Hunting - Minnesota uplands - ruffed grouse, wild pheasants
Dog - field bred English springer (my 4th one). Kerry is 4 years old, weighs in at 38 lbs., excellent nose, hunts hard all day and stays in range (with some whistling). She'd be better if I had put in the training time I gave her predecessor, who was my dream gun dog. But for this old hunter Kerry is plenty good enough.
I chose ESS for upland and waterfowl but no longer hunt ducks. I prefer the close partnership and quick action of a flusher, and ESS are great family pets for the 3/4 of the year when I'm not hunting.
Favorite gun: 20ga. Bernardelli Hemingway DL sideplated boxlock, 5lb. 14oz., choked Cyl. and Mod. I don't wear out my aging brain worrying about ballistics; 7/8oz #8s for grouse, 1oz #6s for pheasant is all I carry.
