Rich Alley
Member
After a fresh snowfall last night, and being the first significant (4"!) amount of snow we've had in a year, I decided to take my dogs for a little hike this morning. It was just a two hour hike, but one of those events that I think many of you would recognize.
First I asked my wife Stephanie if she wanted to hike. She hurt her shoulder yesterday, and had some things to do, but she realizes that the dogs and I need to get out in the woods and fields every once in a while. She suggested I ask our 12 year old son, Ben. Ben had basketball practice last night, and was waiting for one of his friends to call, and he suggested that I take the dogs. I was ready for that response!
So, I tried to be inconspicuous, and quietly assemble my ruck sack, a knife, a hot seat, Gatorade, the cell phone, dry cereal, dog treats, a dummy grouse to throw, a lighter jacket, the binoculars, and of course the two orange Roy Gonia whistles. That was inconspicuous for about two minutes, and the dogs started to wind things up. I still had to find my boots, struggle to pull them on, get the truck dusted off, and find my heavy jacket. By this time the dogs decided they were going to go with me, no matter what.
I loaded Jenna, a 17 month- old choc. lab, into her kennel in the back of the SUV, and then helped Emily, a 7 year- old black lab (who needs to diet) into the truck. Jenna is an Alpha female who is full of life, and a pretty neat dog who pushes the envelope all the time. She's coming around pretty well, and is using her eyes and nose very well. The hearing thing seems to be selective. But she never strays more than 60 feet from me when we are outdoors or hunting upland game. She is the Grim Reaper on pheasant...loves to see them jump and fly, hear my shots, and sometimes get to retrieve one of the birds. I didn't use Jenna on waterfowl last year, mostly because of my potential guilt for not taking the older dog on those hunts. I try to spread the hunting out between the dogs.
Emily loves the black ducks, and salt marshes. Last fall she did well with pheasant, too. She is about as laid- back as any lab can be... something that really annoys the young dog!
Well, back to the little hike... After a stop at Dunkin Donuts, we arrived at the State Wildlife Management Area, about 25 mins. away. I have to tell you that we moved here from Maine in 1999, and I thought I was then foresaking all my hunting opportunities. Most people think of Massachusetts as highways, Boston, and over zealous Homeland Security. Out here in the very Northwest corner of the state, it really is wild, with bear, deer and coyotes often in our backyard. We live in the foothills, and I can see geese landing in the cornfields about 1/4 mile away. The air is clean, and it is a great place to raise a child. I have never seen more land (in New England) so accessible in any other state in which I have lived. Mass. still stocks a lot of pheasant in many WMAs and large farm fields, something that the State of Maine gave up on years ago.
Anyway, out we go into the field, and follow a snowmobile trail for a short way, until we struck out through the woods. All was completely quiet except for the sound of the dogs tags ringing on the collars, and the sound of saplings breaking as the young dog put her tail between her legs, hit 30 MPH and did circles around us, seeming to have her hind legs precede her front ones. The job of defending against a knee clip was on my mind. It is a pleasure to see a happy dog. The older dog shows enough enthusiasm by just trotting along.
We saw not one other human, only an occasional crow, and plenty of tracks in the new snow: deer, coyotes and a fox, plus one field mouse. I was surprised we didn't see any rabbits, or perhaps a leftover pheasant.
The dogs and I walked for an hour, then I took a little break, had a snack and threw some dog treats in the snow for my companions. As I sat on a fallen tree with my rucksack hanging from a short branch, I thought how lucky I was to be able to take my two friends out into the fresh air, fresh snow and sunny weather. It was no big hunt, no big hike, but just a little time to decompress for all of us. I makes me feel good seeing the two dogs having the best of times outdoors. Although they both would probably prefer to have feathers in the corners of their mouths, I'm sure. I wondered how many more years we would be able to strike off like this.
Back on the bushwacking again, we varied the hike and finally got back to the truck, and civilization. I was tired, the dogs were eager to stretch out, and the ride home was happy. I sit here tonight tapping away at this (too long) little essay, and wish you all the best in your respective outdoor experiences across the country. I think I will do a little BBQ, have a hot chocolate and be asleep by 9! Who said old hunters are dull!
