You spend time and money on your preserve hunt. And while the preserve operator has done a lot to ensure you have a good time, there's someone else whose experience and expertise you should trust. That someone can't speak, swing a shotgun, or write a book. But if you follow the hunter with the longest nose, you'll learn a lot about hunting. And that hunter (in most cases) is your dog. Here are the first of ten discoveries I've made with help from my four-footed partners:

1. Shoot better, for his sake. It's the be-all and end-all, the grand finale. If no feathers fly after a tail-stiffening flush, you've disappointed him no end. So think sporting clays: Anticipate the bird's trajectory, and set your feet for it. Move so the sun won't be in your eyes. Push your cap brim high on your forehead so you won't raise your face off the gun stock. Have your gun in the ready position as you move on the bird. And as in sporting clays, practice makes (closer to) perfect.

2. Work with him. Sure, guide the dog to where you think birds are hunkering. But when you have a difference of opinion on where to go, take the dog's word for it. Approach a pointing dog (and the bird he's pinned) from an oblique angle, rather than striding alongside, and he'll be less likely to break. If you can get around in front of your dog, all the better. Birds often hold tight if you squeeze them between you and the dog.

3. See the bird, don't just look at it. On point, your dog is totally focused on the bird. You should be, too. Shooting instructor Buzz Fawcett calls it shooting like a predator, a single-mindedness that eliminates distractions and keeps your face on the stock until the bird tumbles. Otherwise, why should Rover bother pointing? Soon enough, he won't.

Come back for more tips in the coming months!