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| Written by Ralph Winingham | |
| Monday, 31 March 2008 | |
 FIRST FETCH: Goldie, a 4-month-old English Cocker Spaniel, fetches her first bobwhite quail. Photos by Ralph Winingham. The exact instant that little Goldie’s eyes locked onto a fluttering quail just inches from her nose, the English Cocker Spaniel’s entire world was changed forever. The joy and exuberance of the 4-month-old puppy just looking to play and scamper was replaced by the natural hunting instinct that flowed into her veins from generations of hunting dogs who had gone before her. From the all-business look in her eyes to her professional demeanor with the other dogs and shooters working on coveys of quail at the Tonkaway Ranch during a late February hunt, Goldie had suddenly transformed into a hunter. Retrieving that first bird, which was quite a mouthful for a little puppy, and then instinctively working with the other dogs to flush and find other downed quail, Goldie was an awesome sight to behold. The other dogs did not seem to notice the magic of the moment, but each hunter in the group softly smiled and nodded their approval of the chest-swelling, heart-pumping experience. “People who don’t get out in the field enough to watch dogs work just don’t have the chance to share this kind of moment,’’ said Kyle Kacal, guide and operator of the family-owned 2,400-acre ranch. “I go through a lot of dogs and train a lot of dogs for my friends. Young and old, they all add to the overall enjoyment of a hunt. I want my hunters to share that social experience. “It is just fun to watch a father and son, a grandfather and grandson or a mother and daughter sharing what can be the best time of their lives. Searching for some of the nearly 10,000 quail he releases each year during his hunting season that runs from October to April, Kacal works through a rapid succession of English pointers, cocker spaniels and occasionally a Labrador or two. Duke, Zeus, Sugar and George all performed their pointing and retrieving duties with vigor during that cool afternoon, but it was little Goldie who became the queen of the hunt. “You never know what they will do when you put a puppy on the (hunting) ground for the first time,’’ Kacal said. “Some of them are just pets and some of them are real hunters.’’ For the record, Goldie made the grade with flying colors and left an indelible moment of memory in the minds and hearts of both guides and hunters. To borrow a phrase: “Watching a puppy make her first retrieve — priceless.” More information on family-style hunts with hunting dogs both young and old is available by calling (979) 776-1476. |
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| Last Updated ( Sunday, 06 April 2008 ) |
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