# Another mans bird dog



## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

One of the first things you learned about bird hunting, if you grew up in the South, was that you don't criticize another man's bird dog. "Son," they'd tell you,"You might be in the field with some old boy who spends the whole day cussing his dog for busting coveys, running off, and just generally being sorry. But what you need to understand is, probably he loves that dog. And no matter how bad that dog behaves, he don't want to hear about it from anyone else. That dog is like family. Someday you'll understand the thing between a hunter and his dog. For now, just keep your mouth shut." 
There is a jewel of truth embedded in that advice. Hunters feel about their dogs the way the father in the parable felt about the Prodigal Son. It is always "Come on home, son. All is forgiven." In the view of a true hunter, all gun dogs are special and a few are legends. Hunters will sing the songs of those dogs' deeds like the ancient sang the epics of Homer. If it weren't for dogs, conversations between bird hunters wouldn't be anywhere near so long, interesting, or funny as they are. Sometime in your hunting career you understand that it is the dogs that are the stars of this movie. When you start out, you just want to shoot birds. As you mature, you want to hunt with style. When you attain wisdom, you want to be out with dogs because you understand that they have the gifts and the heart. You are just along to witness their deeds and to tell the tales. 
Geoff Norman


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead.

He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.

After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.


When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.
When he was close enough, he called out, 'Excuse me, where are we?'

'This is Heaven, sir,' the man answered. 'Wow! Would you happen to have some water?' the man asked.


Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up.'The man gestured, and the gate began to open.

'Can my friend,' gesturing toward his dog, 'come in, too?' the traveler asked.

'I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets.'


The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.

After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence.

As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.

'Excuse me!' he called to the man. 'Do you have any water?'

'Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in...'

"How about my friend here?' the traveler gestured to the dog.

'There should be a bowl by the pump.'

They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it.

The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog.

When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.

'What do you call this place?' the traveler asked.

'This is Heaven,' he answered.

'Well, that's confusing,' the traveler said. 'The man down the road said that was Heaven, too.'

'Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's ****.'

'Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?' the old man asked.

'No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.'

Author Unknown


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## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

True words TR. Bad form to criticize another person's dog or the dog's work afield. 

I always liked the story about the old grouse hunter and his aging dog. The old boy thought it would be good to take his dog out for one last hunt. They hunted most of the day without success, but entered the last bit of cover before heading back to the vehicle. The old dog managed to slam to a point, and the old boy managed to take his first ever double (two grouse on the wing taken before either hits the ground). Tired, the old boy leans against a tree to take a breather. The aged dog rests his head on his lap.

Next day two young hunters are out and come on the old boy and his dog. Two grouse laying on the ground next to them. Both had passed away. 

I can think of no finer way to leave this earth than to end it this way.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

Never had a Friend with a bad bird dog - This would be my definition of friend - I'm their to help them and their there to help me - that includes the PUPS - rather have a friend with a not so great pup than someone I do not respect with a great dog


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I just like being in the field watching the dogs works. I have spent many hours planting birds and handling the dogs to introduce more people to upland hunting. It's just as big a thrill for me to see someone shoot their first quail as it was when I shot mine.
We do have a good many quail purest in Texas that would never let a started dog run with their finished dogs. I don't feel that way and enjoy seeing a friends young dog improve with each outing. I can laugh at a young dog that busts a covey, or points a skunk and runs back to their owner stinking to high heaven. Its all a experience that I wouldn't want to miss.


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