It was October 2014- I remember because that was right after the first wave of riots in Ferguson. I had Schnitzel my big boy and Double Dutch with me at my buddies place in NE Montana. About 5-6 of us always trek 8 hours during pheasant opener up there to his families ranch.. We hunted a couple three days and one of my friends kept claiming he's seeing 3 black roosters roaming together, and every time he tries to pin one down they manage to escape. We all thought he was full of ****, so we teased him mercilessly..
Anyway on like day 2 it was nasty, a cold rain and high winds- super nasty. Everyone stayed at the ranch house and I took my big boy Schnitzel out. He was being a jerk- busting point and wild flushing birds 60-80 yards out from me. Well one of the birds he flushed was the biggest rooster I had ever seen. It flew high right over my head and the tail stood out like nothing I had ever seen. Big bodied rooster. He flew right into a slough filled with tall grass at my buddy's place. I put Schnitzel on a short lead and made him heel as we made the long walk on the upwind side of the slough where the bird flew in. I had NO expectation to bag that bird. Those big roosters get running in that stuff and make the slip on single hunters. As we're working the slough Schnitzel gets away from me. I can't see him so I'm yelling "HERE HERE!!" Sure enough as soon as I said that he flushed that big bastard 60 yards from me. I snapped that shotgun up so fast and pulled off the shot while he was on the rise and bagged that bird! Schnitzel was high jumping through the grass trying to find it like a pogo stick and I was laughing my *** off and yelling at the same time to find that damned rooster.
He finds it and the bastard mauled his head, I had to whack him to let go- but I got it. That one is going to the taxidermist, albeit with another birds head, lol.
So two days later- everybody else packs it up and leaves. I decide to stay back and hunt one more evening, but fix some fence during the morning thru lunch. I've got Schnitzel in the farm truck and I popped out to start mending. I noticed Schnitzel went on alert and was staring down the front pasture- I turn to look and sure as ****- 3 black roosters! Maybe 50 yards from me- just standing in cut hay. I move back to the truck to grab the shotgun and the took off, across the road and into some WPA land. I told Schnitzel- "Go get 'em! Hunt 'em up!" He takes off, I'm jogging behind him. I cross the fence and he goes on point. I take one step in front of the dog and all three came up- I aimed on one and dumped him.
Great! Another one for the taxidermist, lol.
Anyway- it was an awesome season with meathead. He's a big 95lb GSP and is like owning a Ferrari- temperamental and can get away from you quick. Best thing about that dog is how much of a great, devoted family dog he's been.
IIRC 36 bars on his tail and he has a knot on one leg- from fox or yote bite or a pellet. My daughter was in middle school and water colored Schnitzel.
He was less than a year in this picture- he was born loyal to my daughter.
He can also drive my duck boat, lol. Good dog.