Traveling Pointing Dogs

Vince has a friend named John, who has a deer hunting lease in central Kansas, that hasn’t been bird hunted in several years. He invited Vince and me to bring our dogs to hunt. This is in an area that hasn’t had any rain for a couple of months. The ponds were all dry and most had grass growing in them. One pond even had a boat lying close. It will be a while before that gets used.

John and Vince flushing a single that was pointed by Ally.

Allie pointing a single.

Frost on Maggie’s back.

I met Vince and John at our motel and we had breakfast before heading to the lease. We had all left early to get to the motel by 9:30 am. After a good breakfast we headed for the lease.

I had all of my dogs, even Bodie. He is still recuperating from his broken leg so he can’t hunt. He jumped to catch a pigeon on a low hanging limb and landed wrong. He has been in a cast for a little over two weeks. Tuesday, January 4, he should get the cast off. He has to spend most of the time in the dog box in the truck but I walk him several times a day on a leash. Actually, I hold the leash as he runs circles around me. He really wants to go but I can’t let him, yet. I’m ready for the cast to be off, too.

I tied Bodie out while I put e-collars and GPS collars on Abby, Boss, Mann and Sally, then put him back in the box. We started toward some CRP and just barely got close when a rooster pheasant flushed about 40 yards in front of us without giving us a shot. But it did get our hearts to beating.

We went into the CRP and started toward a hay field. Well out in front of us a covey of quail flushed in three bunches. Besides Maggie, the English cocker spaniel, the only dogs out were my 4 and 3 of them were in the CRP to our right. That left only Mann. He may have flushed them by getting too close or they got up on their own. I don’t know. Vince said it was the biggest covey he had seen all year.

They flew into a wood lot near where we had parked the trucks. As we started toward them Sally pointed along the edge. Before we could get close 4 quail flushed. Still no shots.

We got all of the dogs into the wood lot. Some of the birds were buried in the tall grass and would hold real well and others flushed before we could get close. The trees and brush were where we didn’t hit a bird. And there were several shots. Sally, Abby and Mann all made points in the wood lot.

Sally pointing a single.

And Maggie, the English cocker spaniel, even made a point. Her first time ever. She has watched the other dogs point for several years and decided that was what she needs to do, I guess. Either that or she decided that we needed all the help we could get.

We walked through a huge CRP field and back to a pasture that had not been grazed down. We hunted through the pasture. A few times we had points but by the time we got to the dogs, whatever had been there had run out. We came back through the huge CRP field and when we got back close to the trucks the dogs went into the wood lot, again.

I saw Sally style up and knew she was backing. The GPS handheld vibrated showing Mann on point. Abby was right beside Sally backing and Boss was 10 yards behind them honoring. As I started toward Mann, Sally took a step. I told Vince to go ahead I was going to make sure the dogs stayed on their honor. I did take some pictures of the dogs while Vince and John were going to the pointing dogs.

After a little while Sally started to move and when I whoaed her Vince said he had released the pointing dogs. I let them all go and a few seconds later heard a couple of gunshots. Later Vince said a pair of quail had flushed about 35 yards in front of where the dogs were on point. We finished the first day with some dog work and no birds. Not a bad day.

Boss honoring.

The next day we started a little earlier than the day before. When we turned out my temperature gauge in the truck, said 12 degrees. Vince turned his German short haired pointer, Ally, out along with his English cocker spaniel, Maggie. I had walked Bodie a little way for his second walk of the day. I put him back in the box and turned the other 4 loose.

I had decided to just carry a camera, no gun. We started toward the large CRP field and Vince’s GPS handheld showed Ally on point in to the east of where we were headed. When we got to her, Vince and John walked in front with me well behind them. Two quail flushed and one dropped when Vince shot. John hit his bird really hard but it flew about 50 yards before going down.

All of the dogs came in and hunted really hard for the dead bird. Well all except Mann. He made a pass then went back to hunting. It must have hit the ground and run. Several times the dogs pointed then jumped in like they thought the bird was right in front of them. We never came up with the bird.

We started back through the large CRP field and Vince’s GPS handheld batteries were getting weak. Neither of us had extras with us so he headed back to the truck. He hadn’t gone far when my GPS handheld vibrated showing Mann on point a little over 180 yards out in the CRP. Vince told us to go ahead while he got his batteries. John and I started through the CRP.

Sally on point. Vince with Abby honoring.

This CRP has been in for several years and was really thick. Extremely hard to walk through. John and I were still 80 yards from Mann when we saw a covey of quail in the air. We watched where they flew. Almost where we had just been. Where the two other birds had been.

As we got close to the area a quail flushed 30 yards in front of John. And just a few seconds later another one flushed well out in front. John sent a shot at both of them but it would have been a long shot if he had of connected. Vince came back from getting the batteries and joined us.

We worked the area where we thought the birds would be. Vince’s handheld showed Ally on point near where she had found the first two birds. When we got to her a single quail flushed and dropped when Vince shot. Ally ran out and picked the dead bird up but dropped it and went back to hunting. We got the other dogs in to find the bird. Boss pointed a clump of grass then jumped in. He picked the bird up and started away from me. I whoaed him and he stopped. I petted him a few seconds then blew in his ear. He dropped the bird.

