The hunt

On Saturday, Larsen and I will join John G. and Charlie L. on a half-day quail hunt. This is Larsen's coming out party in the sense that he will find, flush, and retrieve the birds for us during the hunt.

I'm very excited but not nervous. Larsen is a trained dog. He will do well.

The trip will broaden his horizons as to what a real hunt can be. Unlike a Hunt Test, this is not two and out. We will stay in the field for three-and-a-half hours. Larsen will learn pacing and patience. I will give him his nose, and tweet him around only when he is outside the box - - outside the range where I think John, Charlie, or I can reasonably shoot the bird.

I'll probably start off without my gun and just run him and let John and Charlie shoot. Later, I may grab my gun and spell one or the other of the guys.

In recent weeks, I've handled my gun over Larsen with Bill T. backing me, or just by myself, and Larsen has done well. John and Charlie are new to him, but I cannot think of two better people for Larsen's real hunting introduction.