25/09/2025
In a world full of pheasants, Llano found the grouse today.
This young boy laid down a nice run in the 75° sunshine. Thirty to forty minutes in, he was still cruising when the Garmin went off, showing he was stopped 218 yards ahead. In my head I wanted to run, because he doesn’t stop on trash. I knew he had something.
Today has been full of pheasants, even in spots where they weren’t likely to be, so I wasn’t in a big rush to get to him. But then I crested the hill and saw him standing beautifully, another 150 yards ahead on the next ridge.
These moments are what I love most about pointing dogs, especially developing them. I anxiously but slowly walked up ahead of his point. Nothing flushed. I looked back, and he was as staunch as ever: tail quivering, eyes squinting. I pushed into the wind another 20 yards, and up came a single grouse. I managed to hold up my end of the deal, and the rest was history.
Llano is a young male out of my breeding with Katie Willis’s male Gravy. He’s been developed almost entirely on wild birds, and I’m starting to really reap the benefits early into his second season. He’s showing great determination, independence, and honesty on his birds at impressive distances.
It was a beautiful piece of dog work that I won’t soon forget. 🍻