John and Vince.

We stayed in this area as the dogs worked. Maggie flushed a single bird near Vince that fell into the tall CRP. A little way from where we thought it had dropped I saw Abby pointing. When I got close she jumped in and grabbed the bird. She started away from me with it. I whoaed her and she slowed but didn’t really stop. I caught her, petted her for a few seconds then blew in her ear. The bird was still alive when I gave it to Vince.

We worked around the area then either John or Vince decided we should drive over to the pasture area that was on the other side of the huge CRP field. That was a good idea. I wasn’t looking forward to walking through the CRP again.

We turned the dogs out and started through the pasture. There had been a large pond here, the one with a boat, and it may have had 5 gallons of water left. There were another couple that had grass growing in the bottom. This area is really dry.

The wind was picking up causing more problems for the dogs. We started down a hedge row when my GPS handheld vibrated. Sally was on point 150 yards ahead of us. As we started toward her the GPS showed her moving. We turned back to the north and toned Sally to come in. As we went along I saw her and Mann come to a stop facing each other.

The CRP.

They had come to a point at the same time, so I thought they were honoring each other. I said, “okay”. Mann took a step and a covey of quail flushed right at his feet. He had been right in the middle of the covey. We were in an old pond and were too low to see them to the ground.

We went in the direction they had flown. John and I were on the left side but separated by a few yards. One quail flushed right beside me and flew low around a cedar tree right in front of us. John had no chance for a shot and the bird didn’t get very high, anyway.

We worked the dogs back to the edge of the CRP and then back close to the truck. I had decided to head home early and when we got to the truck I watered the dogs and loaded them. I turned Bodie out on the leash for a few minutes then we headed home. It had been a good trip but it was hard on the dogs. Our boots were covered in a fine dust and that was right where the dogs heads were. It’s amazing that they can still smell birds with that much dust in their face. Dogs are amazing.

Sally center, Mann on the left honoring Ally on the right.

Vince and John hunted back through where we thought those singles may have been with no luck. They didn’t hunt much longer after I left. They cleaned their birds and headed home too. I think we all felt it had been a good two days. A good rain or a few of inches of snow would really help this area. And today, January the first 2022, that area may be getting some precipitation. I hope it helps.

Vince Dye and I went to northern Missouri. We stopped by his farmer friend’s house and gave him some quail we had gathered over the last few hunts. At one time we could supply a mess of quail from just one hunt but those times are in the past. Partly the quail aren’t there but the biggest part we aren’t as efficient as we used to be. But his farmer friend told him about another, maybe, thousand acres he could hunt on. Everyone needs friends like this.

Sally pointing a cripple.

With all of the brush it’s hard to focus on the dogs. Sally pointing a single.

Mann pointing quail.

We had driven by the place we normally eat breakfast to go to a small town café. The café in the small town was closed. We went to the next small town and that café was closed too. One of our favorite places is closed because they can’t find anyone that wants to work. One of the closed café’s had a large sign that said, “WELCOME HUNTERS”. We went to a Casey’s convenience store for something to sustain us.

Vince had brought his German short haired pointer, Ally, and his English cocker spaniel, Maggie. I had Sally and Mann. I had left my handheld for my GPS at home. Luckily, Vince had one and only had one collar on it. We programmed my two dogs to his handheld and were able to hunt. It would have been a short hunt without the GPS.

We turned the dogs loose and went through an area where we had found a covey of quail last year. Nobody home today. We went to the property line then down a fence row. The dogs were well out front, hitting the objectives. This place had been planted in wheat then soybeans planted before they harvested the wheat. Now both crops had been harvested and there were soybeans and wheat seeds lying on the ground. There was a lot of CRP alongside the field as well as fingers of CRP running into the field. Perfect for quail.

Mann had hit an edge of one of the CRP fingers running into the field and went on point a little over 200 yards from us. When we got close we found him buried in the CRP. Without the GPS he would not have been found. When we went in front of him a covey of quail boiled out. I hit a quail and thought it would drop but it kept going. Vince had missed the one shot he had. I thought the quail was hit hard enough that it wouldn’t go far.

We went in the direction the covey had flown. About 50 yards in front Sally pointed. When we got close she jumped in and grabbed the bird. She came to me and dropped it in my hand. It was still alive. I gave her the head.

The dogs were still hunting the area. Sally pointed again and the birds went Vince’s way. He knocked one down. While he was hunting it Mann went on point close to the road. Vince said for me to go ahead. When I got to him 3 quail flushed. Again I hit one hard but it didn’t drop. Vince was still looking for his bird and I started toward him but the GPS vibrated. Mann was on point close to the road.

Sally on point.

When I told Vince he said for me to go ahead. He was still looking for his bird. It sounds like this took a long time but this was just a few minutes. When I got to Mann he was buried in a clump of brush. I got about even with him and the quail went out the other side without giving me a shot. When I got back close to Vince he had his bird.

