Kids' first birds

[John D.]

Simply a great story and pics, Fred!!! Many thanks for sharing both.... As well, when I read your story and looked at the pictures - it simply is another confirmation of everything PGCA & forum is all about: lazy days hunting & shooting with 100 year old Parkers and involving the "next generation" into that same legacy - and allowing the "rest of us" to participate through your words.

Simply a terrific post, Fred... Thank you for sharing it....

John

[Blind Dog]

Thanks guys for the reps. Linn asked about No. 3; it wasn't found and most likely left the field before we started out. Scott enquired by PM as to the fate of the birds with a most kind offer and I replied to the effect that they wound up in a kitchen in MD and tried to attach a pic to prove it but couldn't figure how to make such an attachment on a PM. So, here's the pic, Scott. Also, Larry mentioned the desireability of getting youngsters going on "our thing" before it becomes obsolete (I inferred some of that from Larry's statement). We have a great PF chapter here in Ashland County and each year for the past 12 of so years we have sponsered and carried out a "youth hunt" a week or so before the regular opening (all ODNR legal). I have usually performed as a dog handler (though kid handler would be more like it, the dogs usually know what they're doing). We have had 40 to 60 yungsters a year get his or her toe in the upland water this way. An old pic below of a happy hunter with his dad and old Ring who found the bird for him.

Fred