Pheasants and grouse in MN and SD. Preferred guns are a Tobin 16 or a Darne R10 in 12. Have been known to shoot a pump with steel when they make me do it. The dogs have all been setters, with the current edition being an English female, 6 years old last month. She doubles as my wife's pet, and is a great neighborhood dog, greets the kids at the bus stop in front of the house, and pays regular visits to both my neighbors, who encourage same. She is exactly the kind of dog I need now, sweet as the day is long, and harmless. The last Gordon setter had a mean streak, but, was a much, much better hunter. I was single then. Nobody broke into my house.
She answers to "Jippy", short for Gypsy (I think) on most days, but just about any name spoken in her general direction will get her tail wagging and her attention. She is big, rawboned and muscular, and weighs 55 lbs prior to bird season and 50 afterward. She is also a bit delicate, (especially her pads) and needs a break after the third or fourth day in the woods.
The Gordon would have hunted until he killed me. Exact same weight and build. Black pads he couldn't hurt.
This one is special because she loved my wife from the day she met her, and she still goes hunting with me. Not the best at anything, but, she tries, and gets along with my buddies male GSP. Don't underestimate how nice it is when the dogs don't fight. She is a better on pheasants then grouse, but, we get our share of both.
My dogs are the calenders of my life.
Best,
Ted
