Outdoor Life - Gear & Accessories RSS

Video: Ohio Turkey Hunters Get Surprise Visit from Friendly Deer

Alex Robinson — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 12:14:39 -0400

Ohio hunters Steve Hunt and Rick Lehman got an odd surprise while hunting on the first day of turkey season this April.

The two men were filming their hunt when an errant doe came into view. She approached the decoys and, apparently realizing they were of no threat, started playing with them. The doe then turned her attention toward the two men sitting in their blind. She cautiously approached, smelled the men out, stuck her head inside and allowed herself to be pet. She even stayed long enough to eat a few potato chips from the men’s lunch.

Neither Hunt nor Lehman, who have a combined 50-plus years of hunting experience, said they have ever seen anything like it. The men told Wptv.com that they were deep in the woods in southern Tuscarawas County and nowhere near a petting zoo or large farm that might have hunter-friendly deer. Other than that, the two had no explanation. Hunt did however, have a good answer when asked by the new source if he ever thought of killing the friendly animal.

"There's a lot of ethics behind hunting it’s not a matter of just going out and killing animals,” Hunt explained. “I don't go out and kill animals, I hunt animals and yes I do eat what I shoot.”

Good answer, Mr. Hunt. And interesting video.

Rage Outdoors Introduces The Rage Cage Quiver

Alex Robinson — Thu, 24 May 2012 12:24:27 -0400

Rage broadheads have always been highly talked about in the archery community. However, there’s always been one problem that I think we all can agree on: It’s been hard to find a quiver that worked well with Rage’s mechanical broadheads.

Rage Outdoors saw this problem and developed a patent-pending quiver designed specifically to hold five arrows with Rage or other mechanical broadheads. It’s aptly called the Rage Cage.

Constructed from advanced polymers and extruded aluminum, the Rage Cage is a compact, low profile quiver that weighs in at a mere eight ounces. The ingenious SnapTrap tension-adjustable snap-on design allows the quiver to be securely mounted or removed from your bow with a simple twist. A pair of rubber vibration-dampening posts reduces shock by isolating the quiver from the bow.

The quiver’s hood is an interesting and smart design – it’s the first one I’ve seen where you can see what’s inside your quiver without turning it upside down or to the side. The top of the hood is a carbon fiber dipped polymer to protect the broadheads, while a see-through Flexiglass Shield allows the bowhunter to quickly see what’s on the tip of an arrow. Rage’s TwistLock broadhead securing system holds broadheads snug inside of specially designed foam inserts that prevent rattling and prematurely deployed blades. Simply insert your broadhead into the TwistLock, give your arrow shaft a quick twist, and the broadhead is held in place. For the treestand hunters, a braided nylon string is attached to the hood, allowing it to be hung easily in your treestand.

Each of the Rage Cage's arrow retainers is stepped and tapered in a dual "fits-all" configuration that allows the retainers to securely hold even the smallest-diameter VAP carbon shafts up to the largest aluminum shafts.

For the bowhunters who shoot mechanical broadheads, you no longer have to struggle to get your broadheads in and out of a quiver without deploying them. The Rage Cage will keep your mechanical broadheads safe and secure so you don’t have to worry about which arrow to grab.

Why 2-Year-Old Gobblers are a Gift from God

Alex Robinson — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:23:22 -0400

A Southern gentleman once told me that God’s greatest gifts are beautiful women, smooth whiskey, and two-year-old turkeys. I agree, though I’m not sure he got the order right.

Long on beards and hormones and short on brains, the turkey world’s version of 16-year-old boys are responsible for most of our spring hunting success. In good years, two-year-old toms may make up 60 percent of the spring harvest. In tough years, knowing how to find and work the rare two-year-old can salvage your season.

First-Year Longbeards
Two-year-old toms have well-rounded fans, like older gobblers, though their beards may be an inch or two shorter. Usually they weigh 15 to 20 percent less and look a tad shorter and thinner through the chest.

Overflowing with desire, but generally denied hens by older toms, many two-year-olds gobble and strut just because they can, and often come to calls with a show worthy of a Super Bowl halftime.

Never discount what a two-year-old will do. I’ve seen them strut across a small tree fallen over a deep ditch, and I’ve had to swing through and shoot them in the back of the head when they’ve been so excited they’ve raced right past my location. Aggressive staccato cutting and long strings of excited yelps can amp their testosterone to meltdown levels. I’ve shot one of a pair of two-year-olds, and the survivor never broke strut, even when I revealed myself to pick up his very dead friend.

