Rowdy done good.

  Dogs have three settings: !!!!!!!, ??????, and ?!?!?!?!.

Gentle Readers and Loved Ones,

I have a great Rowdy story to tell you.  But first, if you are offended by hunting stories please just stop reading now.

Rowdy and I spent the last week or so walking the Northwest Wisconsin woods hunting the wily Ruffed Grouse.  Rowdy and I got one a couple of days ago, but today's story is really good.

Loon Creek is a moderate sized creek that runs through the sand hills and woods to the north of our cabin.  There are sandy bluffs on either side and popples and scrub oaks cover the flanks. It's really good Ruffed Grouse habitat now that winter is here and it's cold.  The grouse seem to like moving up on the bluffs and out of the lowlands since it's warmer up there.

So, today, I decided to try a new cover and walk a route I've had my eyes on for years.   It's roughly a 1.5 mile triangular loop.  The first part of the loop stays on the crest of the bluff and gives nice views of the creek through the trees.  Then you jump onto a county unpaved road for about 150 yards and then take a snowmobile / ATV trail back to where I parked.  

I was slogging up a steepish hill that comprises the the last 200 yards of the loop.  I was tired.  Rowdy was having a great time running through the cover.  He might have flushed a bird out during the walk before, but it wasn't clear to me if he had. 

Suddenly, he turns hard left and runs into the cover....it looks like he's spotted a deer.  I beeped him on his collar and told him to sit which he did.  I kept slogging up the hill.  I often sit / stay him to catch up with him.  As I got closer I told him "hunt" and he lunged out and flushed a grouse taking me totally by surprise, but I was too far away and the bird was in the trees.  No shot.  I told Rowdy to sit / stay again.  

I walked 20 yards closer slogging up the icy hill on the snowmobile trail getting really winded and tired and a little dejected for missing a chance at the bird.  

Rowdy broke the sit / stay and started trying to jump up a moderately sized sapling.  Now, I'm disgusted, I think he's trying for a squirrel.  So, I beep him and tell him sit /stay.  He sits but does something new.  He yipped at me in frustration.  I walk 10 yards closer, starting to crest the miserable hill.  Rowdy breaks the stay and lunges against the tree again, shaking it.

That's when the second grouse erupts from the tree flying from my left to my right.  Jaybo and I have just bought a new Shotkam and this video shows the shot.  I'm pleased with the device. 

I honestly thought I'd missed again.  Rowdy is off like a cliched streak dead on the heels of the bird and I let him go.  I reload - ever the optimist - and then start calling Rowdy back.

I hear him running through the woods and the leafy undercover and as he breaks out into the snow trail, I'm shocked to see he has the bird in his mouth.  He runs up proudly, heels up and gives me the bird.

I was screaming like a small happy child. 

That's the Rowdy Hero tailgate picture.  He's a good boy.

On that happy note, I remain,

Dad / Geoff