The Northwoods Swing w/ Rachel

There really isn't much left to say about the old dogs that better writers haven't already said in more fitting language. All I know is we spend years developing the skills and experience to effectively chase these birds. Unfortunately, it seems as if what we don't often recognize is that by the time the training and experience truly begin to pay off, the hourglass is not in our favor and we have too few seasons with them!

Going into this trip I recognized that Rachel, my old German Shorthair Pointer, has indeed lost a step or two physically. Over a decade of hard hunting on the body will do that to them (and us....)! Going into this trip, I was planning on Quinn taking over the bulk of the workload for Rachel. However, that of course changed once Quinn came down with her leg injury. The only choice I had was to turn back to old faithful. Lets just say she was still willing and more than able! Theres not much to say other than she went out there with all of the confidence & experience she has accrued over the years and put on a show for us! Ive called her my "autopilot" dog for a couple of seasons now because I can drop her on the ground and then just concentrate on the birds. Theres no fuss or dumb mistakes that I have to be prepared for. Shes simply a dog that fully understands and loves her job and if something screwy does happen then I know I can give her the benefit of the doubt. Rachel was covering ground and handled the added workload just fine. I was sure to pay even closer attention to the added miles and any physical sign she gave stemming from the relentless beating these grouse woods inflict on the dogs over the course of multiple hunts. Aside from one hunt in Ml where she had to dawn a vest to protect her chest from the unseasonably tall grass and another day that she tapped out due to the insane 75°+ temps, you would have thought she was 6-8 years old again! It was a good reminder that when people who know more than you offer advice on maintaining consistent exercise and a high quality diet year around then we should really stop and listen. I contribute her continued effectiveness at going on 11 years old primarily to a daily conditioning regiment (physical AND mental) along with her reliable nutrition provided by Eukanuba Pro Performance all year.

As for the numerous moments she produced for us on this trip, the one that comes to mind was on a morning hunt in MN just the two of us. This moment wasn't one that stood out to me because of anything particularly extraordinary. To the contrary, this moment stands out for just how routine and clean everything was. Rachel went on point in a transition between a young Aspen cut and some old conifers. The collar alerted and I made my way into the cover. She was pointing straight ahead so I took about a 15yd circle around her left side while pausing at every decent shooting window anticipating the flush. The red phase grouse lifted and the first shot dropped it into the young aspen cut. Rachel went to collect while I reloaded the shell. Rachel delivered the grouse to hand, took a swig of water, then ran off into the cover in search of the next one as we have done countless times at this point.

It honestly wasn't until a little later in the walk after reflecting on that bird, just how EASY that was. I cannot recall a command or spoken word used in that sequence other than my gratefulness upon the bird delivery. It was just the dog, the bird, and the gunner all playing their hand at a game that hasn't changed much throughout time. This was one of the few times where a Ruffed Grouse contact played out exactly as we envision or hope they would. For me this moment came to be through work by an amazing creature applying what she's learned over the course of a decade chasing these birds. This was nothing I did. I was simply witness and a pawn in the sequence.

You often hear about the regret that accompanies some dog owners after the unfortunate yet inevitable loss of their dog. You might hear the claim of "I didnt know it was the last!" Be it the last season. The last hunt. The last bird. Etc. While I hope my old "auto pilot" dog has a few more seasons under her belt, I also recognize every hunt is a gift at this stage. I try not to meet every single moment or hunt as this overly dramatic or romanticized "this could be it!" mentality but I've read and heard enough stories from others advising to not overlook the time we have left with the ones in the twilight of their journeys. Even if Rachel stubbornly puts off retirement for another season or two, I'm determined to not have any regrets or have that retirement party come as a surprise. Given how she performed on this trip, I feel like we still have plenty of birds and moments left to chase. Especially when we go out and she can make it look so easy!