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Big flock flew over today. There is suddenly hope.
I hadn't seen a goose in flight for close to 2 weeks.

Big flock flew over today. There is suddenly hope.
I hadn't seen a goose in flight for close to 2 weeks.
Thursday and Fridays weather looks good. 55 at night not 85. Sweet

I've seen geese around on the ground, but nothing in the air for some time.

I expect to be out first thing tomorrow morning. Decoys set before the sun comes up. Topwater bass fishing until the sun gets up and maybe a little longer if the fishing is good. That's a gamble. I've sprinted, well a fast walk for younger folks , to the blind. Pretty sure it cost me some geese the one morning.

The funniest was I hooked a bass about as far as I could cast. As soon as I hooked him I heard geese. The bass almost didn't touch the water as I reeled him in as fast as I could. I unhooked him and unceremoniously chucked him back in the lake so I could duck in the blind.

Good luck.

My dog done got big n fat and is an untrained nuisance.
I'd suggest staying a mile away so we don't ruin your day having our fun.

Good strategy to keep folks from shooting your swing!

Gonna be a fun, working season for you this year, getting him accustomed to his job

Deltaman wrote:Gonna be a fun, working season for you this year, getting him accustomed to his job

Duck Engr wrote:Good strategy to keep folks from shooting your swing!

I'm going to have fun.
Gary made me a special cut d2 olt cutdown and he has me making videos so he can coach..
Pretty good stuff. I'm trying hard to grow past the old hateful way I was. Getting tons of help and criticism.
Some hurts but it's true.
I'm working on back and over.
He whistle sits but not instantly like a field trial dog.
Work in progress. I think Millet will surpass Milo easily.
Milo never handled I couldn't get there yet.
Bottom line fun will be had..

Ricky Spanish wrote:He whistle sits but not instantly like a field trial dog.

The non-electronic way to speed that up is to reward sitting with quick retrieves when his butt hits the ground. Should figure out that the quicker he sits, the quicker he gets to retrieve.

Rick wrote:

Ricky Spanish wrote:He whistle sits but not instantly like a field trial dog.

The non-electronic way to speed that up is to reward sitting with quick retrieves when his butt hits the ground. Should figure out that the quicker he sits, the quicker he gets to retrieve.

Any little problems like that i have is me letting him get away with it.
I'm slow and by the time I react to correct anything it's too late I have to be ready and prepared for it whatever it is that day. Im kinda slow and it reflects in the dog.

.

I'll commit a sin and dog brag a little.
Milo is a rock dog.
Millet isn't yet but in a pinch I'm certain he'd accept "steering stones".
I've been doing single point blinds at up to 100 yards.
I've started some handling drills
Chris Atkinson, bless him, has dumbed down training handling to where I think I can do it.
I was stuck a month ago and it hurt going out to train and not knowing what to do next. Stung pretty bad. Finally I said the right words to Chris and he reluctantly is helping me train a meat dog not for trials or hunt tests.
It's hard on him.
He just got defeated at a field trial in St Louis.
Damn. I was hoping his dog George would beat Hillmans dog. Not this time.

Ain't much but I'm proud to have gotten this far.
https://youtu.be/StDfqWrj_tY

Looking good AB! Looks like he loves it.

Love that enthusiasm!

He's happy and I've found balance.
A turning point was sitting in a chair and force-fetching him that way. He could run around play whatever but the chase game is OVER until he puts the dummy in my hand.
Takes extreme patience to do. Easy to say but I FF'd by never chasing him and waiting him out.
Crazy talk...I know but he's all about the game.
Put dummy in hand and I throw it.
Quicker he gets it to my hand.. quicker he gets game.
Simple but effective

Something I want to work on is a stronger water entry.
I've got a pointer to share its what I got told. Makes too much sense to not try it.
A bouncing ball...tennis perhaps. Find a hard bank not too steep and bounce it in the chasing dog will go bonkers.
I've got to try it out now.

Random twist...
When you get to arguing with an opinionated fool its best to just surrender and agree to agree with the idiot.
Burns them up.

Ricky Spanish wrote:Random twist...
When you get to arguing with an opinionated fool its best to just surrender and agree to agree with the idiot.
Burns them up.

You talking about the hound or trainer?

Ricky Spanish wrote:Random twist...
When you get to arguing with an opinionated fool its best to just surrender and agree to agree with the idiot.
Burns them up.

I have certain disfavored extended family members that like to throw insults to try and manipulate you. I can't get it into my wife's head to just agree. If you agree, they don't know what to do and it often makes them angry. You are supposed to get angry and resolve the disagreement by shots and insults.

I've had variation of this conversation on multiple occasions.

Them "you're an idiot."

Me "Yeah I know."

then they respond angrily "you're not an idiot!"

Me "But you said I was an idiot "



I miss having a dog. It just does not fit into my life right now.

I was arguing with a couple idiots...
It was just the other day.
There's an REO song in there somewhere.
I called him on the phone
He said. .
You can tune a piano but you can't tuna fish
lol

Wife's been tossing bumpers and he's marking and retrieving at around 90 yards. I run out of field.
He's running nice straight lines too.
I've backed off on handling drills a bit.
I've got a week then we might just get lucky and do a real one.

He's a work in progress. Has a tendency to skip past me on retrieve #1. My bad.
https://youtu.be/j1cYoPLH3KI

Millet is retrieving ducks well. He brings them into the boat and drops them then shakes off. He uses a momarsh dog dock/stand on side of boat.
I have to use a gundog quick release strap tying him to the boat or he will break. He's getting steadier and we've hunted with as many as 5 guns. He's not that bad.

Good to hear AB! Fun to watch them round into shape.

Duck Engr wrote:Good to hear AB! Fun to watch them round into shape.

This year has been tough and lots of us have slogged thru it. It was getting pretty grim when I had a truck stop and holler "anybody home".
It was a local guy named Henry I'd made friends with last year. He needed a can opener...
One thing led to another and we're hunting together now.
His cousin and dad are all really well educated on all the good spots WHAT LUCK. They want a "Millet".
That's quite a compliment.
Never dreamed I'd have him working for 4 or 5 guns.
I'm going back the 21rst til end of season.

Great to hear! Glad young millet will be getting plenty of reps.

Good deal AB, and I hope the birds are plentiful for y'all!!!!

Had a big fear of the south woods it's so competitive.
There's a levee that goes east and west thru the wma.
North of it is north woods.
South is south woods. I'm hunting the south edge next to the refuge now or will be this Saturday.
Having help boosted my confidence and locals said "nobody can really stop you from hunting".
That's kind of cool. I'll post pics from the big long line of rigs.
It will be very crowded then get worse day by day.
Damn oosers. lol

Looking at old pics and he looks kind of puny.
Millet is getting large.