Happy Days: For this Davie legend, it at all times included a very good chicken canine – Davie County Enterprise Report

By Mark Hager

President, Forks

of the Yadkin and Davie

County History Museum

Before the Green Bay Packers grew to become the primary back-to-back Super Bowl champions below the teaching of Vince Lombardi, Davie County made nationwide information.

In 1960 and 1961, Davie native Paul Walker gained back-to-back nationwide area trial championships by two chicken dogs – Home Again Mike and Spacemaster. Both have been from the American Field Haberdasher line of English Pointers.

Walker, over a two-decade interval, racked up quite a few championships. In 1969, he was inducted into the National Field Trial Hall of Fame.

A show in his honor is on the Bird Dog Museum in Grand Junction, Tenn. The museum is operated below the University of Tennessee.

Walker’s legendary standing got here in a time interval when going looking was understood as: being a accountable hunter, wing shooter, and most significantly, a canine grasp.

Quail looking was additionally a neighborhood effort. Even earlier than the Great Depression, farmers welcomed a food regimen on wild sport. Quail was the chicken of selection.

Farming practices required a eager eye for habitat. Whether working a mule workforce or on a tractor, farmers steered to keep away from quail nesting websites. Like right this moment, farmers would plant corn, grain, sorghum, and soybeans. However, they might complement hay wants with lespedeza and sericea.

Other lagoons have been added to patches of dense thickets, the place plums and blackberries would additionally thrive. Disking each few years to reestablish higher, “quail thicket habitat.”

Some farmers would conduct a managed burn to foster higher wild grass habitat. Rows roughly 15 ft broad round border sections of crop fields have been maintained. Farm households understood that the quail brooding season was primarily May and early June. But a late summer time, second brood was attainable. Fescue was cautioned because of its harvest time throughout the primary brooding season.

After the summer time crops have been harvested, the autumn looking season ensued.

Each farmer had a reasonably good thought the place to search for quail. But holding the covey from flushing earlier than the shotgun was readied was the important thing.

Then, finding the downed chicken and flushing the singles was the problem.

A very good chicken canine was the reply.

Across the area, the canine breed of selection was both an English Pointer or Setter. Popular breeds such because the German Short Hair didn’t arrive within the area till a lot of quail inhabitants had diminished. A correctly educated canine would level the covey and maintain till the hunters have been in position. Most upland chicken hunter’s most popular to maneuver in to flush the covey. The canine stayed regular on the purpose.

Although uncommon, a couple of hunters added a command equivalent to, “easy,” which might permit the gun canine to flush. Through years of expertise, it grew to become second nature to identify a rooster from the hen, and, with correct coordination utilizing crossfire to deliver down a number of birds.

The ultimate shot was taking down two birds with one shot. Afterwards, with the command, “dead bird,” the gun dogs would discover and retrieve the downed chicken from the duvet. The looking workforce would then search to search out a couple of single birds from the covey. In an effort to maintain the covey wholesome, the farmer tried to maintain covey numbers at a minimal of 10 birds.

This model of looking required consideration to element. Knowing the precise location of every hunter and gun canine was second nature. The proper shotgun and shot grew to become distinctive to every hunter. Shooting the chicken whereas, “on the wing,” was tough to show. Many discovered the coaching discovered on a chicken hunt as an important instrument for survival on battlefields.

Being on, “point”, and catching the flush in a cross-fire, have been only a small a part of chicken looking.

Famed Airforce Fighter Ace, Chuck Yeager stated many of the profitable pilots of WWII first discovered the important thing to bringing down enemy fighters from chicken looking. They have been already educated to shoot on the wing. Ammo was costly and time was treasured. Bird looking wasn’t a sport. It was a continuation of farming.   

Davie had greater than 200 dairy farms within the Nineteen Sixties. Each morning earlier than 5, milking began. Afterwards, many needed to feed the hogs and chickens.

Somewhere within the center was crop season preparation. Bird looking adopted crop harvesting and tobacco priming through the fall and winter.

Eugene Hunter can keep in mind a narrative a few deliberate hunt with farming neighbor, Odell Boger. Boger had an English Setter named Mack.

