Catch and Release Hunting

Took the dog out for a run today to blow off some steam. I always enforce his quartering pattern while out and today got a huge shock. We were walking along the trail, Jake quartering back and forth in front of me. He quartered to the left into some thick bush where I couldn't see him. 20 seconds later he comes back out and proudly puts this in my hand:

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/fo...ictureid=44900

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/fo...ictureid=44901

What a shock lol. Obviously I had to snap a couple quick pics, I was in utter disbelief. The poor lil fella was terrified but not a single strand of hair out of place. I cast Jake off the other way and released Thumper back into the wild hahaha. I must say, I've never practiced catch and release hunting before! I think my dog may have a bit of drive in him LOL.

Pretty cool. :)

I've had my ESS bring back a live uninjured grouse.
It didn't fare as well as your bunny though.

Good on the both of you. That's awesome.

I look that as a bonus , crack it's neck and in the pot it goes .

TD

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Originally Posted by 400bigbear

I look that as a bonus , crack it's neck and in the pot it goes .

TD

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LOL I was in a public area, lot of hikers and x-country skiers out there. Figured it was easier to let it go then have to talk to people hahahaha

That is cool,Good thing Jake is not a terrier lol.

Nice one Cass, if that's the infested area I'm thinking of - Misty didn't practice catch and release there a week ago. Just about got caught too - makes me wonder however, what is the law about taking an bunny out of there - even if it's in town; you're not using a firearm. Is it legal?

I think the bunnies in that area are too used to all the traffic and will just let people step on them now, I know I've come across a couple Misty didn't see that didn't seem bothered by my presence at all.

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Originally Posted by Cass

LOL I was in a public area, lot of hikers and x-country skiers out there. Figured it was easier to let it go then have to talk to people hahahaha

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LOL . You mean you turned down a chance to get your pic up on PETA's most wanted . LOL

TD

Reminds me of a story some years ago where I couldn't get out to hunt the opening morning of duck season . I waited till later and thought I would take my lab Misty for a run and check for cripples . Well she made 5 retrieves in the thick bullrushes and returned with 5 live mallards . A limit and I never fired a shot . LOL I got home and cleaned them ducks and not a pellet hole in them . My Springer catches a rabbit or two yearly and last year two partridge that all ended up in the pot .

TD

On the downside, I'm guessing he didn't hup to the flush on that one. :)

Is that an ESS? What kind of dog have you got there?

I think it's safe to say he has a soft mouth.

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Originally Posted by welsh

On the downside, I'm guessing he didn't hup to the flush on that one. :)

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We'll just call it a "hard flush" LOL. Definitely needs some more steadying. Or I could leave him be and sell my guns lmao

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Originally Posted by duckduckgoose

Is that an ESS? What kind of dog have you got there?

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Nope, ECS

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Originally Posted by Jakezilla

I think it's safe to say he has a soft mouth.

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Sure does, just like butter. He was quite pleased with himself. I thought oh god he killed it as he came running to my side with it. As soon as he delivered it to my hand though I realized it was very much alive and very much okay - just scared poopless lol. It always amazes me how our gun dogs can retrieve birds and game through the toughest of conditions and have such a good grip on them without damaging them. Kudos to the pioneers in that field.

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Originally Posted by jweese

I know I've come across a couple Misty didn't see that didn't seem bothered by my presence at all.

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I think that is because a rabbit's first instinct is to freeze since they are usually in cover. They only bolt when you get close enough to them to make them feel like they've been spotted.

We've done some upland hunt tests where many birds get loose and wind up in the cover. I take the girls through later to work on quartering, and both of them have delivered chukar to me, alive, well and without a mark on them. If I may give you a tip, if they deliver it to you, never make the mistake I did and fail to take it firmly. We had done tons of work with pigeons, and the birds always survived and went back to the coop. During one outing, my mom's dog brought me a chukar, and when I went to take it, I treated it the same as I treat dead birds -- I said, "Drop it" to the dog as I put my hands under the bird. The bird, being alive and well, flew away immediately as my hands were not firmly grasping it. DOH -- Dumb A$s Handler. That dog has given me the stink eye with every bird she has retrieved for me since then. So no matter what Jake brings you, be it a bunny, bird or a live snake, take it firmly and let it go when he's not looking (just like you did in this bunny situation. I give you an A+ !)

He's on his own if he brings a snake to me

What a great story!! I bet he was so proud! LOL! Reminds me of a friend of ours and their young chocolate lab. The story goes that the first summer they had it, still a pup and largely untrained, the dog brought them a live seagull it caught on the beach during a walk. They managed to get this fantastic photo of it coming towards them, the seagull clearly alive and freaked out and the dog carrying it, beaming with great pride and tail wagging away! I'll never forget that photo. We laughed about it being a clear sign that he had himself a good hunting dog! LOL! Makes me wish mine would bring me a rabbit though. ;)

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Originally Posted by Hunter John

That is cool,Good thing Jake is not a terrier lol.

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LOL Exactly. My terrier would have broken his neck for you.

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My friend had his terrier get into a neighbour's yard and grab a squirrel. The neighbour was disgusted and held the still live squirrel up high while he yelled at the dog. The dog jumped high, and ripped the head off. :ashamed:

Sure hope h are the squirrel

Hahaha what a fella ya got there!

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Originally Posted by Cass

He's on his own if he brings a snake to me

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One year 2005 or so, the first day out hunting in fall my ESS brought 3 different snakes back to me. and when I won't take them from him he tries to get my attention by brushing them against my leg.

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Originally Posted by werner.reiche

One year 2005 or so, the first day out hunting in fall my ESS brought 3 different snakes back to me. and when I won't take them from him he tries to get my attention by brushing them against my leg.

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Hahahaha,

"Hey! Hey look what I got! Hey! HEY!"

My mom's old girl used to pick up EVERYTHING as a young dog and bring it back. The one time, she brought a snake. It was alive for most of her trot back, but I guess it kept struggling to get away. She was within a couple feet of my mom, my mom was trying to encourage her to 'leave it'...and she chomped it as it was still trying to escape. It went from wriggling to suddenly limp. Poor snake.

that's awesome!

Lol

Thats quite hilarious