Chapter 1 WELCOME TO PHEASANT HUNTING A girl and her parents step out of a farmhouse The air is crisp but starting to warm as the morning sun moves higher in the sky A young dog bounds around the trio It is a German 4
Pheasants are often out feeding when the sun comes up shorthaired pointer and its high energy level and great sense of smell make it a good hunting dog This morning it will help the family hunt ring-necked pheasants 5
6 Pointing dogs freeze in place to let hunters know when there is a bird nearby
At the end of the barnyard the hunters stop to load their shotguns They enter a harvested wheat field spread into a line and begin to walk slowly along Their dog runs back and forth in front of them searching for the scent of birds When the hunters are approximately halfway through the field of prairie grass a couple of pheasants flush The birds are too far away to shoot at Pheasants are careful and alert birds This makes them tough to bag The hunters keep going Soon the dog is working harder Its sniffs the ground and wags its tail excitedly Then the dog stands still Its nose is pointed down and its stubby tail is locked straight out Its nostrils quiver The dog is pointing It has been bred and trained to do this Pointing usually means a pheasant is hiding nearby The mother calls the girl over The young hunter quietly walks in from the side trying to flush the pheasant that is somewhere ahead of the dog 7
