Troutbirder II

Troutbirder II
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Thursday, March 14, 2013

The Chase

Writers block this morning  leaves me with the option of doing a reprise. Here's a post from my first year of blogging - 2007.  And my last year of upland bird hunting.....

It was late in the pheasant season. The corn and soybean fields were bare.
The pheasants were definitely gun-shy. Chessie (the Chesapeake Bay Retriever) and I were heading home. We were going up a long wash in the cornfield toward a distant wood. I already had one fat rooster and not expecting anything more. I wasn't paying much attention to Chess either. As she crested the hill I noticed that her nose was to the ground, and she was zigging and zagging. This told me she was on to something. I raced to catch up. Then I heard some mad barking. She didn't bark at pheasants. "Oh oh," I thought and hurried even faster. It had to be a skunk or some other kind of trouble. As I crested the top of the draw, it was trouble all right. The very worst kind for any dog in farm country.  Chessie  was streaking full tilt toward the woods after the biggest buck I had ever seen. 

 
I hollered as loud as I could to no avail. The racing pair tore into the woods.  Then the furious barking seemed to lesson. It didn't seem farther away. It was just a change in tone. Then there were sort of half whimpers. And out of the woods came my dog, with what was no doubt, a very ticked off deer right behind her.....both coming straight towards me.

"Well you see Mr. Game Warden, Sir. This huge deer, with gigantic antlers,  was coming full tilt right at me and was only ten yards away, Sir, I had to shoot it, as my poor helpless little puppy was trembling there defenseless at my feet."

Hmmm.... nobody is going to buy that story.

I fired in the air over Mr. Big Bucks head. He stopped dead, I think noticing me for the first time. He turned his head looking back to the woods, then back at Chess and me. Whereupon, he once again turned toward the woods and slowly walked away.

Well, I'm not a deer psychoanalyst, but I swear, he had to be thinking, “I guess I showed those guys." 

Sweet and lovable Chessie was a great all-around hunter and family dog.  Her forte was the water.  Ice, wind and cold never detered her from retrieving giant Canada geese......
 

21 comments:

  1. That is a funny story. Chessie seems to have been a really wonderful dog. You've given me some ideas of what I might do if I have writer's block! :-)

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  2. Really enjoyed your story. Chessie sounds like a wonderful dog! Glad Chessie and the buck were both ok!

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  3. Chessie sounds like a gem. Dogs can be a most wonderful addition to our lives.

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  4. I love a happy ending! Good old Chessie.

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  5. Oh I loved this story I was hanging on every word I am so glad it turned out to be a happy ending for all. B

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  6. And everyone survived! Whew!

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  7. Loved the story. A rather exciting day for all concerned.
    Reruns are a great idea. Often when we start to blog, we only have a few readers and sometimes that is when we put out some of our best stuff.

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  8. Reflections are perfect this time of year. Great dog.

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  9. This is a great story. I'm glad both you and Chessie survived the encounter with the buck.

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  10. Love your story! Whatever happened to Chessie?

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  11. OH My Goodness, Glad the Buck did not come for you... YIPES.. Glad he stopped when you fired the gun... Poor Chessie.... She had met her match ---or something BIGGER than her match. ha ha

    Cute post. Thanks!
    Betsy

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  12. Deer can be very nasty and aggressive critters, but I thing this guy was just stupid.

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  13. Chessie, what a beautiful dog! I have always wondered about that gorgeous German Shepard in your header. Do you have a story on your blog about her/him? Maybe sometime you could tell us a little about the Shepard? -- barbara

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  14. That was a titched in the head deer..one time a bunch of them stomped their feet at our dog Captain. I had a fawn eating my roses one time and it stomped it's feet at me.. it was kinda funny.
    Your Chessie sounds and looks like a great dog..she will be happy to see you again some day:)

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  15. Fun to go back and see what you were "doing" back then. Chessie must be greatly missed.

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  16. What a great memory from your personal history. Chessie was a wonderful bird dog (not so much a deer dog). Nice photo of a pheasant, too. Now I'm going to have to check out what's goig on on your other blog with the folksters.

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  17. My little pup took on a deer once and I was glad to see it get away from her.

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  18. Great story ... I'm so glad that all three of you ended up alive and well ! Good for you for not banging away as so many hunters would have.

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  19. Great story! Glad it all turned out okay. I worry a bit that Daisy will chase a moose or a bear one day and bring it right back in full attack mode. That'd be a good time to have a gun handy, or at least some potent bear spray.

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  20. What a great memory of a good dog. I had a beagle/black&tan cross years ago I could never break of deer chasing--around the house her name was Nellie but afield it was mostly "G-dmn it."

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