Ripley was a very big dog but I’d always
kept her fit and reasonably trim and
this really aided her recovery. As she
got older however, I could tell her
legs were struggling to keep that
massive body upright. Apart from
having to help her over fences and pull
her up the odd steep bank though, it was
business as usual for us.
When I look back, I can see that Ripley
and Nikko were like chalk and cheese.
Nikko was fast, determined and hugely
exciting to watch as you never knew
what would happen. Often after putting
her onto a fallen duck, I’d see her come
back out either with the duck or with
anything from a rat to a rabbit. Ripley on
the other hand always came back with
the duck – and if she didn’t – then it
wasn’t there and we looked somewhere
else.
There was no doubt that Nikko was
the better hunter but there was also
no doubt Ripley was the better gun
dog. Nikko hunted because that was
what she was born to do – she never
really hunted for me. She only retrieved
a duck to me so she could get onto the
next one. Ripley hunted with me.
In an experienced trainer’s hands, Nikko
could have been an amazing trial dog and
would have been spectacular on upland
game. She was the sort of dog that had
she been owned by a little old lady, wouldhave been a constant menace, always
bringing home birds or rabbits. Ripley
would have made the average duck
hunter proud, causing no problems and
being a great pet when she got home.
With both Nikko and Ripley passing on
to the happy hunting grounds, I’m now
the hunting partner of Kiera. She’s like a
guided missile on birds and is happiest
when she’s smashing through tight
vegetation. She is also the most exciting
dog to let out of her kennel in the
morning – literally exploding from zero to100 in half a heartbeat.
At 4 years old she’s still a big puppy
who thinks she’s a teenage boy.
She possesses neither the skill nor the
determination of Nikko or the nose and
poise of Ripley but she’s fun to hunt with.
She’s the strongest swimmer of the three
and all she requires is a pat and to be told
she’s a good girl and she will hunt all day.
Most hunters would be happy to find that
one-in-a-million gun dog just once in a
lifetime. I feel very privileged to
have owned three of them.THE NEW STANDARD IN AFFORDABLE RIFLESCOPES
Lifetime full replacement warrantyDistributed by Quality Hunting Supplies
Colin - 0274830800 | Peter - 0222076237First Focal Plane Scopes with Mil reticle from $1125
DRS Scopes used by British SAS from $2320
Find us at the Shot ShowKiera and her mate out goosingAugust / September 2019 ~ NZ HUNTER MAGAZINE 81Ripley was a very big dog but I’d always
kept her fit and reasonably trim and
this really aided her recovery. As she
got older however, I could tell her
legs were struggling to keep that
massive body upright. Apart from
having to help her over fences and pull
her up the odd steep bank though, it was
business as usual for us.
When I look back, I can see that Ripley
and Nikko were like chalk and cheese.
Nikko was fast, determined and hugely
exciting to watch as you never knew
what would happen. Often after putting
her onto a fallen duck, I’d see her come
back out either with the duck or with
anything from a rat to a rabbit. Ripley on
the other hand always came back with
the duck – and if she didn’t – then it
wasn’t there and we looked somewhere
else.
There was no doubt that Nikko was
the better hunter but there was also
no doubt Ripley was the better gun
dog. Nikko hunted because that was
what she was born to do – she never
really hunted for me. She only retrieved
a duck to me so she could get onto the
next one. Ripley hunted with me.
In an experienced trainer’s hands, Nikko
could have been an amazing trial dog and
would have been spectacular on upland
game. She was the sort of dog that had
she been owned by a little old lady, would
have been a constant menace, always
bringing home birds or rabbits. Ripley
would have made the average duck
hunter proud, causing no problems and
being a great pet when she got home.
With both Nikko and Ripley passing on
to the happy hunting grounds, I’m now
the hunting partner of Kiera. She’s like a
guided missile on birds and is happiest
when she’s smashing through tight
vegetation. She is also the most exciting
dog to let out of her kennel in the
morning – literally exploding from zeroto100 inhalfa heartbeat.
At4 yearsoldshe’sstilla bigpuppy
whothinksshe’sa teenageboy.
Shepossessesneithertheskillnorthe
determinationofNikkoorthenoseand
poiseofRipleybutshe’sfuntohuntwith.
She’sthestrongestswimmerofthethree
andallsherequiresis a patandtobetold
she’sa goodgirlandshewillhuntallday.
Mosthunterswouldbehappytofindthat
one-in-a-milliongundogjustonceina
lifetime.I feelveryprivilegedto
haveownedthreeofthem.THE NEW STANDARD IN AFFORDABLERIFLESCOPES
Lifetime full replacement warrantyDistributed by Quality Hunting Supplies
Colin - 0274830800 | Peter - 0222076237First Focal Plane Scopes with Mil reticle from$1125
DRS Scopes used by British SAS from $2320
Find us at the Shot ShowKiera and her mate out goosingAugust / September 2019 ~ NZ HUNTER MAGAZINE 81