Molly had been retired from active duty for a couple season's now but I still work these old dog's in the field letting them hunt at their own pace on walks they can easily handle. Just because they can't cover ground like they used to doesn't mean they've lost the desire or ability to find birds so I owe them these times as pay back for all the miles they covered for me in the past when they were in their prime. After all I need the exercise as much as they do!
We all grow old people and dog's alike. Life changes. But we can still enjoy it and everything around us just in a little different way. I've learned a little from seeing the Setter's grow old in that accepting and embracing the stages of life enables you to keep enjoying it versus spending your days lamenting times gone by. What a waste that is really. Life is and always will be about now. About the moment.
The rotation for the morning hunt was for Molly to spend some time with me on this day. It was sunny and clear just one of those mornings that make you want to be outside. The Setter's keep track of who's turn it is I swear. So when I started to get dressed Molly kept an eye on me and when I reached for my boots she made her move putting her nose right in my face as if to say "Please don't leave without me!" She kept nuzzling me as I struggled to lace my boots knowing what "boots" mean. Next step after getting on my gear was to put a collar on the dog fortunate enough to get to go along. Molly sat right in front of me offering up her head to receive the collar as I slipped it over her ears. Of course Beau and Mick also then took the stance but I told them "You stay" and they reluctantly surrendered they're lobbying knowing it was Molly's day. The next task was to get out of the house. You see there's always that heart wrenching final effort of the pups to try to go along even though they've been told to stay today. But I know they'll be asleep on the couch minutes after Molly and I leave dreaming away so I don't feel to bad. Besides I don't know many bird dog's that lead the kind of life they do!
Molly has always been a joy to be around. She knows the routines well and obediently loads up into the Jeep. She takes the back seat her normal spot but I encourage her to take shotgun beside me as this is our time I say to her as she gives me her look of approval as I help her into position in the front seat. Off we go down the street out of town as she sits proudly riding shotgun on this beautiful morning. I crack the window a little giving her the fresh air and a little breeze as we drive the ten miles or so to our run.
We turn off the main road and hit gravel which gets her attention. It never ceases to amaze me how keenly the Setter's use associative behavior skills to identify what's happening. It's fun to observe. A couple more miles and we turn into a dirt road and soon find a spot to pull off to the side. We're here. My plan is to take a walk along this old trail with ditches filled with cattails then walk uphill along a waterway through an adjacent pasture. All easy walking for Molly giving her a chance to enjoy the feeling of once again walking with me in the field. And if we see a bird or two that would make it all the better.
It was just beautiful out with no wind at all and temperatures in the upper 40's as we proceeded walking down the path. There were ducks on the water to our right and sounds of geese flying over head. With no one else to be seen we walked together with Molly working her nose into the cover for about a 100 yards. I had been looking to the south east at some cover on an adjacent hill side thinking about prospects for another day as this is an area I hunt quite often. When I turned back to Molly ahead of me 30 yards she was froze! Rock solid on point with the most intense look on her face looking into the brush and grass to the left side of the path. What have we here I thought as I cautiously approached. Closer and closer I came until I was right there. I walked right in and kicked ahead of me when a beautiful rooster cackled his way into the air flying straight north. I quickly fired before he could veer off to the right into the heavy grass ahead and he fell hard just on the other side of the fence in the open pasture to the west. Molly made her way over inspecting the rooster lying still in the grass as I made my way under the fence. She laid down then panting to catch her breath as I came upon her and knelt down to pick up the bird and compliment her on a job well done.
It was a beautiful moment that meant so much to an aging bird dog to once again take in the scent of a wild rooster in the early morning sun on this October day. We walked on for an hour or so through the pasture stopping frequently for Molly to catch her breath. Occasionally she'd cast out farther than usual and quicken her pace when the cover looked more promising but eventually she'd have to stop again to catch her breath. I just enjoyed watching her knowing her desire to hunt would never go away. We stopped on the way back to the Jeep as we rested for a while. I then took the bird out for her laying it on the ground between us as an unspoken tribute to our time together on this beautiful " Molly Monday Morning".
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