Our Best Friend

Our Best Friend

Much of my childhood in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, was excruciatingly lonely. Family troubles, devastating shyness and a complete lack of social skills ensured a life of solitude. Hunting was not only my opening into a world of wonder; it was my salvation. From the...

Socrates Becomes a Hunter

Socrates Becomes a Hunter

A boy's dog named Soc finally proves his worth as a gundog by flushing pheasants for the boy and his uncle. That first spring together evolved into a long, hot summer, seemingly endless for a boy hankering for his first pheasant season. Sweating through chores, I...

Socrates, Stung & Skunked

Socrates, Stung & Skunked

I was planting fenceposts. Back then, we coated post bottoms with creosote to preserve the wood from rot. Wise to my dog, Soc’s, ways of drinking things he shouldn’t, I guarded the creosote bucket like Cerberus before hell’s gates and stopped him mid-sally on his way...

August 26 is National Dog Day

August 26 is National Dog Day

A hunter's best friend has its own special day. National Dog Day was founded in 2004 by pet and family lifestyle expert, Colleen Paige, to celebrate all dogs — mixed breed and pure.  Whether it's a true working dog or your "field & couch" companion, dogs give...