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New to Forum

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 2:57 pm
by ON Honker Hunter
Hi all:

I'm new to the forum ... but not new to gun dogs. I have been hunting and training them since age twelve. That would be ... uh, let's see ... fifty-four years. Presently I have three dogs: Opal (black Lab soon to be twelve), Coral (aka "Puppy" French Brittany, age eight), and Ellie (aka "Spinelle" black Lab, age four next week). Originally from Montana, I have kept my US citizenship though living in NW Ontario (mostly) since 1989. I retired from the US Park Service after losing my wife and son nine years ago. The dogs and I hunt waterfowl here until they're gone (usually third week in October) and then return to Montana every fall for six weeks to hunt uplands (and a muley buck). I am an old guy who hunts the same old way (HARD!) with the same old guns and dogs. With the exception of Puppy, I have been a dedicated Lab man my entire life. My goose gun (which doubles as trap/skeet/clays gun) is a well worn 1976 Browning A-5 Magnum (with Invector chokes) and my rooster killer is a similar fixed modified Light Twelve purchased new in June 1972 during my tour in Korea. Have never owned an e-collar or check cord or whoa barrel. Mostly I attribute that to good Lord providing me with exceptional dogs ... and the ability to know how to pick good pups. Living with them in the home has something to do with it too. I have never spent a lot of money buying dogs (except Puppy = $800) but they have all been extraordinary. The best of the lot was a small half-breed Lab/Golden that I paid $35 for back in 1977. She was truly a guided missile and a lovely dog. That doesn't mean I won't spend money on them. During the last two years of her life I spent more than $15,000 on the late great Black Pearl (passed four years ago tomorrow). I'm not into competition (don't care for crowds) but have had a couple of dogs that could have been contenders. My latest acquisition, Ellie, is a late bloomer but this past season finally developed into something very special. She's become a pointing dog! And VERY good at it. And very consistent. Only catch is she has to work alone. Otherwise she just wants to play with the other dogs. She may yet grow out of it. A ridiculously happy dog.

Well, that's it in a nutshell. A big nutshell.

Re: New to Forum

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 12:30 pm
by Sharon
Welcome to the forum. :) So nice to have a third ONtarian.

Re: New to Forum

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 1:29 pm
by fishvik
Welcome to the forum. I'm a retired BLM fish biol. and I too have 3 hounds, a lab, a lab/GWP cross and a GSP. Maybe we can meet up in Montana some fall.

Re: New to Forum

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 4:09 pm
by ON Honker Hunter
fishvik wrote:
Wed Mar 06, 2019 1:29 pm
Welcome to the forum. I'm a retired BLM fish biol. and I too have 3 hounds, a lab, a lab/GWP cross and a GSP. Maybe we can meet up in Montana some fall.
Perhaps we might be able to work a deal. I'm also a fly fishing fanatic but alas none of it around here. Thinking about maybe going back to Alaska again this summer. Hooked on big rainbows and salmon. My cousin lives in Idaho Falls. He recently sold his insurance business (Homestead?). I was born in Emmett where my folks were also born but raised in NW Montana. Both places have been developed to death. I stay on the East Side of Montana now where things are changing much more slowly. Where do you hunt in Montana? Maybe we should private message ... if I can figure it out.

Re: New to Forum

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 5:29 pm
by ezzy333
ON Honker Hunter wrote:
Tue Mar 05, 2019 2:57 pm
Hi all:

I'm new to the forum ... but not new to gun dogs. I have been hunting and training them since age twelve. That would be ... uh, let's see ... fifty-four years. Presently I have three dogs: Opal (black Lab soon to be twelve), Coral (aka "Puppy" French Brittany, age eight), and Ellie (aka "Spinelle" black Lab, age four next week). Originally from Montana, I have kept my US citizenship though living in NW Ontario (mostly) since 1989. I retired from the US Park Service after losing my wife and son nine years ago. The dogs and I hunt waterfowl here until they're gone (usually third week in October) and then return to Montana every fall for six weeks to hunt uplands (and a muley buck). I am an old guy who hunts the same old way (HARD!) with the same old guns and dogs. With the exception of Puppy, I have been a dedicated Lab man my entire life. My goose gun (which doubles as trap/skeet/clays gun) is a well worn 1976 Browning A-5 Magnum (with Invector chokes) and my rooster killer is a similar fixed modified Light Twelve purchased new in June 1972 during my tour in Korea. Have never owned an e-collar or check cord or whoa barrel. Mostly I attribute that to good Lord providing me with exceptional dogs ... and the ability to know how to pick good pups. Living with them in the home has something to do with it too. I have never spent a lot of money buying dogs (except Puppy = $800) but they have all been extraordinary. The best of the lot was a small half-breed Lab/Golden that I paid $35 for back in 1977. She was truly a guided missile and a lovely dog. That doesn't mean I won't spend money on them. During the last two years of her life I spent more than $15,000 on the late great Black Pearl (passed four years ago tomorrow). I'm not into competition (don't care for crowds) but have had a couple of dogs that could have been contenders. My latest acquisition, Ellie, is a late bloomer but this past season finally developed into something very special. She's become a pointing dog! And VERY good at it. And very consistent. Only catch is she has to work alone. Otherwise she just wants to play with the other dogs. She may yet grow out of it. A ridiculously happy dog.

Well, that's it in a nutshell. A big nutshell.
Welcome, Hope you enjoy as well as provide some for all of us.

Ezzy