Odell and Eugene Hunter’s dad, Francis Reed Hunter, have been to satisfy to chicken hunt following the morning chores. Boger’s canine locked on level a few mile from Hunter’s barn. Boger hurried on to satisfy Hunter however the chores weren’t fairly completed.

Boger yelled out, “Let’s go, Mack is on point.”

An hour and half later they returned however the canine was gone. Hunter had an English Setter named “Spot” that discovered Mack. Apparently, Mack had crept slowly a number of hundred yards trailing the covey. In chicken canine terminology, Spot discovered Mack and caught the scent of the covey and pointed by “backing Mack.”

Hunter and Boger moved ahead and the covey flushed and shotguns blazed and birds got here down. Still winded from all of the walking Boger and Hunter yelled, “dead bird,” and the dogs went to work retrieving.

They continued looking till time for night milking.

Eugene Hunter fondly remembers that point interval. He stated that as quickly as farming was accomplished, his dad and Spot have been in area looking day by day they may. Except Sunday, there was no capturing or looking. “Never even thought about hunting or shooting on a Sunday. No tractor was even cranked on Sunday.”

It was the Lord’s Day with zero excuse.

Hunter continued: “Back then few places were open on Sunday.”

No hunter wore blaze orange or nervous that the opposite hunter may by accident discharge a firearm. Discipline and accountability have been ingrained within the hunter and canine, simply as Sunday worship meant being in church as a household, and on time.

Bird looking added pleasure to farm life.

WWII Veteran Sheek Bowden smiled when remembering a hunt utilizing his chicken canine – Nancy.

“I was at Boone Foster’s farm back around 1960. I was on the right and Boone on the left with a mutual close friend Paul Hodges, in the center. Boone’s dog named, Bill and Nancy locked on point. Hodges, took a step and the sudden noise of 30 quail broke the silence. Most of the birds flushed toward Hodges. Bowden drew his shotgun into his shoulder, and fired twice. He heard the reports from Boone’s shotgun. After a moment of silence, Bowden turned and heard Foster yell, “Junior! Junior! How did you do?” Junior was the frequent title for Bowden. He replied, “I got two. And you?” Foster replied by pointing in the direction of the bottom, “One, two, three!”

All laughed and with the command, “dead bird,” watched because the dogs discovered and retrieved every chicken.

Having the best looking canine was heaven.

Johnny Marklin remembered many occasions that his dad Johnson Marklin would be a part of others and hunt up the railroad tracks for coveys. Johnson’s canine, an English Setter named “Ole Joe,” developed fairly the popularity, sufficient in order that one native hunter stored coming into their furnishings retailer to ask Johnson to sale him his canine.

Johnny remembered his dad stopping the ultimate inquiry with, “I’ve told you. My dog isn’t for sale for any price.”

Years of coaching and expertise with a very good chicken canine have been invaluable. The lack of such a canine was akin to shedding Old Yeller, or for some studying this, an echo from Where the Red Fern Grows.

For Bowden, Nancy was a looking companion and finest pal.

Eugene Hunter most remembered looking with Sam a lemon and white English Pointer. “He had a good nose. Sometimes pointing a covey 200 feet away, Sam would hold point the entire time. Once the covey flushed and shots were fired, Sam wouldn’t leave point until the command ‘dead bird’ was given.”

The neighborhood of chicken hunters knew one another properly.

Hunter remembered Walker as a severe, good-hearted individual that revered anybody who labored exhausting and would take heed to common sense.

That was echoed by Jeff Allen, who stated most within the space had their very own chicken dogs, and knew how one can practice them. If a canine developed a problem, they consulted one another very like a tractor difficulty dialogue of right this moment.

Likewise, discovering the best gundog required years of expertise. The most popular gun canine breed was second to choosing the right pup in a litter. To a well-seasoned educated eye like Walker, a correct pup might be noticed rapidly.

Jeff Allen stated that Walker would emphasize that getting the best genetics was the important thing.

The Haberdasher American Field Bred Pointer lineage was one of the best inventory to begin with. Allen discovered that, “You look for the pup that flash points a butterfly. Then, flip a wing of a quail using a fishing cane pole, fishing line, and wing to test pointing, but only do this once. Each time the right response was seen, to whistle the sound of a Bob White quail.”

