Return To Home Page	Here are some shots taken on the morning of April 15th, 2001 at the McKee- Beshers game preserve and managed hunting area along the Potomac River. Our hero in these images is 1-year-old Ash being trained by Jim Birdsall of Southern Pines GSPs (in Poolesville, MD), who has a deft hand with exuberant young field dogs. You can see images from a more recent session by clicking here.  Click on any of the images for a bigger view.
	Ash gets his first sense that there's something in the bush just ahead of him, and is anxious to dive in and check it out. Jim already knows what's there because he planted a bird there himself just a few minutes ago. He keeps Ash on the leash so the dog understands that charging the bird is a mistake (Ash, however, isn't convinced on that topic yet).
	The sun is warm, and he's covered hundreds of yards of weeds and mud. But, what a handsome devil!
	Another try at the first bush, and (sorta) holding that point for a moment or two.
	Eyeballing a chukar (which is a bird native to Asia and now found in rocky colonies in the western US, and sort of like a cross half way between a dove and a pheasant).
	Trying to resist diving for that bird! Jim is getting Ash acquainted with the word "Whoa!" so that he'll wait for a hunter to flush the bird for him.
	The chukar is just roaming around, and seems to know that there aren't any shotguns out today.
	Photos and imagery by Matt Laur