Dell'Osso - Bird Hunting

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The Dell'Osso Family Web Site and Genealogy

Upland Bird & Waterfowl Hunting

Ready to go Hunting (Copper thinks) <==> First Hunting Point (7 months)

Copper Pheasants

First Bird [Click Pic for Video] Second Bird [Click Pic for Video]

Copper Water Retrieve (Pheasant) <==> Copper's First Goose

Scotland

Ohio

Copper in the Weeds and Bean Fields Scanning the Sky for Geese (2004)

Copper gets two Geese (2004)

Lakota's First "Hunt" [on a check cord] (February 23, 2005)
Copper and I hunted for 2 hours while Lakota waited in the SUV. Copper located and pointed 3 roosters, 2 hens, and 2 chukars. He retrieved all to hand except 1 missed chukar and 1 missed hen that flew several hundred ysrds across frozen (ice-covered) fields. I got Lakota from the SUV and took Lakota and Copper across the fields to try to locate the hen. After finding it, I flushed and brought it down but it hit the ground running about 100 yds away (a wing shot). I sent the two dogs after it and began the slow, careful walk across the ice towards the area confident that Copper would chase it down and retrieve it. As I approached, I realized that Copper had taken the wrong angle and it was Lakota who was chasing it madly through the corn stalks. He caught it and managed to somehow subdue it, pick it up and brought it to me, wide-eyed with excitement. A wounded, fighting pheasant was not my plan for his first-ever hunting retrieve; I was impressed. He had his first taste of bird hunting and he wanted more. I then put Copper in the SUV, Steve planted a chukar, and we led Lakota into the field. When he was downwind of the bush containing the chuker, he froze on point and would not be moved away. Steve flushed the bird and shot it over Lakota (his first shotgun firing over his head). He didn't even notice it as he watched the bird fall. I released him to retrieve it, which he did after a little coaching. He dropped it into my hand at the command, "out." Total for Lakota: 1 find and point, 2 retrieves at 8 months of age. Unfortunately, no pics as my attention had to be fully on handling Lakota as he pointed his first bird in a hunting situation.

Lakota's First True Hunt [unrestrained by check cord] (March 9, 2005)
Bob and I hunted with Copper for about 2 hours. Copper located and pointed 7 chukars. We got shots at and bagged 6; one flushed wild, giving us no shot. We then took Lakota to a corn row that Copper had gone thruogh twice with no finds. Lakota hunted it like he had been doing this for years, with both speed and thoroughness. Half way down the row, he froze to a magnificant point with his head held high. He maintained the point while we kicked the brush and flushed the chukar. Bob shot it and Lakota retrieved it to hand. No other birds were found in that row despite Lakota's thorough hunting. For a pup to find a bird in an area Copper had already covered, and to point and retrieve it with such style, was impressive.

Copper & Lakota in the Bean Fields Scanning the Sky for Geese (091505)

Lakota's First Solo Hunt [Copper Home Recovering from Leg Surgery] (November 23, 2005)
Bob and I hunted with Lakota for 3 hours. Lakota located and pointed 9 pheasants. We bagged 6; hit but could not recover 2, and missed 1. Lakota loved it! He worked the fields with the enthusiasm of a pup (requiring some electronic reminders to stay in range), pointed and retrieved with style; he showed us that he should develop into a first-class hunting dog.

Lakota fetching to hand and with the day's bag (112305) <==> Lakota 10 of 10 Chuker (031708)

Lakota's First Goose (090108) <==> Lakota, one tired puppy (090108)