The Sage page

[GunnyMack]

Well I've decided to post Sages first season with pics for your enjoyment.
Our season opened 3 weeks ago, today was her 5th day afield.
Some back story to opening day:
Sages first day chasing pheasants was an eye opener. She knew bird smell, carry them without a thought but putting everything together she didn't get at first. So day one was more running around until Parker would point, flush and retrieve. You could see the light bulb get brighter on day two. The second day she actually had her own points and flushes! Still shaky on the retrieves.

The following weekend it really came together as she had points, flushes and retrieves all by herself. Still her momma was there as backup, eeking a few points for herself.

Last weekend Sage developed 'swimmers tail' a tail sprain, normally from swimming and is quite painful so she only hunted one day. I kept her on turmeric all week for anti-inflammatory. Each day her tail moved better.

This morning I took both again, Parker had 2 flushes, Sage 2 and a joint effort by both for a 5th bird.

Sage has become a bird hog, taking birds from Parkers mouth.

So tomorrow Sage will begin her solo career.

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[Bill in Oregon]

Bravo, Will!

[gamekeeper]

That's just the sort of progress I thought you would get, well done Parker for showing how it's done.
You've got a great hunting buddy there Will....

[GunnyMack]

Solo hunt is a....
Drum roll please!

SUCCESS
She had 6 points and flushes, I shot 4 roosters with 5 shots. Yeah yeah I'm slipping in my old age!
Anyhow, all four birds were brought to hand. Now to work on not jumping up and whacking my in the groin while putting the birds into my vest! Not sure how to stop the shot in the nvts...

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[LeverGunner]

Awesome. Thanks for bringing me along.

[.45colt]

What a Great Time! Congratulations. when I was a kid years ago the Farm country where I grew up was loaded with Ring-necks. I loved tracking them in the snow until they would flush and usually scare the Sh*! out of Me. when I was 10 the village Fathers banned Hunting with firearms. Not to be put off I managed to kill two with My pellet gun. I'll never forget the look on My Mom's face when I burst in the house with a full grow cock bird. ..........Don't tell a kid You can't.

[GunnyMack]

So this morning was a real circus! Sage started about 630 with the whining, carrying on knowing it was Saturday. Yes my girls know what day of the week it is.
The anticipation boiled over to Parker and Claro. It breaks my heart to not bring Claro but her rebuilt knee is just so arthritic that I won't put her through the 3 days of pain it would take her to recoup.
So Parker and Sage serenaded me on the way to the farm.
Went for the usual pre hunt walk , looking for deer sign or left over birds of which there was none.
Parker decided that she was hunting for herself so we had to have a little discussion and then proceeded to have a nice hunt, 3 flushes, of which only 1 bird taken by another member. Sage just ran around like a silly puppy until we were headed back to the truck.
Not 50 yards from the truck Sage started actually hunting, nose down and quartering then up goes a hen. The hen flew about 50 yards and set down. I had to load on the run as Sage was right on it a second time. Once I was ready for business she got the scent trail of the now running hen and flushed it right to left. This Parker 20ga has a mind of its own, it closes itself while leaping to my shoulder and birds just fall from the sky!
Both dogs tracked it's fall and Sage was first to it and brought it back tail going a 1000 mph in every direction. A 'thank you ' and she gave the bird to me.

[LeverGunner]

What a Great Time! Congratulations. when I was a kid years ago the Farm country where I grew up was loaded with Ring-necks. I loved tracking them in the snow until they would flush and usually scare the Sh*! out of Me. when I was 10 the village Fathers banned Hunting with firearms. Not to be put off I managed to kill two with My pellet gun. I'll never forget the look on My Mom's face when I burst in the house with a full grow cock bird. ..........Don't tell a kid You can't.

Awesome story! Did you shoot it in the air or on the ground?

[LeverGunner]

So this morning was a real circus! Sage started about 630 with the whining, carrying on knowing it was Saturday. Yes my girls know what day of the week it is.
The anticipation boiled over to Parker and Claro. It breaks my heart to not bring Claro but her rebuilt knee is just so arthritic that I won't put her through the 3 days of pain it would take her to recoup.
So Parker and Sage serenaded me on the way to the farm.
Went for the usual pre hunt walk , looking for deer sign or left over birds of which there was none.
Parker decided that she was hunting for herself so we had to have a little discussion and then proceeded to have a nice hunt, 3 flushes, of which only 1 bird taken by another member. Sage just ran around like a silly puppy until we were headed back to the truck.
Not 50 yards from the truck Sage started actually hunting, nose down and quartering then up goes a hen. The hen flew about 50 yards and set down. I had to load on the run as Sage was right on it a second time. Once I was ready for business she got the scent trail of the now running hen and flushed it right to left. This Parker 20ga has a mind of its own, it closes itself while leaping to my shoulder and birds just fall from the sky!
Both dogs tracked it's fall and Sage was first to it and brought it back tail going a 1000 mph in every direction. A 'thank you ' and she gave the bird to me.

Sounds like a nice trip.

[.45colt]

Levergunner; I wish I could have killed them in the Air, but I would run them into the deep snow into big blackberry briars , they didn't know that they were trapped and couldn't fly. I bet I shot at 20 cock birds with My longbow just to see the arrow just miss them. Lord How I wish some one would have helped Me along the way. Those Ringnecks where every where. .