An hour into my son’s first solo hunt, he called a pair of two-year-olds across more than 500 yards of open ground, gobbling at every call, eagerly leaving a sizable flock of hens and an older tom.

But for every kamikaze, there’s a two-year-old coward, which probably has something to do with the emotional and physical scars accrued from bigger toms repeatedly gouging them with 16-penny spurs. Often those hard-gobbling birds that won’t budge to your calling or repeatedly circle like a satellite are two-year-olds walking with a limp and missing about half their fan feathers, afraid of getting another licking.

This aversion to bullies may cause two-year-olds to wuss out instead of coming to your full-bodied gobbler decoy. Jake decoys set horizontal to the ground, rather than upright, will seem less threatening to an approaching bird. If possible, arrange your setup so a shy tom has to pass you to get to the decoy if it hangs up.

Repeat Opportunities
Unlike older birds, the two-year-old you don’t kill at one setup will probably give you another chance. Last opening morning, a two-year-old circled wide of my setup, intimidated by my strutting fake.

That afternoon I came from another direction, setting out a lone hen decoy. The gullible gobbler sounded immediately when I called. When he came into view, I saw he had a bigger, and probably older, tom cautiously following behind. No doubt the veteran gobbler would have been in range shortly if I’d given him a chance.

As soon as the two-year-old strutted to 25 yards, I folded him up like a clean pair of socks.

I never turn down a gift from God.

From the May 2012 issue of Outdoor Life magazine.

Illustration by Kelsey Drake

Why 2-Year-Old Gobblers are a Gift from God

Alex Robinson — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:23:22 -0400

A Southern gentleman once told me that God’s greatest gifts are beautiful women, smooth whiskey, and two-year-old turkeys. I agree, though I’m not sure he got the order right.

Overflowing with desire, but generally denied hens by older toms, many two-year-olds gobble and strut just because they can, and often come to calls with a show worthy of a Super Bowl halftime.

An hour into my son’s first solo hunt, he called a pair of two-year-olds across more than 500 yards of open ground, gobbling at every call, eagerly leaving a sizable flock of hens and an older tom.

As soon as the two-year-old strutted to 25 yards, I folded him up like a clean pair of socks.

I never turn down a gift from God.

From the May 2012 issue of Outdoor Life magazine.

Illustration by Kelsey Drake

Turkey Hunting Tips: Use These Calls When Toms Go Quiet

Alex Robinson — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:26:45 -0400

Photo by Tom Martineau/The Raw Spirit

You sell those calls like a hot hen, but the gobblers aren’t buying. The boys would rather run with their fellow red heads. When male turkeys don’t want your sweet hen yelps, you need to rethink your hunting tactics. The first trick in your bag should be to sound like another gobbler, but there’s no single prescription that works the entire season. Instead, follow these cues.

Early Birds
Male turkeys sometimes remain in small gobbler gangs after leaving larger winter flocks. Tracking studies show jakes often cover the most ground. A subordinate male in the wake of a longbeard is also a common sight during this transition time.

How to Hunt: Gobbles draw gobblers. When you’re hunting male groups without hens, locate roosted turkeys by (1) listening without calling; (2) drawing shock gobbles with an owl, crow, or other locator call; or (3) gobbling. Gobble sparingly. Just one well-timed call after flydown might bring those red heads running in a gang. Any time you strike a gobble call, watch for other hunters. In fact, the best rule for where to use a gobble call is on private land where you are the only hunter.

Mid-Season
Later in April, flocks are pretty much established. A dominant strutter shadows his hens, waiting to breed one. They move from the roost to nearby food sources, where female turkeys later raise broods. Subdominant male birds hang close to the boss. Can you call one away from live hens? Maybe, if you act like another interloping gobbler.

How to Hunt: Gobble or gobbler yelp to do one of several things: (1) pull in a subdominant gobbler; (2) call in the whole group, as gobbles draw hens too; or (3) fire up gobblers to fix the flock’s position before your next move. Staking a male decoy at your setup, especially a jake, could seal the deal. Throw in some aggressive fighting purrs, and gobblers might come running to the mayhem.

Late Season
Hens disappear and are likely nesting. Days heat up. Gobblers travel together again. Some are still driven to find hens; others return to male groups, or will soon, and stay with them through summer and autumn. It’s time to pump up your spring hunt with some calling tactics usually reserved for fall.

