The hunting preserve is sometimes close enough to the real thing. The dogs certainly love the day, and that really is the point, if you will forgive the pun. The wild bird season is over now; not nearly enough time in the field for either puppies or hunters, so this is a lovely morning in a 20 mph batting cage hitting nothing but home runs! These pictures are from two hunts, one at The Bluffs and the other at Kiowa Creek Sporting Club, both in Colorado.
Henry is two years old now, and we look forward to his 3rd season. God willing, it will be another wonderful time of wandering the Great Plains and stumbling through the desert with hardly a care.
We ended our bird hunting season with a three-day Arizona Mearns hunt with the great guys at Double Aero Guides and then two days on our own on New Mexico public land. This season seems to have ended about the time it began. We had hoped to return to Wyoming, but it was ridiculously cold for weeks and weeks. So down to the warmth of Arizona we went, only to find snow and freezing temps! But it was no problem; the dogs loved it and we had a great hunt. The best quail hunt in years. I hope you enjoy the pictures.
The focus this year is hunting western public land. Vast sections of BLM land, national grasslands, and state hunter walk-in access provide abundant opportunities. So far, we have found tolerable pressure, encountering few other hunters, and bird numbers have been acceptable. I hope you enjoy these pictures from our October hunts. If you are interested, these hunting spots are all about 125 miles southeast of Houston. Hope we see you there! 🙂
The joy of bird hunting is found in our dogs. We learn to work together, training the finer points, and enjoying their miraculous bird hunting instinct. Here is Henry on his last hunting morning of the season. It was a great first season for him and he dramatically exceeded our expectations. I hope you enjoy these pictures of the handsome pointers we had the privilege to hunt with this season.
We enjoyed a Kansas wild bird quail hunt with Upland Bird Guide Service out of Sun City, Kansas. Very nice accommodations in a renovated, old bank building, and excellent cuisine from our Louisiana guide, Jamie Johns, added to the enjoyment. The hunt was great fun, the birds were thin but that is expected in the current down cycle.
It is common for pointers to bloody the end of their tail as they run through the brush. This old boy was super focused and gave himself a blood bath as his tail whipped back and forth. This speaks to the focus and drive that these dogs have.
This is Henry at one week on 1/5/2021. Born Xander at the great Deutsch Kurzhaar (GSP) breeder Vom Gansehimmel in North Dakota. It has been a great pleasure to watch him grow from a mischievous puppy to a legitimate bird dog (but still full of mischief!).
Undoubtedly, one of the great joys is to see your dog grow into what he was bred and born to do. I hope you enjoy these pictures of a transformed dog on his first wild bird hunts.
Henry is 7 months old now, with about a month until the hunting seasons begin. Chris and his sweet black lab, Ryder, joined us for a training session on a perfect Colorado Sunday morning. I hope you enjoy the pictures of these beautiful bird dogs!
Our first day in the training field with Chukar was bird-dog nirvana. The two objectives were to see a first point and to introduce Henry to gunfire. Both were achieved on this perfect Saturday morning. This morning was truly a slice of heaven . . . maybe not so much for the birds! I hope you enjoy these pictures of the day.
I hope you had a terrific 4th! Fantastic weather in Denver over this 3-day weekend prompted us to visit the off-leash dog park in Chatfield State Park a couple of times. This park is awesome, with 75 acres of varied terrain along with some sizable ponds. It is for sure Henry’s favorite place to be, at least until he discovers the upland bird hunting country.
Deutsch Kurzhaar (GSP) Henry is a week away from 6 months old. He is still very much a puppy, but in many ways we see the awesome bird dog that he is going to be. I hope you enjoy these pictures of his progress.
Managing a camera while on the hunt can be a bit of a challenge. There can be a lot going on – like handling your dog(s), safely carrying a shotgun, excellent wing shooting, not tumbling down the side of a hill, screwing around with your GPS, and executing outstanding photography. With so many things to deal with, you want your camera management to be as efficient and non-intrusive as possible. Camera management is how you safely carry it and bring it into action while hunting. Safety is number one because nothing ruins the joyous mood of the hunt, like putting a load of 6s in the side of your pal’s face. (insert Dick Cheney joke here).
