Remembering all the Retrievers that have graced us with their time here on this earth.
I dedicate this tribute page to my very first hunting retriever, Murphy Junior II, or as most people knew him Junior.
A lady who worked with my father at Camp Lejeune gave me Junior when he was 9 months old. I knew nothing about training a retriever, and Junior did not know his own name. I started reading every retriever training book I could get, and I watched every video about training a retriever I could find. In the end, Junior and I started training each other, so we could be ready for the next dove season.
The next dove season arrived and Junior and I headed to the fields. The birds did not cooperate at first. But soon, I started getting shots and dropping birds. Junior was sleeping and would not even look up. Then a dove flew in right in front of his face. I shot the bird, and as the bird went down, away Junior went. Junior made his first real time hunting retrieve. I was happy even though he broke.
After a couple years of training alone, Mr. Bob Reckart showed me how to actually train a retriever then I started working on Junior. He has retrieved more birds than you can fit into a semi truck trailer. Junior proved an amazing. Not only did he retrieve downed birds, but he tracked and held down a wounded deer and guarded the house and my wife. He is the only Golden (that I know of) that would attack on command. Notwithstanding this fact, Junior loved playing with children and hanging out. He was a great dog.
Junior & Ryan Strickland after a pheasant hunt in North Eastern OH.
Junior, Griffen, Hodge & Oakley hunting wood duck in Duplin County.
Junior in his younger days: approximately 2 years old in this picture.
The great Golden Retrievers: Molly, Junior, Boomer and Spot.
Junior and Glyde. You can see they were buddies.
This is a picture of Junior and Molly in the house, just kicking back.
Junior's final photograph, after one of his last hunts.
I also pay tribute to my second retriever, Strickland's Molly Rocket, "Molly".
I purchased Molly in 1996 when she was six weeks old. When I brought her home, Junior peed on her head. She was a sweet dog that was very easy to train and loved to retrieve.
Molly was not a Field Champion or a Master Hunter, but she was a great dog. She always had a friendly wag for everyone she met. She loved the kids and even helped my two children learn how to walk. She would stand and let them grab her fur. The boys would pull themselves up and then start walking. Molly kept the bogeyman out of my oldest son's room for years.
Molly was also an excellent hunting dog in her prime. Hopefully Molly is in that big duck marsh in the sky chasing ducks with Junior right now. She is missed.
Here's Molly giving you that classic are you sure I can't eat that look.
This is Molly putting up with my son Dylan.
This is a picture of Molly with a few Buffleheads she retrieved during a hunt on the Neuse River outside of New Bern,NC.
This is a picture of Molly just hanging out with Dylan when he was a baby.
We also pay tribute to another great dog, Strickland's Big Bam Boomer, "Boomer".
Boomer arrived at our home as a stud fee for Junior. Boomer was a great dog. He loved to play, retrieve, hunt, and ride in the truck.
Boomer had a little low friendly growl just like Junior. Boomer used this growl when he greeted someone. Once Junior passed, I knew I had to place Boomer in a good home. So, I called up my good friend and hunting partner Robbie McLamb. Robbie agreed to take Boomer and co-own him. This turned out to be great for Robbie, his family and Boomer. Boomer had two great kids with whom he could play, and he accompanied Robbie and Josh every time they went out on a hunt. Boomer truly had it made down in Burgaw with the McLamb family. He will be missed!
Here's Boomer not long after he first came to live with me.
Boomer was always good at letting you know when it was time to eat.
This is a picture of Boomer after his very first hunt ever. We took him down to a Duplin Co. Swamp and put da smack down on a few woodies. He did a nice job picking them up. He handled the cold like champ to.
This is a picture of Boomer after he was adopted by Robbie and Josh. I took them down to my favorite Duplin Co. swamp and showed them how to shoot properly!
This is a picture of Boomer playing with his ole pop Junior in the snow!
My second Chesapeake Bay Retriever Sedgblac's Gone Quackers MH "Quack". Quack was my very first AKC Master Hunter that I owned. He was a great dog. He was also 100% Chessie. He would rather have been working in the field training or in the blind hunting. There were times when Quack and I did not see eye to eye and we clashed but that is part of being a chessie owner. I will miss his indifferent attitude. The way he looked right through you, especially when I shot and missed when we were hunting.
Josh Batchelor
It is with a sad heart I write this tribute for my very first retriever Chase...AKA Rocks, Forest, and as my wife Becky called him Chase Chase Dirty Face. As bad as I hate to admit it I bought him when I was an eighteen year old boy from a backyard breeder. I read up on training a retriever and here we went. I don't know who trained who but somehow we both made it work. I have gunned ducks and geese over a many a fine retriever in my day but hands down this backyard bred mutt is the best I've ever shot over. I've seen this dog chase a crippled goose flying a half mile over cut over corn, pick birds out of trees, hunt sea ducks three miles out in three ft seas, make 100 yard retrieves in flooded pine thickets on sound, and countless others that most people would call amazing. But Chase made it look the normal. Only those closest to me that have hunted over Chase can attribute to the things Chase has done. One word that I could sum him up with is, relentless! I can honestly say I don't think we've ever shot a bird over him that he didn't come back with. I got the hair brain idea to train Chase to run hunt test and Ryan and me quickly came to the conclusion that he couldn't count past two! But dag on it, he could count to two better than any dog I’ve ever seen! I will always say I would rather gun over Chase than any master hunter or field champion out there. We also think he had some coon hound in his background because on long retrieves he would bark like a hound wanting to get the bird so bad. Chase you will truly be missed by all who knew you. Especially my wife and mom who will miss those loving eyes and long walks they both took you out on. May the sky be full my friend and hunters shoot straight in that big duck blind in the sky you are in.
Steelshot Retrievers
Chevy Steelshot’s Classic Roadster MH By Peggy & Dan Ramsey Happy Hunting Chevy!! Chevy was born on February 22, 2000, the only male pup in a litter of eight. Chevy came to live with us at seven weeks old. From that day forward our lives were forever changed. Chevy was bold, imaginative, and always on the go. His energy was never ending. Training for hunt test fit the bill. It was an honor each time we walked him to the line at a hunt test. He bounced, huffed, and puffed all the way there, but once there and on line he was focused completely on the task at hand. Get those birds!!! Chevy was the straightest running dog I’ve ever seen. He would take a great line on any terrain! Each time he ran those wonderful lines, it sent chills up my spine. He was one of those special dogs that every dog owner has. He was that dog. Chevy also passed on his qualities as a retriever to many of his offspring. Here is a short list:
Strickland’s Steelshot Marina MH QAA
Strickland’s Steelshot Trinity MH
Pennsylvania Fire Cracker MH
Strickland’s Three Inch Magnum JH, SH, & 4 master passes
Luke Dio Double G MH
Steelshot’s Knee Deep In It 3 master passes
Coppercreeks Narly Marley SH master passes
Steelshot’s Category Three SH
Riley Jane hunter SH
Steelshot’s Chevy’s Revenge 3 senior passes
Steelshot’s Ram Tuff SH
Steelshot’s Trail Runner JH senior pass (narcotic detection dog)
Coppercreek’s Amazing Grace JH