How to Hunt: A soft gobbler yelp can interest late-season male turkeys just as it does in autumn. This call is deeper, with a slower cadence—yawp-yawp-yawp—than fast, high-pitched hen yelps. Make the call and keep your eyes and ears open for an approaching red head bobbing through the greened-up woods. This is a very effective midday call near strut zones, where toms are accustomed to hearing other gobblers.

Three Easy-to-Play Deceptors that Call Up Tough Toms:
Our hen clucks and yelps echo on mountain ridges and in swamp bottoms each spring—but some gobblers just won’t come in. Sometimes male turkeys want to hang with other gobblers, or even run their own kind off the property. These calls are designed to speak to those toms.

Photo by Jenna Pesano

#1 - Gobble Tube
Use Turkey Thugs Gauntlet Gobble Shaker from Quaker Boy to locate and even call in gobblers. ($22)

#2 - Fighting Purrs
Sound like a couple of gobblers squaring off with the Ultimate Fighting Purr from Knight & Hale Game Calls. ($30)

#3 - Gobbler Yelp
Late in the season, use the easy-playing Thunder Ridge Series Slate from Zink Calls to lure in male turkeys with husky gobbler yelps. ($30)

Turkey Hunting Tips: Use These Calls When Toms Go Quiet

Alex Robinson — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:26:45 -0400

Photo by Tom Martineau/The Raw Spirit

Photo by Jenna Pesano

#1 - Gobble Tube
Use Turkey Thugs Gauntlet Gobble Shaker from Quaker Boy to locate and even call in gobblers. ($22)

#2 - Fighting Purrs
Sound like a couple of gobblers squaring off with the Ultimate Fighting Purr from Knight & Hale Game Calls. ($30)

#3 - Gobbler Yelp
Late in the season, use the easy-playing Thunder Ridge Series Slate from Zink Calls to lure in male turkeys with husky gobbler yelps. ($30)

Video: Hard-Gobbling Tom Caught on Trail Camera

Alex Robinson — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:58:46 -0400

If this doesn’t get your turkey hunter’s heartbeat going I don’t know what will.

This cool video was shot with the Bushnell Trophy Cam, showing that maybe trail cams aren't just for the whitetail guys.

According to the company, this camera offers:

— One year battery life and quick trigger speed.
— Every 2012 model now features true HD video resolution with audio record for stunning clarity and detail.
— New Field Scan 2x gives you two windows of image capture to capitalize on dusk and dawn movement [as you can see in the video].
— You can also expect brighter, sharper nighttime images than ever before with the addition of Hyper Night Vision, with no-glow black LED models available for absolute stealth.
— To maximize consistency in all conditions, New Auto PIR automatically regulates sensitivity based on temperature.
— The time stamps are now more detailed than ever as well, and the addition of GPS Geotag automatically embeds each image with GPS coordinates for optimum tracking.

What do you think Strut Zoners, can trail cameras be utilized in spring turkey hunting?

Website: Bushnell.com

Gear Test: The Best New Turkey Loads

Alex Robinson — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:28:49 -0500

We tested four of today's top loads to see which one you should be using this spring. Find the results of our shootout here.

New Year's Resolution: Never Get Lost (Again)

Alex Robinson — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:54:01 -0500

So there I was (yeah, it’s one of those stories). There I was, walking through a field with barely enough grass cover to hold a sparrow much less a pheasant or even quail or hun. Kona and I had been hunting hard all day; going deep while exploring the south end of some public property.

We went off the beaten path, worked heavy cover adjacent to a creek and finally climbed our way out of the bottoms and to the top of the plateau surrounding the area. That’s when we encountered the sparse grass.

And then I noticed a truck go by on gravel road. “Must be an access road down here,” I thought.

And then I saw some outbuildings throughout the area. “I wonder if those buildings are part of the homestead the state purchased?”

And then I noticed all the cattle looking at us. “Well, I know the state still allows grazing on the property,” I reasoned.

At some point, however, I put 2 and 2 and 2 together and realized that I had walked right off the 13,000-acre property and onto private land. I have no clue at what point this transgression took place. I quickly unloaded my gun and walked to the nearest road and house.

As Kona and I closed the pasture gate, a woman came out of the farm house. She was friendly and tried to explain to me where I was as three small children peered out from behind her. Oh, did I mention she was pregnant. And barefoot. Literally.