Although a number of pups in a litter could have optimistic reactions, it’s the pup within the litter with good eye contact and elegance that grew to become the clear selection.

Being in a position to “read” a canine grew to become an artwork type. The hunters with years of expertise grew to become a workforce together with the gun dogs. No whistles have been wanted. The solely instructions have been: “whoa,” heel or extra generally used then, “come here,” and “dead bird.”

In uncommon instances you may favor the canine to flush. In that case, “easy” was the command.  Then the canine would slowly creep ahead till both “whoa” was yelled or flushing occurred.

“Fetch it up!” was an endearment time period moderately than command.

Allen stated a typical phrase from Walker was: “Keep your ft on the bottom, that means God created coach and canine, likewise, a coach ought to place a guiding hand upon the canine. Walker’s most original command was, ‘Whump’ which meant warning, combining whoa and cease collectively. Afterwards, he would yell ‘whoa,’ which Walker stated means whoa. Stop on the spot and by no means transfer. Yelling, ‘come here’ meant return. Walker seldom, if ever, stated ‘heel.’ ‘Ho’ meant flip.

“Walker warned to by no means below any circumstance train a pointing canine to ‘sit.’ Because below stress, it will trigger the canine to take a seat till that stress ended. It would damage a setter and pointer.

“It all starts at home, Walker would repeat. He would tell others that, ‘If you can’t get the dogs right in the yard, the dog won’t do it in the field’.”

Introducing the canine to the shotgun was a significant hurdle.  A very good coach rigorously launched the canine to chicken and gun. Many a very good canine was ruined from an inexperienced coach firing a 12-gauge shotgun or a 22-caliber rifle too shut and too quickly. It takes a relationship and respect.

As pups, Allen stated it was frequent to bang the feeding pan round as they have been fed, giving optimistic consideration and petting throughout that point. A couple of weeks later, and simply earlier than feeding time, fireplace a clean pistol 40 to 50 yards away. Then whereas feeding, proceed the optimistic consideration on every pup.

“A cautious eye on a canine’s response would decide when a shotgun might be used. There was no actual time for gun use. It took cautious consideration and expertise. The purpose was having a broke canine. According to Walker, it’s a canine that stops on the verbal command whoa. Then, after the gun shot, waits till the command of ‘dead bird.’ Or if no birds have been within the space would return with the command, ‘come here.’

That based on Walker is a broke canine.

Davie County grew to become well-known for its gundogs and trainers. The reminiscence of that good gundog was there with getting married and the start of a kid.

“Sweet six-teen,” wasn’t a teen, it was a most popular shot-gun gauge for quail. Likewise, a 4-10 wasn’t the peak of a person. Paul Walker, many occasions carried a 4-10. It was a inexpensive spherical and you possibly can carry extra rounds.

With correct coaching, bringing down a quail didn’t require a big gauge. Paula Spillman, a daughter of Paul Walker, remembered: “Dad had everybody educated to concentrate. There have been a number of events that whereas out with the dogs, he would yell, ‘whump.’ Short for whoa and cease. We all stopped immediately.

“On several occasions it was a snake that caused the attention. None of us, dogs or children would move till Dad took care of it.”

Allen credited a lot of the success to “Walker’s knack for knowing if the dog was sick or not scenting properly.”  Have the young canine level, maintain regular, and stay regular when the chicken flushes was the dream. A whistle was seldom used. Walker carried a whistle tied round his neck by a shoe string. But the whistle didn’t imply cease, it meant for the canine to hunt or run farther away.

Otherwise, he didn’t use the whistle.          

So, what occurred to the quail?

Eugene Hunter remembered the birds disappearing within the Eighties. It’s a typical query with solutions which are variable. Many level to lack of habitat and farming from fence to fence leaving no hedges or thickets. Tractor operators have been not searching for nesting areas. Creek banks have been being cleared of thickets, wild blackberries and plums. The cautious eye of that small household farmer has diminished to that of bigger company farming.

Just a couple of family-owned farms stay in Davie County. The final dairy went out a couple of years in the past. Others talked about, too many home cats, coyotes, foxes, and birds of prey are right here now.

Jeff Allen, who educated with Paul Walker, heard Walker complain that deer and turkey have been inflicting main points. Deer would generally eat the eggs. The turkey would destroy the nest and kill the hatchlings.

