Numchucks: The Legend Ch. 01

A sunrise through the thicket on the river is a kaleidoscope of beautiful moments only matched by the bouquet of colors that mark the suns filtered disappearance at dusk. The blue sky above showed that the fog was thinning as more and more of the river was becoming visible. We were no where near where I wanted to be. But we were set up. Happy climbed back in the boat and snuggled down low. I offered him a cup of hot coffee and we saluted the beginning of the morning.

"There," Happy's hand went to air and Numchucks tried to jump up. I pulled the shotgun to my shoulder and aimed only to find that the bird was low and flying around to my far right. As I turned I felt the pull of my stitches and I lowered the gun.

"You okay?" Happy asked.

"Yeah, I'm just not going to be able to make some of those shots to my right, I guess. Numchucks whimpered and I looked to see what had his interest. It was a Mud Hen (Coot) that had made its fancy with some of the decoys. Paddling around the decoys waiting for an exceptance chatter. The solid black hen had bright white on it's nose that made it easy to see.

"You gonna shoot'em?" Happy asked after a few minutes of watching.

"No, it's a live decoy." I said laughing. Coots were plentiful and not the primary target. But a moving addition to our decoy spread. The excitement mounted as two teal shot over the decoys and kept flying at their fast pace speed. "Stay down, they'll be back. They're just checking things out, they'll circle around." About that time we heard shots fired not to far from us. Probably another cut down river. They obviously saw the teal too.

"We ain't alone, Kimo'savy," Happy said laughing.

One lone teal came in with cupped wings to set in the decoys. Its legs dropped down and wings arched to drag the wind. With total instinct and no thought to my wound, I raised the shotgun and sighted the bird and waited till it slowed up just before landing and fired.

"You got 'em." Happy shouted. Numchucks bolted against the rope and began wagging his freed tail. I unlatched his lease and away he sprang. Into the water with a splash and towards the downed teal he went. The cut was shallow enough that his legs barely touched bottom and he half paddled and half walked over to the teal and sniffed at it and went onward, past it.

"Hey," I whistled the command to go towards the downed bird but he went off to the other bank, walked up to a tree shaking the water off his back and took the liberty of lifting his leg and relieved himself. I was already out of the boat and walking across the cut angrily yet understanding, when Numchucks ran back to the bird, we reached the teal about the same time. I picked up the bird and put it in his mouth and guided him back to where I had shot, just as I had done for the last three weeks in training.

I was winded and tired and hurting now. I settled into the boat dripping wet and stowed the teal and pointed for Numchucks to lay down again. He did a wet dog shake and looked up at me with a very serious look in his eyes. I looked back at him very stern and serious. I picked up the teal and put it to his nose.

"This is a Teal, a Duck, this is what your supposed to retrieve, got it?" I said to chucks with a tone of frustration and a flared up pain in my side. He lowered his head and looked up at me with those big brown eyes. I don't think he knew what I meant but he knew I wasn't pleased with his retrieve.

"Two More," Happy said in a low tone as two teal landed in the decoys. Numchuck's head popped up and he got a fix on they're location and his tail went to wagging. I pulled the shot gun up and held it waiting. Numchucks shifted his weight and the noise put the two teal to flight. I sighted on one and pulled the trigger. It fell to the water as I ejected the shell and reloaded and sighted the second bird as it was trailing to my right. I wasn't comfortable with the shot so I let it go and lowered the shot gun.

Numchucks was already in the water and headed towards the duck, in a full out run/swim. I lowered the shot gun and opened my jacket to see the bright red blood seeping through the bandage. The pain was intense but tolerable. I knew I had pulled something in all the excitement.

"You OK?" Happy asked and I closed my jacket.

"Yeah, fine." Just then Numchucks hopped back in the boat and dropped the duck at my feet. Looked me square in the eyes and smiled. Ok panted, but he knew what I wanted from that day forward. Shaking water all over me and Happy as we all rallied the first Retrieve and the birds we bagged.

Opening day that year wasn't Opening day of Duck season. It was opening my eyes to the possibilities this dog had. The friendship that we were about to embark upon. The rare bond that man and dog have to help and comfort each other. They say that Dog's man's best friend. Well, I knew then, that Numchucks, was My new best friend.