More Than a Pet

As outdoorsmen and women especially waterfowlers, most of us have or have had a a hunting buddy that is always there with us. They become more than a pet, more than even a friend...they become family. They become a part of you, they teach you things about yourself, life, and the world around you. You talk to them even though they can't talk back. You confide in them things you would never tell another person.

This time last year I was attending taxidermy school in Montana. School was going great, I was loving the courses and the people I was in class with. The Montana landscape was beautiful, the fishing and hiking was amazing. Things back home though were not so great however. My relationship of eight years and that I was scheduled to marry after I returned from school had just ended a few weeks after arriving in Montana. I was in shambles to say the least.

All I wanted was to see my boy Iker. I knew that if I could see him and just have him with me that everything would be alright. A couple of days later I recieved a phone call from my dad saying that Iker was sick and getting worse. They had taken him to the vet multiple times and they were not sure exactly what it was that he had. It made me sick to my stomach that I was 1800 miles away and could not be there with my buddy while he was sick. A few days passed and still there was no change, so Dad and Kyle loaded Iker back up and took him to the vet once again and left him overnight. When they went back to pick him up they said that he had rocky mountain tick fever and gave him some meds. A week passed and still no change. Dad called the vet and was told to keep giving him the meds and he would start getting better. I called multiple times every day to check up on him with no change. I was on the verge of leaving Montana and coming home. I got a call one day at lunch from Dad saying that he had taken Iker back into the vet because he was doing really bad, not eating and not able to walk. He was there for a couple of days with no progress. I called on the third day he had been at the vet, he had tried to bite one of the workers and was not able to stand at all. Dad had made the decision to go ahead and have him put down.

In less than a month my entire world had fallen apart around me. Iker was that dog that was more than a pet, more than family to me. I had raised him since he was born. He was with me every second possible from the moment he was born. We spent hours training, hunting, fishing, going to town, even when I was asleep he was right there with me. He was my better half and I was not able to be there for him. I miss that guy more than words can express. Losing Iker put me in one of the darkest places I have ever been in. I didn't know where to turn. I felt like I had lost everything. I blamed God for everything....how could he allow me to lose everything, especially Iker, all at the same time? The next few weeks were extremly rough for me, I was 1800 miles from home with none of my family or friends from home.

A week or so later we began the bird course of our class. I was going through my birds and came across a woodduck I had killed the year before that Iker had retrieved. I realized then that even though Iker was gone physically he would always be with me. I mounted that woodduck as a rememberance of Iker and all the things we had been through, done, and learned together. That night after starting that mount I sat in my hotel room and really prayed. I had prayed before that night but I hadn't really known what to say to God because I was so angry and distraught. I am not even sure how long I spent praying, but afterwards I knew that everthing would be alright.

Iker taught me many things and continues to teach me things to this day. Never forget your past hunting dogs, they stay with you long past their life span. Share their stories with friends, family, children, and anyone you have the chance to share with. Reflecting on experiences you realizes and learn things that you may not have when that event occured. For me looking back at Iker's life I see that one of the biggest lessons I have learned because of him is to fully trust in God no matter what is going on in my life. Keep your hunting partners close to your heart and never let their memory be forgotten. Continue to learn from them and let them show your what God has planned for you. God works in crazy unseen ways sometimes. I will never forget Iker, I see him everyday in the things that I do, wether its in my taxidermy, regular life, and even training Sydney, he still keeps me on my toes.

Take heart in knowing that your buddy will always be with you.

God Bless and hunt hard!

#Iker #Pet #dog #struggle