The Last Retrieve

[Chuckle12]

After 2 years off due to 2 abdominal surgeries and retrieving duties being taken over by his son Cowboy, my 11 year old dog Reagan finally got to make one more hunt. It will most likely be his last. With Cowboy back at Ronnie Lee's to touch up for Master, Reagan got his number called one last time. He picked up 7 birds, getting slower with each retrieve. He still has the desire, but his old bones just won't let him do it like he wants to. The last bird was a 75 yard blind. It was probably the most enjoyable moment I've had in my hunting career. Knowing how tired he was, how deaf he has become and the fact that he hasn't run a blind in 2 years, I walked out with him to the edge of the decoys to help him out as much as possible. He left my side on "back", just as he's done a thousand times before, but this time a lot slower. He popped every 10-15 yards, turning as if to say "I'm deaf, I can't hear your whistle, but I'm gonna do my best" and took each cast I gave. Nothing about it was technically correct but he delivered the bird to hand. In my heart, I knew this was the last time he would do this and to be honest it choked me up a little. I had to help him up the ramp back in to the blind. It was bird number 2762 to retrieve for me.

Sorry for the poor pics, it was drizzling rain.

[ragon]

It is amazing how our hunting buddies become family, and the memories they instill in our hearts become a bond that is unbreakable between a man and his dog. Congrats on making another memory with your bud!

[arduckslayer]

Awesome and sad at the same time. I can still see my 12 year old Chessie bringing me his last bird. I shed a tear or 2 that day as well. It's not fair that they can't do it as long as we can.

[The Waterfowler]

Gene Hill once said that God's biggest mistake was not letting a good dog live his master's lifespan. I have buried some good ones, great ones in my mind, and it never gets easier. We hunt over two of ours that are burried in front of out pits in Arkansas. There will be more, but it's a sad thought if we want to continue in the sport we love. I share your sorrow of a good dog reaching the twilight of his life. You will remember his last retrieve always. I share with you this. From the classic Prairie Wings a poem by Sterling Edmunds as a tribute to Edgar Queeny's magnificant Black Lab immortalized by Nash Buckingham much as he did for King Buck. Here's to our four legged friends both past and present.

[Hambone]

Ah, Grouse of Arden. To Grouse sums it up for all of us that cherish retrievers.

[GulfCoast]

Bless you for letting an old dog have one more day doing what he loves!

[Thegeneralms]

Thanks for sharing, Someone should put a book together call "The Last Retrieve" and fill it with stories just like this one.

This is a line from a song that I believe to be more than true.

"But in his heart he knows that sometimes a dog is as good as any man"

[The Waterfowler]

"If I die before I wake, feed Jake."

I remember asking if someone had my dog, Ace, when I got to ICU two weeks ago. They become a part of you.

[deltadukman]

"If I die before I wake, feed Jake."

Pirates of The Mississippi....if you ever have owned a dog, this song will bring tears to your eyes.

[msbigdawg1234]

That old boy is a goodern....but good lawd dont touch his ears or walk in his house without him knowing you are there....lol....glad he got to go again Sam

[feedcall]

That is a great story. Thanks for sharing. We chose the "not so good spot" to hunt Saturday jsut so we could take our 13 year old "Maggie". Turned out to be more birds there than we thought. We gave Maggie a workout. She did her best, and she did flawless. She's deaf and half bling. She was on the inside cover of DU in 2006. She has picked up hundreds of birds each year. We knew that this was her last. It choked us both up. Their spirit is amazing.

[bigsprig]

thats awesome sam. you will always remember a hunt like that, but not for the birds you shot.

[Double R 2]

Ol' Reagan! I can remember the 100+ pound yellar dog of yester-year jumping over me AND the quick set blind top to retrieve ducks, and that morning he broke ice the entire way like only a large dog can! And yes, I still laugh when I think about us doing circles to clear the ice! Am glad to ear he finished strong and thanks for sharing those pics. Old dogs are the best dogs.

[Tedl10]

great stuff sam

[Chuckle12]

Ol' Reagan! I can remember the 100+ pound yellar dog of yester-year jumping over me AND the quick set blind top to retrieve ducks, and that morning he broke ice the entire way like only a large dog can! And yes, I still laugh when I think about us doing circles to clear the ice! Am glad to ear he finished strong and thanks for sharing those pics. Old dogs are the best dogs.

That was the morning Reagan puked in the front of your boat and Delta pizzed on your jacket in the back.