12-29-2010, 06:56 PM
Went to the river/club yesterday in hopes of jump shooting some duckies and testing Sparky's shoulder progress with some exercise. No duckies, but that didn't stop us from walking the river and letting Sparky romp. [
] Anyway, after a good deal of walking and romping, Sparky disappeared around a bend and in some dead fall and brush. All of a sudden he took to howling in pain. [shocked] Ran up to him and sure enough he had his front foot, bad shoulder side, in a coyote trap. [mad] The short of it was after some hard work (for this old man), I got it sprung enough to get him out. What really impressed me was he had never been in a situation like this and when I tried to help, I was very apprehensive how he would handle the pain and my hands on effort. Right at the beginning while howling in pain he grabbed my hand in his mouth, but didn't bit. Then he seemed to realize I was going to help him and he stopped howling and just laid down and let me work. That really, really impressed me!!!! When I got him out, first thing he did was jump up and grab my hat running around me limping and then handed it to me. Wow, love that dog. Limp went away in a short time so no apparent real damage, luckily.
Turns out I met a truck coming down the road and it was the trapper. He had heard the howling and came to check his traps. I was already to "tear a piece" but kept my cool. Good thing, what a nice young man. He was truly concerned about Sparky and I found out that just a few days ago the land owner asked him to set a few traps and that he was told that she (the owner) was going to notify us blokes about the traps and where they were, which obviously she didn't. Any way, found out he's a welder and ended up trading "stories" and memories of the "old fighter pilot" owner that had died of cancer several years ago. He was a goooood man!!!! Had to kind of laugh to myself, the kid wouldn't stop talking, nice kid. I say kid, which to me he was but he was probably in hi mid twenties.
Anyhow, that's my sparky story and even better news today was he's a little tired but no limp either because of his shoulder or foot. Think he's on his way to getting back to normal, yea, yea !!!! [][]
P.S. After getting back to my car, a very large flock of mallards went over and went down river a good ways and I could see em with my binoculars, circling, looking for a place to land. Well, it was late and I didn't want to overdo it on Sparky's shoulder which I was afraid I already had, so we packed up and went home and will try another day. Oh well. []
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] Anyway, after a good deal of walking and romping, Sparky disappeared around a bend and in some dead fall and brush. All of a sudden he took to howling in pain. [shocked] Ran up to him and sure enough he had his front foot, bad shoulder side, in a coyote trap. [mad] The short of it was after some hard work (for this old man), I got it sprung enough to get him out. What really impressed me was he had never been in a situation like this and when I tried to help, I was very apprehensive how he would handle the pain and my hands on effort. Right at the beginning while howling in pain he grabbed my hand in his mouth, but didn't bit. Then he seemed to realize I was going to help him and he stopped howling and just laid down and let me work. That really, really impressed me!!!! When I got him out, first thing he did was jump up and grab my hat running around me limping and then handed it to me. Wow, love that dog. Limp went away in a short time so no apparent real damage, luckily. Turns out I met a truck coming down the road and it was the trapper. He had heard the howling and came to check his traps. I was already to "tear a piece" but kept my cool. Good thing, what a nice young man. He was truly concerned about Sparky and I found out that just a few days ago the land owner asked him to set a few traps and that he was told that she (the owner) was going to notify us blokes about the traps and where they were, which obviously she didn't. Any way, found out he's a welder and ended up trading "stories" and memories of the "old fighter pilot" owner that had died of cancer several years ago. He was a goooood man!!!! Had to kind of laugh to myself, the kid wouldn't stop talking, nice kid. I say kid, which to me he was but he was probably in hi mid twenties.
Anyhow, that's my sparky story and even better news today was he's a little tired but no limp either because of his shoulder or foot. Think he's on his way to getting back to normal, yea, yea !!!! [
][] P.S. After getting back to my car, a very large flock of mallards went over and went down river a good ways and I could see em with my binoculars, circling, looking for a place to land. Well, it was late and I didn't want to overdo it on Sparky's shoulder which I was afraid I already had, so we packed up and went home and will try another day. Oh well. [
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