Any dog owner will tell you about their dogs knowing when its time to do this or that. With hunting dogs its changes in temperature that signals to them its time to once again head to the field. Experts describe this phenomenon as associative behavior. I would simply agree with everyone that dogs are experts at it!
Yesterday was no exception for my crew. We had a nice day noticeably cooler than recent days with no wind. As the afternoon came and went the setters came alive after the afternoon nap routine. Around 6:30 or so they all started in on me. By this I mean that ears up questioning look that means "well its nice and cool out lets get going!" Out numbered I gathered myself filling a water bucket and grabbing a whistle just in case someone got out of sight. I've struggled with my back the last several weeks and had just gone to the chiropractor so I've been using a small step stool for the setters to climb into the jeep. They're getting better at this routine but would prefer me helping them in of course but unfortunately those days have passed me by! Once loaded we headed out to a favorite spot that holds all 3 species of upland birds common in this area, pheasants,huns, and sharptail grouse.
With windows down feeling the cool evening breeze we were off. The setters were all heads up in anticipation as we left town. A few miles later we turned on a gravel road which they know means we're getting closer! A couple miles later I slow turning into a hay field parking the jeep. Before I can get out Mick who rides shotgun is pushing me to let him by while Beau and Molly wait anxiously for me to open the back door to let them out. It's a beautiful evening to be out for sure and I can see the alfalfa is just right for sharptail with their young broods. The adjacent pasture hasn't been grazed as it's a fall pasture and the section to the north is in sunflowers this year a high value food source for all the birds. This also means that they are probably all living in there and on the edges most of the time at this time of the year. This was just meant to be a casual walk anyway with Mick retired and Molly not far behind. Beau however has been covering ground lately like a dog much younger than his 10 and a half years.
I slowly walked into the pasture meaning to just make an arc and come back into the alfalfa giving everyone a chance to run a little. Mick seems to know his limitations and just moved about watching Beau casting ahead. Molly was off as well in a smaller pattern than Beau but actively trying to pick up scent which both she and Beau did working what I expect were some moving birds. This is a hilly area and Beau was quickly up and down the ridges to the back of my planned route. So I had to get sight of him again moving ahead. Before I realized it we had gone a bit farther than I wanted to go. I came upon Molly first on point. When I moved ahead the bird had run out obviously. Mick was behind a bit to my left watching. Then I spotted Beau on the other side of the fence into the alfalfa to the east working scent around a knoll. I lost sight of him in some tall grass then saw a hen pheasant bust wild from that spot with Beau then circling around our direction. I signaled with my hand to head back to the west and we walked a bit when both Molly and Mick stopped for a rest while Beau caught up to us. It was more than just a stop for Molly as she was stressed from over exertion. It happened quickly and I felt bad for getting her out to far. There was a cattle tank with water 150 yards to the south but she didn't want to move. So we just settled waiting as the sun was going down along with the temperature which was about 65 degrees. We had run into a few cockle burrs so I passed the time removing them from Molly. She wagged her tail seeming to know it was great to be out but she just needed time to catch her breath. Mick was content to relax of course as he has a much more laid back nature but I had to remind Beau to remain seated as he wanted to continue looking for birds.
After a good 20 minutes Molly was catching up so I headed for the fence line 50 yards away where we would follow the alfalfa back to the jeep a half mile. Beau immediately started casting wide into the alfalfa like a much younger dog with Molly and Mick on heel at my side. I stopped occasionally to make sure Molly was OK. Then as Beau circled towards us he became birdy at the edge of a depression in the alfalfa. I expected this may be sharptail and sure enough a few seconds later he was rigid on point facing Mick Molly and myself 50 yards to the north. Both Mick and Molly came alive and headed towards Beau along with myself. In short order I once again had all 3 setters on point! As I walked up to Beau. I got within a few feet of him when the first sharptail burst forth. Then as tradition goes the rest of the covey started rising in a delayed format one by one. It was a beautiful sight as they all chuckled away with the sun now setting. Just like old times I laughed to myself. I remembered how many times I had been tricked into firing both shots at the first bird then standing with an empty gun as several more birds flushed!
I congratulated Beau and gave kudos to Mick and Molly for honoring the point as they milled about taking in the scent of the birds. We lingered for a few moments just taking it in then headed the remaining quarter mile to the jeep. I was hoping to not run into any more birds on the way wanting to get Molly back to the jeep. That was the case as we arrived a few moments later in single file. We remained there for another 15 minutes as the setters drank their fill and I ran water on their bellies to cool them down before loading them up. A coyote called out from across the road in the adjacent hills letting us know we were on his turf once again. It was a beautiful sunset. Quiet. An experience and a moment shared once again between "Old Dogs".
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