Looking at the telephone book map, she pointed out approximately where I was. I figured out roughly the direction I needed to go…which is precisely where I knew the car was parked, I just didn’t know the exact heading to take and what was between Kona and I and our destination. And to be frank, we were both exhausted. I’d later calculate that we were at least 8-10 miles from the car. As the crow flies. And we definitely didn’t hunt in a straight line.

The lady was kind enough to pack the kids up, allow me to put Kona and my shotgun in the back of the Suburban and gave us a ride back to the entrance to the public land. With all the winding, wayward gravel country roads, it was a 25-minute drive. As she pulled away with kids waving out the window, Kona and I started our 1¼-mile walk from the road to the parked car. As we gimped down the cattle-trail road, a storm front began blowing in; high winds, rain and dropping temps. An SUV never looked so good.

To that end, I’ve resolved never to get lost like that again. Or lost at all, if I can help it. Enter the Garmin GPSMap 62stc.

One of the recommendations by Garmin’s Ted Gartner, an avid upland bird hunter and one of the minds behind the canine-GPS-tracking Astro line of collars, the 62stc is has all the tools to keep me from getting turned around.

The rugged, waterprood unit comes preloaded with complete U.S. topo mapping software, 3-axis electronic compass and barometric altimeter and long-lasting rechargeable batteries. With 3½ GB of internal memory and a microSD slot, you can add more detailed topo maps, lake and river charts, as well as BirdEye Satellite imagery and/or free software that allows you to download paper or electronic maps to the device - like public lands maps.

In addition to holding 2,000 waypoints and 200 tracks, the 62stc has a hunt/fish calendar, tide table, sun/moon info and can be used for auto routing and turn-by-turn directions on roads. Perhaps the coolest “extra” function (you know, in addition to those that keep me from getting lost…) is the 5 MP camera that automatically geotags your photos so you can share exact spots with friends or navigate directly back to an area based solely on the image.

It retails for about $600, which seems quite reasonable if you’ve been lost and just want to make it back to your rig. After all, you can't count on barefoot, pregnant farmwives to save your ass every time.

Neoprene Vest: Your Dog’s Best Friend

Alex Robinson — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:06:48 -0500

Winter temperatures can take their toll on you and your pup. Even good dogs will lose body heat and their drive when temperatures drop to the teens or below, and water temps barely hover above freezing. And when your pooch willingly jumps into icy water to make retrieve after retrieve for you, the least you can do is take a few precautions to help your pooch fight the chill. The most important is outfitting him with a neoprene dog vest.

I left home and forgot to bring Kona’s heavy-duty vest on our recent hunt in the Potholes Reservoir in Central Washington state. Luckily, one of the guys I was hunting with had his bag lost by the airlines (well, lucky for Kona, not for him) so we made a late-night Wal-Mart run. While he was picking out wool socks for the next day’s hunt, I found a thin, cheap $20 neoprene vest for Kona to wear.

I was dubious of how well it would work. It wasn’t nearly as thick as other vests he has worn and it only had a Velcro closure; no zipper or other heavy-duty latching system.

As you can see from the picture, it was cold out during the hunts, but Kona stayed comfortable. And he was nearly dry and very warm under the vest.

Cabela’s makes a good vest, as does Avery. I’m told Rivers West has a very good one -- if it’s anything like their coats, it should work very nicely for a dog with the added benefit of not chaffing.

Other things to keep in mind when working in icy temps:
• Check your dog’s ear tips and warm them with your hands on occasion; extremities are the first to suffer from frostbite.
• Remove any ice buildup; it might make for dramatic photos up ice can lead to frostbite and can cut your pup if located near joints.
• Bring a towel for Fido to sit on, especially if he’s to lie on metal; the cold and wet combined with lying on a metal surface for hours will make it harder for your dog to maintain body temperature.
• Watch the tail. Kona is susceptible to “cold-water tail” – a painful swelling of the tail that turns half of it unresponsive. Keep it as dry as possible and out of the water. If you’re hunting a treestand in flooded timber, make sure the dog doesn’t let his tail dangle into the water.
• Stoke the fire: Feed a performance diet to maximize calories and keep your dog’s internal engine primed and burning.

Help Us Pick The Prize for Our Next Caption Contest!

