Lena vom Slaney-Vale

[AverageGuy]

Looks like fun to me! Nice job on the photos. Spud gouged his cornea this summer. Kind of surprising they do not suffer more eye injuries given how they charge their heads through cover constantly. Does Lena's beard wear off over the season?

[jlw034]

Looks like fun to me! Nice job on the photos. Spud gouged his cornea this summer. Kind of surprising they do not suffer more eye injuries given how they charge their heads through cover constantly. Does Lena's beard wear off over the season?

Thanks!

Believe it or not, this is her first season with a full beard. Year 1 was puppy beard, year 2 was a shaved beard to remove a wart haha. So I'll have to get back to you on that! Her eyebrows always take a beating.

[jlw034]

It always amazes me. I wait so long for season, and it just flies by.

Got back from ND a week ago. Four good buddies criss crossing the prairie looking for ducks. I may have sacrificed an hour or two of scouting for upland hunting, much to their dismay (waterfowlers, am I right?)

Hunting was good, no real complaints.

Headed to SD in a few days. When I have to work, Lena is staying with my father in law in SD. Getting pics of limits of roosters almost daily. He's a lifelong lab guy, but I think he may be falling for the ugly dog.

I also bagged my first ever sharpie...what a great memory.

[jlw034]

This fella came all the way from Maryland and wanted to shoot some roosters. I did my best to oblige.

[AverageGuy]

You and Lena are killin it this season! Good for you.

[jlw034]

Thanks AG.

Just did 5 days in SD. Never set foot on private land, and came home with my full limit. Some days it took 1 hour, some days it took all day. Dog work was great. Some birds held perfect, some birds ran hundreds of yards, and some flushed as soon as I walked in.

Lena is beat up but happy. Her tracking skills continue to amaze me. Many 100+ yard tracks on running birds. Several deep cattail retrieves, and one very soggy water retrieve. Letting her rest up, can't wait to get back at it.

[Bigearl]

Yet again you northerners are tearing it up and I’m stuck down here in GA just twiddling my thumbs...
Good to see y’all are having a great season and tons of fun!

[jlw034]

Yet again you northerners are tearing it up and I’m stuck down here in GA just twiddling my thumbs...
Good to see y’all are having a great season and tons of fun!

Thanks!

But come January, I'll be the jealous one!

[AverageGuy]

This is Lena's breakout season! Spud and I are in SD now waiting for the sun to come up.

[jlw034]

This is Lena's breakout season! Spud and I are in SD now waiting for the sun to come up.

Best of luck! Water was turning hard when I left, and roosters were transitioning to cattails. Ice was thick enough for the dog, but not me!

This is year 3 for Lena, and I'm finally seeing the culmination of good breeding and intensive training. Makes it all worth it!

[jlw034]

Well, the hunting in SD was too good to stay away. I ran over for a quick 4 day hunt.

I knew going in that we had transitioned to late season birds. I had the opportunity to hunt both private and public land, and boy was there a difference. We always got into birds in public, but they were crafty. Nothing wrong with earning birds though...and it makes a guy appreciate those unpressured pheasants.

Lena made some retrieves that impressed the hell out of a couple old timers, birds that were winged and ran off. I'm learning to just let my dog work, and she'll bring it back 9/10 times.

Unfortunately, the snow was crusty enough that it really did a number on her paws. I was a dummy, and didn't bring her booties. Her face really took a beating too, as we hunted almost exclusively cattails.

The trip ended on a short hunt, but it was one of the most memorable birds to date. Lena was hurting, sore and tender. I was only going to hunt for an hour or two, and were having tough luck in our field. Plenty of birds, but it was just me and her and we couldn't get around them. As we worked back to the truck, Lena cut a track. We had already hit this area, so I wasn't too enthusiastic about it. But Lena had other ideas. She lost the track a few times, when the bird double backed, but she never quit on it. 300 yards later, across mostly snowed in grass. Lena slammed on point. It was without a doubt the most impressive bird work I've seen from her. I stepped in, a giant longtail flushed, and she delivered to hand. It was such a proud moment for me. This bird had been around the block, big ole spurs, and Lena beat him.

[jlw034]

This was the longtail. The yardage is mine, so Lena definitely did more. I wish I had a better pic of the bird.

[ANick]

Wily old late season veterans. Not exactly, 'fish in the barrel'.

Great job!

[AverageGuy]

Spud and I are in SD now and can relate to all that you say. Man and dog earn every late season rooster we get our hands on. Thanks for taking us along, beautiful photos.

[Willie T]

Thanks for sharing that! I can relate to how hard the crusty snow can be on a dogs feet. Cricket holds up to the sand burrs, cactus, and prickly pear here in texas better than crusty snow. By day three in that stuff the tips of all four feet will be bleeding. Nice work!' I enjoyed the pictures!