Originally Posted by
mastercaster
When I lived up in Kelowna through the eighties I hunted pheasants almost every day of the season, weather permitting with one or both of my brittany spaniels (mother/daughter duo). I got my two birds, all wild, more often than not. The birds were more skittish near the end of the season as you mentioned but they almost always came to a stop at some point. One of my favourite places to hunt back then were the draws that led down to Kalamalka L. My dog would get birdy right at the top of a draw and make several points on the way down the draw, obviously scenting a running bird, but neither of them would bust the bird.
Eventually the bird would have no where to go and hold tight, I suppose out of fear. I'd walk in front of the dog, flush it, and get the shot off,,,,sometimes I was even too close to the bird on my first shot. My biggest concern was the bird would fly out over the cliffs there and my dog might chase so I was reluctant to shoot at times but it never stopped me.
I remember as if it happened yesterday that very thing happening and wondering if I should shoot because it was a very high cliff. In any event the bird went up, I shot, winged the bird, and it glided down onto the lake at least 50 or more yards out onto the water.
My brit charged around the cliff and by the time I found a route around and down the cliff to the tracks she was swimming into shore about 25 yards out with it, dragging it by the head. If you can believe it, that bird glided onto the water with such force that there wasn't a feather left on its belly/breast. Plucked tall he feathers right off! LOL
It was still alive so I quickly dispatched it. It has been my favourite retrieve to this day!