Best of ATB: "Family become friends, friends become family."

BEST OF ATB: FROM the ARCHIVES

November 20, 2010 - Nova discovers bird hunting

John, Jack, Me, and our beautiful sharpshooting granddaughter Nova and her pheasants

For the past 24 hours I have been trying to think of how to describe on of the the most amazing days of my life.  Our good friend Julie summed it up quite well on her Facebook post: "This was such a magnificent day on lots of levels. A much needed physical and spiritual experience with lots of superb people, fine dogs and good camaraderie."

Sam and John had been working on an informal pheasant hunt for awhile.  As the days turned into weeks and now we're almost into December time began to be a concern along with the weather.  Sam, Pam, and John have enjoyed bird hunting together several times this fall in Southern Maine. All manner of hunting has been ongoing in the Short family as well including but not limited to Nova's turkey and her first deer, and our son's succesful deer hunting which most recently resulted in a nice 10 point buck. As a matter of fact, our Sunday dinner today featured some wonderful fresh venison steaks along with scalloped potato and green beans! 

John contacted the landowners he knows and working with the State of Maine secured necessary and additional field, training, and hunting permits for a pheasant hunt with a few friends and Brittanys and of course with ATB.  We knew it should be a small group but with Nova following closely in her dad's footsteps I really wanted to introduce her to bird hunting over the dogs.  When John told me he'd run into our son and family and invited her to join us I was ecstatic!  With our truck fully outfitted and Scooby, True, Piper, and Jack aboard we picked Nova up at her home EARLY Saturday morning and headed to the fields about an hour away. She was so excited which made me even more excited and plus I love spending time with her (and ALL of our grandchildren.)

Within an hour or so John, Nova, and I were joined by our friends (Gary and his son, Dave and his son and a friend, Julie, Sam, and Pam).  I had been wanting for Nova to meet our friends for so long, I am always talking about our family to them and it means a lot to me for them to know each other.  She was especially thrilled seeing all the different Brittanys there, several whom she had known here at ATB as pups over the years and of course Gibson the movie star.  It was fun not only to introduce our friends but also the dogs and explain who they were related to!

The morning was breezy and chilly but as the sun rose it became warmer. We brought cider, hot coco, coffee and I made cookies and coffee cake.  Sam and Pam brought hamburg to grill for lunch so we were all set.  Groups of 2 or more headed out together with their dogs.  A total of 11 Brittanys and 1 Lleweln (English) Setter enjoyed the opportunity to hunt and enjoy the day.  We saw great dogs and fantastic bird work at every level, from derby stage right up to finished gundog and somewhere in between.  It was so much fun! 

John really shines when he has an opportunity to put something together like this and he never disappoints. Thinking of everything, it is his desire to be sure everyone enjoys themself and yesterday was no exception.  Plus it's fun when you know the people you're out hunting with like we do. Several of us all belong to the same Brittany club(s) and have worked together on field trials etc.  We all lead such different lives, have various situations going on yet when we are enjoying the great outdoors with the dogs we love there is such a sense of comaraderie. No one was trying to "kick butt" in any type of competitive event, there were no standards to meet other than one criteria - have fun with your dog. Don't get me wrong though - each and every dog in those fields yesterday KNEW how to hunt. They were under control and handled well to their owners.  Although tips and guidance were offered, the owners of these Brittanys are hunting dog owners.  Several are shown, two are show champions, a couple are Junior Hunters, and others have significant placements and points in both field and the ring - even very close to finishing.  Everyone including the two 10 year olds, have hunter safety and training behind them, know all about guns and respect them.  Herein lies the heart and hope of All Things Brittany as we share experiences like this with others. 

Grampa released Jack to the fields as he and Nova headed down the slight incline together. Armed with my Canon PowerShot SX 120 I stood at the top of the knoll watching with several of our friends.   Watching Jack quarter magnificently out in front where John wants him, seeing those rippling muscles as he effortlessly strides forth and every ounce of his being poured out for one purpose - pick up the scent that he lives for - this in itself thrills my heart.  Listening to John 'speak' to Jack through the language of various whistle sounds, an occasional verbal command or hand signal is a beautiful sight for me.  These are things we have worked together on with our dogs over the years, although most recently moreso John than me.  John and I 'get it' and so do our dogs.  And yesterday - we watched Nova 'get it' too.

