Originally Posted By: King Brown
....lost exactly three birds over the last 45 years: once when a black came down dead and pierced the ice and slid for about six feet. The ice was too thick for dog and too thin for me.

The other two occasions were when I called in great dogs pursuing crippled bluebills in foot-and-half whitecaps 300 metres from shore. They would have stayed until they drowned. Duck hunting for me is mostly the dog....


And still the shot was taken. There must be some regulation to add to all the others that would've prevented the duck hunt in the first place. Sorry about that. In a small way I'm glad you lost those bluebills. You got one of those rare looks at truly exceptional dog work. When you got them back on shore, I bet all they wanted was a big attaboy from you.