Payment Expected

This past deer season I was called to help track a buck that a young girl had shot while hunting with her dad. The deer had dropped in its tracks, but then dragged itself into a nearby ditch, effectively preventing a good follow-up shot. The blood trail was initially good but then dwindled to one drop every 15 to 20 yards.

The decision was made to back out of the woods and call someone with a tracking dog. The first tracker we called had his dogs on another deer, but he referred us to a friend who was finishing a tracking job for the morning. Within the hour, that tracker showed up with his teenage son and two dogs, eager to help.

The terrain was not easy, and the buck eventually led us down a hill into the thick, river bottom. The whole low area was flooded with a pretty swift current.

The teenage boy, without hesitation, followed after one of the dogs, and the cold water quickly filled his knee-high boots. The boy trudged on, disappearing into the flooded thicket. A few minutes later, the dog began howling. Phone service was terrible down there, and the boy’s father had no way of contacting his son.

The father ran back to his truck and drove a long loop of dirt roads to connect to a paved road on the other side of the river, hoping to go in from that direction to retrieve his son and dog.

Unfortunately, the buck had been hit in a non-vital area of the neck and was on his feet running through the water, pulling the dog away.

After more than an hour of scrambling and searching in the tangled woods of the river swamp, the father finally found his boy and dog and came limping exhaustedly back to high ground, where the rest of us waited in warmth, dryness, and comfort.

As the boy and father emptied their boots of cold water, the young girl’s father (the one who wanted so eagerly to call for the tracking dogs), asked in a dejected tone, “How much do we owe you?”

“A hundred and fifty will do,” responded the tracker.

With a huff, the girl’s father got out his wallet and handed over the money. Then under his breath he sighed in irritation, “I shouldn’t have to pay without finding that deer.”

Thankfully, I don’t think the tracker and his son heard the unnecessary comment, but I sure did.

I did not say anything to this man in response to his remark, but it got my brain churning. How could he not be fully appreciative of all this tracker and his son did to try to locate the wounded buck? They couldn’t help it that the buck was hit poorly. They tried their best, but the cards were stacked against them.

I sadly shook my head as I thought of my work as a veterinarian. How many times had I taken in a sick pet that died despite my best efforts to save? How many times did I hear the comment, “I shouldn’t have to pay to pick up a dead dog.”

That kind of attitude really hurts, especially when I use my time, resources and money to try to save that animal.

Well, the deer tracker had used his time, resources, and money to try to recover that buck. He did everything he could do, never cutting corners. I was extremely impressed by his and his son’s effort. And yet, they were getting criticized for charging a little bit of money for their dedicated work on a Saturday morning. They probably should have charged MORE money than what they did.

I write this story simply to reiterate and spread a message that we have all heard before. Please be understanding of people who are trying to help. Before you react negatively, think about the other side for a moment. Put yourself in their shoes; this mindset just may change your outlook.