Reminiscing this afternoon

[Uptonogood]

I had a PM from a FF forum friend wondering if I made the transfer here. It was great to hear from another old timer who has shared bird hunting and hunting dog posts I’ve enjoyed. He knows that a great hunting experience isn’t number of birds Taken but, rather, the joy of the walking, following a good dog who’s doing the hard work. He has a new partner now to assume those duties. I envy his joy watching the dog’s development from puppy to novice to journeyman and finally skilled teammate partner.

I no longer live in the PNW so I won’t get another Lab to pick up duties from my dog, Grits, dead two years now. Florida just isn’t a good Lab place and the bird hunting sucks on even a great day. Oh, well, I bird hunted 52 years, harvest 18 upland species and 23 waterfowl species. I was blessed to go afield in six States and four foreign countries. I can’t complain. But I hope there will be many bird hunting posts with neat dogs and great narratives.

I miss the waterfowl, band tails and ruffed grouse of the Wet Side and the quail, pheasants and chukar from Dry Side. I ‘m hoping there is still public land to hunt up that way and good dogs and sportsen/women to hunt it.