Annual Southern Gentleman Issue
By Kristen Dee / Photography by Corey + Emily Critser
The age-old bond between a man and his hunting dog is fueled by trust, love, and a mutual passion for the sport. Here, six local gentlemen share what makes their dogs special, in the field and at home. As W.R. Pursche wrote, “Everyone thinks their dog is the best dog in the world. And none of them are wrong.”
Coming up on their sixth hunting season together, Mario DeMatteo and his 6-year-old black Labrador retriever, Delta, are eager to be chasing birds again. “Waterfowl hunting is my personal passion,” says DeMatteo, “And having Delta be a part of it just means that much more.”
DeMatteo is partial to labs, saying they are “the best retrievers and pets.” And of course, Delta is no exception. She truly was bred for the hunt, coming from a long line of duck hunting dogs. Delta was trained locally by Brian Caldwell of Ringtail Retrievers, and has now retrieved more than 3,500 ducks and counting, many alongside her mother. “Her mother, Snap, hunted with us for several years. Delta and I watched her retrieve her 8,000th duck during her last season. Delta is also able to hunt with four of her siblings, who belong to other members of our duck club,” shares DeMatteo.
Delta loves to hunt, and she acts “like a kid on Christmas morning” when she gets to go. “She is ‘on go’ as soon as she hears a duck call being blown from the blind,” says DeMatteo. “She’s in high gear as soon as their feet hit the water.” The pair typically hunt together more than 50 times a season in Arkansas. “Sometimes we think that much hunting is tough on them,” he says, “but she sure does give me the sad eyes on days I leave her home to rest.”
Although she lives for the hunt, Delta also enjoys the pleasures of being a family dog, including playing with the grandkids, sleeping in the middle of the bed each night, receiving doggy chocolate chip cookie treats, and getting the coveted belly rubs each morning. “Not many dogs get to hunt that many days each year and then enjoy home life,” says DeMatteo. “She is a big lapdog.”
In 2020, Jason Raughton and his wife were looking for a Brittany spaniel to add as a pet to their family. Remi Lou came home with them on New Year’s Day in 2021, and the rest is history. “Immediately our family fell in love with her,” Raughton says. “Little did I know I would be hunting with her within two years.”
Raughton sent Remi Lou to puppy school in North Georgia, followed by another round to brush up on skills and learn to point and retrieve, which initially proved more challenging than expected. “We couldn’t get her to retrieve,” he says. “Then she saw her friend Rosie retrieving quail and decided she wanted in on the action. While Remi Lou was retrieving her first bird, Rosie came up and stole it from her. After that, she was determined to retrieve.”
Now at 4 years old, she’s a seasoned retriever, and the two hunt at least once a week during the season. “Every time we begin to load the truck she goes nuts,” Raughton laughs. “She’s worried we’re going to leave without her, but she always goes. Once we arrive she knows it’s time to work. She has a marvelous sense of smell and awareness. She knows the definition of ‘bird’ and ‘go.’ If you want to get her excited, simply mention either and watch her reaction.”
For Raughton, seeing Remi work is one of the things he enjoys most about hunting. “I’ve always heard people talk about how much they enjoyed watching their dog work, more than the wing shooting itself. Now I understand what they mean. If I had to choose between going on a great hunt without Remi, or taking her out and not shooting, I’d definitely take her to hunt and not shoot,” he shares. “Watching her work is amazing. We’ve had dogs all our life, but never one quite like her.”
Like many bird hunters and dog lovers, Sam Stewart knows one dog simply isn’t enough. So he has three. Millie, Goose, and Huckleberry make up Stewart’s pack of German Shorthaired Pointers (GSPs), each with their own unique personality and knack for finding birds. Millie is the youngest of the group at 10 months old, and she loves to snuggle when she’s not catching birds. Millie’s father, Huckleberry, is also a lap dog, even at 55 pounds. Her mother, Goose, goes everywhere with Sam and is “the best shotgun rider a man could ask for.”
Together, the four spend many weekends hunting with Stewart’s father, David, and other family and friends. “These dogs have brought our family together,” shares Stewart. “You get to walk through fields and pine forests on beautiful days, talking and watching dogs do what they love and what they were born and bred to do. They bring our friends and family so much joy.”
Although the dogs love to cuddle and play, they are all business when it’s time for a hunt. “If they see you put on a specific shirt, hat, or boots, they know where they are going. Even on the ride there, their demeanor is different. The drive they have is amazing,” says Stewart.
GSPs are bred and born with this drive, and then attend training to fine-tune and advance their skills. “The training teaches them the ‘why’ and ‘when’ to point birds,” Stewart explains. “After training away from us, we spend quite some time training and rehearsing with them in the field. It’s important to build mutual trust, and we learn together. When everything comes together, it’s incredible. You can tell how happy and proud the dog is. I find myself enjoying the hunt more than the bird.”
The joy of the hunt and the special bond Stewart has with the dogs inspired him to start a family kennel in honor of his first GSP, Gunner. “Gunner GSP Kennels’ mission is to help spread the joy and love the dogs have brought to our family,” he says. “It’s an amazing thing to watch a good dog do its work, and Huckleberry, Goose, and Millie are certainly good dogs.”
