During my business career, except for my start with the large computer company, I always had people work for me and I got used to giving orders and having them obeyed.  This one time it was given back to me in spades!

Layla, and I arrived at our lease in McColloch County, Texas in mid afternoon, after the 4, plus, hour drive from Houston, and found that we were the only folks there that day.  We changed from our business executive clothes, she was a VP at a large rice company, then slipped into jeans and camo shirts and quickly headed out to my favorite place to hunt dove, a “secret” stock tank.  Following is the picture of the house we used at our lease.

After the long drive, Gus, our Brittany, was anxious to get to hunting.  We let him out and on the walk to the stock tank he took care of his business, then happily trotted beside us.   The stock tank was spring fed and tucked behind a butte, or small mesa, way off the beaten path, as the picture shows.

About an hour before sunset, the mourning doves started coming into water.  Our set up was ideal.  The tank had a rocky, gravelly bank all around, a couple of dead mesquites at one end and several live mesquites that we used for shade and concealment at the other end

The birds came in singularly and in groups and were met with our bam, bam, bamming and soon we had neared our limits.  It was great sport, great shooting and a plus getting to watch Gus retrieve birds that fell into the water.

Finally he rebelled.  After 7 or 8 retrieves, he walked over beside me and shook himself vigorously, liberally dousing me, and ploped down at my side as I knocked another one down into the water.  “Fetch him up, Gus”” I commanded, and he didn’t move.  “Gus, fetch the bird” more forcefully as he looked up at me and rolled over on his back!  Gus was “done” for the day!  Trying get Layla to retrieve the last dove for me, I asked her nicely, but she declined also.

It was left for me to chunk rocks and cow patties at the bird to wash them close to the shore, where I unceremoniously waded out and picked them up.  So much for delegating!