Taken too soon
 

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture...ictureid=13589

I am writing this after leaving the game warden in the field of South Dakota and having driven 24 hours + straight to get our Sadie girl home to be taken care of. Please parden any typos and grammar as the pain, guilt and anger I am feeling is overwhelming and I am Hoping that this will help. Sadie was a great dog and was a eager hunter in the field. She was a true hunting partner and found great joy in working birds. We were on a trip booked through a group that has parties hunt private leased land that the landowner shows you a d indicates where to hunt. We were hunting an area the landowner indicated held birds but nothing else. I was working one corner of the field and was going to block while my father and friend worked to that end. It was there that Sadie encountered an illegally set a 12” (330 or larger) Conibear trap on the edge of the prairie grass. I saw it happen, heard her and ran to her as she struggled. I tried to open the trap with all my might using my leg muscles and arms but was not able to save my dog. It was the most horrible thing. I prayed while trying to save here, screamed for help till my lungs hurt. I worked to exhausted to get her free finally using a metal bar that just barely move the pinkey sized bars and to allow her head to be pushed out. After screaming some more to God, firing off six rounds in the air in quick succession and finally getting enough cell signal to get our friend so they could come quickly. I collapsed, cryed and waited until my father got there. I carried my girl to the truck in tears and but her in her kennel and while my father collected my gun and coat.
After leaving the field we went to the landowner who “said” he didn’t know anyone was trapping there but offered no remorse ( and this is someone that is was said to be a minister) and simply closed the door on my father and friend. Next came a the most difficult phone call I have ever made to my wife, telling her Sadie was gone and that I couldn’t save her. We went back to our lodging packed and decided to drive straight home. As we left something told me to check the regulations book and it was there that a I saw that a trap that size could not be set on land. I called fish and game and we met a game warden within ten minutes as her was in the town we were in. He looked at Sadie and he expressed his condolences and asked that I take him to where it happened and show him the trap. He said he couldn’t make any promises but wanted to look. He followed us to where this senseless tragedy occurred. After looking at the trap and location he told us that it was set illegally as I thought. I asked him if he could show me how to open the trap and he said it takes a very strong man to set thi large a trap and that they use a special tool. He tried positioning it between his legs to open it and was unable to open it. He said that he believed it was one of the “Colony guys” trap and that he would begin his investigation after he took some pictures and dug up the trap. He took my information and and said that we could get started home and that he would contact me and have me send a written statement. I pray that he is successful in his investigation and that whoever is responsible for taking our dog from us is held responsible.
This event was extremely traumatic for me, I won’t go into detail about how gruesome but suffice it to say I can’t imagine a worse way to die. I am having difficulty not seeing the images in my mind and believe I have some type of PTSD going on. I found this link on how to save a dog from a Conibear trap but I can tell I did not have the strength to compress this size trap’s springs.
https://scottlindenoutdoors.com/wing...conibear-trap/
If even sharing this link helps save someone else from having to experience this then I will be happy that some small positive will come from this trauma.
I am left with several decisions now. The most important being how best to honor my Sadie. I pray that she forgives me for not having the strength or skill to save her. My wife, family and friends have told me that it is not my fault but it is hard not feel some guilt. I am angry at the person who by negligence or design set the stage for this tragedy. The worst part is right now I am questioning whether I want to hunt again as the joy of it feels as if it was stolen from me. There aren’t enough birds in the world to make this experience worth it. I do know that God willing I will have another Brittany. I do feel that Sadie would be any me to hunt again but I am sure it may only be on a preserve where I can have some sense of safety for my dog because of the controlled environment. I did not not even remotely intend this to be this long but as I finish this through tears I believe it helped. Please take a moment to hug your dog and tell them the love you have for them as you never know when that last time might be.

Sorry for your loss

Don, I just can’t imagine your terrible anguish.
My sincere condolences to you.





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Don, your words expressed your love for Sadie and I'm sure Sadie loved you equally. So sorry for your loss.

Don, I cried the whole time while reading your account. I am terribly sorry for your loss. I sincerely hope that you will find peace in time., Joe

Don there are no words, just prayers and fsith

Don I'm very personally sorry for your loss and can't imagine your anguish, and anger. There's not much that can be said to ease the pain other than that you have others on here who care how you feel and share in your grief.

Extremely sorry for your loss .

Very sorry for your loss.
Tim

Don your experience is my constant worry I'm so sorry you had to go through this...last fall was bad enough as I was quite ill,but I finally got on my feet before the grouse season closed only to have my setter Ben caught in a Gdamn unmarked coyote snare ,thankfully we were close and always carry cable cutters ,without them I wouldn't have gotten the locked snare off and he was about choked out ..I can only imagine what you've gone through .
I abhor trapping ,but agree it has its place and we all have rights to the outdoors,but it takes a special kind person to knowingly put a set where people run dogs and not post it ,I don't know why fish and game can't manage seasons so they don't over lap its infuriating!

Hello Don,
My God ...It is hard for me to think of anything worse.. I am very angry and extremely sad for you. I can not believe some total jerk could even begin to put a trap out like this, illegally, where pheasant hunting with dogs is a possibility. They should be arrested, convicted and sentenced. I hope this warden follows through with his investigation.

Oh Don, I am so sorry for you and your wife.

I am hoping for justice here.

I just read this, I have no words to express my sorrow. Just awful that it happened.

