I know it is not your typical “Grip & Grin” fish picture. However, Capt. Steve & I had the opportunity to spend some time today touring Shooting the Breeze hunt club near Big Rapids. It was great to get out in the field today with the bluebird bright sky and warm temp, it couldn’t have been a better day. It was also a bit of a sad day for me as well. Many of you have met Belle, my Labrador, who during the summer and fall, is a fixture in my boat. Belle is 11 years old this year and starting to feel her age. When Tim invited us up to finalize the details of our new relationship that will allow us to offer wing shooting through the Muskegon River Lodge, he graciously offered to let us get out and spend some time sampling the finest pheasant ground in the state. When I loaded the guns in the truck this morning I could not ignore those sad Labrador eyes saying, “come on dad, one more hunt!”. So in the truck she went. I could not have asked for a more enjoyable day, my good friend Steve, my faithful dog and me, on one last hunt before officially retiring Belle to a well deserved place in front of the fireplace (or anywhere else she wants to sleep). It was only a short hunt but the old girl did still have enough left to put up a couple birds, which luckily, I did my part and put down for her. I am looking forward to many more hunts with our new friends at Shooting the Breeze, but I’m not sure that any of them can top today, as I made what was most likely the last hunt I will make with Belle.
If you would like to know more about Shooting the Breeze, give us a call or check out the additional photos of this beautiful property on our Muskegon River Lodge fan page on Facebook.
Capt. Dave DeVries
