Got the birds but not the picture.
First covey pup pointed 120 yards uphill of me. I thought they'll run to the top but at least I'll be on top, nope. He was over em so after I closed to within about 60 yards, they flushed towards me. One dead and one hit hard. We started towards where it went and I got another point. Uphill again. Won't get lucky twice. I closed to about 40 yards and they got up and flew right by me. Got a double and should have had 4. A couple went towards the snowy side, north slope. I went after them cause I figured they wouldn't run much in deep, slushy snow. Pup on point, me on his heels, pair gets up. Now I got five.
I go back towards where I started gettin into birds and meet up with my partner. His setter is on point. I get great pic of her on point and him about 5 yards on the other side on her. Pair flushes, he misses twice and then I shoot. Now I got a limit an hour and 20 minutes off the quad. He has nothing.
Next 4 hours no more shooting. My pup honored his setter on a point but the birds were gone.
And I almost got the pic I wanted. Pup on point, grandma goes by and lockes up. I'm 80 yards away. I get a rock between me and the birds and hustle up. As I'm gettin the camera out, grandma busts and then pup. Birds flush and I'm disappointed.
I did use the collar on pup today for the first time. I let him range as far as he wanted but not out of sight. As he got ready to disappear, I'd tone him. Had to zap him twice and now he responds to the tone well.
On the way back we got downwind of 4 burros. He winded em and started towards em. I yelled, he ignored me. I toned him and he broke stride and then kept going. Zap!! He learned. Great learning day for him.
For the season pup had 102 chukar and 13 quail taken over him. Most on solo hunts. He's getting pretty damn good but then I'm biased like any father.
Need 8 months to rest/heal up for next year but I can't wait.