# Responsibilty - Respect



## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

responsibility is taught - respect is earned - as shown to me so many years ago by my grandfather Pap ( he raised me ) Pap always had 1-2 English pointers - at 8yrs old first time to walk on a upland hunt - at 10yrs old first long gun a 20GA single barell hammered cut to fit me - at 12yrs old the pups became my responsibility - clean the kennels water feed and exercise every day in any type of weather - what a pain in the azz - that fall on our first upland hunt I found out what Pap had taught me with out saying a word - on recall the the pups came to me - the birds were brought to my hand - Pap just smiled and it became one of the proudest moments of my life - Respect for the land we hunt on and the birds we harvest - back then you never saw a no tresspassing or no hunting sign - Pap would never set a foot on property till he had met the landowner and had his permission - always offered cleaned birds to the owner when we stopped by to say thank you - worked then and still works today - hunting is a privilege not a RIGHT ! just a thought as I remember a man that set the course of my life !


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Sad to say, responsibility toward my grandfather's and his brother's hunting dogs was my shortfall at that age. Thinking about it now, I must have behaved like a spoiled brat. I thought too much was expected of me when in reality all they were asking for was someone to listen to their stories :-[


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I to was introduced to pointers and upland hunting by my grandfather. To this day I will pick listening to stories of pointers and hunts from old timers over some young buck.
Its about the hunt not the limit and it takes the young ones a long time to realize it.


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## dmak (Jul 25, 2012)

Gladly and proudly, I too learned the hunt from the Old Man Gramps. Not so much on the upland, but I was taught to work a coonhound at age 7. I was given a hatchet, a cleaning knife and 22/410 combo break barrel at age 8. Worked **** and squirrel till I was 10 with that hound. Then on to large game. @10, I was given a model 94 lever action 30-30, no scope, and was taught how to track by my uncle and his dog. Took my first deer that season with my uncle. Two seasons later, at age 12, I had learend the way of the old school, track, kill, track, clean, haul. I had no tree stands, no feed blocks, no fancy gadgetry, and was released into the wild on my own; just me, a blood hound, a rifle, a compass/map, a knife, and some rope. It was then I felt I became a man. Took 2 bucks that season; harvested, tracked and taken with the skills the Old Man ingrained into my head, and a bad ass blood hound named Blue (ironic name for a red bone). Been addicted ever since. Started trap shooting and bow hunting @ 15 and have been doing it the old way till now. I've only been working wetland and upland game for about 5 years now, but even still, I hauled my then 87 year Old Man out to the field, and he and I learned the way of the bird together. There's a lot to be said about the oldtimers, I'm proud I learned his ways and am honored to carry on the tradition.


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

I'm with you guys. Pop taught me as well. I still think they were far better at imparting knowledge than our generation is. In some ways at least.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Anyone else? 
Stop rubbing it in, makes me feel even more guilty :'(


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

*Re: Re: Responsibilty - Respect*



datacan said:


> Anyone else?
> Stop rubbing it in, makes me feel even more guilty :'(


You don't need to. I know loads who learned from their father. Me, I don't care much for him unfortunately. So we are all different. 

What you may have missed out on was a patient and wise guide to learning things for yourself so you truly understand them. Ever watch the karate kid? Similar in as far as they sometimes made you do stuff that made no sense..........at first....


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

REM, your story about your Pap sounds so much like my Dad... and especially the part about always knowing the landowners and always asking permission to hunt on their land, showing respect, thanking them, offering cleaned birds, etc. My sister and I, as young girls, tagged along on many, many hunts. I think that's where my love for nature developed. We also had our own guns early on, and Dad taught us (REALLY taught us) all about gun safety. There were many fishing trips, too. My Dad would not fillet a fish. Said it was wasteful. Instead, we learned how to eat a fish that was cooked bone-in (it's so simple, really)! I miss him every day.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

MSW - as pointed out - by Oz!!! - we learn by example - responsibility begins and ends at HOME - our pups begin and end their day under our control and guidance for their entire life - our children grow and start their own lives - our pups lives will always be in our hands - something to think about before you ever bring a pup into your life !!!!!! You learned your lessons well - VVe build on our past for a better future !!!


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