Something to consider...Acquiring a dog, training it, including to retrieve, and having it at home
throughout the year is not only a huge commitment, but will severely tie you down as well.
If you would like to have a dog for most of the non-hunting year then go for it...otherwise maybe
hunt without one the best you can. Even my wife and I, who really enjoy having our lab as a companion
throughout the year, sometimes wish we weren't shackled with having to either take it along with us,
leave it at home for short periods of time, or find a kennel to keep him. So many times when we couldn't
take him with us we've had to cut short our outings in order to accommodate our dog's needs.