Our Deutsch Kurzhaar (German Shorthair), Henry, reached 4 months a few days ago. He is growing fast and has a wonderful demeaner. He takes life in stride. His training is going well. He knows wait, whoa, here, sit, off, leave it, no, and NO! DAMN IT! If a treat is involved he will actually execute these commands, unless he is in the coup shaking one of the hens like a rag doll. He is a good boy and I can’t wait to get him on game birds. Soon, I hope.
Henry is just over three months old and is doing great. He is completely assimilated into the family and is such a wonderfully biddable dog. We think he is super intelligent, mainly because he likes to watch TV and has learned a few commands. Our only issue is that when we think he is finally house-broken, he will piss on the carpet. I am sure in a week or so, he will cross that finish line! Here are some new pics of him. We will be glad we captured some of his puppy days because he is growing fast! 31 pounds today. I hope you enjoy these pictures.
Hey everyone, today is my 3 month birthday! It has been a crazy 90 days. About a month ago, I was transferred to a new family. My suspicion is that there was a cash transaction involved, but surely not. I refuse to believe that my mother would allow such a thing as trafficking in puppy flesh. But I don’t know; I can’t seem to shake that feeling. I do believe my new overlords are decent people. They are moderately intelligent but inconsistent and naïve in how they try to manage me. Their attempt at potty training has been hilarious! Once they think they finally have me trained and celebrate my “getting it,” I like to drop a pint of puppy urine on the carpet. They absolutely lose their minds! Just a week or two more, and then I will make them proud. Of course, I know what they want; I always have.
And I hesitate to mention this, but they smell. Not overly offensive, just different. As long as they keep feeding me, I am sure I will get used to it. Also, the male, who is clearly junior to the Alpha Mrs. Birdhunter, is a bit over the top with the picture taking. It is a minor annoyance because he swears we are going to do all kinds of bird hunting – many states, many species, all wild birds, top-notch accommodations, etc., etc. If that happens then we are good. If this is one of those “two preserve hunts a year” homes, then I am outta here.
Then there is my 70+-year-old curmudgeon Chihuahua stepbrother Jack. That’s him in the picture below on the left. Mexican Jack, as I like to call him, is generally pretty fractious. It doesn’t help that I am only about three and a half, but clearly, I irritate him to no end.
This is Henry, our 10-week old Deutsch Kurzhaar (DK is German for German Shorthair Pointer). If you haven’t read the earlier post on these dogs, you can read it here. Henry came from the fine folks at Vom Gansehimmel in North Dakota. After 2 weeks with him, it is clear that he has the potential to be an outstanding bird dog. It is also clear that I forgot the exercise in patience and constant, diligent oversight that a puppy demands. Right now, in our house, one character is being shaped while the other is being tested! He is the sweetest little guy, but he will playfully rip your face off without a thought. Cute puppy stuff! Not to sound proud, but he is a strikingly handsome dog. I hope you enjoy these pictures!
There are three primary variables to contend with in photography. They are ISO, APERTURE, and SHUTTER SPEED. The goal is to set these based upon the light you have for the best chance of a sharp, properly exposed picture. None of these variables is independent. Change one, and it impacts the other two.
This is a short series about photography while bird hunting. The objective is to help you take great (or better) pictures while on the hunt, capturing memories and memorializing your awesome dog! In the spirit of the limited attention span common in the blogosphere, I have broken this into these 5 easily digestible segments:
Elements of a Great Picture
Balancing the Variables – ISO, Aperture & Shutter Speed
Camera Settings
Camera Management in the Field
Photographic Equipment & Editing
So, let’s start with what makes a great, compelling image. Here are the four elements of a great bird hunting picture (or any other picture for that matter). An interesting subject, that is well composed, in sharp focus, and taken in good light are the makings of a great image.
Birdhunter 