End Of The Day

As the season continues conditions change in many ways. The harvest removes cover shifting birds to adjacent havens of cattails and heavy grass wherever they can find it. The wind and cold together become a more dominant foe to the hunter and his bird dog's creating yet more advantage for the birds. As a result fatigue is now more of a factor with terrain more difficult to walk being icy and snow covered at times as well.

The number of runs and days without a bird in the bag increases but it seems every day has it's opportunities to do so. I experience day after day of excellent shooting followed by days when the wheels just seem to fall off. But like a runner that needs to get outside and put on miles everyday following your dog mile after mile is an addiction in much the same way. It feels good just to feel the sun on your face and watch your dog work birds so you're not concerned about numbers any more. It's about just being out there now. Seeing tracks in the light snow revealing where the birds are living and the cover they're using. I'm relieved walking new terrain to notice the tracks confirming populations surviving and doing well. I think about future possibilities and hope for next year's hatch. But with each passing day all the birds are more wary and spooky it seems so with populations at a low point putting a bird in the bag is more of a celebration now. We focus on the moment. A point on a bird is a win and something to cherish regardless of whether or not it results in a bird being taken.

Yesterday I took both Mick and Molly on short runs about an hour long in cover they could handle and both Setters pointed several birds. It made me think of their younger days and the miles we would cover but regardless of age nothing has changed their individual style of handling birds. I'm so glad to still be able to  watch each of them work these birds and recall the skills they have that have made us such a great team in the field. It was 14 degrees in the afternoon and a little colder for the morning run with winds 15 to 25 but I just had to be out there and so did they. It's what we do together. In both runs we had roosters pointed but they ran out ahead and flushed letting the wind quickly carry them out of range. A victory still for having challenged them on such a day. Both dog's had some great points on single hens holding tight as well.

So it's about the moments. Feeling the sun in your face. The wind as it blows. Old dog's still working their magic. Wildlife moving around you. The geese,ducks,deer and predators all sharing the same spaces as you make your way. Then the sun starts descending putting on an incredible show yet another reward and moment reminding me that a good day can be measured in many ways. I then reflect on the last several year's of my life and think how truly glad I am to be here as a distant rooster crows signaling another beautiful "End Of The Day".