If you can't beat 'em.........

Well, I guess the picture says it all. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em! That's what I have discovered in this world of hunting and dogs and birds, etc.

Actually I'm having fun working with Roger and our 3 English Setters! It's amazing how even our 5 month old setter, Duke works in the field with pointing and retrieving birds. Both him and Lady still need a lot of work, and sometimes Roger expects more from them than they are willing to give, but I still think they are pretty smart dogs. They both show potential for being good hunters.

Josie, our seasoned dog, has been really fun to watch. She has turned in to quite the stylish Setter. Roger has had fun taking her to some dog trials. In fact at her last trial she won her first trophy! I was so proud! She placed second in an amateur division. This weekend we are headed to Hudson, Indiana to a field trial. We have both Josie and Lady entered. Roger will be competing with each of them at different times in what is called a brace. A brace is a 30 minute competition with another dog in a field where there has been 5 quail planted. The dogs compete to find the birds and are scored based on their finds, pointing style, retrieves and backing another dog that has pointed a bird. Each dog has two braces to run on Saturday and two braces on Sunday. It will be fun to see how the dogs do. They'll have fun but I'm sure Roger will be whipped!

Now I admit, I am more of a fair weather hunter. Not sure how often I will hit the field in the dead of winter. And although I tried deer hunting for one day, I don't think I will be convinced that sitting in a tree stand with the wind and snow whipping around my cold body is some sort of fun! But give me a nice sunny afternoon watching the dogs at work, yeah, I do enjoy that!

I have learned to tuck my pants in my boots though, after an encounter with an unidentified insect which crawled up my pant leg and caused me to come close to dropping my pants in the middle of the field! Thanks to my quick thinking husband he squished it to death, staining my jeans but saving my life, I'm sure.

Hunting jacket, $69, hunting vest $19.99, mucker boots $70, enjoying our hunting together, priceless!