St. John of the Cross coined the term in a famous book on the spiritual life. I never thought much about it until it found me. It has been a long trip for the past four months. I’m glad it’s gone by.

Remember Pride, the English Pointer? I joined a game club once I came to grips with my physical slowing down. Wild bird hunting will have to be in smaller doses and less intense; those days are for memories.

However, there is plenty of action at the game club I was accepted into in January. Lovely place with over 1400 acres of mixed high desert cover, including a flowing river at this point in the winter!

Pointing a chukar along the road.

A very nice retrieve on a bird that still has some life in it. She had to run him down due to my sloppy shooting.

Each trip to the club to work planted chukar and pheasant brings more of her regal breeding to the surface. She is running very wide, quartering naturally, pointing with intensity and retrieving better with each downed bird. I couldn’t be happier! Here are a few shots of her in the last two weeks, working chukar.

I put out one or two birds at a time and then give her a good 30 minute run in another direction so she gets some leg work. During those runs we may find some wild quail that inhabit the place too. Occasionally, a chukar that has escaped earlier shooters will be found on these runs and they are fair game and very sporty since they usually end up in the base of a juniper tree. Whichever side I am on, they are on the other!

Why do they wrap these durned things
in feathers!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A week after these shots were made I spent a few hours with some friends and watched their dogs work and put out some more chukar for Pride.

Another wonderful point!

Pointing “dead bird” on one that flew about two hundred yards carrying a bit of lead. These chukar are fat, sassy and tough to kill!

Pride is the delight of our life now. She is funny, serious, clever, quick to learn and as loving as any dog ever was. We wouldn’t be the same without her.

I will report more from time-to-time.

It is good to be back. Thank you, Shawn. You are a wonderful friend, a gentleman and a kind soul.