Todd Duncan Tennyson
Well-known member
A story I wrote from a long time back and wanted to share again.
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I had the day booked with a day long course so that I'd be compliant with the Licensing and regulations for the craft I practice.
As I came home from my day yesterday, a gal from the title office called and said that the class was cancelled.
I was a bit upset, but decided that everything happens for a reason. So this morning I got up and paid bills, stacked firewood and then cleaned up the place a bit.
I decided to hit the pheasant farm and get the dogs out, since I had done my chores and still had some time to give it a go.
It was pretty warm out there, and the hornets were all over the place.
I can imagine that with these cold mornings, they realize that they need to kick it into gear and make haste.
The dogs both got pretty birdy in a patch of wild rose, I let them work it and up popped a little hen, it was a long shot and my gun doubled A LOUD double. I saw the hen land in a tree nearby, but It was a clean miss and I didnt want to shoot a sitting bird, so we plowed on through the willows and grass and blackberry patches.
The dogs did great, and after a bit we came to the end of the huntable section of land (beyond it lay a willow jungle, and terribly thick cover).
I was going to turn back and noticed that Alex was birdy, but there was no way I could get a shot off in the thick of it all. I figured I'd let him get his flush and then call him back, since there was no one else out there and there was no reason to not let him get a nose full of bird.
I could hear his footsteps, fast and furious, and then ginger joined him, they were "on fire" and less than 35 yards away. then I heard the rooster flush and caught a brief glimpse of a shape sailing against a blue sky far beyond the limits of my shotgun.
At least they got to flush a good bird,I thought to myself, too bad it was in the jungle.
I decided to work my way back and called the dogs back in. Ginger came, but Alex persisted.
I found a piece of sky between me and where he was and just for the heck of it, I waited, I even yelled out to him and said "OK Alex, I'm ready, Flush him to me like they do in England and I'll let him have it", thinking wouldn't that be a one in a million.
A moment later I heard a cockbird cackle and a flurry of wingbeats, I looked up and here it came about 30 yards up and headed directly at me I shot once and he folded he crashed just 6 or 7 feet from where I stood!
I was flabberghasted, and literally laughed out loud, shouted "Good boy Alex Good Dog" He ran up and claimed his bird.
I rubbed his head and gave him a pat and said "Never in a million years could I have got that bird without you"
Never in a million years did I expect the situation to work out like that.
Guess It is a good thing I told Told Alex to drive that bird like they do in England, and I sure am glad he listened.
Sometimes I have to laugh. I am glad that class got cancelled afterall.
