Ty - Learning the Prairie
I was fortunate enough to return to the prairie at the end of October. I was curious how the hunting would unfold now that most of the harvest was complete and the opening-weekend surge of orange vests had faded. The weather was noticeably cooler compared to September, and the migration of waterfowl across the pothole region made it clear fall was in full swing.
On this trip I brought two dogs: Rose and Ty. Ty belongs to pro trainer Joe Finney of River Roan Kennels and holds a special place in my heart — he’s a Brother pup from the 2018 Brother × Sidney breeding from Windchime Kennels. I left Koko behind in North Carolina as Joe was preparing to run her in an upcoming AKC Master Hunter test.
Ty has earned his AKC Master Hunter title and a NAVHDA Utility Prize III, but his experience on wild birds was limited. This was his first trip west, and I’m not sure what he thought after a 30-hour drive delivered him from the East Coast to the wide-open prairie.
His first western hunt was for pheasant along a brushy drainage. Despite thin bird numbers — the area had been hunted heavily, according to a nearby landowner — Ty locked up on point over a hen pheasant. A great sign that he knew exactly what he was doing. Later that day he pointed sharp-tailed grouse, though I mistakenly thought he was standing old scent—until the bird erupted.
Part of hunting over a new dog is learning to read them. I can usually predict what Rose or Koko are thinking, but Ty and I needed time together to understand one another. The prairie presents countless variables: multiple species, running birds, non-targets, and the occasional unwanted encounter (porcupines, skunks, rattlesnakes, coyotes—you name it).
Over the next few days, Ty and I settled into a rhythm. I watched him work a running pheasant down a drainage, pin it beautifully, and hold while I flushed and dropped the rooster for him. Mission accomplished. Throughout the trip, he hunted sharptails, pheasants, Hungarian partridge, and even did some duck retrieves. I thoroughly enjoyed hunting over Ty and look forward to getting him into some woodcock soon.

Isaac - Lessons for a Young Dog
The first part of my trip was spent hunting with Fred Rice of Sundance GSPs. Fred has mentored me across NAVHDA and the wild-bird world for the past 12 years, and we always enjoy chasing birds together. This year I had the chance to watch him shape a promising young dog in his program.
Sundance CRK Son of Promise NAI (“Isaac”) is a lively, talented young GSP — and a littermate to Evan Roberts’ dog Zuri, whom I hunted over in September. Isaac has a motor, and that dog loves to find birds. His natural range is about 150–200 yards, and on my last day with Fred we hunted an area rich with sharpies.
Isaac was having the time of his life — a little edgy, as expected for an 18-month-old surrounded by wild birds — and Fred showed remarkable patience. He let the birds teach Isaac the key lesson every young dog needs to learn: if you move on pointed birds, they fly away. After a few bumps, Isaac settled in, held steady on a wild bird, and Fred was able to flush and drop it cleanly. It was a great moment to witness.

Koko - A New Master Hunter
Overall, it was another memorable and productive trip. I came home with plenty of upland birds and ducks. Rose continued to impress as always, and Ty gained invaluable experience on wild birds.
Shortly after returning to North Carolina, Koko ran in her final AKC Master Hunter test with Joe — and she passed both runs flawlessly, earning her Master Hunter title. Koko went an incredible 6-for-6 on her MH passes. I’m not surprised; her natural steadiness, honest backing, and countless hours on wild birds have shaped her into a truly dependable and composed hunting dog.
A huge thank-you to Joe Finney for prepping and handling her throughout the process.

Hitting the Prairie Again
I was fortunate enough to spend most of September out west, and there’s just something special about those early-season hunts. After months of being cooped up, both the dogs and I were itching to get back into the field. There’s an energy that comes with that first trip of the year—the anticipation, the crisp mornings, and the sight of endless prairie grass waving in the wind.
This season, bird numbers seemed a little lower than in past years. Don’t get me wrong—we still found birds and had some great days with full limits—but there were also days when I never pulled the trigger. In the area I was hunting, the grain harvest hadn’t yet taken place, and I suspect those standing crops provided plenty of food and daytime cover. I’ll be heading back later this month, so we’ll see if that theory holds once the combines have rolled through.

The Dogs: Rose and Koko in Top Form
​We focused mainly on sharptailed grouse and Hungarian partridge, with a few prairie chickens mixed in. The dogs worked beautifully.
Rose, as always, was a bird-finding freak. She covers the prairie with effortless speed and grace, and when there are birds around, she somehow knows exactly how to zero in on them. Watching her on the open prairie is a sight that never gets old.
Koko also impressed. Her closer range makes her an excellent “backer” to Rose, and she’s really come into her own this season. Rose isn’t perfect—no dog is—and when she misses birds, Koko’s right there to pick up the slack. She’s also learned to work different ground from Rose, which has turned into a real win-win for me.

Hunting with Friends: Sundance GSPs
One of the highlights of the trip was spending time with Fred from Sundance GSPs and watching his dogs work. Isaac stood out—last year I saw him as a young pup, and now he’s filled out and matured into a serious bird dog. Definitely one to watch!
And of course, Lina will always be one of my favorites. She’s eleven now, but you’d never know it by watching her. I still remember my daughter dressing her up in scarves and costume jewelry when she was a pup at our house—those memories make seeing her in the field even sweeter. Lina’s still a bird-finding machine; keep your eye on her long enough, and she’ll be locked on point before you know it.

Watching the Next Generation Work
I also had the chance to watch Ridge—the sire from our “A” litter—stretch his legs on the prairie. Back east, Ridge is a woodcock-finding machine, so seeing him adjust to open country was a real treat.
Evan’s other dogs, Zuri and Bailey, were equally fun to watch. One day I limited out early and tagged along with Evan just to see his crew work the rolling terrain. Zuri’s got a motor, and I like it.

​Looking Ahead: Pheasants, Ducks, and Future Plans
In another week or so, I’ll be heading back out west for round two—this time to chase pheasants and ducks. I’m also looking forward to hunting over a few different dogs, which always gets my gears turning about future breedings and pairings for Vanguard Gun Dogs.
Until then, I’ll be daydreaming about the prairie, the dogs, and the next covey rise.

— Jeff Tucker
Vanguard Gun Dogs | Proven on the prairie