Challenge in the Pines

No chip shots at Georgia’s Eagle Rock Plantation

When I’m invited to hunt birds on someone else’s turf, my first impressions always begin with the dogs, for they are the variable over which visitors have the least control. Never mind the menu from the kitchen or the lodge décor; such considerations are always secondary. The same goes for the hunting vehicles and the indoor ambience. The local flora, fauna and terrain may prove fascinating, but I’ll work that out on my own in due course. If I’m about to borrow a shotgun for the day, I don’t much care what comes out of the gun cabinet as long as it’s safe to shoot. But the kennel always lies at the heart of the matter. As a rule, canines take to me faster than people do, and if I get off to a good start with the dogs, the rest will follow as night the day. Conversely, an edgy beginning with the K-9 corps usually means a character-building experience ahead.

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