I do not have the words nor can I begin to imagine how horrific that must be for you to have to go through such an ordeal. Please allow me to offer my condolences to you and your family.

That is terrible . . . Words just don't suffice

I have often worried about this scenario and have no idea how to release that type of trap. Thank you for taking the time to share this story and for providing the link. Thoughts with you and your family.

When we were in Maine this season our guide made sure each guy had a 6 foot lead in his dog in the vest, and told us the most important reason was the rare chance we had to use it to release a conibear trap. None of us would know how if we had that happen to us. It doesn't ease your pain, but thank you for the video link Don. Hopefully you will have helped save someone else's dog, which is no small gift to give. God bless.

Don, such a horrible loss, please accept my condolences, they are family to us!

Don,
There are no words to express the sadness and outrage.
This topic has been discussed on the Upland Journal, one of the best forums for people like us who love to hunt and use our dogs.

https://uplandjournal.ipbhost.com/to...dy-grip-traps/

Anger, and sorrow often go together, as they do now. I still question why bad things happen to good people, and better pets. Every time I have lost a dog, people tell me they knew how much they were loved, and yet it is little consolation. I am so sorry for the loss you suffer.

tragic so sorry.

Don, I read your post yesterday around noon as we took a break on our day hunt. I hurt for you. It was hard to go back into the field thinking about your tragedy and how close we all are to something similar.

As others have stated so clearly, we share your loss. I cannot imagine what you went through, nor what you are still experiencing. I wish I could help you somehow.

I do know this: your pup unconditionally loved you and your wife. That's what dogs do. They don't assign blame or curtail devotion. I'm sure Sadie would never assign any blame to you. You did all you could humanly do.

As you suggested, I hugged both of my dogs on the tailgate yesterday after our hunt and offered up a prayer for you, your wife, and Sadie.

Don, i have no words of comfort

I have seen the videos but know I wouldn't remember how to open one in an emergency

I gave up one of my best and most favorite covers two years ago after finding those traps there, not set so that a dog could not get its head in them. I was very surprised to go on the NY DEC website and find out they are legal on state land.

so one guy owns hundreds of acres of state land as far as bird hunting goes .

I also am so sorry, and at a time like now, that is no comfort! My best for you and your family!

People who are cruel to animals are the lowest form of life

I want thank everyone for your prayers and condolences. It has helped more than words can express.

I was in contact with the game warden today and he identified and ticketed the 20 year old from the colony that set the 330 Conibear trap the night before. The warden said that the kid felt bad for what he did. This doesn’t take any of the pain away but does help to begin to bring some closure to this trajedy.

What a terrible tragedy! I am so sorry!

Don ,
I am very sorry for your loss of Sadie, the circumstances are painful to read and unimaginable... I wish you comfort..
I would like to ask (if you were told) what the Hell exactly this individual was targeting by setting a 330 (Beaver trap) in an upland field ?? Is there a practice we have never heard of or need to be aware of ,its unbelievable .. I know this to be illegal (for good reason) its just so hard to believe.. Again, I am saddened by your loss and wish you peace and healing..

The game warden said he was after beaver that were in the area. Intentionally setting it on a trail that came out into the prairie grass.

Don:

I am very sorry to hear about your dreadful experience with Sadie and the loss of her.

It is good to read that you are surmounting this, and doing so with the help of sound advice from friends on here.

I look forward to meeting you and your father again at another PGCA event.

The best advice that I can offer now is that your course ahead include the inspired wishes expressed in your forum signature.

Russell

Jeez, what a horrible story. I can't begin to imagine what was going through your head as you wrestled with that trap, which is wolf sized. There's no really getting over something like that. You have my deepest sympathies.

Don,
I am really sorry for your loss.

Sorry for the loss Don. Dogs are family and what happened is total BS!

Don, my heart goes out to you. I am so sorry for your loss. I pray justice is done and that you find peace.
Here in Maine traps are a very real danger, along with iced over ponds.

Don, I am planning my first trip out west from Michigan. Was there some type of body of water near where that trap was set? I think of Nebraska as big fields. The area the trap was placed is what I am trying to understand. If it wasn't for your video, I would never have remembered how to release that type of trap. My brittany got caught in a leg hold trap last fall. That was a horrible experience. My deepest sympathy for you and your family. Thank you for sharing this, I will be better prepared now. I am putting rope leads in both of my hunting vests now.

Ed, there was a small creek a few feet across about 20 yards away. The game warden told me it was an inexperienced trapper that didn’t read the regulations. I do pray he gets more than a slap on the wrist but that is out of my control. It is a shame that one person’s ignorance and greed for a beaver lead to the loss of my Sadie.

No words. I cried for a week when I lost my Remi two years ago. We'll see them in the Sky. Hang in there.

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture...ictureid=13628Brought Sadie home tonight. My wife and I are having a scotch toast to her. Might just have to finish the bottle.

Don, Elaine and I will also toast your girl tonight.

my wife and I just toasted to you, your family and Sadie

Don, I finally worked up the courage to read your post. I am very weak when it comes to losing dogs, and have been staring a a blurry keyboard, trying to figure out what to say.
I lost a precious young pup to an "accident" in the field, some years back.
A former friend, and idiot shot my pup while shooting at a low flying bird. I helplessly watched her die, while my vet was trying desperately to save her.
They are noble creatures, and depend on us. God's speed.