Some have recommended poultry illnesses unfold into quail populations because of fertilizer from rooster homes.

Rowan County doctor Dr. Richard Adams has one other thought. He had been finding out quail hatch charges because the Nineteen Sixties. He observed a pointy decline in hatch charges within the late Eighties. Adams dominated out DDT, because it was outlawed many years earlier. He famous that hatch charges dropped dramatically to lower than two %. But on the identical time, home quail hatch charges have been over 90 %.

In elements of Texas, Arizona, and Oklahoma, Adams observed quail have been doing properly no matter farming observe and preying animals. It appeared all areas receiving greater than 30 inches of rain per 12 months witnessed the lack of quail.

In the identical time interval, different floor nesting birds equivalent to whippoorwills noticed comparable reductions. “It didn’t matter how much cover and protection, they just disappeared.” Adams feels one thing within the air is inflicting them to turn out to be sterile.

The southern “Bob White” populations have been lowered and largely confined to areas of Texas and the Southwest. The whistle of the Bob White within the spring and the sound of a giant covey flushing is missed by many.

And with that, the sight and sounds of “pointer’s and setter’s.”       

Today, looking has witnessed drastic modifications. It’s not a household farm livelihood. For security measures, hunters are required to put on blaze orange. The hunters a couple of a long time again seldom nervous of miss identification. They knew the bottom, the hunters, the shotgun, and the dogs. Plus, there have been few deer or turkey round earlier than the Eighties. Now they’re right here in giant numbers.

Deer looking from a tree stand over a meals plot or baited space is the norm. The hunter will not be a neighbor. For private security, farmers right this moment put on blaze orange to keep away from an “accidental” shootings.

Perhaps the best change is looking on Sunday. I couldn’t think about asking Dad to overlook church to go looking. Of course, he was a Baptist minister. No looking or sports activities was allowed on a Wednesday or Sunday. That included ball observe.

Years in the past, I can keep in mind one dairy farmer who heard a hunter point out: “It’s the only day I have off.” The farmer’s reply, “While growing up we worked every day. Our cows, hogs, or chickens didn’t take off for Sunday. But God, and my rear-end, required undivided attention on a certain church pew every Sunday morning and evening. If not, my rearend wouldn’t be able to sit for a week.”

Allen said that Paul Walker wouldn’t work the dogs or practice on Sunday. Back then, even the sector trial competitions tried to finish on Saturday.

Sadly right this moment, just like the quail, church attendance has dropped dramatically. But different weekend leisure has risen sharply.

The artwork of chicken looking has light. But many can nonetheless keep in mind, getting that first gun canine, shotgun, and wing capturing. It is an unforgettable reminiscence.

Back then, loyalty wasn’t a model, it was a life-style. “Never trust a man who will trade horses in midstream” was a popular quote from Walker that has stayed with Allen. That utilized to many lifelong occasions to incorporate politics, based on Walker.

In area trials, there was by no means a participation trophy for dangerous capturing and improperly educated dogs.  But there have been no looking invites till you discovered extra accountability.

Paul Walker, informed Allen that “Hard work, preparation, a little bit of luck, and then, God may let you win.”

Above all, Walker would sternly say, “Be a gracious competitor, no matter the outcome.” If you disagree with an consequence that prompted you to lose, Walker would say, “That’s the hand you want to shake, judges and handler.”

More telling about Walker’s demeanor is described by Paula and her sister Dixie. They remembered listening to their dad consistently uttering, “Happy Days.”

It didn’t matter the temper or occasion. Paul Walker had a storied life and have become a legend within the upland looking world.

Walker gained many native and regional area trials, plus two back-to-back nationwide championships on the Ames Plantation in Grand Junction, Tenn.

Walker was greater than a Hall of Fame champion. Spillman stated: “He was the best dad a child could have, and husband to my mom Louise for 68 years.”

Paula stated, “Never heard a cross word between them, ever.”

Paul Walker handed away on Jan. 5, 2003. Louise handed away on Aug. 28, 2009.

There is one final level that I wish to finish with.

Over this Thanksgiving and Christmas, I hope everybody throughout Davie County will keep in mind the “Happy Days.”