Rileys problem retrieve

Once again I didn't have a camera on todays hunt. I wish I would have had a movie camera. Riley put on quite a show. He was a pointing and retrieving machine. The wind and conditions were perfect for a great hunt.

But one retrieve lasted about four or five minutes and was quite a comical scene. Luck was shining on me and I knocked down a double on huns. The problem was that I crippled both. Riley was on the first one quick. On his way back with the bird the second hun ran past him down the hill. He dropped the one in his mouth and was in hot pursuit of number two. He soon caught it and was bringing it back to me when number one ran back down the hill past him. He dropped number two and headed after number one who was still full of energy except for a broken wing. Further down the hill he finally caught number one but on his way up the hill had to drop it because number two was back on the run.

Well, you probably get the picture. The biggest problem with the whole thing was each time they ended up further down the hill. I finally told Riley to whoa once he had one of the birds in his mouth. I walked down to him and took the bird from his mouth. The bird was still as energetic as when the whole thing started. I then gave Riley the dead bird command. He soon caught the other birds scent and retrieved it back to me, still quite alive.

Sometimes you wish you could get in the dogs mind and see what they are thinking.