make the day any better........so we quit. The geese can
             feed the rest of today, and more dropped into the field as we were leaving.

             update: The he was changed to she when the USGS Banding Certificate arrived.
                          female hatched in 1998 or earlier & banded July 1999 at Thunder Bay, Ontario  
             note: At 3:30 pm (this afternoon) about forty geese were feeding right where we
                      had set-up. 
                                                                        (left click on thumbnails)

    Dec 7 very cold with bitter wind chills, small bunch off geese in field...PM
    Dec 8 at 10:00 am only ten geese in the field, warmer, but only in the teens with a wind chill near zero, at
              11:00 am ran some geese off and raked out two bare bare spots (10 yds diameter) in the bean field
              to give it a more inviting look, went back at 1:00 pm to hunt and about forty geese were feeding
              (not where I raked), after setting up took ATV back to the truck and was about two minutes short of
              getting tucked into the blind when a bunch of geese showed up, IF I had made a really good shot,  
              nothing much after that except one group that made a single pass and took off, wind chill near zero
              made it tough to stick it out until sunset & almost got full blown frost bite on one finger when picking
              up, tomorrow much warmer with a high near forty
    Dec 9 four finger tips on left hand are "tingling" this morning (slight frost bite)
                    note: not going out today, 2:00 pm probably 400 geese in the bean field
                             and spread ALL OVER in smaller family groups
    Dec 10 set-up early farther south in the field, with two groups of mallards (18 and 12) up on the high part
               and goose decoys in two families down lower (left a 100 yards between them) and put layout up
               from the geese with plenty of room for another "family group" to set down I placed lot of decoys
               on their "bellies" with no stakes to look different. The geese liked the mallards so much that they
               were determined to land farther up in the field..........decided to move the layout position. As I stood
               up, 15-20 geese committed to the duck decoy area and were starting a swing. They must have
               been so mesmerized by the "duck deeks"...they never saw me. At twenty yards out and only about
               20 yards high, they were coming straight to me. I picked one out and shot. No need to pick out another
               one....two dropped. I was done and  Daisy had two retrieves. More geese kept landing as I tried to
               get out of the field as quickly as possible. The original plan was to have a group target my position
               by putting decoys "everywhere" worked. These are not "migrators", educated and feed in families.
               Therefore, they are looking for their own space or "landing zone" (in theory).  
                            note: Daisy was just perfect....again quiet and patient. One goose put up a fight (which she
                                     enjoyed). Afterwards while I was picking up, she got away with chasing off a
                                     bunch & gave me the "How come you aren't shooting?"................look.  
                                      note: left house at 6:30 am, set-up by 7:44 am and really sweating, home
                                     at 9:30 am, no issues with left fingers
                             note: last day of deer in Wisconsin, afternoon drove up to Steve's and
                                      finished the day in a tree........nothing was moving

   Dec 11 rainy day, did some scouting & took the day off
   Dec 12 Kwick goose hunt in the bean field with Daisy. The snow was going fast and with the fog, they'd be
               coming in really low. Threw three decoys down and sat in what little snow was left wearing one of
               my Tyvak stickmen "suits" (the one with Doc-E on the back). Geez, it was muddy, so I walked in light.
               The plan was changed after a couple of "familes" checked out the decoys and only made one swing.
               Not sure but just three decoys must have not been very inviting.

               So I left the decoys where they were and moved up the rise to another small patch of snow. The new
               plan was to take advantage of the "swing". The next group approached the field at 60 plus yards up,
               but when they started their swing they flew to "being right in range" on the rise. The rise made them
               unwittingly drop down and it worked.

               A good rule for hunting pheasants is "You only have to fool them once". I guess it applies to geese, too.
               After "whacking" this one for Daisy, we left and didn't educate any more.

