Just got a report from the Colorado Open Shooting Dog Championship at Arnett Okla. Today they moved 16-18 coveys in the first day of the championship (several dogs with two finds and several more with one and more birds ridden up by the gallery). So parts of western Ok are seeing a good number of birds. Here's hoping that the rains we had in west Texas bring some good news in the coming months.

Here is a heart-felt "Good for them!" Hope South Texas can boast an upswing of birds as well.

That's great news Chet . Thanks for the report

Wouldn't it be great to start running all HB trials on wild birds again?

Yes it would, but seems like most of the good wild bird trials are in the west. The Arnett trial is on a private ranch that is groomed for quail. Most around here and east of here are now run on pre-release birds, but if done well are a close second. Now when I said 16+ coveys on three one hour courses I'm sure that some may have been pointed more than once, but it's still a fact that there are enough wild birds to give dogs a chance to show on birds. It's where you tell the great ones from the not so great. And the birds are definitely on the come back there.

And by the way the Gyp Hills Field Trial Club has put on a wild bird trial in So. central Ks at the ZBar ranch(Ted Turners ranch) that has the potential to be a great trial.

While dove hunting in Refugio Co. two weeks ago I saw or jumped 4 coveys. I suppose I may have jumped or seen one covey four times.

I was at one broke dog trial, and a the bird planter rode among the mounted gallery dropping birds. Later the bird planter ran his dog on the same course.

Throw down trials are in most cases are a joke. Instead of the dog taking the handler to birds it's the handler guiding the dog to birds. Finding game along the horse paths is not a field trial it's practice for a weekend at a plantation hunt. Some, and I tend to agree, say that we may be breeding to the wrong stud dogs and removing some of the most important bird finding qualities from todays dogs. Breeding to the champions that have won on wild birds is very important. But I digress, we sure should see some areas in the west with more birds this year. Ace and I are counting on it

The quail around Big Lake are about a foot deep and rising...

They finished the Championship this afternoon and bird finding remained super. Quite a few dogs got around birds again, even my no count pup had a nice find at 15 min into his hour. Birds have a habit of getting scarce after enough dogs go through the hour courses but dogs were still finding them today after a 12 dog derby and a 30+ dog Am. shooting dog and 36 dogs in the championship, so there is a bunch of birds around Arnett.

That's great news Chuck. Can you believe they stopped having AA trials in Tx cause there were too many birds!!!

I guess I wasn't home when you called to invite me on a hunt once the season starts, try again.

The good ole days............

Chet heard that pup put down a darn good race, with a find. Several birds still there after majority had left. Bo stood like a CHAMP.

Yes he did, and had to run the last 30min into a 25 mph wind. Finished strong, had it not been for a 3 or 4 min detour he took to get to a distant shinnery line they might have used him. A second find might of helped too Pretty strong for a coming 3 year old.