First I asked my wife Stephanie if she wanted to hike. She hurt her shoulder yesterday, and had some things to do, but she realizes that the dogs and I need to get out in the woods and fields every once in a while. She suggested I ask our 12 year old son, Ben. Ben had basketball practice last night, and was waiting for one of his friends to call, and he suggested that I take the dogs. I was ready for that response!
So, I tried to be inconspicuous, and quietly assemble my ruck sack, a knife, a hot seat, Gatorade, the cell phone, dry cereal, dog treats, a dummy grouse to throw, a lighter jacket, the binoculars, and of course the two orange Roy Gonia whistles. That was inconspicuous for about two minutes, and the dogs started to wind things up. I still had to find my boots, struggle to pull them on, get the truck dusted off, and find my heavy jacket. By this time the dogs decided they were going to go with me, no matter what.
I loaded Jenna, a 17 month- old choc. lab, into her kennel in the back of the SUV, and then helped Emily, a 7 year- old black lab (who needs to diet) into the truck. Jenna is an Alpha female who is full of life, and a pretty neat dog who pushes the envelope all the time. She's coming around pretty well, and is using her eyes and nose very well. The hearing thing seems to be selective. But she never strays more than 60 feet from me when we are outdoors or hunting upland game. She is the Grim Reaper on pheasant...loves to see them jump and fly, hear my shots, and sometimes get to retrieve one of the birds. I didn't use Jenna on waterfowl last year, mostly because of my potential guilt for not taking the older dog on those hunts. I try to spread the hunting out between the dogs.
Emily loves the black ducks, and salt marshes. Last fall she did well with pheasant, too. She is about as laid- back as any lab can be... something that really annoys the young dog!
Well, back to the little hike... After a stop at Dunkin Donuts, we arrived at the State Wildlife Management Area, about 25 mins. away. I have to tell you that we moved here from Maine in 1999, and I thought I was then foresaking all my hunting opportunities. Most people think of Massachusetts as highways, Boston, and over zealous Homeland Security. Out here in the very Northwest corner of the state, it really is wild, with bear, deer and coyotes often in our backyard. We live in the foothills, and I can see geese landing in the cornfields about 1/4 mile away. The air is clean, and it is a great place to raise a child. I have never seen more land (in New England) so accessible in any other state in which I have lived. Mass. still stocks a lot of pheasant in many WMAs and large farm fields, something that the State of Maine gave up on years ago.
Anyway, out we go into the field, and follow a snowmobile trail for a short way, until we struck out through the woods. All was completely quiet except for the sound of the dogs tags ringing on the collars, and the sound of saplings breaking as the young dog put her tail between her legs, hit 30 MPH and did circles around us, seeming to have her hind legs precede her front ones. The job of defending against a knee clip was on my mind. It is a pleasure to see a happy dog. The older dog shows enough enthusiasm by just trotting along.
We saw not one other human, only an occasional crow, and plenty of tracks in the new snow: deer, coyotes and a fox, plus one field mouse. I was surprised we didn't see any rabbits, or perhaps a leftover pheasant.
The dogs and I walked for an hour, then I took a little break, had a snack and threw some dog treats in the snow for my companions. As I sat on a fallen tree with my rucksack hanging from a short branch, I thought how lucky I was to be able to take my two friends out into the fresh air, fresh snow and sunny weather. It was no big hunt, no big hike, but just a little time to decompress for all of us. I makes me feel good seeing the two dogs having the best of times outdoors. Although they both would probably prefer to have feathers in the corners of their mouths, I'm sure. I wondered how many more years we would be able to strike off like this.
Back on the bushwacking again, we varied the hike and finally got back to the truck, and civilization. I was tired, the dogs were eager to stretch out, and the ride home was happy. I sit here tonight tapping away at this (too long) little essay, and wish you all the best in your respective outdoor experiences across the country. I think I will do a little BBQ, have a hot chocolate and be asleep by 9! Who said old hunters are dull!