   Dec 13  take trailer to welder for minor repair to front brackets, work on getting Website back on line
   Dec 14 trip to O'Hare Airport - boys to New Orleans for two weeks = day off for dogs
   Dec 15 couch potato day
   Dec 16 "roaded" all three dogs at the bean field in the late afternoon = 4 miles total with quick water breaks
               after each mile, ran three separate ½ mile sprints at 20 mph with Daisy keeping up, Kooly in hot
               pursuit and Taffey pacing herself
                    note: all were well within themselves at 4 miles & not tired (37º helped)
                    note: they really like the ATV sessions
   Dec 17 "roaded" Taffey, Kooly and Daisy for three miles at dusk - including 3 half mile sprints at 20 mph in
               the grassy lane (no water breaks until finished)
                    note: all handled this with ease
   Dec 18 trained in the bean field, remote winger doubles for all three dogs
                    note: 85 yards and 125 yards with Dokkens plus primer report
   Dec 19 day off
   Dec 20 bought 10 chukars at Toubl's Game Farm ($75)

                (early afternoon) "roaded" all three dogs 2 miles at BT's & planted 2 chukars for Daisy & just barely
                beat the rain, first chukar buried too deep and got a short five second point = she jumped in and
                caught it momentarily, then it flew away, the next chukar was planted behind a wall of cover and
                this one went much better, resulting in a 25 second point, not too bad for the first pointing chances
                since she was 6 months old, had time to get the camera out and take a few snapshots, this chukar
                was a very poor flyer and just managed to flutter away, after putting Daisy away, Kooly was sent on
                a blind retrieve and brought back  the chukar still alive
                    note: (to self) plant the rest of these chukars "easy" and in very little cover  
                    note: Daisy's point was immediate and solid, no creeping or tail movement (and I really like her
                             high tail), she's too close, but it is a cross wind & the bird is actually off to her left and
                             slightly in front near the green area
                    note: the main thing is she points! and we still have eight chukars to go

   Dec 21 rained all day, but had to air Brian's dogs so Daisy ran a couple of long blinds, no chukars today  
                   note: she wasn't very "straight", need to work on this = maintenance!                   
   Dec 22 rain and thunderstorms all day - day off
   Dec 23 all three dogs ran a pattern blind (new for Daisy & review for Kooly and Taffey,
                   note: 130 yards, Daisy ran it four times and the other two - twice (at Sq. Pd.)
               drove to the Rockton Road DTA and planted 2 chukars for Daisy (one at a time)
                   note: today's first chukar (3rd in the sequence) was in short cover and out in the open, point better
                            distance than first two chukars (not the best place) the second chukar today was planted in
                            better cover and near a tree, the wind was strong out of the west and as she worked straight
                            back toward me, caught the scent suddenly, made a sharp turn to her left and hit this point
                            (plenty of time to adjust camera for close and long shots, even in the excitement of the
                            moment, I think the count was about 20 seconds)
                   note: both chukars flew away (six left at home) 
                   note: things were improved today, extremely "amped" with her pointing drove back to the
                            Square Pond DTA & "roaded" all 3 = easy 2 miles              

   Dec 24 Taffey & Kooly day off, Daisy ran the new pattern blind after a session of three spoke wagon wheel
               lining (left and right side with push & pull), drove to BT's and did three chukars
                   note: number five was a long, solid point & the bird got up, ran and flew off
                   note: number six was really in too deep of cover, nice long point, but  Daisy got some feathers
                            before it flew off
                   note: Everything went wrong with chukar seven - 1) two neighbor Labs came into the field and
                            started barking as they got closer, 2) the normal round about path was cut short, 3) this
                            resulted in a much smaller scent cone, 4) this bird was not fully recovered from dizzying
                            and finally 5) Daisy practically ran over the bird on her cross wind run. She froze into a
                            point right on top of it. One bird too many!  
                   note: each point had her closer to the bird (back with two a day, a break to "cool off" and get 
                            back in balance)                     

   Dec 25  (at dusk) ran the two long pattern blinds at Roscoe's Rock River Park with all three dogs, 32º with a 15
                mph wind out of the north (cross wind & head wind), (evening) "whoa" barrel with Daisy
                     note: all three were very "zippy" off the line & then fast/straight
                     note: scouted for geese, feeding late in corn
                     note: received an interesting photo this week