Thanks John, I'll have to look for that the dog reminds me of Gunner and Daisy.

Nothing more American than Parkers and Orvis cane rods.

This is an Orvis Ron White built cane rod in my mouth, a snake river finespot cutthroat in my hand. Both are beautiful.

Like the rGSP, you don't see many Brittanies in prints. But they can make great grouse dogs. I favor the setter because they are traditional but I have owned Brittanies also. One of my best grouse dogs, Rusty, was a Brittany. Unlike some Brittanies, he was also stylish on point, as the picture shows.

I had a great male Brittany named Rusty too. Mine was shot and died in my arms... one of my saddest days ever.





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I can't even begin to imagine that. Horrible.

It was a 14 year old kid home from school - no adult at home with him - shot a .22 rifle from his bedroom window at my dog that was in the woods behind his house.
Some people knew who did it but wouldn't tell me until the transient father and his two teenage boys moved away a month later. I think they were afraid I might take the 'law' into my own hands. That was forty years ago, and in those days I might have...






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Unfortunately that memory will stay with you for life. I never had anything like that happen to me fortunately. But I did have a dog that was stolen from my back yard. The dog was a great grouse dog and he was known as such in the Pawling area. Word gets around and some idiot saw a chance to make a quick buck.

I was beside myself with grief. That dog was my best friend in addition to my grouse partner. Word got out about the dog being stolen. Old Chet Sprague, the dog trainer and gamekeeper at the old Dutchess Valley Club, heard about a finished grouse dog for sale in Connecticut, about 20 miles from my Pawling home.

He took a trip to investigate and found my dog who he knew. The seller swore that it was his dog. Old Chet told him, "you have three minutes to get that dog in my car, or I will thrash you within an inch of your life". The guy put the dog in the car and Chet brought him home to me. I was overjoyed. I asked Chet who had my dog but he would never tell me. He was afraid that I would do something and get arrested. He was right!

I'm glad yours had a hpppy ending.





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Tom, that is a "Jenny Willow" story, almost.

What is a Jenny Willow story?