Ken and Jack Julian with Nelli Jack Julian and a few of his baseball teammates each got a black Labrador while in college. But as a baseball player, a hectic schedule meant that Nelli often spent time with Jack’s parents, Ken and Tricia. Before long, Nelli was everyone’s dog, and she began training to hunt waterfowl. Her first hunt was at just 1 year old, when many of the birds she retrieved were bigger than her. “They were twice as large as she was,” Ken Julian recalls. “We were absolutely amazed she retrieved those birds like a pro and knew we had the ‘hunting dog’ we’d always dreamed of. Nelli is the ultimate companion in the field and at home.”
Now 3 years old, Nelli is a bit bigger and still lives for hunting days with the Julians. “As soon as you mention, ‘Do you want to go hunting?’ she is in retriever stealth mode! She will be loaded up in the truck before you can even get your gear ready,” laughs Julian. “She’s the true definition of a retriever. She’s retrieved every down bird on our hunts, no matter the terrain. She prefers water retrieves, but she will go into any thicket or briar patch to fetch her game.”
In the off-season, you can probably find Nelli lounging with her family, hanging out with her two house cat friends who have “adopted her,” or exploring outside. “She loves running through the woods and fields or retrieving training decoys in a creek or lake on almost a daily basis,” says Julian.
As the upcoming waterfowl season approaches, the Julians are getting ready to be back in the cold and get as many birds as possible with Nelli by their side. “Jack and I are best friends, and now we’ve added a third,” shares Julian. “We aren’t sure who’s more excited for the upcoming waterfowl season, us or Nelli, but we do know all three of us will be there together.”
“Every story with a dog in it is worth telling,” says Rhey Houston, reminiscing on a lifetime of memories of hunting with dogs, friends, and family. For Houston and his family, the opportunity to hunt with their dogs is a way of life, not just a lifestyle.
Currently, Houston hunts with three dogs: Tiller, a 10-year-old Labrador retriever, Piper, a 9-year-old Brittany, and Wilson, a 2-year-old German Shorthair Pointer. The variety of breeds allows them to each bring their own skillset and personality at home and to the hunt. “Labs are brilliant and durable, Brittanys have markedly more heart than most people, and German Shorthaired Pointers are uniquely athletic and competitive,” Houston says. He describes Tiller as “fiercely loyal,” Piper as “sassy,” and Wilson as “a warrior.” Together they hunt for waterfowl and upland game birds, and have traveled all across the world to do so.
As avid hunters know, preparation in the off-season is just as important as the day of a hunt. “These dogs have spent countless hours on training grounds,” Houston shares. “I suspect we don’t really prepare them for the hunt, but they prepare us. We work a lot in the off-season to cover the basics and remind each other of expectations, but when the hunt begins, their genetics, instinct, athleticism, and training create a different kind of partnership; one with individual responsibilities but mutual accountability.”
Houston says that the three dogs are ecstatic on hunt days, and typically deliver on their responsibilities even in the worst of conditions. “Tiller is a strong retriever, in water or dense cover. Piper and Wilson tirelessly cover miles of dense habitat. Many of these birds would be unrecoverable without them.”
Although the hunt is the purpose, Houston can’t help but recognize the significance of the memories and experiences that come with it, saying, “Every time we get to share the marsh or upland fields with our dogs and our friends is special. Together, these wonderful dogs and I have been witness to many sunrises and sunsets with people who would not normally see creation from that particular perspective; knowing that it wouldn’t have happened without a dog!”
Having spent several years hunting with his friend’s bird dogs, Jordan Leggett wanted to experience it for himself. After extensive research and finding a breeder in Southeast Missouri, he came home with Yeti, a chocolate lab. “I chose a chocolate lab because I grew up wanting one, and their proven drive and resilience in cold weather,” says Leggett. “They also make amazing family dogs. I would make the same choices all over again when it comes to choosing a hunting dog.” The two bonded instantly, and Yeti spent the following duck season in North Georgia, learning the basics of gundog training.
They are now five waterfowl hunting seasons in, and Leggett couldn’t be more thrilled to hunt with Yeti by his side. “My favorite memory is our first hunt together on Thanksgiving morning in Missouri, just him and I hunting together. I remember shooting the first duck that came in and the pride I felt when he leapt out of his blind and retrieved it. He was steady the whole morning and never jumped before his name was called. I knew after that morning I would never want to hunt without him again,” he shares.
The joy Leggett gets out of hunting with Yeti is certainly reciprocated each time they go for a hunt. “Yeti is so excited before a hunt he can hardly stand it,” says Leggett. “I don’t think anything gives him more joy than when we go hunting together. When he gets in the blind, he’s all business. It’s like a switch he turns, and it’s amazing to watch.” Thanks to Yeti’s incredible eyesight and sense of smell, he’s been able to retrieve ducks and geese from hundreds of yards away or in thick vegetation.
Although Leggett and Yeti are determined to come home with birds, the joy of the hunt and the companionship means the most. Leggett shares, “It’s amazing to see the natural drive and instinct Yeti has for hunting. It’s in his blood. No matter the hunt or success we have, the thing I enjoy the most is spending time out in God’s creation with him.”
