Duke goes airborne

• Posted By: Scott Harrison
• Posted On: 12:19 a.m. | August 29, 2012

November 1958: Duke, a 30-month-old English setter, goes airborne after wounded pheasant. The original Times caption reported “When Ed Asmus, of the El Toro Game Bird Club, trains a dog to retrieve, it goes after the bird–anywhere.”

This image of “Duke,” by Los Angeles Times staff photographer Art Rogers – himself an avid hunter – was first published as lead art on the Nov. 15, 1958, Times Sports section front page. The accompanying short story simply announced hunting season opened that day and listed local restrictions.

The image won best metropolitan feature picture of the year in the annual California – Nevada Associated Press competition. Look magazine also named “Bird Dog” as one of the top photos for 1958.