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Deer retriever no tall tale
By BILL BURTON, For The (Annapolis) Capital
2/23/03
Tales grow tall among those who hunt and fish, but long, long ago this writer learned that sometimes the tallest of tales aren't fairy tales. Yes, reality is that in some instances, truth can be stranger than fiction.
In more than 50 years covering the outdoor beat from New England to Alaska, then Nebraska -- and finally here in Maryland, I thought I had heard them all. But obviously, I hadn't -- not until a letter arrived the other day from Jerry Fleming of North Beach. Would you believe a black Labrador retriever retrieving a whitetail deer? Ordinarily, I wouldn't, but Jerry said he has photos. Also, when one considers the tenacity of labs to retrieve anything, anywhere and at any time, that episode in Calvert County becomes more believable. Here's how Jerry put it:
"My brother Rog and I have the good fortune of having a great farm to hunt on the Western Shore of the Chesapeake in Calvert County. There is an abundance of ducks, geese, turkey and deer. Much of the farm is located on one of Calvert County's highest points, although I believe the marsh on the property is one of the lowest points in the county.
"Pastures bordering the marsh have long fingers of land jutting down into the water, leaving large gullies on either side -- easy to get into, not so easy getting out. It takes two men with walkie-talkies, about 300 feet of rope and a 4-wheel drive to get a deer out.
"Rog was having a no-luck season, and decided to hunt the edge of the marsh at one of these fingers, was seeing a lot of deer, and a large doe eventually gave him a broadside shot. It was located on top of a finger -- and as one might expect, it chose the gully on the marsh side to go down when hit, ending up 20 to 25 yards in the marsh.
"Hearing the shot, I show up to see Rog's handiwork, and ask how he intends to get the deer out of there? Rog suggested that he lasso the deer and bring it to shore -- an idea that brought some less than favorable comments from me. Rog is no cowboy. I mentioned that I had my dog Lucky in the truck -- and he might lend a hand.
"Lucky is an 8-year-old lab I brought along that day in the event we decided to try goose hunting. With no other apparent options, I got Lucky (and my camera) and we made our way down the bank to the edge of the marsh. Lucky beat us there by about five minutes. I commanded him to "get the duck (I didn't think he would respond to 'get the deer'). Lucky hesitated a bit -- I think he was confused because he didn't hear a shot before I gave the command.
"So, I gave the command again -- and Lucky made his way into the marsh, and swam directly to the deer. Upon arrival, I think Lucky must have thought this was the biggest duck, he'd ever seen. He started mouthing it, and the deer and Lucky rolled around in the water. It was a funny sight, and when Lucky came up for air, he gave me a look like "you've got to be kidding me',"
"I then gave Lucky a command he had never heard -- it sure was one I had never given. "Grab it by the ear,' I yelled. While I really don't think he knew what I was talking about, Lucky grabbed the doe's ear like he had responded to the command a hundred times.
"And just like he does all the time, Lucky dragged his 'duck' to shore -- all 125 pounds of it. He 1dropped' the doe on the ground, and sat right next to it proud as he ever was. I know this is a pretty unbelievable story, but I have Rog as a witness. Lucky is a heck of a dog."
Philadelphian Steve Hollander, I'm sure, would have appreciated the presence of Lucky on a hunt he made in Anne Arundel County in the season of '02 among a group that also included Mike Slattery, former chief of wildlife at the Department of Natural Resources. Hollander shot a deer at the edge of a creek, the deer bolted into the cold water far out of reach.
Hollander had no choice, but strip to his underwear, then wade in water up to his armpits to retrieve his harvest. I'm sure he would have wished Lucky was around.
By BILL BURTON, For The (Annapolis) Capital
2/23/03
Tales grow tall among those who hunt and fish, but long, long ago this writer learned that sometimes the tallest of tales aren't fairy tales. Yes, reality is that in some instances, truth can be stranger than fiction.
In more than 50 years covering the outdoor beat from New England to Alaska, then Nebraska -- and finally here in Maryland, I thought I had heard them all. But obviously, I hadn't -- not until a letter arrived the other day from Jerry Fleming of North Beach. Would you believe a black Labrador retriever retrieving a whitetail deer? Ordinarily, I wouldn't, but Jerry said he has photos. Also, when one considers the tenacity of labs to retrieve anything, anywhere and at any time, that episode in Calvert County becomes more believable. Here's how Jerry put it:
"My brother Rog and I have the good fortune of having a great farm to hunt on the Western Shore of the Chesapeake in Calvert County. There is an abundance of ducks, geese, turkey and deer. Much of the farm is located on one of Calvert County's highest points, although I believe the marsh on the property is one of the lowest points in the county.
"Pastures bordering the marsh have long fingers of land jutting down into the water, leaving large gullies on either side -- easy to get into, not so easy getting out. It takes two men with walkie-talkies, about 300 feet of rope and a 4-wheel drive to get a deer out.
"Rog was having a no-luck season, and decided to hunt the edge of the marsh at one of these fingers, was seeing a lot of deer, and a large doe eventually gave him a broadside shot. It was located on top of a finger -- and as one might expect, it chose the gully on the marsh side to go down when hit, ending up 20 to 25 yards in the marsh.
"Hearing the shot, I show up to see Rog's handiwork, and ask how he intends to get the deer out of there? Rog suggested that he lasso the deer and bring it to shore -- an idea that brought some less than favorable comments from me. Rog is no cowboy. I mentioned that I had my dog Lucky in the truck -- and he might lend a hand.
"Lucky is an 8-year-old lab I brought along that day in the event we decided to try goose hunting. With no other apparent options, I got Lucky (and my camera) and we made our way down the bank to the edge of the marsh. Lucky beat us there by about five minutes. I commanded him to "get the duck (I didn't think he would respond to 'get the deer'). Lucky hesitated a bit -- I think he was confused because he didn't hear a shot before I gave the command.
"So, I gave the command again -- and Lucky made his way into the marsh, and swam directly to the deer. Upon arrival, I think Lucky must have thought this was the biggest duck, he'd ever seen. He started mouthing it, and the deer and Lucky rolled around in the water. It was a funny sight, and when Lucky came up for air, he gave me a look like "you've got to be kidding me',"
"I then gave Lucky a command he had never heard -- it sure was one I had never given. "Grab it by the ear,' I yelled. While I really don't think he knew what I was talking about, Lucky grabbed the doe's ear like he had responded to the command a hundred times.
"And just like he does all the time, Lucky dragged his 'duck' to shore -- all 125 pounds of it. He 1dropped' the doe on the ground, and sat right next to it proud as he ever was. I know this is a pretty unbelievable story, but I have Rog as a witness. Lucky is a heck of a dog."
Philadelphian Steve Hollander, I'm sure, would have appreciated the presence of Lucky on a hunt he made in Anne Arundel County in the season of '02 among a group that also included Mike Slattery, former chief of wildlife at the Department of Natural Resources. Hollander shot a deer at the edge of a creek, the deer bolted into the cold water far out of reach.
Hollander had no choice, but strip to his underwear, then wade in water up to his armpits to retrieve his harvest. I'm sure he would have wished Lucky was around.
