It was a beautiful clear January morning—January 15th  to be exact. I know this because it was the final day of the Idaho chukar season. I took a deep breath as I stepped out of the truck and smiled as I felt my nose hairs momentarily freeze together. The temperature was in the single digits, and there was five inches of fresh snow on the ground. For me, this was a perfect way to end a wonderful season. I was hunting a young dog that day which I had been teaching to stand steady to wing, shot, and fall, and it was finally starting to click.

The hunt started with a steep climb—as chukar hunts often do. The birds gravitate to the rocky ridges, and seldom are there passible roads to get one there. That morning was no exception. The climb took me just under an hour. When I arrived at the top, as always, I took a minute to enjoy the view (catch my breath). It was not long before my Garmin buzzed, indicating that my dog was stopped. I headed his direction. With the depth of the snow and the rocky terrain, my progress was slow, but as I peered over the ridgeline, I saw that always thrilling view. My setter was standing motionless with his head and tail erect, nostrils flaring, and tail hair waving in the updrafts that carried the hypnotizing scent up the hill to him.

I chose to drop down the hill a few feet and approach the birds from the side, hoping that this would give me a better shot. I held my over and under ready, knowing the birds could explode at any moment. It’s funny how something fully expected can still startle a person. This covey had that very effect on me as they blew out of the snow. I picked out a bird and squeezed the trigger. The bird folded, and I marked the fall. Before I could lower the gun, a few more birds took flight, and again my gun barked, and another bird fell. Lowering the gun, I broke open the action and removed the empty hulls, replacing them with new shells. Closing the gun, I stepped forward, and a third group of birds rose into the air, and I went back into action. As the third bird fell, I winced. Had I been hasty in my decision to shoot that third bird? It was a very large covey, and being the last day of the season, I felt comfortable that the covey was plenty healthy going into spring. My concern was effectively recovering all three birds. In the steep rocky terrain, remembering the bird’s locations could be difficult, and with the fresh snow, it was going to be a challenge. I glanced up the hill and was pleased to see my dog standing steady where he had established point, intently looking the direction of the third bird. I called his name, and he was off.

As he was retrieving the third bird, I began my descent to the area of the second bird. I took the bird from the dog as he arrived and asked him to hunt dead. He went right to the location of the second bird. As soon as that bird was recovered, he headed for the area I remembered the first bird falling. I sat in amazement; he had obviously been paying close attention as I was shooting.

Steady to wing, shot, and fall is often thought of as the holy grail of gun dog performance. It is most often seen in field trial settings. In fact, many hunters think that field trials are where this level of training should stay. A trick, though very impressive, meant for show, with little to no value in real world hunting. When it is given value, it is usually only talked about as a safety measure to keep the dog from being accidentally shot.

For me, this level of training only became relevant when I got involved in horseback field trials. Because the trials I chose to participate in required this level of training, I set out to learn to teach it to my dogs. As I then hunted those dogs, I realized that steady through the fall added three notable benefits to my hunting experience: Increased safety, more shooting opportunities, and more efficient recovery of fallen birds.

Benefit #1: Increased Safety

A dog in close pursuit of a low flying bird could be caught in the line of fire. An inexperienced or overly excited hunter may not be aware of the dog’s location. Additionally, a dog in full chase may not be paying attention to its surroundings or may not recognize changes in the terrain. All of these safety issues should be considered, and any one of these threats could lead an individual to have a desire to hunt a steady dog.

Benefit #2: Providing More Shooting Opportunities

As illustrated in the story, our dogs can affect the flush. It has only been the last 15 years that I have hunted over pointers that stood and flushers that sat steady while birds were shot. Prior to that, my dogs were in hot pursuit of the birds in flight. At that time, I would have questioned the idea that in a covey situation all the birds may not fly at once. I was shocked the first time I witnessed a staggered flush or a straggler bird after the original covey rise.

It took me some time to change my hunting habits so that I could capitalize on these situations. Often, I was walking with an empty gun when the delayed flush occurred. Now, I always make sure to reload before taking any steps from my original shooting position. Handling a steady dog also required learning on my part. Our dogs can only be expected to perform to the level that we handle. In the early stages, I often missed the extra shooting opportunities because my focus had already switched from the birds to my dog. Over time, my dogs, my training program, and I have all adjusted to these scenarios, and it seems quite common to get additional shooting with a dog that is remaining steady. I now expect extra opportunities and find that they are not uncommon.

Benefit #3: Better Marking for Better Retrieves

I have noticed through my experience training flushing dogs that a dog in pursuit of a single bird that it flushed will naturally be closer to the bird when it is shot and hits the ground. If it had remained in the place where the bird was flushed, it would have had a longer retrieve. The dog in pursuit would have a quicker and simpler retrieve. This is especially advantageous when the bird is crippled but not dead. This, I believe, is the strongest argument for hunting with unsteady dogs. This scenario is most common with pheasants, or in trials where the birds are planted in singles. However, when it comes to coveys, or birds that flush in tall cover or in the trees, I find that a stationary dog has a greater ability to determine what bird was shot and where the bird went down. In a multiple bird flush, there is no guarantee that the bird the dog chases is the same bird that the hunter is shooting at. With all things considered, I believe steady dogs have a greater advantage on the retrieve in most situations.

I am always developing young dogs, as a result, I regularly shoot over both steady and unsteady dogs. I have found success in both scenarios. Often, I have heard discussions regarding steadiness turn to arguments of wrong and right, where participants are trying to claim moral high ground. I find this childish at best. For me, however, I find that I prefer to hunt over a steady dog. I also greatly enjoy the added training it requires and the relationship it develops between me and the dog.