Brandon Yuchasz
Well-known member
Well I have no intention of letting these monthly threads die. So here is my contribution to start the month out.
I posted the Merganser rig last month and I mentioned that I was hunting in Ohio and that was the inspiration but the other part of that story is that when I was in Ohio hunting I got a call from my good friend that he was on the way to put down his dog Chase. Chase was the first Chessie I meet. I already had a deposit down on my girl at the time but had not meet a Chessie face to face. He was everything the breed can be and just a little of how they are rumored to be. He sat on the deck of the boat for hours and hours, watching the decoys. Never was he distracted from his job he knew when birds came the decoys were where they would be. We shot a total of one duck that day,big water diver hunting, nasty cold snowy and he just stared at the decoys. He was six at the time in his prime and knew how it all worked. I don't want to make this post to long so Ill try and keep it short. He was a meat dog through and through, not pretty but he brought them back consistently. Over the years I became very attached to the "old man" and over the years other Chessies were added to my friends home. They were better trained better mannered and in most measurable ways better dogs. But one day during a slow hunt he asked one of those philosophical questions we hunters get around to asking in the blind. If my friend was to die and his wife called and asked me to take one of the dogs which one would I pick? I did not hesitate in my answer. "Chase". He was surprised and I think a little hurt since he had done such a good job training the newer two but Chase it was. Loved that dog and I know I won't meet his equal. So the day I got the call when hunting in Ohio and shooting Mergansers I drew the pattern that started the rig. "Chase" was written on the first completed pattern a high head hen. Because in the UP all the commons look like hens and in Iron River MI where chase lived and hunted they truly are common during season. I believe that dog picked up more mergansers in his life than any other waterfowl.
When I got home I started carving but I had placed the primaries wrong on the pattern and the carving was not right. I set it aside and started the rig for Westlake. It of course did not have raised primaries and the patterns worked well. When I returned home I wanted to finish Chase's decoy so I did an inlay of white ash to add primaries. It was something I had not done. I enjoyed it but carving hardwood has a danger ( ER visit ). Okay so this is getting long. Ill shut up. Long story not as long. Its almost done, my buddy called today his litter of pups was born today and I will be going over to see my new pup soon. When I do I will swipe Chases collar with my buddies wife's help. Ill take the tag and D ring and use it on the bottom of the "tribute decoy". I will give it to him when I go get my puppy at 8 weeks. I am looking forward to that bitter sweat day.
Here is the decoy.
Other then that I am still painting on the black ducks and have a decoy or two getting close to the paint stage.
I posted the Merganser rig last month and I mentioned that I was hunting in Ohio and that was the inspiration but the other part of that story is that when I was in Ohio hunting I got a call from my good friend that he was on the way to put down his dog Chase. Chase was the first Chessie I meet. I already had a deposit down on my girl at the time but had not meet a Chessie face to face. He was everything the breed can be and just a little of how they are rumored to be. He sat on the deck of the boat for hours and hours, watching the decoys. Never was he distracted from his job he knew when birds came the decoys were where they would be. We shot a total of one duck that day,big water diver hunting, nasty cold snowy and he just stared at the decoys. He was six at the time in his prime and knew how it all worked. I don't want to make this post to long so Ill try and keep it short. He was a meat dog through and through, not pretty but he brought them back consistently. Over the years I became very attached to the "old man" and over the years other Chessies were added to my friends home. They were better trained better mannered and in most measurable ways better dogs. But one day during a slow hunt he asked one of those philosophical questions we hunters get around to asking in the blind. If my friend was to die and his wife called and asked me to take one of the dogs which one would I pick? I did not hesitate in my answer. "Chase". He was surprised and I think a little hurt since he had done such a good job training the newer two but Chase it was. Loved that dog and I know I won't meet his equal. So the day I got the call when hunting in Ohio and shooting Mergansers I drew the pattern that started the rig. "Chase" was written on the first completed pattern a high head hen. Because in the UP all the commons look like hens and in Iron River MI where chase lived and hunted they truly are common during season. I believe that dog picked up more mergansers in his life than any other waterfowl.
When I got home I started carving but I had placed the primaries wrong on the pattern and the carving was not right. I set it aside and started the rig for Westlake. It of course did not have raised primaries and the patterns worked well. When I returned home I wanted to finish Chase's decoy so I did an inlay of white ash to add primaries. It was something I had not done. I enjoyed it but carving hardwood has a danger ( ER visit ). Okay so this is getting long. Ill shut up. Long story not as long. Its almost done, my buddy called today his litter of pups was born today and I will be going over to see my new pup soon. When I do I will swipe Chases collar with my buddies wife's help. Ill take the tag and D ring and use it on the bottom of the "tribute decoy". I will give it to him when I go get my puppy at 8 weeks. I am looking forward to that bitter sweat day.
Here is the decoy.
Other then that I am still painting on the black ducks and have a decoy or two getting close to the paint stage.
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