Took a friend with a young pup on its first hunting trip.  Because of the higher water level and the soft ground, we hunted the East side of the lake.  We didn’t want to hump the decoys to the blind from the North dam.  We were more focused on the dog and working with her than on shooting ducks.  So we didn’t get as many as we could have. The birds started coming in shortly after legal shooting time.  Ones, twos, and small groups started circling the lake.  All Canvasbacks and Ringnecks.  Most wanted to settle in the middle of the lake at the North end.  But we did get a few that came into the spread.  The first was a nice Bull Canvasback that settled in and I was able to break a wing, but 5 shots later it swam across the lake toward the blind.  On tough bird.  While we were calling the dog back, two Ringnecks landed in the water next to the dog.  So we couldn’t shoot them.  Later in the morning, we had a hen Canvasback land in the spread.  But as we were getting the dog prepared for a retrieve the hen flew off and we didn’t get a shot.  Birds pretty much stopped flying after that.

We decided to walk around the lake to try and find that cripple.  I walked out in front of the blind and luckily the duck got spooked and started to try to swim back across the lake.  Six shots later, one tough SOB of a bird lay on the water.  The good news is we did get the dog her first retrieve in a hunting situation.  She made a nice retrieve and experienced bringing back a bird and climbing into a blind.  So, overall, a good experience for her and further evolution of her training.

Love to see a young dog coming into their own.  She was so proud of herself and we of her.