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Lt. Colonel Robert Milner, Jr., Rest in Peace
On July 14, 2024, the retriever world lost a titan with the passing of Lt. Col. Robert Milner, Jr., USAF, Ret.. Milner’s final battle was fighting amyloidosis, a rare liver disease. He was 79 years old.
The Dilemma
For Ben Reach, it was the perfect dilemma, the most ironic problem of his long legal career. And its solution the most surprising. It was a long time coming. And the solution was a total surprise to all concerned.
Preparing for a New Hunting Companion
So you had a great duck season that wasn’t so great? You have decided it is time for a new retriever to assist in your duck hunting expeditions. There are many factors to consider when making this choice. First, you need to think about how your dog will be used. Some other questions to ask yourself: Do you hunt one weekend a year or 90 days a year? Do you want an outside kennel dog or an inside pet? Would you be better off to find an older retriever that has already received training? This would mean less time put in for you, but it would be more expensive. Do you have the time to dedicate to training a puppy? The time is now to start your journey.
The Hunt Goes On
In the early 70s bird hunting was at its peak in Eastern North Carolina. I was a youngster still and loved to tag along on hunts with family and longed to have my own dogs. It was about this time that I attended my first bird dog field trial, a horseback event being held near my Uncle Henry’s farm. It was there that I first remember meeting Dr. W.C. Sanderson. He was there to compete as was his brother “Dute” Sanderson, a popular local professional dog trainer.
A Jam Up Hunt
It was going to be a good day. You could feel it. My son Steven and I were hunting for woodies on our favorite beaver pond. As we put our canoe in the water the temperature hovered around freezing as a light rain begin to drizzle on us. Perfect conditions for ducks!
More Than Just Retrievers
As an avid duck hunter growing up in central Arkansas, it is a given that most of the outings in the duck waters would be accompanied by a retriever, most often a lab. Labs and ducks go hand in hand. In Arkansas, practically all duck hunters have labs, plus they fill the role of family dogs in an endless number of non-hunting homes. Labs are loyal, loving, and obedient; something that makes for a great duck dog as well as a family dog.
Outwitting Pheasants
Late-season roosters are neurotic in trying to stay alive. Throughout the winter months those ring-neck roosters that have been successful in avoiding ending up in the game bag and then on to a plate with vegetables and potatoes have evolved into hardy and experienced birds. Worthy field opponents. They have become field masters at out-witting orange vested bird hunters and their dogs. The upland chess board is made up in their favor. With an array of habitat and varying landscape, including every imaginable type of cover a pheasant will use to escape – it’s no wonder that hunters need to employ military style tactics to be on the same upland battlefield as a ring-neck pheasant.
Overcoming In-Season Obstacles with Your Duck Dog
You’ve waited to hit your honey-hole spot for the perfect day. You know that you’re hitting the migration just right, and if you’ve played your cards correctly, you’ll be limited out by early morning.
HUNT DOVES ALL DAY
There had been no birds for at least an hour. The last dove that flew by was met with a string of pellets. The dove lay next to five others on an old heavy, weathered canvas bag that saw double-duty in the duck blind. I looked up at my father, and he was gazing into the blue sky. He must’ve sensed me staring at him, because he turned to me with a smile and said in Spanish, “Let’s stay the whole day out here.” I nodded in agreement and gathered up two frijoles negros sandwiches for us to eat. We sat and talked and continued watching for doves that never came. I was happy to spend all day with my father and not see a thing.
Opening Day of Dove Season – Are Our Dogs Ready to Go???
It’s that time of year, the excitement has been building and dove season is just around the corner! We have worked our dove fields, gotten our camo out, and polished up our guns. We can hardly wait for opening morning, to feel the rush of birds coming in and the blasts of our shotguns going off!
A Guide to Exploring Shotguns, Chokes and Shot Size for Hunting the Brown Rockets of the Marsh...
As I reloaded my 12 gauge over-and-under, yet again for the fourth, fifth, and even sixth time after I had whiffed on the acrobatic brown rockets of the marsh…the snipe, I had about given up on connecting on the fragile little fliers. The Ruger Red Label’s barrels were hot to the touch due to the number of shells being shot out of them. Trouncing through the wetlands, the occasional backsplash would create a “tsss” sound on the hot metal tubes. The break-open action on the double-barreled shotgun was surely seeing plenty of opening and closing.
Waterfowlers Glossary
Each subgroup of the hunting culture has their own language. Within that, every group of hunting friends have their own terms and points of reference in the blind. One of the many things we can agree on as we talk to non-hunters is that it is “Canada geese”, not “Canadian geese”. Here is a sampling of more general terms wingshooters becoming familiar with waterfowling can use.
ALL ABOUT RETRIEVER TRAINING DUMMIES
Training dummies are a staple of a good retriever training program. Whether you call them dummies or bumpers doesn’t matter, but what does matter is picking the right style and color to fit your training situations.
Fly Management Plan by Steve Snell
I had a customer last week who was having trouble with a Fly Trap. It wasn't catching the flies that were around his dogs. Come to find out, the trap he used was designed for house flies, but he had biting flies. When I told him that was the problem, he responded, "No, sir, a fly is a fly is a fly." Well, that's not true.
Old Friends
Your four legged friend is more than a hunting tool, but friend and family member. Even the hardest of souls crack when it is apparent that their hunting dog is slowing down and entering their final chapter. Growing up we had English Springer Spaniels and chocolate Labradors; chasing Valley Quail and waterfowl through the hunting seasons in the green Oregon valleys. During our Springer Jennifer’s final years, arthritis took hold but her drive to go hunting never diminished. She made sure she was always near the truck when it was time to go on any early morning, that short docked tail wagging furiously in her attempts to jump on to the tailgate, but ultimately not able to make it. The arthritis kept her short legs from making the jump despite repeated attempts that used to be effortless. Her eyesight was failing as well but her nose for flushing pheasants and tracking greenheads led the way.
