We went rabbit hunting on Saturday with Uncle Jack & our nephew, Alan. As a last minute sort of thing, I decided to take our dog, Cricket, with us to see what her reaction would be. Since Cricket is allergic to collars & harnesses, I knew I was taking a big gamble.
With Cooper on only his second outing & Cricket making her debut, all the real work of sniffing out rabbits was left to the older beagle named Jake. Fortunately, Cooper & Cricket didn't distract Jake too much from his job!
Cricket did fabulous in the field! She listened to me very well & while she really didn't pick up any scent, she did not do anything wrong either. Hopefully she can come with us again. Cooper, it seems, has a lot to learn about this whole rabbit-sniffing business.
It was a really good thing that Cricket listened so well because...
We had come through a field, crossed a tree line & I could see a road on the other side of a small pond & field. Along the road, a person was walking their dog & I hoped that Cricket & Cooper did not get sight of them. It was just about this time that a rabbit was flushed, Jack shot twice & the ex shot once, killing it.
I heard some yelling from the road, something about what are you doing shooting but I did not pay it much mind. That it is until I thought I heard the word "police". Then I heard more yelling & this time it was clear, as in "stop shooting ... police!"
In an instant, the person who had been walking their dog, had come running into the field with a handgun drawn. He announced himself as a police officer & instructed me to put my weapon down & asked what we were doing. I let him know we were rabbit hunting. Since Alan was with me, I told him to put his gun down & walk with me to the officer. His eyes got kinda big, but he listened to me.
As we approached the officer, he showed his badge & let me know that he was actually with the secret service. I think seeing a woman & a child put him a bit at ease; hearing shots ring out while he was walking his dog had completely freaked him out. He did some shouting about hunting laws & kids nearby, but by this time Jack had approached us & told the officer that we were legal & that we had permission to hunt.
The ex? Where was that tall man? He was tucked safely away in the woods, he never even showed his face while his woman had to put her "weapon" down for a law enforcement officer with gun drawn.
After all that excitement, the ex cleaned the rabbit & we went back to hunting.
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