You have to be ready to act when the opportunity arises. Bob Gist and Brad Carlisle were up to the challenge when they spotted 38 hounds – yes you read it right – 38 hounds wallowing in the middle of Mississippi Granada Lake. Their fishing guide Jordan Chrestman was also on hand.
They saved 38 dogs from drowning by steering their boat away from the fish and bringing them all to shore. No dog was lost.
The 38 dogs had already been exhausted by the time the fishermen noticed the first head bobbing over the water.
They were diverted from a fox hunting by the hound dogs who had jumped into a large Mississippi Lake while chasing deer. Bob Gist knew that they were doomed. He was fishing in the lake.
He recalled that “a deer could swim the Mississippi River and these dogs would not catch a deer swimming in the water,” on Friday.
Gist and his friends realized that they would not survive either unless someone took immediate action. The small boat was taken by the insurance agent, Brad Carlisle, and Jordan Chrestman.
Gist said, “There were dog everywhere.” They were swimming around in circles, not knowing which way to go.
Deer can swim well and will often take to the water in order to escape predators. To be honest, I know that most of the hound trainers who I have known will go to great lengths in order to teach their dogs to not chase deer. But even the best dogs can break their training from time to time. And in a group, this can spread. Once these hounds followed the deer to the lake, however, they were in serious trouble.
The three men grabbed as many dogs as they could while the frantic dog owners were watching from the shore. The dogs were too big to fit all on the bass boat. Three trips to shore was needed.
Gist captured a photo of Carlisle, giggling in mirrored shades and with over a dozen hounds perched on his bow. On their sides are painted the numbers from the fox hunting.
38 dogs were close to drowning on a Mississippi lake. But some fishermen had quite a catch https://t.co/RhIWVPeNVj pic.twitter.com/iqq4zO53pq
— WHLT 22 Hattiesburg (@WHLT22) June 21, 2024
Kudos all around!
Sometimes we can feel like the world is against us, and I admit that I am not always optimistic. It’s only every now and again that something like this happens, when you realize there are many more people out there who, unlike the bad guys and chronic attention seekers, don’t want to be in the spotlight. They just want the spotlight for themselves. All 38 dogs are now back with their owners. We are sure they are grateful.
There are many great people around the world. They are local heroes. People who, when given the opportunity to do the right things, take it. This is something we should all keep in mind. This gives us all a bit more hope in the future.
