Nearly 500 photos were submitted for the FWP Hunting Dog Photo Contest. After the staff selected 20 finalists, they invited their social media followers to vote for their favorite photo.
Mike Clingan’s photo of his chocolate Lab, Crosby, received 1,000 votes, while Adam Hunt’s photo of his wirehaired pointing griffon, Crockett, received almost 850 votes. Clingan and Crosby reside in Toston, and Hunt and Crockett live near Great Falls.
Crosby is 6 years old and began hunting with Clingan when he was 9 months old. “He’s hunted in more states and has retrieved more species of birds than most guys ever will,” Clingan stated in a press release.
Crosby’s extensive hunting adventures are the result of accompanying Clingan on assignments for his outdoor photography business, Montana Outdoor Imagery. Clingan stated that Crosby has graced the pages and covers of numerous magazines.
Clingan captured this particular photo during a hunt on Christmas Eve morning. “He’s truly living the best life a Labrador retriever could ever have,” Clingan remarked. “He’s a high-energy dog but also well-behaved and loves to hunt as much as I do.”
Crockett was a candidate for president in 2024, with the campaign slogan, “A pheasant in every pot.”
“We had banners and yard signs all over the county, and lots of people voted for him,” Hunt stated in the release. Crockett is 8 years old and has been hunting since he was a puppy. He is trained for both upland game and waterfowl. Additionally, he sniffs out elk sheds in the spring, hikes with his family and goat siblings, and assists Hunt in placing beaver traps.
“I let Crockett out on different beaver huts, and he will not only tell me if it’s a hot hut, but exactly which runs the beavers are using and picks where I should put my traps,” Hunt explained. “No joke. He is currently batting a thousand on picking hot runs.”
This photo was taken a few years ago during a river hunt on one of the last days before the river froze. “It was brutally cold, and the water was icing up, but no amount of cold or ice can stop him,” Hunt stated. “By the time we got all our gear back to the truck, Crockett had turned into a ‘griff-cicle,’ but he was still hot and ready to keep hunting.”
By Karen Anderson: February 4, 2026 – Helena, Mt
Author: Karen Anderson
Karen is the Editor-in-Chief overseeing all news operations at Foxys Publishing Co. She also loves photography and spending time with her dogs.
