Lost a little one yesterday

Cricket, would have been 13 in April of this year. She was an easy keep for all of these past years and one that didn't know the word quit. She ran and started game on her own or stayed right up there with my bigger hounds. At times even out in front. She ran deer, bears, but her first love was rabbits... She was relentless while on tract and couldn't be called off.

This past deer season during the second week of the hunt we were running an area close to our main camp. My watch was pretty much smack dab in the middle of the area that we were going to run. The plan was for the dogger to start near the camp and work his way with two of the hounds through the area where everyone was situated. I told the guys I was going to take Cricket with me up to my watch and eventually turn her loose by herself. No one had a problem with it so I loaded her up on the quad and off we went.

Once the everyone was in place and the dogger was on his way with the two dogs that he had I waited about 20 minutes before casting her off. She took off, looked back to see if I was coming, saw that I wasn't and set off in search of something to run, all the while I was watching her on the gps. It took her a while to cover 100 yds, then I could tell that she started to cold trail because she was covering more ground at a quicker pace. At about the 400 yd mark she opened up and she was off and running screaming with every step. One of the guys opened up on the radio that Cricket was running hot. She wound up putting the deer between two of the guys and neither of them could get a shot off.

The next day the guys decided to run the same area again and I said I was going to take the beagle up there with me again. They all agreed that it was a good idea. Well wouldn't you know it, it played out exactly like it did the day before. I cut her loose, she took off and again basically in the very same area she started another deer, more than likely the same on she started the day before. It was awesome to hear her running hot. She just couldn't get the sound that was coming out of her fast enough. It ended on a brighter note on day two with a nice mature doe been taken....

I'm going to miss her... Hopefully her and the other dogs I've had over the years will meet up and we'll keep hearing their tell tale voices running hot through out our camp property... RIP Cricket... This was her at 15 weeks old

Sorry for your loss. They sure don't stay with us long enough.

Nice story Bo D and a good looking dog, they really are a member of the family and the quality of loyalty which is a big one for me is so well reflected in a dog. When I lost my guy after 17 years and he was hunting rabbits (sometimes deer LOL) right up until the end. I kept him outside in a wine barrel filled with straw and a flap over it most all winters, if it got real cold he came inside. I found him one snowy morning
outside his kennel on his side, I ran outside and gathered him up in my arms and wrapped him in a blanket, he was still breathing very shallow. After a few minutes he died in my arm's.

Its as if he waited all night for me and stayed alive until morning just to say good bye. I am not ashamed to say I cried right there and then.

Such a nice picture ; I'm so sorry for your loss. It is NEVER easy.


(My dog (8) sees the surgeon again Mon. for an x ray ( ACL tear 10 weeks ago ) . I guess I'll hear whether he'll be running again.)

Very cute, Sorry for your loss

That 13yrs a bad number for me too(lost my Lab) sorry for your loss! All dogs go to heaven pal


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Sorry for your loss

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Sorry to hear, Bo D. Pets are heartbreak, but we're blessed to have them the time we do.

Sorry to hear nice looking dog and lots of good memories for you when your sitting around at the camp

Awe I feel for ya man. RIP Cricket.

Put my 16 yr old Redbone down a couple weeks ago. Hardest thing I had to do as he was our top hound. Best cold tracker, Zero quit, Shot so many coyotes in front of him. Be hard to replace that one.



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Sorry for your loss…it just plain sucks!

I truly believe that the harder it hurts, the better the ride was. I've got a 12 y/o that's starting the slow down. This is going to be the hardest hurt yet. Sorry for your loss!

Sorry for your loss it sucks

Just wanted to say thanks to all of you for your condolences and support. I've been running hounds for all most 30 years now and prior to that trained and field trialed Black Labs for close to 10 years here in Canada and the US. Actually had 2 FTCH of which one was a dual champion before he was 2 1/2 years old. Over those years I've had to put a fair number of them down and also have had a fair number pass away here at home. It never gets easier saying goodbye to a friend and loyal companion for the number of years that they put out the effort to chase, chase and tree, or to retrieve game that had been brought down to please their caretaker, and and home giver. Can't use the word Master, just not appropriate.

I don't have near as many dogs now as I once had and I'll keep following what I have left to a tree for as long as I can. I feel as though I've been blessed for all the years that they've given me the pleasure of watching them work and do their thing, and also blessed with the number of outstanding dogs that I've had the honor to work with and train.

Again thanks...

Sounds like she got to hunt her whole life. That's one heck of a great life. Thanks to you.