Lost a good dog last night

[Machias]

Seriously bummed right now.  Took my two lead dogs out coon hunting last night.  Pretty warm out and ran through several deer.  Saw quite a bit of old and fresher coon sign, but no strikes.  I was only going to hunt until about 1030 since I had to go to work today.  I heard old Bo let out a pretty loud yelp.  I called out to him but he didn't come in right away.  The Garmin showed he was still moving, so I wasn't too worried about him.  About 15 minutes later he comes in staggering and falls down.  I get over to him and the whole right side of his head is enormous.  His nostrils were so swelled up I don't think he could breath through them.  I had to take the collars off of him so his airway was open.  He couldn't walk, so I started carrying him back to the truck, but he died about halfway back.  Pretty sure he ran into a rattler.  Looked like it caught him right below his eye.  He was 7, right in his prime.   

[rtspring]

sorry to hear this, never easy losing a dog.

RTSPRING

[runamuk]

I am so sorry.....what an awful way to lose one...

[buckhorn2]

Sorry to hear that it;s sad to loose a dog.

[mulehunter]

Very sorry my friend. Its NOT fun to loose a dog right before winter come.     I am very sorry.

Mulehunter.

[Heredoggydoggy]

Warm falls like this make the rattlers late travelling to their den areas.  back in 1987 I got a new pup, and took her to a place that I'd hunted for 15 years, and never saw a snake.  It was mid-october, and still warm, and the rattlers were EVERYWHERE!  We got out of there, but not before a rattler struck at the pup and a fang grazed her skin just next to the toenail.  That tiny scratch made her leg swell up.  A full bite probably would have killed her.  Sorry to hear of your loss.  Dogs get to be like family...

[Knocker of rocks]

I'm very sorry for your loss

[quadrafire]

Oh my Machias---Sorry to hear that. That was fast. Poor guy. sounds like a snake,but you think he got kicked my a deer? any horses around?? not likely--just thinking outloud

Sorry Bud!

[Machias]

No he won't mess with a deer or livestock, the way it swelled up I'm 99% sure it was a snake.  He was broke off of game and livestock real good, never even gave deer a sideways glance. 
 
Thanks everyone!

[Wile E. Hunter]

Sorry to hear about your dog. I lost my best dog ever back in the late 90s. Still makes me sad. The thing is, you gave him a great life doing exactly what he wanted to do more than anything else. What more is there.... Still sorry to hear you lost one, though.

Wile E.

[pianoman9701]

I'm so sorry about your dog, Machias. It must be a hard day for you. That's a sad story.

[beagledog]

Sorry to hear about your dog.I lost a beagle to a rattler once it was pretty bad she got bit on the tongue and I had my two boys with me they were four at the time . Not a good time for anyone.

[hucklebeary]

Never a good feeling when you lose a great friend....especially one who doesn,t judge you but just loves to be with you. Sorry man

[Machias]

Here he was on Saturday, bear hunting over in ID.
 

 

 
 

[TheHunt]

Sorry for your loss at least he was doing what what he loved to do...