So I had one of those great times one gets in this game. Last Sat I got to take my male, Sally Forth, on his first hunting trip. He was somewhat perplexed but game as we made our way down the snake river in a boat in sub zero weather. We hunted out of a blind on the side on the river, north side of course, were from idaho. ( no sun ) The first bird, a nice drake mallard< hit just out side the decoys and a had to walk him thru half the decoys to send him. The next bird I steped in the water to send him and the third I sent from the blind. The dogs couldn't see the birds from thier position in the blind so they needed to swim out pasrthe decoys on faith and then see the bird, or handle, for the retrieve. After that I really didn't have to sent him. I did have to chain himup for a while so the other dog could get some birds. He retrieved a nice triple and in all got over 20 birds, including a few that were 200 yards plus by the time he got them. He also showed excellent persaverance on several diving ducks on of which he chased most of the way across the snake river. He was wonderful( for a first timer) On the way back up the river he did na classic boat exit for a bird against shore. He disapeared and poped up 30 yards back in the wake.( I really don't think this was stupidity as every other time he got in or out of the boat the water was only ankle deep) I think he got this lesson in one. He has been an unbelievablly easy dog to train. Two sesions on over and back, all attrition, and he is running the same blinds as the big dogs in our traing group. It amazes and , in some cases annoyes, some of the groups members( Lab and golden people). Anyway it was a lot of fun and we intend to do it again.

You can see Sally at sunshinechesapeakes.com
steve

Great story Steve! About 5 or 6 years ago I had called you when I was living in Kansas and looking for a pup and you told me a number of great hunting stories about some of your amazing dogs.

Good luck with Sally!

BVM

Parker -- Aren't you getting kinda old to go hunting on the Snake?

Merry Christmas

Cool story.
Be even cooler to hunt the Snake River with you!

John

Hey Steve,

Great story.especially when it comes to a first trip for a young dog....your pup probably learned more in one day about birds, ice ,current etc...then most do in a life time.

Butch has told me many stories about the Snake River and how treacherous it can be.also rewarding! We shott on the Atlantic Ocean here and tieds,currents,ice and sometimes downright dnagerous conditions.......these types tend to build very confident gundogs.....plain and simple!

p.s. great website................great to see the old pics and stories of all those great Idaho dogs!


Paul

Hey Billy
Yea I am, especially the places it is frozen over. My judgement is also slipping. Last year an old friend talked me into floating the snake from blackfoot to jacksons trout farm. So he me and Hanna set out. We got about 3 miles down came around a corner to see the snake go under the ice. We wedged tight and could not get out so got to meet some of the searce and rescue folk. The story is much more exciting if you get from the hunt test people in utah. It then involves helacopter and stuff.
steve