We have an ice storm forecast to roll-up from the south today, so I volunteered to grocery shop yesterday. While walking my haul back out to the truck, ran into a couple packing groceries into theirs, with a nice young black lab's snout and forehead sticking out through the access cab window. He was well behaved and had good confirmation from what I could see, so I asked them how old he was. The male owner said just over two years old, then he quickly asked me whether I owned a lab. Yup, I have a three year old and a pup nine months old from the same bloodlines. He immediately asked if I hunted them and if I did hunt them, do I hunt waterfowl. I asked him if he really had the time to go down that "rabbit hole", glancing at his wife to gauge the real answer. She smiled; rolled her eyes and walked forward to the cab, climbed inside and began reading a book. I had my answer!
I found-out that they moved to the U.P. two years ago from Iowa where he owned and ran the McHenry Hatchery. He sold-ff most of his field hunting decoys and gear but kept his 14' boat to the Great Lakes open waters for divers. I politely told him he might need "more gun" in the boat department to ply the Great Lakes for ducks. He responded that he owned a TDB-14' Sea Class...enough said. I explained the truncated migration that we have experienced the last two years and suggested some lakes inland from Grand Marais to check-out, as well as some agricultural areas to their south. He eventually excused himself from the conversation, to go a doctor's appointment. As I turned away from their vehicle his wife handed me their contact information and thanked me for brightening her husband's day. "He really misses hunting ducks and geese. I sent him to North Dakota this past fall...l just wanted to see him come home happy."
There is a man who married well, with excellent priorities! Now I will work-up a rehab plan...!
I found-out that they moved to the U.P. two years ago from Iowa where he owned and ran the McHenry Hatchery. He sold-ff most of his field hunting decoys and gear but kept his 14' boat to the Great Lakes open waters for divers. I politely told him he might need "more gun" in the boat department to ply the Great Lakes for ducks. He responded that he owned a TDB-14' Sea Class...enough said. I explained the truncated migration that we have experienced the last two years and suggested some lakes inland from Grand Marais to check-out, as well as some agricultural areas to their south. He eventually excused himself from the conversation, to go a doctor's appointment. As I turned away from their vehicle his wife handed me their contact information and thanked me for brightening her husband's day. "He really misses hunting ducks and geese. I sent him to North Dakota this past fall...l just wanted to see him come home happy."
There is a man who married well, with excellent priorities! Now I will work-up a rehab plan...!