Alex Robinson — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:33:47 -0500

So Outdoor Life is part of a cool contest operated by Crown Royal, sponsor of Field & Stream’s Hook Shots show and maker of the whiskey that comes in a purple bag. The contest is called “Pass the Crown,” and it’s a variation on the Secret Santa gift exchange anyone who’s ever worked in an office is familiar with. Are you lucky enough to have never worked in an office? Then here’s how this works:

Each day from now until Dec. 15 Crown Royal is giving away a prize to a different web site to pass along to its readers. Today is Outdoor Life’s turn, but here’s the catch. Crown’s not telling us which prize they’re giving us right away. Instead, we get a clue, embroidered on one of their famous purple bags,* and we have to guess what prize the clue refers to. Based on that guess, we then get to decide whether to keep the prize in our bag or steal one of the prizes that have already been opened by a different site. Here’s a list of the prizes that have already been opened.

This is where we need your help. Do we keep our prize, or steal one from somebody else? You’ve got until 4 PM this afternoon to weigh in. Check out our clue (below), then post your best argument for keeping the prize in our bag or for stealing a specific prize from another site in the comments section here or on our Facebook post about the contest over at facebook.com/outdoorlife. If you can convince us your argument is best, we’ll go with your suggestion. If you’re not convincing enough, we’ll make the decision ourselves.

We’ll post an update here tomorrow telling you what prize was in our bag, and whether we decided to keep it or not. Keep in mind that any of the five sites who come after us can steal our gift, so don’t get too attached to whatever we end up with!

And last, of course; how will we determine which of our readers wins the prize we end up with at the end of the contest? It’ll be a caption contest, photo and date TBD. Stay tuned!

*Crown is running this contest is to get the word out about the custom-embroidered Crown bags ($9.95), and the free personalized Crown Royal bottle labels (21 and over, only) available at CrownRoyal.com. If you’ve got a Crown-lover in your family, this would make a great gift.

13 Survival Items No Hunter Should Be Without

OL Editor — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 09:13:05 -0400

As we get ready for hunting season, it's time to consider the survival gear that we will be taking along with us. And as we wander off the beaten path, we should be carrying the equipment to handle the most common emergencies that we could face in the field.

1) If you need daily heart medicine, blood pressure pills, insulin or any other vital meds, bring an extra supply of them on all your outdoor trips. Also bring any event-related medications like asthma inhalers in case of an attack, or epinephrine pens if you are allergic to bee stings or certain foods.

2) A fully charged cell phone or 2-way radio in a waterproof container could be your ticket home.

3) Wear appropriate clothing and outer wear. Skip the cotton in most conditions, unless you are trying to activate your life insurance policy.

4) Lighters and other fire makers should be scattered throughout your equipment and clothing.

5) A metal cup to boil water provides you a safe and unlimited water supply, providing you have water to begin with.

6) Bring a rugged, waterproof light source, like a headlamp.

7) Carry a whistle and other signaling equipment.

8) Bring an emergency shelter like a space blanket or a Heat Sheets emergency bivy from Adventure Medical Kits.

9) Carry a quality knife for dozens of obvious reasons.

10) You'll need a first aid kit to keep the red stuff in, and the bad stuff out.

11) An emergency food supply can give you energy to keep going, and you'll sleep warmer at night with a little food in your belly.

12) Water purification tablets and a container for water should be on your list.

13) Bring a map and compass, or a GPS.

What else do you bring on your hunts? What do you wish you had brought last time out? Let us know in the comments.

photo: yotut

New Toys and Tools for a Bird-Rich Year

OL Editor — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:24:31 -0400

2011 could be a waterfowl season for the record books. Spring floods drenched much of the Prairie Pothole Region, and waterfowl breeding numbers are higher than they’ve been in 56 years. The ducky days of Fall are just around the corner, and these new products just might help you fill that dream season bag.

War Dogs and the bin Laden Trail

Brian Lynn — Thu, 05 May 2011 16:52:17 -0400

In the wake of Osama bin Laden's assassination in Pakistan this week, the nature of elite military teams has captured the imagination of the public. We wonder who these brave, mysterious men are, what their daily lives are like, their families, training, etc.

The same sort of intrigue is taking place in the dog world. Canines have been used to detect IEDs at increasing rates in Afghanistan and Iraq, and that trend will continue and is a testament to the abilities of man's best friend, but one dog in particular has now piqued the interest of many in the public: the canine that accompanied Navy SEAL Team Six in the raid of bin Laden's compound in Pakistan.

In this piece by the New York Times, the training of commando dogs and their role in detecting IEDs and hiding insurgents, as well as more a more mundane question: what breed of dog was with the SEAL team? It's a toss up between a German shepherd dog and a Belgium Malinois according to the article. If I had to guess, I'd lay my money on a Belgium Malinois.

