Posts
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by John Fetters
© 2008-2009 Fetters Setters, all rights reserved
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Photo at right is ofthe late Stu Ward
with his English
Setter, Tri ~ in
anticipation of a
Ruffed Grouse flush
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"You're never lost as long as you have Grouse to chase." ~~~ infamous Stu Ward quote
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Mr. Stu Ward was one of the best shots I have ever witnessed. But more than that, he was a great friend and indefatigable hunting companion ~ always ready for the hunt and raring to go.
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Depite the difference in our ages, there were times in the field when I had a hard time keeping up with him. And in all the many years I hunted with Stu Ward, he only missed two flushed Ruffed Grouse that he shot at ever.
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In 1979 I received an inquiry about my setters from Mr. Odie Adcock of Manheim, Pennsylvania. Upon sending out the requested information, weeks drifted into months and no reply was received.
On a March day in 1983 during the evening hours, I received a phone call from Mr. Stu Ward of Joppa, Maryland, inquiring about a well started tri-colored male English Setter named Tri. After about twenty minutes of conversation about Tri and a little dog talk with hunting thrown in, Mr. Ward made arrangements to come see this setter.
A week later on a Sunday morning Mr. Ward arrived with his shooting friend. Upon introducing himself, he turned and introduced me to Mr. Odie Adcock and I immediately mentioned that I remembered sending information to him back in 1979. Mr. Adcock informed me that the letter was received but was found a month later on the floor under his desk and apologized for not sending a reply.
Upon the completion of the initial polite formalities, Mr. Ward asked to see "Tri." After looking him over Mr. Ward asked if it would be possible to take him out into cover to look him over in a hunting situation. My reply was, you drove all that distance to see this setter and that is exactly what we are going to do.
We walked about 300 yards to an old abandoned farm apple orchard that was grown up in hawthorwn and fox grape tangles with Tri working the cover in a fast steady pace and then it happened ~ in a sudden whir and rock solid point. Mr. Ward told Mr. Adcock to come see Tri and I told them to walk in carefully, adding that Tri had a ruffed grouse pointed.
They asked how I knew that and my reply was simply, "Come see." Upon their approach, the grouse flushed.
Mr. Ward then stated he would take Tri.
From that day on, Mr. Ward and Mr. Adcock became two of my greatest friends and hunting companions ~ and we shared our favorite coverts with one another, my coverts in Pennsylvania and theirs on Maryland's famed Eastern Shore.
Over the years Mr. Stu Ward was my friend and mentor, taking over the role of a father figure to me after the death of my own father.
Mr. Stu Ward was a real gentleman's gentleman as well as a true die-hard grouse and quail hunter. Through the years of hunting ruffed grouse together I quickly came to realize he was without a doubt a crack shot with his Winchester model 21 16 ga. side by side, witnessing only two misses ~ up to his passing at age 75.
If I would have only known where our shooting friendship was headed the first day of our meeting, I would have just given him Tri.
On a March day in 1983 during the evening hours, I received a phone call from Mr. Stu Ward of Joppa, Maryland, inquiring about a well started tri-colored male English Setter named Tri. After about twenty minutes of conversation about Tri and a little dog talk with hunting thrown in, Mr. Ward made arrangements to come see this setter.
A week later on a Sunday morning Mr. Ward arrived with his shooting friend. Upon introducing himself, he turned and introduced me to Mr. Odie Adcock and I immediately mentioned that I remembered sending information to him back in 1979. Mr. Adcock informed me that the letter was received but was found a month later on the floor under his desk and apologized for not sending a reply.
Upon the completion of the initial polite formalities, Mr. Ward asked to see "Tri." After looking him over Mr. Ward asked if it would be possible to take him out into cover to look him over in a hunting situation. My reply was, you drove all that distance to see this setter and that is exactly what we are going to do.
We walked about 300 yards to an old abandoned farm apple orchard that was grown up in hawthorwn and fox grape tangles with Tri working the cover in a fast steady pace and then it happened ~ in a sudden whir and rock solid point. Mr. Ward told Mr. Adcock to come see Tri and I told them to walk in carefully, adding that Tri had a ruffed grouse pointed.
They asked how I knew that and my reply was simply, "Come see." Upon their approach, the grouse flushed.
Mr. Ward then stated he would take Tri.
From that day on, Mr. Ward and Mr. Adcock became two of my greatest friends and hunting companions ~ and we shared our favorite coverts with one another, my coverts in Pennsylvania and theirs on Maryland's famed Eastern Shore.
Over the years Mr. Stu Ward was my friend and mentor, taking over the role of a father figure to me after the death of my own father.
Mr. Stu Ward was a real gentleman's gentleman as well as a true die-hard grouse and quail hunter. Through the years of hunting ruffed grouse together I quickly came to realize he was without a doubt a crack shot with his Winchester model 21 16 ga. side by side, witnessing only two misses ~ up to his passing at age 75.
If I would have only known where our shooting friendship was headed the first day of our meeting, I would have just given him Tri.
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Because his friendship ~ and even the "missing him" part ~ was and still remains more important to me than any monetary aspect of any deal. . .
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Rarely a day goes by when I do not think of him in one manner or another ~ and miss him terribly. Below are just a few of the many, many photos I have of Mr. Stu Ward in the field ~ and just a few of what we will ultimately publish here in an on-going tribute to him.
Rarely a day goes by when I do not think of him in one manner or another ~ and miss him terribly. Below are just a few of the many, many photos I have of Mr. Stu Ward in the field ~ and just a few of what we will ultimately publish here in an on-going tribute to him.
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