[GunnyMack]

One of the guys just sent me a picture he took today.

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[Bill in Oregon]

Will, great portrait and wonderful bird cover you are hunting!

[gamekeeper]

Will, great portrait and wonderful bird cover you are hunting!

Ditto...

[GunnyMack]

Thanks guys.
This morning we were a bit slow to get hunting, Sage got to run around with Kona- a white-haired griffon and Brownie a GSP before the fun started.
Sage, myself and another guy hunted together, she had 8 flushes , I shot once dropping a rooster. The other guy shot at 3 different birds getting 2. The rest of the birds just didn't fly in safe directions, one of which was a runner that flushed way out there.
She is learning in leaps and bounds!
Zonked out post hunt!

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[LeverGunner]

Nice pictures. Post hunt naps are the best!

[GunnyMack]

The saga continues.
I took both Sage and Parker this morning.
If I could figure out how to harness the whining, crying ( with glee), barking energy and convert that to electricity I'd be rich! Oh the noises they make !
Sage has certainly found her niche in life!
They worked well together for two birds, two in the bag, both hens.
I guess Parker got a bit bent and decided she was going to range a bit. I didn't realize that and next thing I know sage has locked up and flushes a rooster. It was coming straight at my head! When I shot it it was feet from me. As this was happening Parker flushed a second rooster in a different direction and try as I might I couldn't get turned around fast enough. My left barrel missed and the bird left the property.

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[Bill in Oregon]

Will, that's one of the things that makes pheasant hunting such fun.

[GunnyMack]

So it's been awhile since I've posted anything( a prod from a fellow member here) made me realize that I have been quiet.
So it's been a busy winter here, crazy busy with working on a 299 year old house! Tree trunks that were hewn for floor joists finally gave up , powder post beetles , moisture, fungus- you name it created enough rot by sitting on dirt all these years.

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Some time during the mid 1800s the house was renovated with plaster and lath. How do I know you ask? We found cigarette packs in the ceiling that date to 1850-1880.

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Oh and we also found cremated remains of two family members!

Now for some K9 news!
Around the first of the year Parker developed a limp after hunting. I know she has a bum knee but the left shoulder seemed to be the issue. I've kept Parker on the bench for the past couple months. With Claro in reluctant retirement SAGE has become the go to. And she has been doing an amazing job! From chasing down cripples to long blind retrieves she has come a very long way in her first season!
Couple weeks ago we had a forecast for snow/ice on Sunday so we put out 2 dozen birds of which Sage found 16! We managed to bag 11( my 20ga Parker took 9) and the guy with me missed 5 of the 7! Yeah he can't shoot!!

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Some of the guys that have had bird dogs of one sort or the other are impressed by Sage, I am too!
Sage post hunt

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She crashes hard!

[.45colt]

Thanks Will. .

[gamekeeper]

Interesting photos Will, glad to hear Sage is doing really well you certainly did a fine job breeding and training

[Bill in Oregon]

Somehow we knew she'd be the bomb, Will!

[GunnyMack]

Ol Sage had a rough morning! She is now crashed on the couch.

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We had a fast a furious hunt this morning, we had an army of chukar invade(8 birds). Being part of the clubs militia we rose to the occasion, my trusty 410, pocket full of reloads and away we went!

First bird she flushed folded to the right barrel. Second I missed twice but went after it and in the bag. Third and fourth each folded with one shot. The fifth we had to chase due to my excessive headspace, got it second time. Then I dropped #6. Numbers seven and 8 were both one and done.
In all I'd say she ran 5 miles!

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I can't ask for more from a 22mo old puppy!

[gamekeeper]

Good shooting with the four ten Will, I've been meaning to try my 16 gauge to .410 adapter, the last time I tried it the results were rubbish but it used to work with my old gun, my cheap little Stevens single shot .410 shoots well despite it's full choke.
Looks like Sage has the right idea

[GunnyMack]

As much as I love chasing birds I'm happy to say the season closes today! Mid November to mid March is a lot of miles carrying a fowling piece.
Twice I carried the Miroku 20 o/u. One day my Rizzini 28 and 3 days the CZ 410. All the rest of the time was the Parker 20ga.
Since we are a preserve we have to tag each bird to keep legal. I have 79 tags, I decided to keep tags this season just for my own info. I know I gave birds away so I don't have tags for some.
Oh yeah! Sage surprised me this morning on our pre hunt walk.

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She stopped in the middle of a field, sniffed then picked it up and brought it to me. I didn't do any training for sheds. So I was surprised when she brought it to me.

[Bill in Oregon]

Will, you should give Miss Sage a chance to go elk antler shed hunting here in New Mexico. That'll give her a workout! Passed by the buyer's truck and trailer at the Junction of Highways 54 and 70 in old Tularosa yesterday. Always impressive to see those piles of antlers.

[Paul105]

Must be a lab thing. Willow with the fresh shed she found on one of our daily walks.
.

.
Paul

[Griff]

Must be a lab thing. Willow with the fresh shed she found on one of our daily walks.

I think it's a "dog" thing... They all go nuts for freshly trimmed hooves... or plain ol' bone.

[GunnyMack]

Bill the next time I'm in elk country I'm staying! Been threatening to buy a motor home and beating feet !