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The season was awesome from opening weekend to the last evening. It was the losses that hurt the most and made good memories taste a little sour. Sort of like a Jolly Rancher. The opener was full of ducks and friends. My buddies Andre, Peet and Johan migrated over from South Africa to bring in the 09-10 season with Louie, Benny and I. It was an awesome 2nd day opener, the sun was rising, the moon was even staying up watching the sunrise with us, there were sounds of wing beats everywhere, which is usually the sounds of a good season starter. But there wasn't the dark figure in a boat motoring to his blind this morning that we all have seen every year for over a decade. We always hunt the family blind and watch Wisconsin Jim get into his pit blind across the lake as the sun peaks over the Intercoastal's Spoil Bank. It was a great duck hunt in all senses of the sport but a bitter reality that we had to close the Wisconsin Jim chapter of our duck hunting future but lean on the great memories to ease the void. After the hunt, Louie and I went over to Jim's duck hunting spot and did a little brush up on Jim's blind as a ceremony in his honor for his dedication to the sport of duck hunting plus let him know that we will take care of his Black Lab Molly. Louie inherited Jim's 9 year old female companion who has one of the best noses in the business. The biggest and most memorable day this season was an evening hunt at Brennen's Blind in the Marsh. The last few days of this season; Pintails were in the blocks before I had returned from parking the Air Ranger. Teal were decoying in groups of 20. Then I got the call from Dawn. "Rusty is hemorrhaging! and the vet wants to put him down at 6!" The kids were all whaling and crying in the background. I was stunned, sick and heartbroke. A week earlier, Rusty and I had returned home from duck hunting the week of the Fish Kill Freeze in Port O'Connor. Rusty quit eating all of his dog food. We knew he was getting bad when he didn't even want some raw steak on Family Steak Night. Trying to hold it together like all tough guys, I kept telling myself he is still worn out from making long retrieves in the bad weather. I am sad to say it wasn't the case. Rusty developed some type of liver cancer that once it hits a retriever he is not going to recover. Teal and Pintails are still trying to sit in the blind with us, Bob and I. TQS Pro Staffer and life long best friend Louie Wiess is beeping in on the other line sniffling that he just got done putting the last shovel full of dirt on Dakota, his life long (13 year old) duck retrieving companion. Louie said that he was doing OK until Dawn called him crying about having to take Rusty to get put down. Rusty was 5 and in his prime. He made friends with everyone whether you were a duck hunter or not. Dawn would tell everyone, Rusty, "That's Louie and Jeff's LOVE CHILD." Louie called him a LOVE BUG. Rusty just wanted to give out hugs. He wouldn't jump on you, he would raise up on his hind legs and want a hug. Craziest thing you have ever seen. This evening hunt was off the chart, ducks everywhere coming in picture perfect and now its ending with my best retriever about to die, wife and kids at home crying for Rusty, my best friend Louie putting his best retriever Dakota to rest on the same day and I can't just run home and fix it. As I pick up the pieces, decoys and the last duck of this memorable hunt, tears swell up in my eyes as the sun starts to set over the duck blind that I remember Jim, Brennen, Rusty, Molly and myself hunting our last hunt all together with Jim last season. These memories afield duck hunting has a priceless value that no one can buy, sell or take away. Jim gave us Molly for this season. Louie and I sent Jim, Dakota and Rusty. He must be killing more ducks than we are to need our 2 retrievers.... RIP (Retrieve in Peace) Jim, Dakota and Rusty LIMIT
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