While at a D.T. Systems seminar with George Hickox last year (where pros answered your questions), he mentioned some of the work that is being done by the Pentagon in regards to dogs. Different training techniques, timing, reinforcement and the like that the government is testing in order to improve the training and reliability of dogs and their handlers. As one of the few civilians that has been allowed to see some of the techniques and been privy to some of the statistical results, it was very interesting to hear his reports. In a more lighthearted moment, he mentioned that the baddest dog around was the Belgium Malinois. "The won't just bite you," he said. "They'll try to eat you!"

But as smart, athletic and tough as the Malinois is, the Labrador retriever is very popular with troops. Just as the dual-purpose dog excels at quartering and flushing ahead of the upland hunter, Labs also work more than 100-yards ahead of patrol troops searching out IEDs.

In this story by foreignpolicy.com, not only is the dog at the center of the bin Laden story examined but the history of dogs in war is looked at too. The pictures themselves are worth a quick scroll through, even if you don't read the fascinating history.

Of particular interest to me was the reclassification of war dogs. According to the article's fourth slide: "Military working dogs (MWDs in Army parlance) may not enjoy all the privileges of being full-fledged soldiers, but the U.S. military no longer considers them mere equipment. (The war dogs deployed to Vietnam during that conflict were classifiedas "surplus equipment" and left behind.) Today, MWDs are outfitted with equipment of their own -- a range of specialized gear that includes Doggles (protective eye wear), body armor, life vests, gas masks, long-range GPS-equipped vests, and high-tech canine "flak jackets."

I remember a conversation with John Satterwhite, the former US Olympic champion shooter and current exhibition shooter, while at a seminar at Wildrose Kennels, on what really sent him down the shooting road. While he enjoyed shooting in high school and was a state champion, it wasn't until Vietnam that he got really, really serious about it.

The impetus took place with his entrance to the Air Force during that war. "I put down that I liked to train dogs and got assigned to the canine unit," said Satterwhite, noting that the survival rate of dog handlers was about 10 percent. "That's something you never wanted to have happen back then."

His former high school coach called his commanding officer and told him about Satterwhite's skill with a shotgun. The officer told Satterwhite that as long as he could maintain a certain level of prowess with the firearm, he wouldn't have to enter the canine unit and deploy to Vietnam. From that moment on Satterwhite lived at the range and practiced every shot he could imagine. As you can see by his biography, Satterwhite not only shot exhibition, but represented our country in the Olympics and taught our troops how to shoot better.

It's nice to see that military intelligence isn't always an oxymoron and that canines have been reclassified and are now given the deserved attention and respect as team members (check out picture slide 10; man and dog living in a pack at its finest). With results like these, however, I guess it's hard to ignore the success, fiscal impact and the abilities of dogs:

"In October 2010, the Pentagon announced that after six years and $19 billion spent in the attempt to build the ultimate bomb detector technology, dogs were still the most accurate sniffers around. The rate of detection with the Pentagon's fanciest equipment -- drones and aerial detectors -- was a 50 percent success rate, but when a dog was involved it rose 30 percent."

If you're looking for more war dog stories, check out this book: "Always Faithful: A memoir of the Marine dogs of WWII". It looks like a very interesting read!

How to Feed Your Hunting Dog

Brian Lynn — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 19:23:20 -0400

We've talked about feeding, how to keep pup at his ideal body weight and the benefits of feeding a performance formula before here on the Gun Dogs blog, but I thought you might want to hear about the best time to feed and how many times per day you should feed -- straight from the mouth (or pen, well, computer anyway) of an expert.

Brian Zanghi is a nutritionist with Purina and his latest release details why feeding your active sporting dog once a day will help him perform at optimal levels.

Will feeding twice a day ruin old Fido? Nope, but if he's a hard-working dog that hunts extensively, day after day, then you might consider switching his feeding routine to a once-a-day regiment. He'll feel and perform better in the field for you.

So when do you feed your dog during the day over the course of the hunting or performance season, and how many times a day do you feed? There are some concepts to consider in structuring a feeding strategy for your hardworking dog and we will discuss why they work. Some things to consider include, the optimal time to feed and how often to feed daily.

There is a variety of information that indicates feeding a hardworking dog is optimal when the food is provided after hunting or training for the day, and not before. Did you know that it takes 20-24 hours for your dog's meal to be completely digested and eliminated as a bowel movement?

