|
Bend Oregon Newspapers
To Dog Or Not To Dog
By
Charles O. Stevens III
Opening the door on the crooked old cabin required a firm
kick, the first breath of musty air rewarded me with memories. The
hunting camp was built by my Great Grandfather Charles I in 1902. The
old place resembled a block of swiss cheese with all of the knot holes.
It was best described as a structure you could toss a live cat through.
This is the very northern tip of
New Hampshire,
from where a little careless wondering would place you illegally in
Quebec, Canada. This was a rare day where the weather was kind with the
warm sun pouring down through brightly colored leaves. Though it didn’t
matter much we were young and fool hardy, a blizzard couldn’t keep us
from bird hunting.
These early dogless hunts required countless miles of
walking in an attempt to increase the odds of startling a grouse to
flush for a quick shot. Even with the raw strength of youth we would
often return dragging our feet completely discouraged even with an odd
sense of humiliation. On one of these fruitless return trips a friend
talked of a dog he had seen that was trained to stop and hold still at
the first scent of a bird, other wise known as a point. Then giving you
time to move in and flush the bird for a thoughtful chance at a shot.
From that day on I became consumed with the idea of a bird dog.
Convincing my sweet mother of this need proved impossible. I would have
to wait until I was out of the house and then out of college.
The day after graduation I bought a bird dog that was only
good for barking and running away. Only after the pain of this was I
motivated to read every book I could find on the subject of pointing
dogs and how to train them. I went on to look for a dog that was bred
for close ranging, it is very difficult to manage a dog that wants to be
a half mile away all the time. I bought a German Shorthair and
immediately established a relationship with her, taking her every where
I went, this I believe made her hunt close enough that we could keep
tabs on each other, kind of like a partnership. Beginning by putting her
on as many birds as possible, and teaching her she couldn’t catch them,
she began pointing. It’s been said “No birds no bird dog.” Actually she
began pointing every fly and grasshopper on my property. This was a sign
of a strong pointing instinct which would only encourage me for all of
the training yet to come. Just ten to twenty minutes every evening was
all it took, consistency is key. In my case when my wife’s favorite show
Maternity Ward came on that was my time for training, so out the door I
would go. It is said “ The man who is out his front door has completed
half the journey.” When you greet your kenneled pointer he will always
be a notch happier to see you than your own family.
An excellent source of information on bird dogs in general is
The Pointing Dog Journal and The Upland Almanac. If you have any
question feel free to e-mail me at yankeewest@primetime.net. Good luck
with some of the most rewarding hard work you will ever do.
Outdoor Search Resource
Welcome to the Rangerrob Outdoor Search Information Resource site. Find all types of outdoor activities and places. Animals Online Search Resource
Welcome to animal online find. Featuring a complete search tool for all your your Wildlife searches and data. Shopping.com Online Mall
Shopping.com is a full service online shopping mall. Featuring great deals and discounts everyday. Investments Online Extreme Search Center
Welcome to the Investments Online Search Center. A fun and exiting secured Informational website on investing. Food Search Resource
Welcome to the food search online, Featuring all types of food, recipes, dishes and resources. A fast and reliable searvice. Golden Palace Online Casino
Welcome to the Golden Palace Online Gambling Casino. A safe and secure website. Play for fun or for real Money. Sports Online Find
Welcome to Sports Online Search. Featuring searches for football, baseball,soccer, Boxing, hockey and field sports. Poker Online Search Engine
A full resource for search for online Poket, Casinos, Bingo and Sports betting. Bookmark us today. Social Security Resource
Social Security Search Resource. Find SSN information and answer your department questions. Games, Gaming and Gamers Online
Welcome to the Online Gaming Extreme Search Resource. Featuring Games, PC, PS2 and X Box Information and Downloads. Fashion Online
Find Fashion, Bridal, Baby supplies and Lingerie sites. A complete shopping tool. Business Online Search
Welcome to Business Online search and Information Center. A complete search engine tool. Weather Online Search
Welcome to Weather Online Seach and Information Resource Center. Featuring a full search of weather related issues. Tax and Taxes Online Search Resource
Welcome to the Tax and Taxes Online Search Resource Center. A full search tool for business and personal.
Add Your Site!
| 
