Birthdays Flush out Fond Memories

Ace turned 13 today.

There were times over the last six months I didn’t think he would make it.

Not that there was anything specifically wrong with him, he’s just old -- for a hunting dog anyway.

And he is that. Ace has been hunting since he was seven months. On Jan. 1 he completed his 12th season.

Never the best dog in the pack, he blended in over the years hunting behind more aggressive, more talented dogs. Now it’s just him and Dot, a three-year-old who far surpasses him in the field.

Hunting prowess aside, however, Ace has always been there. While I was struggling to keep track of...