Loyal dog protects hunter's body on last outing together

LONGVIEW, Wash. (AP) — A dog protecting its owner wouldn't let a manager at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge approach the duck blind where the hunter had fatally collapsed.

The Clark County sheriff's office says Ridgefield police removed the aggressive dog using a catch pole Tuesday evening and medics confirmed the 54-year-old man was dead, presumably of natural causes.

The Columbian reports the man went hunting at 5 a.m. but didn't check out at dusk, so the manager went to check on him. A duck he had shot was inside the blind with him.

The dog was held for a family member to retrieve.