While my friend Sal Licata and I were pheasant hunting in Upstate New York, Sal’s Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Chester locked up beautifully on a bird about 30 yards ahead of us. One of Chester’s strengths is his steadiness, and he stood like a statue, waiting for Sal to flush the pheasant. As we moved forward, the rooster broke from cover only 10 feet ahead of Chester and, instead of flushing, decided to test Chester’s training by strolling right past him. A seasoned veteran, Chester stayed true to form, moving only his head and eyes while keeping his body rock solid. Shortly after I captured this image, the pheasant took to the sky and was dropped cleanly with an impressive shot by Sal. Chester waited until he was released, and then finished the job with a great retrieve to hand.
A Test of Training
