Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    
    Sent my dog on a long (230 yds) retrieve in open water (from the
    shore) 1.5 hours after shooting it.  This was a "typical" steel
    shot cripple that flew about 1/2 mile before dropping.  I didn't
    have a boat, and by the time the duck came within shore it was getting
    pretty dark.  Needless to say the dog didn't have much of a clue
    as to what I sent her after...but her confidence in me sent her
    on the mark.  This was Dec. 3, 1988 - and very cold, ice built up
    on the shore.  Well out about 200 yards there is this bouy for a
    raft in the summer time, she sees something and goes for it, circles
    it...This ain't no duck...and gets wrapped up in the rope.  I don't
    have to go into details but I almost lost my dog.  I'm shaking right
    now typing this in, I was one shook up dog owner/trainer/hunter.
    If it weren't for her size and strength (85 lbs...in really good
    shape) she would be buried today.  She broke free from the rope,
    and in her commitment to me, got that damn duck as well.  It is
    a beautiful red-leg black that is going on the wall.  The dog was
    pretty tired, I had to talk her in, looked to me (through binoculars)
    that she wanted to fall asleep coming in!!!  How do you spell HYPOTHERMIA.
    She had the shakes pretty bad in the truck, I dried and covered
    her and she's fine.  The moral of this story is analyze every
    situation from the dog's point of view, and be patient.  If I had
    waited 5 more minutes that duck would have been clear of the bouy
    and she would have been home free.
     
    Kevin
    

    About 12 years ago I made the mistake of driving 90 mph on the
    interstate to get to my hunting spot, opening morning, before sunrise.
    
    That cost me $75 and was the final ticket to get my license suspended
    for a year. Swore the whole year I'd never do that again.
    
    mark

     Bought a new Dodge.  Worst hunting rig imaginable (were talking mid
    '70's so I don't expect any arguments.... please!)
    
    Another mistake was assuming I had 24 hours to check in my first
    NH deer.  The states I was familiar with had 24 and 48 hour laws.
    It almost cost me my truck, gun, money, license, the deer etc..   
    Funny thing is that I would have gotten rid of the Dodge mentioned
    above.  I got off with a scolding (thankyou? Warden Turner). 
    
    -Dave

    
                     < THING I DID I SHOUD'NT HAVE>
                    
    I was about 10 years old when a buddy of mine and I had gone to
    the local country-store to buy candy and such- I bought cheese pop-corn
    and the we headed down to the old swimming hole at the river. While
    there a male mallard was swimming around of which i started to feed
    him the pop-corn. While I was feeding him I sent my buddy home to
    go under the bed and in a paper-bag he would find a single-shot
    .410 dis-assembled- I told him to bring it here along with a
    screw-driver asap. When he arrived I had him feed the duck while
    I put the .410 back together, then I shot the duck, dove in to fetch
    it up, plucked it and cooked it over an open fire. Mmm,Mmm- he was
    a lot better than pop-corn, I figured he was corn fed!! anyway after
    that I felt guilty for a time and thought I should'nt have and never
    did such a thing again..
    
    Rick..

    Way back in the dark ages when I was in my teens, I gave myself
    a lesson in making the first shot count. I was hunting and a nice
    cotton-tail leaped up in front of me. I was using a .22 rifle and
    the first slug broke a rear leg. The second sliced through the 
    front of the neck without hitting anything important. The third
    broke another leg. The rabbit was twisting around and I was shaking
    too. Finally I grabbed the poor thing and using a length of cord,
    snapped its neck. For about a month or so, I went through a box
    of 22LR a week until I could hit consistently- the way I should've
    been able to all along.