Kate the Wirehair (click photo to enlarge)...
...was already terrorizing the upland bird world when I shot this photo 10 years or so ago. She's an old dog now but in the interim she's managed to compile quite the thick resume. Over the many seasons she's pointed countless birds all across and up and down Montana and Arizona, in Idaho, North Dakota and Alberta. Ringnecks, five grouse, two partridges, four quail species and once, about the time I shot this photo, a hen mallard's bill protruding from a flooded cattail marsh...which she put nose to water and obviously scent trailed up current for about a hundred yards before going stiff. I recall thinking perhaps she'd lost it but when she would not move so much as an eye lash I thought it best to investigate further and...I'll be damned that there girl really is pointin' a duck's bill...With several mallards already in the bag I didn't really want another so I waded in and tapped her on the head (release signal) whereupon she rushed forward plunged head under and came up sputtering with one very surprised (I imagine) hen mallard in her jaws.
Another magic moment in a long line of magical performances one cold November day up above Clyde Park she trailed up and pointed a large covey Huns. As sometimes happens at the flush my single shot dropped two more besides the one I had in mind. Two lay DOA in plain view, the third dropped just as hard but in taller grass...Kate ran to the nearest, stopped, picked it up. Then, instead of bringing it, took off in the opposite direction. Ignoring the whistle and my loud mouth she kept on going eventually disappearing over the hill. PO'd I picked up the remaining Hun and took off in hot pursuit...
Clearing the hill I spied her, standing with what can only be described as a confused look. Way out there, way beyond where any "goddam crippled Hun I know" might run. Ignoring more loud whistling, ranting and raving as in "get your sorry ass the hell here or..." When I got there, still fuming of course, well, you guessed it, still holding the original, front paw planted firmly on the runoff Hun...Well hell, soonere or later I guess we all learn tis best to trust the dog; obviously I'm just one those laters.
Kate's had some health problems that have of late been slowing her down. Although she never quits lately her back legs just haven't been working up to par. Suspecting the worst we took her to the Vet. And yesterday while our worst fear was some sort of tumor/cancer we found out she has diabetes, not at all good but...
The hope is with perhaps rigid diet restrictions and twice a day insulin injections we can get her at least back to recovering enough muscle mass and able to get around better. For her sake hopefully she has a bunch more hunts left, if only for an hour or so...No doubt not what she has in mind but no doubt either no hunting is gonna make for one very unhappy dog...stay tuned.
Montana Legislature Adjourns...
To my way of thinkin, Hooray and Good Riddance to the worst bunch a wingnuts maybe ever. A couple last minute deals you might be interested: HB 171 which would have legalized "silencers/suppressors whatever" for "hunting" failed to garner the required super majority vote and ended in the trash can. Why any ethical law abiding hunter would want one is way beyond this ol' boy's mental capacity, but since I can't come up with any reasons other than making it more better/easier to be sneaky, sleezy, downright slobbish, like the legislature in general I say good riddance...
On another track, the "permitless carry" bill did get sent to the Gov whereupon most in the know expect his royal highness to sign it into law...since just about every male I know already carries wherever, whenever this one seems to me more a formality than anything...so be it.
Poaching Goes High Tech
By Mark Freeman
Mail Tribune
A ring of Springfield poachers faces racketeering and other charges for allegedly stealing the identity of Oregonians to buy hunting licenses and tags and then illegally killing as many as 300 black-tailed deer in eastern Lane County over the past five years...also poached were elk, antelope and black bear. To read the rest of the pathetic details click the link below.
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110429/NEWS/104290329/-1/NEWSMAP
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