"Every good hunter is uneasy in the depths of his conscience when faced with the death he is about to inflict on this enchanting animal."
~ Jose Ortega y Gasset
In Hunting Retriever magazine, Rich Carpenter discussed why some people run their dogs in hunt tests. And yet they don't hunt.
I'd like to expand on that a bit and ask, Why did you choose a retriever if you don't hunt? There are lots of other breeds and many make sweet and loyal companions.
Why choose a retriever?
If you own a retriever and don't hunt, are you doing your dog a disservice?
I remember the first time my dog, Chip, retrieved a freshly killed bird. He brought it back to me with a look that plainly said, "Wow! THIS is what I was meant to do!" He had retrieved many things before, but this time it was different. His instincts had kicked in.
He would still retrieve balls and frisbees, but he loved retrieving birds.
Have you considered learning to hunt?
Speak up if you would like to hunt, but don't know how to or where to go. Many hunters are passionate about their sport and would be glad to talk to you about it. If you have a good attitude and a sincere desire to learn, you might be able to talk one of them into an invite on one of their hunts.
But maybe you don't hunt because you might have to kill something. And you don't want to do it. I understand. Many hunters feel a pang when they've killed an animal or a bird, but it is the way of nature.
We are so far removed from our food, that we often forget those steaks we bought were once a cow. A peaceful, grass-eating animal. We don't think about that because we didn't participate in killing that animal or cutting it into pieces to store in our refrigerator.
And that's okay. The cows and pigs and chickens on display in the grocery store were bred and raised for exactly that.
Wild game is different
On the other hand wild game often die a violent death - sometimes being eaten alive. Or it could be injured and, if unable to fend for itself, die a slow death from starvation.
As hunters, we owe it to the game we hunt, to provide a quick, clean death. But when the shot goes awry and a bird is injured, a well-trained retriever is the best bet to find that bird and save it from a painful, lingering death.
Why we hunt
Do we always kill when we go hunting? No, and that's part of the fun of it. When the birds just aren't flying, we still get to watch the rosy hues of sunrise with our 4-footed friend. Or maybe the birds are flying, but zig just as we shoot and miss. Then the dog gives us that astonished glance that questions why we would do that when he is ready to go.
Rich Carpenter quoted more from Gassett, "One does not hunt in order to kill; on the contrary, one kills in order to have hunted... with all the extras that this carries with it: the immersion in the countryside, the healthfulness of the exercise, the distraction from his job."
So many things you miss by not getting out in the field with your dog. Think about it!
Header image courtesy TheOtherKev via Pixabay
