Neill and Timbo hunted 13 seasons together. Timbo is one of Mossy Oak's greatest dogs; he remains a legend in the Haas family and the dad, granddad, and great-granddad to puppies even today at the Mossy Oak Gamekeeper Kennels. Here Neill writes his parting thoughts on his best friend, Timbo.
"There is a common misconception that humans teaching dogs is a one way street, but anyone who’s had a good dog, knows this not to be the case. When I reflect on Mine and Timbo’s time together, this is what I think of. Loyalty, kindness, patience, humility. It sounds silly saying a dog can teach you these things but if you pay close attention, the lessons are there. From my perspective, I spent a brief period of my life with Timbo, but from his, he spent his entire life with me. Timbo was there for the most important moments of my life. Mine and Hilly’s first date, our engagement, our wedding day, the birth of our boys, Toxey and Mac, seeing them off on their first day of school, and waiting patiently for them when they got home. He was a family dog first, and a duck hunter second.
When it comes to duck hunting, I cherish mornings in the woods with family and friends as much as anyone. That time spent together is one of the most important parts of duck hunting for me, but some of my most memorable hunts were just us. It was important to me that we went on a few hunts together every season. Just the two of us, tearing out through the woods in the dark, looking for a break in the woods where we could scratch together a limit of greenheads. These mornings are what one might refer to as “the good stuff”. Sitting in silence, both of us completely tuned in to the natural world around us, eyes scanning the tops of the trees looking for the next group of ducks. Sometimes when nothing is being said, everything is being said. What I would give for just one more morning like this.
A few weeks ago, I took my oldest son, Tee, on his first dove hunt, and Timbo on his last. Watching the two of them run around, looking for doves together. From their perspective, days like these would last forever, but for me, I knew that this would be the first and last time the three of us would hunt together. Bittersweet, to say the least. Timbo doing what he loved for the last time, and Tee for the first. All I could do was try my best to freeze frame time.
Good dogs grow old too fast, and last week we said our goodbyes, as Timbo took his last breaths. Learning how to lose someone or something that you love, is one of life’s hardest lessons. Timbo’s last lesson was exactly this. I look forward to seeing Timbo again someday, on the other side of the fence. Our first order of business will be to cut out through the woods, just like old times. Until then, thank you for the dog years, Timbo."
-Neill Haas
