Mater the Griffon

[BigD_83]

Very cool last couple of weeks for you, Mater, and the kids...

[Sasquatch]

Nice start to the season Yama. Sounds like there are quite a few birds around.

I have to watch mine near chickens too....hard to get them to turn it off if they are not around chickens much.

[yamadirt 426]

Happy 5th Birthday Mater . Time moves fast when your having fun. He got some new field dekes and a twin pack of baby mojos this year. Had the boat out for a test drive last weekend . 11 days and counting until heritage days. Best part of the year is almost here .....

[Sasquatch]

Happy Birthday Mater! Five years? Man, time flies.....

Timber got new field dekes and mojos this year too. I see a couple of great spreads happening in the near future.

[yamadirt 426]

Duck season has arrived, best part of the year. Time to hunt hard and fill the freezer with sausage. It started off with a slow youth hunt for us. Kid got skunked on sat, had some shots but no birds. Sunday Mater got his first bird of the year.



The opener I took out the little zodiac to the march with the BIL. Been a while since we had that boat out. We were a touch late setting up as the first shots of the year rang out. Must have heard about 1500 shots out there. Birds were flying everywhere, lots of teals so shooting was fast and furious. I ended up with 8 downed birds although I lost two birds out there that Mater could not find. The weather was terrible, pissing rain so scenting was tough. I counted them in the bag anyhow. Mater got his first Water retrieve of the season, I always love to watch those. We also had a wounded widgeon that was diving on Mater. Had to sluice it eventually. Bil got 3 for his efforts



Sunday brought us to the fields and had a good hunt and Monday we went for the evening hunt and got our first skunking of the year, just like that.



Mater in his happy spot. Right out front searching




This Sat I could not make it out, Dog was pissed. Mater was tugging on my sleeve all morning and when I got back from breakfast he pissed on my foot. Now he could have had a really full bladder or he meant to do it, that's up for debate. Today was a good morning. Started off going with a triple then single, double, single and after 25 mins I was just about to shoot a perfect game and I fumbled the last shot. Ended up going 8 birds for 9 shots which is good because 20ga is expensive to shoot. Mater made some nice long retrieves today too. Good boy

[BigD_83]

That looks to be a nice spread of land you're hunting. You're lucky to have it.

Mater looks like he has learned to be be very relaxed until the moment counts. How is he around the house on non-hunting days (peeing on foot notwithstanding)?

[yamadirt 426]

That looks to be a nice spread of land you're hunting. You're lucky to have it.

Mater looks like he has learned to be be very relaxed until the moment counts. How is he around the house on non-hunting days (peeing on foot notwithstanding)?

He is extremely relaxed at home and very patient. He only barks when nessasary and is also quite helpful. If anything is out of my reach he will get it for me. Or when coming home he must carry something up the stairs for us. And if I hav nothing for him to carry he will grab the corner of my shirt or hold my hand in his mouth.

I could not not have been luckier in more ways than 1 .

[Angus]

Good stuff Yama. Nothing better than watching your dog work.

Have a great season.

[yamadirt 426]

Cheers Angus, you as well.

Took a family trip to Princeton to stay at a friends place. Was suppose to be a hunting trip and it was technically, but in reality it was a hike with gun or two. Nothings going to hang around with all of us walking around in the bush together. Although u never know what can happen, this time was just us having fun. We did however capture my favorite Mater picture to date leaning the iphone up against a rock on 10 sec timer



its a little slow for birds right now but I was still able to give the dog a few birds to retrieve today. He had to tackle 2 of them and he also had to trail a lung shot bird until it finally dropped a good 120yds away.

[yamadirt 426]

Wifes friends bailed on her to go to the spa and the kids were at the grandparents so I went with her. The sun was shining and I got to start the day out getting a full rubdown (without the happy ending, yet....) and some sushi for lunch. Best way to finish the day off like that is to put on the boots and go get muddy with the dog. And so we went out for the last few minutes of light today. I was going to take just 1 shell to get just 1 bird (that's all I wanted) but then thought that was a stupid idea so I grabbed 8. Just in case I had the opportunity to get 8 birds, but that was highly unlikely as I was to be very picky with my shots this evening and past on a few birds. I swung on them and felt good but I only pulled the hammer down once today on a fairly long shot. I hit her hard and she hit the dirt about 80yds away. Mater was on it quickly. In the end I only needed that 1 shell to cap off the last sunday of October.