I just got this email from a friend and client of mine in New Zealand, Roger Gould....the Chessie bitch, Bek, that I raised, trained and exported for him a couple of years ago is the dog that did this. Here's the story in his own words...(I'll post the photos when I get them)

"As I have mentioned before Canada geese are imports to NZ and periodically reach pest proportions here predating crops and fouling forage and grass for dairy cows.

About every 3 or 5 years, Central South Island Fish and Game organized a 'goose shoot' near Wainono Lagoon a estuarine coastal lake which is a favorite haunt of geese after moulting.

I was invited to be part of a 'cull' shoot and to bring a dog.. one dog per hunting group of 5 people. The dogs and dog handlers were specifically nominated and invited. No inexperienced dogs or dog handlers.

I took 'Bek' over my older and more experienced black Lab as I knew that he suffers badly from the heat.. and was very mindful that the day was going to be hot, sure enough it dawned fine and clear and turned into a real scorcher.

We assembled at day break in the nominated sectors, the team I was in positioned ourselves in the hides and we let the geese come... and did they come. I have never seen anything like it in my life before. They flew in endless groups of 20 to 50 birds low and steady, flight after flight after flight.

Of all the shooting teams who were out on the day, we five happened to be in the right place... with one dog!

We were all shooting with 5 shot autos and out of most mobs we were taking between 10 & 15 birds, dropping them into a very weedy lake and into the rough cover around the lake.

Bek worked like a charm, from the first shots and birds dropped I gave her her head and let her start retrieving..... diligently swimming out, diligently retrieving, never faltering for just over 5 hours. I do admit though that in the last hour she was so exhausted it was just a matter of bringing them in, the retrieves weren't exactly copy book.

The good thing is I do have some photos... which I will get down loaded and sized this week.

The word soon spread with the other hunting groups that the American bred Chesapeake was at the lake.. if that wasn't news enough, soon many of the other shooters lined up to watch her work. All where very impressed to see a real Chessie at work.. she did her breed and her heritage proud... and yes... I am very humbled and very proud too.

As an aside we got 122 for the day... of which Bek would have picked up around 115 ... but who's counting!

I will send a copy of the piccies soon.."

That sounds like one hell of a hunt I cant wait to see pics.

Wow, how awesome is that!

truly an impressive story, I can't wait to see the pictures.

Juli

Just read this post, all i can say is WOW. I bet she slept good that night. Pictures would be nice please

Here's a pic....I love the way she has her leg draped over "her" birds. Tired, but still all Chessie.

One picture is worth a thousand words. Thanks for sharing this picture of your beautiful girl.

Dang, that is Great! I had a hunt when my youngen was 13 months old that she retrieved 25 in 45 min. got a video of the whole thing, most don't belive me but thats the norm.