South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Help with Dog Rescue

Murphy is a older dog. He's 13, which is probably Senior Citizen Age in dog years. He's been on many hunting and fishing trips with John Hofstad. He may like to wander off on occasion after something other than a South Dakota Ringneck, but he usually comes back. This time he didn't. He stood there in the middle of a South Dakota Slew in  shallow water, looking back.

After calling, and CALLING Murphy, John called his wife Sonja and and she frantically started the process of calling the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks and figuring out who she might have to talk to to get some help.

Longer story shorter, (it took a while to get through to the right people and explain her husband is hunting near Coleman, 'South Dakota and what was going on!)  After a wait, a conservation Officer named Jeff Shows up. They call Murphy, and he still wouldn't come. The C.O. says, fire your gun, see if that helps. Murphy still looks back.

Now, initially, John didn't think it was prudent that Jeff to walk out to check on the dog. Shortly thereafter, another C.O. named Andrew shows up. After looking the situation over, Andrew threw on a set of waders and started off, sloshing through the shallow water, to check on Murphy.

After trudging through the chilly water Andrew discovered Murphy was simply, stuck, in the mud. He helped Murphey out of the mud and the two headed back to Terra Firma. (I've always wanted to use that in a story)

So, Murphy made it back home.  John was happy and Sonja, who helped coordinate the rescue breathed a long sigh of relief.

I assumed Murphey probably got a scolding when he got home but when I asked Sonja, she said, no, I gave him a warm shower in the bathtub, 'to help warm him up.'  She added, 'that water was cold and I could tell he wanted and needed warming up.

As you can tell, all's well that ends well. If every dog has his day, well Murphy just had a good one, for sure.

Note to the dogs out reading this story, when we call your name, just come back. Now.

Shout out to Jeff and Andrew with the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks. And good luck to all the hunters here in the 605 this hunting season!