In trying to move on I've got a lil story about his 1st goose.
So we are sitting in the duck blind...blue bird morning. Nothing flying at all. I decided to give him some love and asked him to come to me.So here I am on my but in the jon boat with him sitting between my legs and I'm petting him when all of a sudden this huge flock of honkers swoops into our decoy set. Well we both tried to get situated to make the shot and they spooked. He gave me that look..well aren't ya gonna shoot? As luck would have it a few bird split off of the flock to circle back.
At about 50 yards away I decide to take a poke at the 3 birds.
Understand I had a 10 gauge with 3&1/2" BB's loaded.So I touched her off thinking I'm really gonna have to lead these birds. Sure as heck the lead bird folded. Alright I shouted and Buck took to retrieving it.
This pond we were in was surrounded by floating bog and it had a 16" grass growing on top to hide whatever fell.Without a good dog it would have been futile to find anything you might drop out there. well there was this 3 foot tall scrub pine tree growing out there and it fell right next to it so marking that bird was a piece of cake.
We both get to the spot and I'm praising him...goood boy...hunt it up...find the bird...good boy. Well I'm not really watching him too close. I'm also looking in this grass. Pretty soon I notice...where's Buck?
I did a scan and about another 50 yards away I can see his tail. It's arched over his back and ping'n back and forth. So I get to calling him. Hey Buck...get over here...c'mon heal up. I grew adamant ,but he wasn't leaving that spot.
So dodging holes in the bog with chest waders on I make my way to him...yup hit a hole. Down I go falling forward at the waist I manage to stay on top...whew...close call.
I'm getting more pissed as I go ,but finally get to him.
By this time I'm really barking out a ration of F & G's at him.
When it occurs to me how stupid this hunter was and how I might have to give this year old pup some trust and praise.
Sure as heck that folded goose was not dead. It crawled 50 yards away and now the proud Buck was standing on it with his 2 front paws pinning it down.
He even drug it back to the Jon boat with a little coaxing on my part.
I was so proud of him and I think he grew a bit that day.
In the months and years that past I found his nose was gold when it came to finding birds...geese,ducks,pheasants,woodcocks...even a deer I shot..lost and then recovered on the next day in a late November grouse outing as the deer season was over.
I've watched him dive under water for water foul....amazing.
I've seen him get birdy 50 yards downwind on a covey of ruffies.
Late season he would break ice to make a duck retrieve and really almost had to be scolded to stop hunting when it was time to make a break for water.
He's jumped and caught mid air a few grouse.
Buck Henry could be still in a duck boat all day or act like a pinball quartering infront of 6 guys grousing.I could work him with hand signals on jump shoots and on blind retrieves.
He never required a leash either...always on heal walking our town and if I went into a store he would wait patiently until I came out.No matter how many people came by that might stop to pet him or try to lure him away with ice cream cones.
He was a prancer when he walked and he was a babe magnet being so handsome.
Buck Henry was a dog that taught other dogs to hunt. No matter ..when other pups were around and we hit the woods he was all business,but would give way to another dog that felt it needed to make the retrieve and if it didn't....Buck was there to finish the task.
This is how I'll remember him...oh at home...he was docile in the home and a lover unless I decided it was time to go rounds and play fight we did.
Never once bit me ,but mouthed the crap out of me as I got aggressive with him. 1 ouch from me and he'd stop immediately or that's enough and he'd lay down knowing the game we played was over.
He'd also lay at my feet while I cleaned fish.There was always treats flying off of the cutting board that he'd snap up in mid air.
Buck Henry was a fantastic dog and I'll brag about him for the rest of my life....although his dad Bullseye was no slouch either Buck had game!
