Scott Linden Outdoors

TAILFEATHER INN, Mott, ND: So, it was a slow morning in terms of shots fired. The plan was to fly birds from the shelterbelts, then follow up with better pointing dog work on the singles in the grass they flew to. Sunflowers were still standing; the risk of losing Buddy in the endless rows uppermost in my mind. A giant owl flew from the trees, giving us a wake up call. Mark’s Wirehaired Pointing Griffon worked methodically up and back on the tree line, and for the most part so did Buddy.

Dozens flew, but most vectored for the far horizons rather than the grass. We got some birds up in gun range out of the trees, and Mark dropped a couple. But our first pass in the CRP acreage yielded just one exciting flush at the end, and it was so young nobody drew a bead.

A change of venue was in order after lunch. A quick call to the mayor of Mott got us on the family place northeast of town … a long, L-shaped shelterbelt full of tangled deadfall and ankle-hugging grass, not to mention the abandoned farm machinery buried in the vegetation. His Griff Abbey’s point was staunch and the flush went Mark’s way. Buddy delivered to hand (am I actually making headway on this training thing?). Moments later, Buddy’s point was followed by Abbey’s retrieve to Mark … turnabout being fair play.

A jaunt down a watercourse that ultimately produced a small beaver pond was highlighted by another staunch point by Buddy. As Dennis Daugherty readied his CZ 28 gauge, I moved in to flush and the bird almost flew up my pant leg! I twisted, we shot as one and shared credit for the final bird of the day.

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[Here’s a preview of the country from our Montana hunt at Sage Safaris … you can see Canada from the tents!]