A Season Ends...In Dog Years

[mobirdhunter]

Our Missouri bird season ended on the 15th. Three days before its end we experienced a strong ice storm that left almost a half inch of ice on everything. I thought my home season was over, but in another turn of fate, the weather warmed and within two days, all the ice and snow had melted and the temperatures rose nearly 50 degrees. I'd saved our best bird farm for the end of the season, and although Elaine was under the weather and could not go with us, we went on this last day that was balmy...and extremely wet.

All of the coveys we'd found on earlier visits to this farm were home. The little DHE 20 did its work, and Alder and Aspen performed well. Alder even found a rooster for us, a very unusual event in this part of the State. We don't often try to take a limit, but the bird numbers were very strong, the cover great...and it was the last day. We ended the day with 8 wild Bobs and a rooster about 2 hours before the end of shooting time. We were tired, very wet, and very happy. As I gave the dogs a snack and settled them in for the 2 hour ride home, I thought about little Cedar, our cancer patient, waiting at home with Elaine for our return. Cedar had yet another corrective surgery recently -- her fifth, and will not hunt at all this year. The doctors give her a 50-50 shot at being with us at the beginning of next season. This is my 56th year afield with a gun, but Cedar lost this, her 8th year. Our dogs have so much less time. They live to hunt, as do those of us who love to follow them; so for me it's even harder to think of a season's end for my dogs.

So now we'll finish out the Iowa season and do the same for Oklahoma, weather permitting. We'll also head back to Kentucky to end their grouse season. Cedar will travel along with us, waiting patiently for her turn. Hopefully she'll get that turn come late September, and hopefully we will all start next season together with good health and high hopes. That's all any hunter can ask.

Key to photos:

1. An ice storm took away our electricity for much of a day, and I thought it would take the end of our Home Season, but thankfully, there was a "climate change" and the ice and snow disappeared in less than a day.

2. Alder got the morning shift. Here she is at the end of her hunt, soaked to the skin along with "her" birds.

3. Cedar stayed home with Elaine. Elaine said Cedar paced continually looking for me and the other dogs. Finally, Elaine thought to open the window so Cedar could look out for us to return. She spent her day at the window. Here she is in her protective collar waiting for us to get back with birds for her to smell. I hope there is another season for her...and for all of us.