Anyone else feel guilty stepping out on old haunts?

[finsfurfeathers]

Nice photo FFF.
Question....what is your strategy for hunting with your dogs? When you wrote "I cast them off and then walk along the trails". Do you let your dogs run free until they lock into some birds and then you use a GPS to locate both your dogs and birds?
If so...how long will they hold on point until you find them?
Curious on your methods...FYI I have a GSP and try to keep him in tight...that way when he finds something....I am not too far away.
thanks

Might be easier shown than explained.
The way I hunt I'll never win a blue ribbon and would probably cause the purist to faint in shock but it works for me.
I run the dogs with a bell and beeper on point mode.
If I'm strictly hunting woodcock in familiar area I reign them in hard as I like to see the dogs work and woodcock can be missed if the dogs aren't turning over every leaf. Some would stay its because I don't trust the dog but in reality I like to see 'em work.
As I didn't know the cover I let the dogs work the bush as far as I could here the bell than recall them back. When the bell stops and the beeper starts follow the sound to the locked up dog.
They'll hold a woodcock forever , southern grouse can be a challenge as they are twitchy most times though the bird will bust most often on my approach as I'm not that stealthy

[chocolateman]

Nice...thanks for the explanation.