Dylan and Dane Take to the Brush

Just getting ready to head out the first time.

I finally got a chance to hunt Fowler's canyon. It's about a 1/4 mile wide, and on the map it's over two miles long. The creek runs south into the Palouse River. There are several side draws that offer good cover, but like the main canyon, it's pretty brushy. We spent most of the time scrambling along sidehill game trails working our way around stands of high, dense brush hoping the birds would flush out our side.

My nine and ten year old non-gunbearing guest hunters got a good example of how not to start out a hunt. After a short chat with the land owner, getting the dogs E-collars on, giving a short lecture on safety and position protocol, we were off. In less than a 100 yards Lilly went on point. As we were discussing which of the two boys should act as flusher, the rooster decided to act on his own. I swung and pulled the trigger. A deafening click reminded me that I had forgotten one detail...load the gun.

I muttered and whined for the next 5 minutes. When we first stepped off the gravel lane into the field, we had seen a handfull of pheasants fly up the first side draw. Our first pointed bird had gone the same way, so we decided to follow. I jumped a partially frozen stream, yelled back over my shoulder some advice about finding a better place to cross, and headed on up the draw. I took a few steps, stopped to check on the boys just in time to see the first one fall in over his boot top, but make it across. Now less confident, I watched the next try with great interest. This young guy took a long step into the water, tetered, then plopped down in the water, waist deep. Back to town we went.

After we got dry clothes and lunch, we tried again.

Our next point was steady, on a side hill in tall grass. The rooster flew straight away, head height. Two shots just plain missed. I think I didn't get the gun butt up high enough on my shoulder, thus shot high. I was not very impressive, but my audience was gracious.

Some time later a very similar situation happened with Juneau on point. This time the bird flew uphill right to left. It took two shots to drop it. The young dog was on it fast. She put her mouth on it. I was hoping this would be her first retrieve. She continued to mouth it until Lilly arrived. Juneau moved off to let Lilly do what she does best, retrieve.

For the next two hours we hunted hard in some tough conditions. Along the way I think the dogs pointed two birds. The hill was so steep and the footing so bad that I couldn't get into position.

The boys got farther and farther behind. Eventually they disapeared all together. I had given them instructions in case this shuold happen, so I wasn't worried. After a long uphill hike back toward the farmhouse, Juneau pointed a rooster within easy sight of the boys sitting on the tailgate of the pickup enjoying a snack.

Two birds in three hours is not great, but we had some good opportunities, saw some good isolated cover, and had some fun. The boys did great taking care of themselves.