I've just popped back into town this afternoon to pick up two more friends from France at the airport. They will be here for about a week chasing birds with us here in Manitoba. So far the season has been very good. Birds numbers and the weather have both been fair. The dog work has been excellent. Jean Francois, my friend who breeds Braque de l’Ariège has two young dogs with him and is very happy with the progress they are making. I am running three dogs right now, Souris my 7 year old Weim bitch, Uma, our 4 year old Epagneul de Pont Audemer bitch and Quell, a 5 year old Longhaired Weim owned by my friend Sal Castenda (Sal is pretty busy right now with two young daughters at home in the States. He won’t have much time this season to hunt with Quell. And since I lost my Felix last fall and really wanted another dog in the truck, I drafted Quell into service as a favour to his owner, and to myself!)

It hasn’t been all highlights though, Souris tangled with some barbed wire and received 20 stitches for her efforts. Brava, my friend’s Braque de l’Ariège bitch tangled with a porcupine and received a dozen quills in the lips. My friend Mick got a wader stuck in the marsh and ended up going for a very cold dip!