I went on a cast and blast trip today on the Columbia River. I anchored on the glass calm water and cast out for sturgeon and then trolled for salmon or steelhead. No fish.

The real focus and hope was to knock down a Canada goose or duck so Bingo, the eight month old black labrador pup could practice retrieving game. But Gauge the chocolate with his eye and experience, got there first.

Well, the birds weren't flying much but I did manage to connect on a 50-55 yd crossing shot on a drake bufflehead. The older dog Gauge (turns eleven next month) got to the bird first while the pup watched.

I then used the duck for additional training for Bingo. I'd throw it high and far and shoot, he'd watch it hit the water and go after it. He swims to the stern of my jet boat and I haul him, bird and all up onto the swim deck. I repeated this a few times.



Gorgeous, sunny weather today and glass calm water as far as I could see.



Fun times. CB

It don't get any better than that, Great looking dogs you got there.

De Oppresso Liber

Great pics. Look like some good pups, too!

__________________
Lounge Lizard Extraordinaire

Looks like a great way to spend a beautiful day with some good friends.

Good looking pups sir.
What a beautiful day you had. Nice pictures and
Thanks for sharing.

Chuck

__________________
They hold no Quarter

I'm glad you guys like the pics.

Here's one I knew I took but forgot to post up. Duh (kind of the point of the whole thing!)


C.B.

I can't help it! I love a Lab more than most humans.

What he said above this!!

Pete

__________________
Don't tread on me

Labbies. The best.

Today we gave it another go, this time I was shooting my Mississippi grandfather "Papa's" gun he left me long ago - a Belgian Browning Auto 5 "Light Twelve" with Polychoke.

Bingo got his first retrieve, all on his own!

I dropped a duck and Gauge the chocolate went jumping off of the stern to get it. As it drifted farther away, he went to the left of it. Bingo jumped in too and headed on a better line, but got distracted with picking up and retrieving two red spent shotshell hulls. On his second trip out (Gauge just swimming around, searching) Bingo went further (encouraged by me throwing a marble way out there. He picked up another shotshell hull and then spied the duck. He dropped the shell and picked up the duck, now about 55 yds. away. This pic is after he already swam about 30 feet back.




He brought it right back to me. I hauled him aboard, he shook, soaking everything, and was smiling ear to ear, starting to figure things out.


Today it was Gauge who got the "practice retrieve" of Bingo's duck.


Success is where you find it. It is a little duck but I couldn't be prouder. The next time I go maybe it will be a big Canada goose. CB

Thanks for the great photos!

So today we took the little boat, the 14' Valco "Goose Machine" I camoed up a few years ago with a Cabelas camo sticker kit and some spray paint, pvc poles and vietnamese marsh grass panels.

The dawn and morning was foggy, foggy and glass calm on the river. Geese and ducks were all around, and Bingo the pup got to retrieve four ducks... but the geese held their distance.





Finally, when we motored a ways to shore to let the pup out and exercise, along came a pair of big Western Canada geese. I staggered this big male with the second shot and sent a third after him from the Nova with its 3 1/2" load of BBBs. He careened away, flapping wildly then did half a barrel roll and peeled over dead, cawumping the water in a huge cannonball of a splash from 45 yds. up. On approaching him, the young dog wasn't sure just where to latch on to such a big bird (his first goose).





A great day for us.

Here's a bowl full of lean, healthy red waterfowl meat, marinating for tomorrow's meal of barbecued goose, onion and green pepper shish kabobs.

Clean Break.

He is sticking his tongue out at you.

He's been acting strangely lately...
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1387138694.705898.jpg

CB