So, there I am kicked back and resting the dogs and I happen to look out at the stock tank..

wait a minute, I think, that bird looks familiar!

Blues Feeding

I'd just pulled up by a stock tank next to the dirt road along which I was hunting.  My plan was to rest my puppy and put out for the last cast of the day.  It was about an hour before dark, and we'd been hunting pretty steady all day.  Cap, son of Ace, was doing a good job at pointing and tracking Blue Quail in New Mexico. For an eight month old Brittany, I was impressed with his maturity.  Even with boots on, he was quick- constantly checking new objectives and keeping track of me as he was doing it.  We picked up about a mile down the road and I wanted to hunt around this tank before we packed up and headed back to Artesia and the motel.  The dogs were resting comfortably in the Jones Trailer and I had my feet up and head back fixing to snooze away.  I watched with half-closed eyes and suddenly thought, "Wait a minute!"

Blues on Stock Tank

Single Bird Heading out after the Boys, "Hey, Guys!  Wait up!"

You've got to know the rest of the story.....

About 3 minutes after the last picture was taken, I sneaked out of the truck, eased my pup out of the kennel and made a large arc around the tank, intending to intercept the covey.  My pup hunted well, pointed empty bushes three times, moved out and back in to me.  I saw the fresh tracks and we made another long, arcing cast, hoping to get outside the fleeing birds.  (At this point, they knew we were there and on their tail, and those little buzz bombs can really hiaco out of there when they turn on the jets!)  Long story short, we never got so much as a flush.  That's bird hunting.