As another hunting season gets underway, I once again find myself thinking about my beloved “Wolf,” a springer who passed away two years ago at dove season at age 14 (Farewell Wolf–My Hunting Partner Since ’95).
I thought I’d share a photo of my backyard memorial to Wolf, who indeed is buried beneath the earth in this very spot. My wife and I walk around our backyard a lot and when we see his grave it gets us talking about all the things we loved and miss about Wolf.
I made the headstone before Wolf left for the Happy Hunting Grounds. I sunk his fat paws into the wet cement, a reminder of his physical presence for when he was gone. The dog sculpture rests at his head; the duck his feet. Wolf, above all else, loved chasing after ducks. I buried him with a Pheasants Forever t-shirt covering his head. Wolf is buried facing south, the direction from which the sun tarries north in spring, south in autumn, giving us the seasons we both loved.
I love having Wolf in the backyard. He and I were partners his entire life. As he took his last breathe, I thanked him for everything and told him I wasn’t far behind.
Please share your stories of memorializing your gun dogs in the space below.
You can also make a donation to Pheasants Forever to honor the memory of a favorite hunting dog. All memorial gifts, regardless of dollar amount, are published annually in the Spring Issue of the Pheasants Forever Journal of Upland Conservation.
-Mark Herwig is editor of the Pheasants Forever Journal and Quail Forever Journal. Email Mark at mherwig@pheasantsforever.org.