My French Britany pup was 7 months old and partially trained on planted birds and loved retrieving quail, not so pigeons. Took her out for the first time on Gambel's quail a little early in her training anyway. Gambel's are notorious runners but she came up firm on point and my son in law was sent about 20 yds around. He found nothing in front of her. I released the point and she went about 100 yds and locked up again. This time I sent the son in law around the side and upwind a 100 yds then back toward us. She was pointing a small covey which flushed about 35 yds in front. Instead of sending the quail running she was stopping well short which is a feat few pointing dogs learn on Gambel and Scaly coveys. She continued to work that way for the next 13 years. Shooting pointed coveys is very unusual. And I never lost a downed bird - in fact she vacuumed up several wounded birds each season which some other party had lost. Sure miss her.
