A long time ago we did this so how bout some "Selfies" to put a face with the posts!

[montdoug]

Lakers, in the creek ????
Fantastic mounting job!!

[long shot]

[quote=montdoug;189500]Lakers, in the creek ????

It's my story............

[Alex]

My grandpa (died in 1933) with the bowler hat with one day's hunt. Note the dress for the occasion.

[Alex]

My last bird dog. When she died we weren't finding enough birds (like none) to make we want to replace her. My hunting buddy for the past 20 years and I would go the first and last days of the season, just for the nostalgia. Evey once and a while we would find a covey in spots where in past years we were sure to find several.

[Stevo]

Alex that looks like a .410 your holding there. True small caliber guy lol. Loosing a dog is almost as hard as loosing a spouse. I always say I will never get another and then within 6 months I have a pup running around.

[Alex]

... the shotgun is a Citori 20 gage. Thing points like a dream. It's one of 4 that I owned at one time. The first to go was a 20 gage that was so straight stocked that the one season that I campaigned it I shot only one bird dispite being a pretty good bird year.

The second to go was a 3.5 inch long barrelled 12 ga that I duck hunted with, until the day that I tried to pattern it down on the water with only a light flannel shirt on. I've never been kicked that hard in a fight! Next time I took it hunting I couldn't pull the trigger to finish a cripple, adn the following duck that flew by on that hunt got a pass because I was flinching so hard I actually couldn't pull the trigger.

I still have the 4th, a 12 ga. that has a really cute story about how I got it, still fired 18 years later.

Had all 4 of these at once during a time I was going through a divorce and was buying guns like women buy hats.

When "Snow" died, very quietly at 12 yo, I took her out behind my gun room and burried her. PUt her favorite retrieving dummy in the hole with her, used that shotgun to fire a 2 shot salute over her, then sat down and cried.

There was a little Boykin Spaniel pup in my kennel at the time.

Alex

[johno]

Alex reading your comments on your "mate" reminds not so long ago I had to spend $2,500 for treatment for snake bite on Jess, then another $1,200.00 when she did the crusiate ligament in her right leg, then same agin last month on the left leg.

Someone said, " should have had her put down, you could have three dogs for that cost"

I said, " never owned a dog have you?"

John

[RobG]

Not that I'm on here very often, but whenever I look over the site I'm always impressed and usually learn a thing or two. A great hangout you've all created.

Looks like a lot of good times went into making this thread. Here's a couple of mine from last winter.

[georgeld]

Good to hear from you Rob.
man, there's sure a lot of dead dogs hanging around this place huh?
Thanks for sharing,
George

[montdoug]

I was gonna stay outta here cause I've posted to much already but Alex talking about old canine friends really hooked me so I scanned a few really old pics! I've had more than a few dogs that really mattered but some are truly special and this guy was one of em. If you've never had an Airedale ya don't know what you're missing.



After getting outta the Crotch back in the late 60's the place that made me the most relaxed and contented was up in the Wilderness areas of the Rockies at a high mountain lake somewhere. Here's one of me and old Chuck my backpacking companion.
This was 2 days shy of a 3 week trip that did a loop around a 32 mile circle that included about 12 high mountain lakes, most all of em fishable. Chuck carried his chow, I carried the stuff I needed for mine. Notice on the left side a my pack was fishing poles and on the right a little wire framed, twist open action, single shot .22 Magnum survival rifle. I ate beau-coups fish, grouse, snow-shoe rabbit and one young rock chuck, never spoke to a soul the whole time .



Only downside a that trip was when I finally got home and tried to explain to my wife of that period that "I know I said I'd be back in a week but I was sure you knew I actually meant three." Guess she didn't .

Sure some great pictures and fond memories posted in this thread, by old member and new!! Keep it up!!