Birddog
One In A
Million
As I watched Kiera dig yet another Mallard out from a tangle of
gorse and rubbish on the other side of the river, I got a rare touch
of déjà vu, not to mention a bit of nostalgia and I’m not normally a
person who dwells on the past
You see, I’d been hunting a cracking little stream on this particular farm for
over 20 years and at certain times of the season it absolutely loads up with
Mallards. Over the years I’ve been privileged to watch two other dogs of
mine retrieve ducks from the exact same tangle of rubbish that Kiera was
hunting. As her head emerged with a mouthful of Mallard, it brought back
so many good memories of my other dogs, Nikko and Ripley.This is an article I’ve often thought about
writing but have never quite known
where to start. How do you sum up
years of hunting adventures, loyalty and
companionship with one dog – let alonetwo? (^) Bear with me as I take a walk
down memory lane.
I grew up in a hunting and fishing family
that spent lots of time outdoors and dogs
were always a big part of our lives. My
Uncle Phillip had a Lab that we idolised;
we would literally follow her wherever she
went, despite the fact that some of those
places were not suitable for small boys.
One day Dad came home with Kizzy, a
Lab/Springer cross that was supposed
to be a hunting dog. Unfortunately Kizzy
didn’t get the memo and despite being
taken on a heap of trips and having
a lot of effort put into her, she never
developed into a hunter.
Eventually after years of nagging, my
financial backer (Grandma) helped
convince Mum and Dad that I really, really
needed and deserved a dog. Within a
week of their agreement, I saw an ad in
the local paper for a litter of Springer
pups for the pricey sum of $100 each.
Grandma spotted me the money
and by Sunday afternoon, at the age
of 16, I was the owner of my very
first dog, which I named Nikko after
my uncle’s shotgun. My uncle benefited
as well; as there were only two pups left
and the owners said we could have them
both so while I got Nikko, my uncle got
Meg and they cost us just $50 each.
WRITTEN BY ~ COREY CARSTON
78 NZ HUNTER MAGAZINE ~ August / September 2019
One In A
AsI watched Kiera dig yet another Mallard out from a tangle of
gorseand rubbishon theother side of the river, I got a rare touch
ofdéjà vu, not to mention a bit of nostalgia and I’m not normally a
personwho dwells on the past
Yousee,I’dbeenhuntinga crackinglittlestream on this particular farm for
over 20 yearsandatcertaintimesoftheseason it absolutely loads up with
Mallards.OvertheyearsI’vebeenprivileged to watch two other dogs of
mineretrieveducksfromtheexactsametangle of rubbish that Kiera was
hunting.Asherheademergedwitha mouthful of Mallard, it brought back
somanygoodmemoriesofmyotherdogs, Nikko and Ripley.
Thisis anarticleI’veoftenthoughtabout
writingbuthaveneverquiteknown
wheretostart.Howdoyousumup
yearsofhuntingadventures,loyaltyand
companionshipwithonedog– letalone
two?BearwithmeasI takea walk
downmemorylane.
I grewupina huntingandfishingfamily
thatspentlotsoftimeoutdoorsanddogs
werealwaysa bigpartofourlives.My
Uncle Phillip had a Lab that we idolised;
we would literally follow her wherever she
went, despite the fact that some of those
places were not suitable for small boys.
One day Dad came home with Kizzy, a
Lab/Springer cross that was supposed
tobe a hunting dog. Unfortunately Kizzy
didn’t get the memo and despite being
taken on a heap of trips and having
a lot of effort put into her, she never
developed into a hunter.
Eventually after years of nagging, my
financial backer (Grandma) helped
convince Mum and Dad that I really, really
needed and deserved a dog. Within a
week of their agreement, I saw an ad in
the local paper for a litter of Springer
pups for the pricey sum of $100 each.
Grandma spotted me the money
and by Sunday afternoon, at the age
of 16, I was the owner of my very
first dog, which I named Nikko after
my uncle’s shotgun. My uncle benefited
as well; as there were only two pups left
and the owners said we could have them
both so while I got Nikko, my uncle got
Meg and they cost us just $50 each.
WRITTEN BY ~ COREY CARSTON
78 NZ HUNTER MAGAZINE ~ August / September 2019