Another Utah Upland Season is Over

The Utah Upland Game season ends today. It's been a great year full of wonderful memories of times afield. I watched my dog Hazel grow into a genuine bird dog and shared some great days out in nature with my family and friends. It's sad when it ends. I'm already excited for next years season to begin. Saturday was going to be my last chance to get out so I took full advantage. I got up early and hit it hard all day. I picked a great area that I hadn't been this year but had luck in the past. It paid off! We saw a lot of birds and were able to bring a few home. It was a beautiful 50 degree day.Hazel and my brothers dog Sage both had some nice points and finds. Shawn would surely want me to mention his double! Hazel had some nice retrieves. Most of the retrieves were completely blind so she had to totally work the area until the birds were found. One in particular was on a bird that Hazel had pointed the covey. One the flush one bird luckily came my way. I knocked it down but it sailed a long way down a hill.The bird unfortunately wasn't killed on the shot and once it hit the ground it started running down the hill away from us. The bird was definitely injured but it still had some life in it. Chukars are tough little bastards. Just look at the country where they live. I called Hazel over and told her "Dead Bird" and "Fetch" She went down the hill and worked it back and forth until she caught the scent and then tracked it down the hillside until she caught it and then delivered it to hand.
Great dog work from the 3 year old pudelpointer. It was a beautiful old cock bird.
Good retrievers are so important to chukar hunting. The terrain is so steep and there is so much up and down that a hit bird can fall and end up on the other side of a canyon. Your dog needs to have a lot of faith in its handler. If you say "dead bird" the dog needs to believe it and have the drive and determination to find it. Hazel is the best at it I've ever owned and she is only 3 years old. She came from proven chukar dog stock in Idaho and she's got it in her blood. I should have many years of good hunting with this dog. I love this dog.

It was a great last hunt of the season and we were all very tired and satisfied at the end of the day. A great way to end the 2010-2011 hunting season.