Return to the Prairie: Mid-Season Birds, Young Dogs, and New Milestones

Ty on his first western hunt — taking it all in.

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.

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Isaac — young, talented, and already showing tremendous promise.

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.

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Koko — proud new AKC Master Hunter.

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.