Ms Tooey and her New Years Resolution

Tooey, who is now an All-Around IWS, having completed her conformation title, obedience title, and retriever title, has resolved to spend less time in the ring and more time in the field, doing what a gundog was bred to do.

Like all resolutions, she came out of the gate strong. On January 1st, Norm, the dogs, and I headed south to Monmouth, Oregon. Tooey and two gunners started working the fields by 9:30. 90 minutes later, she had retrieved 4 rooster pheasants. There were were a couple of birds that made it past the guns either by being too far to shoot or the shooter just missed. (I will remain nameless). After those 4, we swapped Tooey for Scarlett, our Boykin buddy, and continued to work the fields.

Tooey and Scarlett with their 10 pheasants

Scarlett put up about the same number of birds with the same number delivered to hand, 4. Because our limit was 10 roosters, we had only two more birds to pursue. I returned to the truck, came back with Tooey, and Norm and I started hunting with a brace of Spaniels.

Scarlett put up another bird, which I shot, and Tooey surged out to retrieve, to Scarlett’s dismay. But Scarlett kindly deferred to a dog 3 times her size. As we continued on with one bird to go, another was flushed, and I took a couple of shots at the crossing rooster, which appeared unscathed by my attempt. It continued to fly off around the corner of the field and into the fog and trees, and alas, Tooey ignored the “no bird” command and disappeared into the mist as well. Beyond the tree line was Lukiamute River, so I figured I had better hightail it and go find this dog, otherwise I would have some big explaining to do when I got home with one fewer dog. That would not be a good way to start the year.

I made it about 100 yards in Tooey’s direction, when she reappeared out of the fog, and with a live pheasant in her mouth. My only guess is that I may have actually hit the bird and disabled a leg, which prevented it from running. Perhaps Tooey had marked where the bird went down, trapped, and completed the retrieve to hand. But that is a supposition, as it was too far away for me to see. Maybe she just found another bird and brought that one back. She is not telling.

Tooey returning through the fog

Below is a video with the highlights of day. But before you click to watch, be forewarned: This contains graphic imagery of a gundog doing what they were bred to do, which is to find birds, watch carefully while the birds are shot with guns, and then retrieve the bird, dead or alive. All of these items are in this video. A lot of our dog friends like dogs, but not the “gun” aspect of gundogs. If you have personal convictions on this topic that are similar, do not watch the video.