Sometimes I have to take the icy plunge to retrieve Mike’s Ducks. BRRRRR!

While Weimaraners like me are well known for finding, flushing and fetching upland birds, like pheasants and grouse (which I do when Mike finally connects and shoots one of those birds), I also perform double-duty as a duck dog. Yes, I faithfully watch the skies, and, if Mike does not miss and a duck or goose falls from the sky, I take action and fetch-up the bird. The chilling part is that sometimes that action requires plunging into icy rivers and lakes to grab the duck.

For example, the other day ducks were flying, Mike was shooting and I heard the tell-tale splash. Time for me to earn another treat and find that duck. A quick glance had the duck in my vision, and I jumped in. Swimming across the river was definitely more difficult because huge ice chunks were floating by. I prevailed, however, and soon the Barrow’s Goldeneye was in my mouth. Now, time to regroup and swim back through the ice chunks, across the river again and return to the blind. While the Titanic was on my mind and the ice chunks were pressing against me all around, I knew a treat was coming, so, splash and push I did, until I reached the bank and returned to the blind. Maybe I need a pay raise — a huge one — because icy rivers are NOT what I signed up for!

The lesson learned here, is that ducks must look at the clock and know that legal shooting hour closes at sunset. Just before sunset time only a few ducks fly, but two minutes after official end of legal shooting time, so many ducks and geese take wing overhead that they nearly block out the remaining sunlight. All I can do at this time, however, is munch on treats, watch all those waterfowl winging overhead, and gripe about them not flying just five minutes prior.

The good news is, I made it home, quickly dashed to my beds by the fireplace and snuggled under a blanket to warm up. No more icy plunges for me until Mike decides he needs another duck, har har! —Cameron