Story by Maggie Williams
Kate has impacted my life in more ways than I'd ever imagined and has turned out to be the hunting dog and companion of a lifetime. As a working dog, I knew she would be a great tool in the woods as a retriever. I never knew, however, how she would change my perspective on hunting. Duck hunting for me is no longer about the ducks but about the dog. Instead of chasing ducks on a strap, I'm chasing memories with my best friend. Now, my most cherished duck-hunting memories are not of the days we had the most success, but of Kate's best hunts.
My first hunt with Kate was back in 2021. I was a college freshman and Kate was a young dog that had just returned from basic gundog training at Ridgemark Retrievers. We were speckle belly goose hunting before class, and it was also my older sister's first hunt as well. Kate picked up multiple geese on long retrieves and even completed a blind retrieve in the high stubble behind us. I was very proud of Kate's willingness to work and excited that my sister got to experience her first with Kate as well.
Kate has the most personality of any dog I have ever met. She is a silly, playful, and loving dog. As a social butterfly, she has never met a stranger and has the best off-switch for belly rubs at the house. Although she’s a hunting dog, she sleeps in bed next to me every night and prefers to be the little spoon. Kate has a very compassionate and understanding demeanor, perfect for when she volunteers at local geriatric assisted-living facilities and children's speech clinics. She is brilliant, trustworthy, responsible, and the definition of loyal. When we are hunting, she will "prance" back from retrieves with her head held high and tail wagging while proudly showing off her prize. In my opinion, she is truly the perfect dog that I will never in a million years deserve.
Every day spent with Kate is a good day, but the best day I've ever spent with her was an icy, cold day in Kansas. As Arkansans, we were hunting the coldest conditions Kate had ever been exposed to and an entirely new terrain. I was unsure of how she would perform and endure the weather. It was an all-day hunt with lots of opportunities, and Kate capitalized on every one of them. She picked up every duck and took hand signals with ease. On this hunt, for the first time, instead of waiting for a diving bird to rise to the top of the water, she eagerly dunked her head underwater and dove for the duck herself. After what felt like forever with her head submerged, she came to the surface with the duck in her mouth. We all cheered on dry land, in awe of her spunk.
On the same hunt, we were unable to locate a fallen duck near a treeline on the other side of the water. After sending her on the retrieve, she stood on her hind legs, barking up a tree. I assumed she was distracted by the squirrel and recalled. Once the hunt calmed down, after following Kate past the levee, it was clear the duck had landed in the tree and Kate knew all along. Just when we thought Kate had already outdone herself, the last volley of the day included a drake and a hen mallard, right before the legal light was ending. She picked up the drake and I sent her on a blind retrieve for the hen but with no luck. I walked around the marsh with my headlamp and was still unable to locate the bird. As we packed up decoys, we looked all around and were yet to lay eyes on it when Kate left her dog stand and took off into the now-dark marsh. I called for her but with no return. I assumed she was using the restroom, but as we were packed up and walking out, I called for Kate, who was obedient and trustworthy by nature, finding it unusual for her to be absent for this long. We heard some rustling in the dark and here was Kate, arriving with the hard-earned hen in her mouth. I never underestimated Kate again after that hunt.
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