Dean and Bill.....Jeff's lab was named Luke. I loved that dog as if he were my own. Jeff used to take Luke for retrieving while on hunts with myself and Stoney, my wonderful setter. Luke would stay at heal while Jeff and I walked in for the flush. When Jeff gave him the command, he would rush in for the retrieve. Luke always tried to beat Stoney to the retrieve. One memorable day, Stoney beat Luke to a pheasant Jeff shot. Stoney started back with the bird and Luke, not to be denied, grab a hold of the bird also. They both came back to us holding onto the bird together. Jeff and I still talk about that duel retrieve.
Jeff has bought a farm in NH not that far from my home in Pawling, NY. We will be fly fishing the Housatonic River a lot this spring and hunting grouse in my home coverts in Pawling. The area I have hunted since childhood is still highly productive grouse cover due to the 1400 acres being selectively logged every ten years.
I am back in the game. I suffered severe depression for a number of years due to a family problem. I sold most of my Parkers to pay my son's hospital bills. I only kept a Holland and Holland 28 gauge and three Parkers. I gave a couple of Parkers to friends including a wonderful DHE 34" pigeon gun with high dimensions that I gave to Destry. I hope he is still using that gun.
I am now buying Parkers again and hunting again. I won't get up the eighteen Parkers I owned back in the day but it doesn't matter. I am happy and again doing the things I did as a boy.
Thanks for responding guys. It was great to hear from you.
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