Nova and John conversed together and I can only imagine he was explaining about how the dog works, the wind, the bird and what the dog would do. What "Jack" would do, one of her favorites.  This was afterall a FIRST.  Moving nicely ahead at a decent clip Jack suddenly SLAMMED !!!! When Jack does this you better pay attention.  I watched as John guided Nova up closer, showed her how to come around the side, front, and back towards Jack and to be ready with her gun for the pheasant to flush. Grampa had told her where to expect the bird to pop up and anticipate what direction it would most likely take flight.   And in a split second which played out in slow motion I watched mesmerized, trying to take pictures but not so much as my vision blurred with tears.  Poetry in motion indeed as the pheasant rose, our grandaughter raised her shotgun, sighted the track of the bird in the bead 'just like daddy said', took the safety off and shot.  Holding my breath, watching as John stood ready for a second shot if necessary to take the bird down the pheasant gracefully cascaded straight down to the ground several feet in front of her.  Released to retrieve, Jack brought the bird back to Nova while a whole lot of shouting was going on at the top of the hill!  I was one proud grandmother and the look on Nova's beautiful sweet face was pure joy.  Proudly carrying her bird with Jack and Grampa walking by her side she came up and we hugged each other. At the end of the day Nova had 4 nice pheasants to bring home for the freezer, to put meat on the table.  And at the end of the day she told me that bird hunting was now her favorite kind of hunting.  I'm not only proud of Nova's first experience in the field with our dogs but I'm proud of our son, and I'm happy for John and thankful that hunting will continue on in our family for the next generation.

The torch was passed to two families yesterday in regards to bird hunting.  10 year old John also experienced the awesome awakening to bird hunting that Nova did when he and his dad successfully hunted over their young Brittany "Daizee".  On his own, with his dog well under control and on point, this young man also shot his own bird. 

On another level, many of the Brittanys there were also related so there was a chance to compare similarities in hunting style.  Age and maturity effect the dogs significantly.  We had two father/son pairs there; Gibson and True, Jack and Bullet.  Of course the varying skills and experience of the hunters are taken into consideration.  And the emotional aspects include the reality of personal life situations which effect all of us who are friends and family.  We care deeply for each other, most of us stay in touch on a regular basis, we are there for each other and for each other's dogs. When one member of our family is hurting, we all feel it in one way or another.  It is not unusual for some of us to pray together.

Speaking of ATB there was emotion involved there too.  Somehow all woven together.  Piper will be leaving to go to South Carolina shortly after Thanksgiving where she will spend the entire winter at training camp.  It is an amazing opportunity for her and one she will greatly benefit from.  Miss Piper has the highest drive of any young Brittany I have seen in a long, long time.  While some hunting Brittanys can adapt better to the decrease in field activity over the winter months, Piper is not that way. Recognizing at 12 months what she is made of means we recognize what is best for her.  Even so, this is a well thought out decision which John and I discussed thoroughly.  But in the end, it was his to make and I support it.

In closing, I also had the thrill yesterday of hunting over a handsome 3 year old white and liver male Brittany - J & A's Soaring White Sequoia of Acton, better known simply as "Scooby".   Scooby is 'MY' dog (did you hear me John??!!) MY dog.  He handles very well for me, maybe even better than for John at times but of course this past summer my field activity was severely curtailed.  Nova asked me several times throughout the day as did friends if I was going to do any hunting. I looked at the grounds, the distance, and felt apprehensive as to how much of it I could tackle.  I had decided no go - until I had a talk with Scooby.  John and Nova headed around the far side of the field and I took a short cut down over the hill to meet up with them at the bottom and to let Scooby get some of that fire out of his belly. 

Scooby caught sight of me and happily ran to catch up with me.  And he did have to stand up to kiss my face before getting back to business. He stayed to my front nicely as he quartered.  Soon my boy locked up on point.  He had a nice find but something was wrong with the pheasant as it couldn't fly.  I walked up in front kicking and thrashing.  Scooby waited briefly to see what was going on but decided he'd make life easier for me God love him and gently picked the pheasant up in his mouth and gave it to me.  Scoob and I tried once more but both met our match as another nearby pheasant flushed suddenly.  I don't like to shoot a bird my dog has not pointed, doesn't teach him anything as tempting as it is. Scooby and I enjoyed ourselves though, John called him back to the truck while I had a little help from my friends getting back up the hill! 

I've posted about 80 pictures from yesterday on the ATB Facebook fan page in an album.  Every time I look at them I smile all over again.  As we approach Thanksgiving I like to take time to think on those things I am most thankful for which are very consistent over the years.  I am thankful to God for this life I live, just exactly as it is and all that it entails.  I am thankful for family with my husband being at the top, for friends, and for very simple things.  I am thankful of course for these amazing animals who share my heart and home. And I am thankful for days like yesterday which truly are gifts to all who have the eyes to see and the heart to feel.  Let me just say thank You... Take care and God Bless, John, Ann, and All Things Brittany

Originally published November 21, 2010