Nutrition studies have revealed that a dog's endurance performance can be as much as doubled when on an empty stomach compared to having eaten 4 or less hours before exercising. There is also scientific evidence from dog nutrition studies that feeding 17 or more hours before exercise results in a much greater use of fat as energy; this is compared to feeding 6 hours before exercise, which results in a much greater use of carbohydrates for energy generation.

You might be asking: why is this important? Exercise metabolism for a hardworking dog is best when fat is used for producing energy for muscles. This is because fat is the best energy source for promoting and supporting endurance exercise, which is exactly what most hardworking dogs require for optimal performance.

For any sportsman or pet owner reading this article that has dogs that tend to sprint more often than quarter a field, this applies to you and your dog as well. Why? Because nutrition studies with greyhounds have even indicated that high fat diets, which promote fat metabolism for energy, result in faster run times than strictly high carbohydrate diets. Even though all the reasons for this are not well understood, it minimally demonstrates that fat metabolism is very important for short duration/high intensity, as well as long duration/moderate intensity, exercise in dogs.

Based on this information, it is recommended that intensely exercising dogs be fed approximately 24 hours before an intense exercise bout to help alleviate problems associated with a full colon. This can include bloody stool, believed to be associated with irritation of the intestinal lining by movement of fecal material in the large bowel because of intense exercise.

If the sporting activity is a multiple day event, then likely it will not be realistic to wait 24 hours before the next exercise bout. Therefore, most dogs should be fed 30-60 minutes after exercise or hard work is complete for the day so that they have the maximum amount of time to digest the meal before the next day's exercise bout.

Immediately after the dog stops working or hunting, it is best to focus on allowing the breathing rate to slow or generally return to normal, and provide fresh water in for rehydrating. Just be sure that the dog doesn't over-consume the drinking water all at once, as vomiting could occur.

DAILY FEEDING FREQUENCY

Consistent with feeding your hunting dog after a day's training or hunting is complete, as well as providing as much time for digestion, also leads to the suggestion that feeding once daily is more optimal than feeding twice daily.

Healthy adult dogs, unlike people, don't get hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) with short or multiple days of food deprivation, even when exercising, as they rely much more significantly on fat metabolism. Of course, feeding once daily would be considered optimal for performance of a hardworking dog, but this may not be feasible in some situations or for some dogs.

If very large quantities are required daily to maintain an ideal body condition, like 7-8 cups for a 50-60 lb dog, it would be recommended to consult your veterinarian to devise a custom feeding strategy for your dog's particular needs. This scenario can be typical of young adult dogs housed outdoors in cool to cold temperatures, particularly when they exhibit very active kennel behaviors, and are trained/hunted multiple times a week.

If you are feeding this large quantity of food on a maintenance formula, this is a good example of a need to switch to a performance food. Feeding 7-8 cups a day would also be a situation where feeding twice daily may be required, however feeding the bulk (~75%) of the food immediately after exercise, then the balance 4-6 hours later. Alternative options to consider would be to increase the caloric density and/or feed a food with higher digestibility as a strategy for reducing the amount needed to deliver adequate calories. Again, if you find yourself in this scenario with a high-octane dog, consult your veterinarian to work out a custom strategy to ensure adequate nutrient balance and feeding, as each extreme situation will require some customization.

Our hardworking dogs are nothing less than elite athletes in every way. We expect high performance when they are afield and we train them for success, so it is important that we consider how providing the best nutrition and feeding strategies support our canine athlete. This is critical to complement the training and breeding of your pet. Taken together, all these suggestions can contribute each in simple ways to develop an optimal feeding program for your hardworking dog. Good luck.

A Keeper: Tri-Tronics' New Upland G3 Beeper

Brian Lynn — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:22:58 -0400

Tri-Tronics' new G3 Beeper:

Admittedly, I don't have a ton of use for a locator beeper. But there are times, even with a close-working flushing dog, when one comes in handy. On my trip to South Dakota this past season I used the Tri-Tronics G2 Beeper in conjunction with a Pro 100 G3 EXP e-collar. It worked passably well, but there were issues; mainly the fact that the collar kept spinning out of position while running and working the heavy cover of pheasant heaven.

The new Upland G3 Beeper from Tri-Tronics has eliminated that problem and has features that make it a must-have if you're looking for a locator ... especially if you're running multiple dogs.

The old G2 Beeper was much more bulky and sat horizontally on the collar, which put it at odds with the G3 receiver sitting opposite it. A continuous battle for balance ensued, which caused the G2 to constantly spin out of its top-of-neck position.

