Guilty as charged

I'll admit it: I took the ENTIRE day off yesterday and went pheasant hunting with John.
I needed the release of spending some time in the field, and we got two absolutely gorgeous ringnecks for our miles and miles of walking.

John's lab Chyna is the most wonderful flushing retriever I have ever had the privilege to work with. Yesterday, she made the best "blind" retrieve I have ever seen an upland dog perform, and we put up dozens of birds throughout the day.

While walking an earthen dam holding back a huge swamp in the middle of a CRP field, Chyna got "birdy", turned on a dime and flushed a ringneck rooster near the waters edge. I shot twice and the bird cartwheeled out of the air, but it hit the ground very much alive...and in the middle of the swamp.

Chyna had not seen the bird fall because of the tall cattails, and ran ahead about 60 yards. John looked at me and said "one of us getting VERY wet over this bird", and I agreed it should be me. John said he would try to direct Chyna first, but if it failed I would be swimming.

He went as far out as he could into the swamp, then called Chyna back and sent her out in front with a wave of his arm. The water was so deep she was swimming, not wading, when she got to the approximate spot we thought the bird was. She cast back and forth over the swampy crap for a minute, then took off splashing to her right. Moments later, she appeared swimming back to John with the live bird in her mouth...25 yards from where the bird had landed.

It was a thing of beauty watching that dog find and retrieve that bird. Blind retrieves are hard enough, but add in a moving bird and the watery conditions, and you will stump some of the best upland bird dogs out there. John was so proud of his dog he got a little choked up.

Rightfully so.