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congrats on the new pup moose, hopefully it still lets you get some sleep at night      I always stagger my dogs. The amount of stuff the puppy will learn from an older seasoned veteran dog will outweigh the tormenting.   Also in this pandemic dogs have been pretty hard to come by. With everyone stuck at home more now they are buying dogs. If this is the new normal for a while you may have a hard time getting a pup from a litter. I would be devastated if I had to put down one dog and didn't have another.  

The people I talked to said from 6-9 years old as then you always have lab in it’s prime 

Nice job @tarpon6.  Seems like virtually everyone is after bottom feeders on that lake.  Very refreshing to actually see someone chasing brown bass.  Beautiful muskie too.

This begs the question: I have a 9 year old female british lab and the time is going to inevitably come when I will need a replacement.  She is still very healthy and a fantastic bird hunter, but last season I noticed that she did not have as much energy as she used, especially after the first hunt of the season.  When is a good time to start thinking about a puppy?  When she's 12, 13 years old?  I prefer to not have a puppy while she's still around because puppies are hell raisers and they torment older dogs endlessly.  I would prefer an early spring litter too so the dog is about 6 months old when the first hunting season rolls around.

🤣😉 i'll bet not!!!!!!!!!! next up.......a very jealous Finn!!!!!!!!! from getting all the attention to having to share...................... then in no time Hazel will be right there.......as me how i know!!!!!!!!🙄

Finn is not overly impressed at this time

Cute little napper.   Congrats!

Hazel is home 

Awesome fish!  I'll be there a week from Saturday.  Can't wait!!!

Today ended a truely epic Vermilion trip. Best smallmouth fishing I've ever experienced. They are definitely getting bigger, getting fat on all the rustys. 3 lb fish were the norm with several 3.5 - 3.75. I got three over 4 including a 4.56 yesterday. Lost a 5+ right at the boat, what a tank, ran alot of drag and took me for a couple laps around the boat. Thought I hooked a muskie until I saw it.   Speaking of muskie I fished more muskie this year and did not even see one (unusual) and only caught the big pike I posted earlier... Until today.   I was throwing a 3/8 spinner bait for bass and watched a good sized muskie come from side and kind of nonchalantly grab it. Fortunately I reflexively set the hook between my jaw drop and eyes 👀.  Taped out at 47".  Don't worry despite not having a net and having to grab it with the boga I never hung the fish. It was fully supported with my other hand under it when I pulled it from the water for a quick measurement and pic. She swam away to grow to 50+ for next years trip.     This was the kind of trip that will be hard to top.  New personal bests in smallmouth 3 times, pike and muskie.  Can't wait to come back though.