I took the dogs out for hike over at the Redgate trails the day before Thanksgiving. It’s a good way to “get out whatever they got in ‘em,” as one gentleman we met along the trail once said. And it’s pretty good exercise for me as well.

 On this outing the dogs discovered the scattered bones of a deceased deer. Ever try to separate a dog from its deer bone? It’s gotta be harder than herding cats.

Reina found a leg and refused to share it with Rafa, much to his displeasure. Shortly thereafter, he came up with a prize all his own: a fur-covered deer hoof.

You’d have thought he hit the Lottery. He paraded around with that thing as though he was King of Colorado.

He had to carried that thing for at least a mile, long after Reina had abandoned her bone, from the mid-point of the Hooters trail, to the top of the South Shore trail.

We were back at the Redgate Thanksgiving morning, trucking along the Skull Canyon trail when Rafa spotted a deer-a live one, mind you-and proceeded to not only chase the deer a half mile down the trail we just came up, he also inspired Reina to join the pursuit.

About 10 minutes and 20 expletives later, I spotted Rafa standing solo on a hillside and called him. About a minute later, he was on the leash, aka, trail jail. Reina came back about five minutes later, thinking she was all that.

Since I only had one leash with me, she got put in a sit and a prolonged “hairy eyeball” from me.

Aussies are pretty smart dogs and no doubt they’re puzzled by my lack of enthusiasm when it comes to deer chasing. And I must concede it is an impressive sight watching the dogs sprint down a trail for half a mile. I just wish it wasn’t so exasperating.

 ⇐Rafa shows off his prized deer hoof he discovered on recent hike at Lake Pueblo State Park. Photo by Mike Sweeney/©2011