We went in the direction of the bird I had hit. About 50 yards from us Sally went over a little mound down into a small bowl. When she went over the mound we saw a quail flush. I told Vince Sally had to have flushed that one. When we got closer we saw her on point. She doesn’t stop to flush, most times, so she didn’t see or hear this quail flush. When we got to her she trailed a few feet then went back to hunting.

We went on toward the back and I saw Sally cross to another finger of CRP that ran into the field. She stopped then went into the grass but didn’t come out. I started to her and the GPS handheld vibrated. She was on point. (Vince had let me carry his handheld because I had 2 dogs on it and he only had 1.) Vince and I were separated by a hundred yards or so and I waited for him to get there.

While I was waiting I moved closer to Sally. She was buried in some really tall, thick CRP. I thought it won’t be a quail it will be a pheasant. And as long as it’s held it will be a hen. When Vince got there we walked in and a single quail flushed. It went my way and dropped into the harvested soybean/wheat field. Maggie, the English Cocker, made a good retrieve.

Mann on point.

We went on back to a good hedge row in the back with a wide buffer strip. There was a creek in a low spot where we finally could water the dogs. Vince had a little water with him but it’s better that the dogs lie down in the cool water. We worked on along the buffer strips next to the field.

We were almost back to the road when the GPS vibrated saying that Mann was on point about 200 yards from us. When we got close Vince said lets go to the road side and push them back on us. It’s been a long time since I thought you could push quail anywhere. But I went with Vince to get between the quail and the road. I stopped to take pictures and before I could put the camera away the quail stated flushing.

They were flying right over our head heading across the road. One bird waited and flushed going around a small cedar tree but turned and flew across the road. I was twisted in a knot by the time I shot and was far behind him. Vince had dropped one near a small plum thicket.

Vince asked me how many flew back on the property that we were hunting. I hadn’t seen a one. Those quail already knew, before we even got close, where they were going. Us being in their way was no big deal.

Vince and Maggie were ahead of me hunting for his downed bird when Sally came in front of me. I told her to hunt dead and she just reached down and picked the dead bird up. It hadn’t gone as far as Vince thought. When she dropped it into my hand I gave her the head. We hunted on to the truck loaded dogs and went to another place.

The camera sometimes focuses on something beside what I want.

The next place was one of the places the owner had told us about earlier that morning. It, too, was wheat and soybean stubble mixed together. We went along some buffer strips next to some hedge rows. It was a really good looking place. We went in one direction for over half a mile and the field went farther. The farmer hadn’t told us how many acres this one was but it was huge. We turned and hunted some other areas all the way back to the truck without seeing anything. We loaded dogs and drove to the east side.

This area looked just like the one we had just left. We started along a buffer strip next to a draw. As we walked along I checked the GPS and we had passed Sally. She was on point. When we got close Vince decided to cross the creek. As I waited I got a little closer. Mann came in front of me and honored Sally. He was to her right and a little farther back. When Vince got across the creek and said he was ready I walked closer. Sally went to her left and I saw Mann go from honoring to being on point.

Some of the covey, I think, had gone to Sally’s left and flushed but some had come in front of Mann. When he didn’t move when Sally did, I knew there were birds in front of him. I told Vince what I thought. I almost got past Mann and 6 or 8 quail flushed flying across the creek. I couldn’t shoot but I heard Vince shoot, once. He said it had been a really long shot but a bird had gone down. He got Maggie in to hunt dead.

There’s a dog in there somewhere.

Vince was having trouble finding his bird so I crossed the creek to help. Sally and Mann started hunting dead. Sally went on point. I thought it was Vince’s bird. When I got close she jumped in and started chasing. A rooster quail flew on to a low limb on a tree. Sally had been right behind it but didn’t see it in the tree. I told Vince it was probably his bird but I wasn’t sure.

When it flew into the tree it didn’t look hurt. I showed it to Vince but we didn’t want to shoot it out unless it was the wounded bird. Finally, Vince got close to the bird and it dropped to the ground and ran again. The dogs didn’t catch it. I saw it for quite a ways as it ran down a trail. We looked for a long time.

We gave up and started toward the back. We went down more buffer strips that should have held a lot of quail without seeing any more. We had missed a short hedge row that I wanted to hit that was near where Vince’s wounded bird was. As we came down the hedge row and well past where we had last seen the wounded bird, Sally went on point with Mann honoring.

Another time the camera focused on sticks instead of a dog.

When we got close she jumped in and started chasing the wounded bird again. Mann must have seen it too. Along with Maggie they were chasing. Pretty quick, Vince said Mann has it. Mann will retrieve but he doesn’t really like it. He will give the bird to the closest person. He went to Vince and dropped it in his hand then came by me. I petted him for a few seconds.

The dogs were tired and hot as well as their owners and we were close to the truck. We went to the truck, watered the dogs and loaded them. On this last place, while we were separated, Maggie had flushed a bird that Vince had shot. That made 3 coveys of quail, 6 birds in the bag and lots of dog work. The best day of the season so far.