I pulled into the driveway at home, mid-afternoon
Monday. I had left Firelight Kennels in Kansas the previous
morning, so I was punch-drunk from driving, not quite sure what I was
seeing. But, after watching the pair of
Hungarians waddle off into the lawn, I smiled and said “Welcome to Montana
Letti!”. Throughout the long, tough winter,
I hadn’t seen a Hun since November, but they reappeared this April day to welcome our new
setter pup home.
With
every pup comes unbridled hope and optimism. We forget what little brats they
can be, only expecting the best traits that our previous bird dogs
offered. It is easy to fast-forward in
our mind to their first point, their first blue grouse, first woodcock and so
on. Ideally, the birds have a great
hatch this spring, CRP is fully-funded by Congress and work allows ample time
to get in the field. Will it be my best dog
ever? Hard to say. With each dog we gain more experience training a pup and have
more disposable income to travel to the birdy haunts we have learned over the
years. Outside factors such as weather, habitat and wildlife regulations can
make an impact. There will never be
five-bird limits again on woodcock or a four-month long season on sage
grouse. The thick, endless CRP of the pheasant belt in the Nineties might not ever be duplicated. But, there will be birds to hunt
somewhere. Letti will have a good life. I guarantee it.
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