Here at our Saskatchewan Bird Camp our Labrador Girls have been getting quite the workout on both field and pothole shoots.Tish the vet of 5 seasons is the pro.,she is relentless on the cripples anticipating their dives when she approaches them in the water.This is Josie’s first full on season,what she lacks in experience she makes up for in her enthusiasm,to date she has picked up well over 400 Ducks ..not bad for a rookie.
The Duck hunting is fast and furious,the shoots (providing guests can shoot) don’t last long and we don’t want to drag it out as the hope or the reality maybe we can shoot the field or slough the following day so the dogs have to mark their birds and get on them fast.
For me the thrill of the hunt is living vicariously thru dogs.From when the rig leaves the camp in the early am. the Labs know what is going on,non stop howling comes from the dog boxes the minute the rig hits gravel,for the Lab that sits out the howling worse.For the dog that is in the blind there is a lot of whining and tail wagging in anticipation of Ducks decoying into our spreads.They watch the sky looking for mobs of ducks returning to roost or coming into to feed.Both Tish and Josie love what they do,whether it is a field shoot or shooting over potholes they are both all over it.What a pleasure it is to watch dogs do what they are bred to do.
