Spring turkey season is a very special time at our house. My Canadian friends come with their traditional archery gear to hunt turkeys. Turkeys do get hunted-- but it is a very special time in lots of different ways. Duane, from Saskatchewan, has a pair of Labradors named Blitz and Queen Smoochie. They are brother and sister. Smooch used to live with me, but would get really depressed when Duane and Blitz returned to Canada-- so I just let the temperamental hound move north with her brother and she is completely happy. They are aging well, and get a bit more gray each year. 12 years is geriatric in dog years. They just don’t live long enough. Smooch brings the paper in from the driveway and sits very politely with her “OK here’s the paper” attitude and then hurries over to lay down by Duane and her brother. Polite and aloof-- she returns to her childhood when we throw the ball or give her the opportunity to retrieve birds-- it is still hard to believe that she can be that excited and eager after all these years. I have been very fortunate to have owned some terrific dogs. My friend Keith Ritter and I reminisce about John Hahn who raised and trained two national field trial champions, and Jay Wareham who helped him. King Eider and Bliss have to be running and retrieving in glory with those fellows. We miss them all.
Rob, Terry and Brian are my other Canadian friends. They start early and stay late working on these turkeys. I have watched them work, retire, get kids married and collect beautiful grandbabies. I’m also glad to report that they do usually take home some meat and tail feathers each year. More importantly-- we laugh a lot. They support our local Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever chapters and add a lot to our lives. I know that lots of you reading this column have similar stories of family and friends that visit and hunt and laugh just as we do. Count our blessings!!!!
Our marsh is drying rapidly with this recent warm spell with big wind. I found a Cinnamon Teal the other day and more new birds are bounding in every day. KWEC will have a migration celebration soon-- don’t miss it!! Go see the new birds-- they are beautiful!!!!
Doc