These sculptures are meticulously handcrafted by Big Sky Carvers artists based on my own life experiences. Each Piece comes with a copy of the story from which it was inspired. “If I couldn’t hunt with my dogs, I wouldn’t bother hunting. Really. I have shot enough ducks and pheasants in my life, my family doesn’t depend on the meat, and it’s certainly not the cheapest way to collect dinner. But I will continue to go bird hunting for as long as I am able because it transforms me from an observer of nature to a participant in nature — all because of my dogs. Dogs thrill us with their instinct and desire. Their instinct is nurtured by generations of selective breeding, and their desire is God’s gift to man’s best friend. Many of my fondest sporting memories are not about what I accomplished, but what my dog accomplished. The 300-yard blind retrieve on a wounded mallard; trailing and tracking a wing-tipped rooster through the brambles; a big Canada goose plucked from a fast-moving river current… the list goes on. Through it all, a bond forms between dog and hunter that is beyond words. It’s always been that way, and in that way it will always be.” -Marc Pierce, Founder - Big Sky Carvers. Closer Than Friends Dedicated to Nancy, Ripper, Madison, Chance, Rainy and Badger.