Smart Dog, New Hunter

       This morning started with a  good friend Duane, wanting to bring up a new hunter and teach him how to pheasant hunt.  Also to work his dog Brit who doesn't get out as much as she should.  Brit was ready to go as soon as she jumped out of the truck as usual, so we hurried off in search of the first rooster.
 
        Right away Brit showed us that she still new exactly what she doing with solid point and flush. John our new hunter was spot on with a great shot, folding the bird sending it crashing into the open water. With no hesitation Brit plunged into the cold water bringing back the prize.
        
        We continued on with our hunt to find Brit locked up right around edge of the lake again with in minutes.  As we approached, the rooster made a short run out on the ice that had formed the night before flushing at the waters edge.  Once again Brit was rewarded by another great shot by John.
       
         This time Brit just stood at the edge of the thin ice and stared at the downed bird.  She looked at it then back at us almost saying "No way! You go get it this time. That water was way to cold last time." Duane went to throwing rocks out near the bird to try and convince Brit to make the retrieve.  After ten minutes of this, he said "well, she hasn't hunted in a year. Maybe if we come back after getting a few more she'll swim out and get it." I agreed with him and we continued on.
           Brit rewarded us with three more great point, flush and retrieve scenarios but all over dry land.  On the walk back we spent another twenty minutes trying to convince Brit to retrieve our second bird that was still out at the edge of the ice and open water.  We tried every trick we could think of, from rock throwing, treat tossing to even shooting the water out past the bird.  Brit just still gave us the look of "No Way I learned my lesson the  first time. That water is way to cold."

       Duane finally turned to John "well looks like your getting wet! Welcome to bird hunting. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do." Before I could even suggest going and trying one of my dogs or crabbing the long poll with a hook on it I have, jimmy rigged for such occasions. John had his shoes off and was wast deep in the water. He wasn't going to let one of his first birds ever get away from him I suppose. Come to think of it more than one of us have been there too.

Brit just sat there with a smile in her face knowing that she won.