Nebraskaland

NEBRASKAland December 2014

NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.

Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/417216

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54 NEBRASKAland • DECEMBER 2014 P hotographs are placeholders in life, capturing moments in a way that no other visual medium can. Sure, we can shoot a video, slow it down and display a freeze-frame of a cupping mallard or flushing quail, but nothing beats having that special moment captured on "film" the way that a camera can. Last pheasant season, while hunting with Mark Vrtiska near Columbus, it was evident early in the hunt that his dog, a Vizsla named Pinnie, was tiring quickly. Pinnie flushed several birds for us within the first hour, but as the afternoon went on she slowed considerably more than we did. Finally, not 200 yards from our vehicle, she lay down in the middle of a trail and refused to get up. "She's just about done," Mark said, and we both knew that he was not just speaking about that particular day. As Mark made his way back to Pinnie, I stayed put. This was not a moment for me, so I photographed from afar. He stopped above her and began to talk. Then, kneeling down, he began to pet her. Finally, when she still refused to move, he helped her stand up and sparked enough enthusiasm that she was able to limp her way back to her dog box. Afterward, Mark wasn't sure what the future held for Pinnie. One more season? One more hunt? He didn't know. What was undeniable to him was the end would be coming soon, and I knew that even though it would be tough to swallow, I had captured what has become one of my most memorable photographs in the field, one of a hunter helping another back to the truck. Jeff Kurrus October 20, 2014 The Power of a Picture

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