A Glimpse of Fall

Temps on some recent nights have dipped into the 40’s, a few young trees are showing color and a few ferns are turning brown. Messages and conversations are asking what are my western travel plans, all indications that autumn is almost here.

Those who have met up with me on the road are familiar with this rig that served me well for many years.

But this year I switched up to something more compact and easier to manage, especially when traveling alone. The Class B+ motorhome itself is very nice for short trips for visiting and for hunting trips out west it will pull my Jeep to use for hunts. For those doing a doggy and crate head count and notice only 6 crates, my two senior girls will ride loose. 

An advantage of taking the whole pack with me is that my timing for travel is completely flexible.   Meanwhile I of course will enjoy the grouse hunting that surrounds my home but I will watch for favorable weather out west and head out when it feels right. 

This will be the second season for the young dogs from the trial-line outcross that I did last year, and I particularly can’t wait for them to get out west.  I have been able to closely watch the development of several from the litter, including the two that I own/co-own. There is less variation within the litter than often seen in outcrosses, which as a breeder is nice to see, and prelim X-rays were good/excellent. All did well in their puppy season with two stars who particularly embody the traits for which I was striving:  sweet, kind dogs who are easy to look at, live and hunt with.  At five months and for the rest of their puppy season, those two were slamming points on grouse with tall, proud points, backing, and retrieving. With their strong drive and bird finding, they have the raw goods, and I look forward to seeing how they continue to develop.  

 

I am impressed enough with that litter that this winter I am planning to do a similar outcross with their mother, my Dance, with a different, similar pedigree male that I met this summer.  Pictured below, he impressed me in many ways, and I am conversing with his owner about the possibility. Assuming these outcrosses prove themselves as I’m thinking, the next step in a couple of years would be to breed the offspring back into my own line to hopefully lock in the traits gained as well as preserve the long valued Firelight traits.  

So that’s a glimpse of what is planned for Firelight this fall.  I wish everyone a joyful autumn, doing what you love and hopefully following a white tailed setter afield. 

Cheers,

Lynn Dee