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From: picou@convex.com (Michael Picou)
Newsgroups: rec.hunting
Subject: Re: Hunting Stories
Message-ID: <1991May30.080608.14242@doug.cae.wisc.edu>
Date: 30 May 91 13:06:07 GMT
References: <1991May22.071726.20996@doug.cae.wisc.edu> <1991May27.171404.29379@doug.cae.wisc.edu>
Organization: CONVEX Computer Corporation, Richardson, Tx., USA
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Approved: hunting@osnome.che.wisc.edu
Originator: hunting@osnome.che.wisc.edu


    I would like to share a humorous duck hunting story with ya'll also.  It
was one of our better days on Lake Somerville in central Texas.  We brought
his young chocolate lab with us since the water dropped off to fast to depend
on our waders for those ducks that fall outside of the spread.  We were only 
useing 4 dozen decoys, so they were fairly close to the blind.  Well, the
morning was goin great, birds were landing in the decoys while we were puttin 
them out.  The wind was blowin hard out of the north, and our backs were to the 
wind.  After decoying mallards and a few widgeons, a solo gadwall came soaring
in with full confidence that he was safe.  As he approached our spread, I told
my buddie to take this one, and I would back him up.  His lab was tied to his
hunting bucket because we had alot of canvasbacks landing in the decoys, and
Caitland (his lab) was getting restless. (in Texas, canvasbacks are protected)
So as this solo passed the spread, Steve stood up and released a shot that
brought his bird down to the waters edge.  Caitland was so excited and eager,
he tore towards the bird to do his duty.  He was so excited that he forgot he
was tied to the bucket, and drug it with him.  As the bucket bounced behind
the dedicated lab, the lid flew off leaving a trail of Steve's supplies.
Caitland didn't appear to be bothered by the bucket behind him, until he hit
the water.  When he went into the water, the dragging bucket filled up with
water.  This frightened Caitland and brought him to a halt.  He immediately
turned around and started growling at this thing he had aquired.  Well,
needless to say, I was on the ground laughing at the event, and Steve was
running to release his frightened dog.  We spent the next 15 min. picking up
Steve's stuff that had been thrown from the bucket.  We laughed for a long
time, and he didn't have the heart to scold his dog for not waiting for his
command.

    Well, the bird was retrieved, and caitland made up for his mistake by
retrieving a bird that was wounded and had swam about two hundred or more 
yards out on the lake.  Two birds were knocked down that round, that is how
that bird got so far out there.  Steve and I both got our limit that day,
and went home with a great set of stories.

    Duck hunting is a wonderful sport!  Lets not abuse it, but appreciate it
and do our part to insure the next generation can experiance the great beauty
of our waterfowl.


Good luck in the upcoming season,
Mike Picou