Just wanted to update you on Zeb's first hunting season and hopefully will be able to send you some pictures soon. Don't
know if I told you but Gabbie had knee surgery last summer and her return to the hunting blind was questionable in August;
however, she is a stubborn thing and was bound and determined that no other dog would take her place. Gabbie is a very
intense hunter and is not always very polite to other dogs during a hunting situation so putting Zeb with Gabbie could be
either a disaster or a good experience.
After intense discussions, Mark decided to take Gabbie alone on opening day of duck season. In true form, she retrieved
11 ducks. I kept telling Zeb that his turn was coming and took him to down to the club on opening day after the
morning shoot. Mark got to work with Zeb on retrieving a real duck, swimming, sniffing the club area, meeting some of
the other "regular" dogs, and hearing a gun shot. Zeb did really well and seemed pleased with himself; his energy level
is so phenomenal that one of Mark's friends, who is a vet, sarcastically asked if Zeb needed energy pills because he
had never seen a dog with as much energy.
The next logical thing to do was to take both dogs the following Wednesday. Mark was going to hunt in the morning
with a retired teacher friend. Zeb was excited to go but Gabbie was not happy in the least. Needless to
say, Gabbie was not very polite when it was Zeb's turn to retrieve--she whined so loudly that the hunters in the next blind
thought it was a new swan call. Zeb doesn't watch very well so it was more of learning situation with Mark guiding him
out to the ducks; however, he did get 4 mallards! Gabbie recognized his accomplishment by biting him on the ear and
generally, being mean to him. The decision was made that they won't go together again.
So, the new plan--which actually works well, although it's not great on gas--is this. Mark will take a dog
in the morning and then I meet him for lunch to switch dogs. This is good for Gabbie's leg plus it gives Zeb a
chance to "hunt like a big dog". Last Saturday, Mark took Zeb in the morning with two buddies and another dog.
No problem with Zeb and other dogs--Zeb retrieved 3 mallards and Dusty got 5. To get to the blind, you have to go by
boat so this was his first boat ride--no problem! We did the switch a lunch and he got some quality time with me in
the afternoon, although I still had to play with him, my little Energizer Zeb!
Mark always hunts on Thanksgiving and Black Friday so Thursday was reserved for Gabbie. Zeb and I stayed home and
made dinner and dog cookies (call them SnickerZebs instead of Snickerpoodles). Gabbie and Mark had a great day but I
could tell that she wasn't going to make back-to-back hunting days. So, yesterday was Zeb's first FULL day of hunting!
Mark and Zeb left to meet three friends in Trappe to goose hunt. While Zeb has been to the blind when we were brushing
it, he had never really been there for a hunting situation. The blind has a box for dogs with a front exit to the water
and a back exit toward the field; the pit is new this year and the guys designed it almost like a palace for hunters--room
for 4, room for a heater, dog boxes on both ends, beautiful view of Trappe Creek with fields behind and just to the right.
Zeb didn't really like the box much but after about five minutes,curled up, propped his head on Mark's gun barrel, and started
snoring. Five geese were coming and Kenny started calling them in. Four geese dropped--which met the limit of
one per person--two in the water and two in the field. Mark unhooked Zeb and sent him for the two in the field, Dusty
went for the two in the water. Mark was so proud because he carried them both all the way back to the blind. Zeb
had to keep his head back the whole time since the geese are so heavy and he only weighs 65 pounds!
The guys then met me for lunch and decided that they would go back out for the afternoon since the rain was going to
hold off until the evening. So, they left to go back to Blackwater (outside of Cambridge). Again, the same four
guys but only Zeb as a retriever (Dusty had to stay home). They decided to go to a low profile water blind on the Club
property where there is a marshy shoreline overlooking the Blackwater Refuge. Four ducks--two drake mallards, a
hen mallard, and a drake Gadwall--were shot but Zeb only got two.
The water was so high in the blind that Zeb had to sit on the bench. On his first retrieve when Mark let him off
the lead, Zeb was so excited, he leaped from the bench over the front of the blind; it was blowing and the water was rough
so Mark had to throw a rock to help him mark the bird but he did it! On the second bird, Zeb again got excited and when
he pushed off from the bench, he knocked Mark's hunting bag with shells, calls, snacks etc., into the water. Zeb didn't
care--he just wanted to get the duck! Mark poured water out of the bag at least three times. The other two birds
were too far for him with the wind and the waves so they used the boat to get them.
Zeb has his own Neoprene hunting vest with flotation in the sides and while he doesn't like putting it on at first, I
think he gets used to it and doesn't seem to mind. Crash would be proud of him! He's not really good about letting
the ducks go so we're looking for some strategies for that. All in all, we are so proud of him and we tell people about
this great pedigree--thanks to you and Crash. Should you ever need to sell more puppies, we will gladly show Zeb as
an example of your hard work.
Mark wanted me to tell you that we have a two week break for deer season but rest assured, Zeb will be hunting again
once the season returns. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Sorry this is so long but I wanted you to hear
about one of your babies.
Love,
Susan, Mark, Gabbie and Zebulon