The new Upland G3 Beeper has a vertical design and is so much more lightweight and compact that the spinning issue has practically been eliminated. I've been playing with it on Kona's collar for the past couple of weeks while on walks and running drills, and even in the thick and steep terrain favored by ruffed grouse (not to mention elk and moose) on my buddy Woody's place in northern Idaho this past weekend, without having to re-adjust its position at all.

TriTronicsG2vG3:

Weighing in at only 3 ounces, with the battery installed, the Upland G3 Beeper is completely waterproof (a very good thing if you're hunting around water during the early season, in warm climates or have it strapped to a water-loving Lab) and features four hunting sounds (including silent) and two on-point sounds (including an improved hawk scream) for a total of eight possible audible combinations.

With an audible range of more than 1/4-mile, the various sound settings on the new beeper can be changed simply with one button. Unlike the old G2, which required that you take off the collar and unscrew the back to change settings, the new G3 allows you to make adjustments quickly and easily on the fly.

My favorite features of the new Upland G3 Beeper, however, are the remote operation and instant locate. Like I said, running a flushing dog doesn't usually require you to use a beeper in the same manner as a pointing dog, but in heavy cover and with multiple dogs running it's nice to be able to quickly discern which animal in the brush ahead is yours; especially if you're about to administer an e-collar correction.

The remote operation and instant locate allow an owner with a close-working dog in heavy cover to occasionally check-in on the whereabouts of their animal without having the beeper constantly sounding off. The remote operation, when paired with an e-collar, allow you to turn the beeper on or off from distance, while the instant locate feature allows you to simply press a button to hear a continuous series of beeps up to eight seconds in duration.

You can purchase the Upland G3 Beeper and an orange collar for $119 on the Tri-Tronics site or the beeper and an EXP receiver for $259.

6 Pointers for Pointer Pups

Brian Lynn — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 03:18:38 -0400

Puppyhood provides a very pivotal time for the future of our gun dogs. It's a time that we can either look back on with fond memories of laying a foundation that paid dividends when our dog matured, or one that we might look back upon with a grimace at opportunities missed and the roots of bad habits that last a lifetime.

To keep your pup on the right track and ensure that the pointing dog in your life keeps you smiling and makes you proud for the next decade or longer, consider these tips from D.T. Systems pro Chris Larson at Six Oak Gun Dogs in Stillwell, Kansas.

No time frames: "It takes as long as it takes. Don't put deadlines and expectations on a puppy," says Larson, who notes that different breeds will mature at different speeds. "If you have a pointer puppy, it'll come along fairly quickly. A Brittany will come along a little slower and there are other breeds that will develop slower yet."

Regardless of the breed and bloodline, don't hold your dog to a schedule found in a book or DVD that says by a certain age your dog should be performing specific tasks. And definitely don't get into a race with your buddies about whose dog is ranging further, pointing, backing or whatever; they all develop at their own rate and pushing that time frame to meet another's expectation or to bolster your ego is a surefire way screw your dog up.

Be mindful of the future: When you play and train with your puppy, keep the end product in mind. "Don't ever let your puppy do anything that you don't want your three-year-old bird dog to do, as far as behavior," says Larson. "What's cute at 10 pounds is frustrating at 60 pounds. What's cute at 10 weeks sucks when he's two-years old and is playing keep away or tug-of-war with the only pheasant you've shot all weekend."

Think about what you want the dog to do in the field and begin filtering those habits into daily life where possible. If your pointer will need to retrieve, play fetch to encourage the habit. If he's to deliver to hand, decide if you want a squared-up front-facing delivery or at your side in the heel position. Use supper time to encourage standing still: just as retriever trainers make their dogs sit before receiving food, pointer trainers can encourage their young pups to stand still before eating.

No wing on a string: We've all seen great pictures of a very young puppy pointing a pheasant or quail wing dangling from the line of a fishing rod, but Larson disagrees with the approach. "It's awesome to see a little puppy stack up and have its tail straight up and quivering, it really is cool, but it will cost you a thousands shots in the future because you're teaching him to sight point," he said.

Larson said that as few as 10 or 15 repetitions can have a detrimental effect on a pup. In most cases, but not always, it's problem can be corrected but why train in a habit that you will later have to train out? Just don't do it to begin with and you won't have to worry about it.

The problem arises because the pup becomes used to seeing what it's pointing and will have a tendency to carry that behavior forward. With a bird dog you want him to stop and hold point as soon as he encounters scent.

A sight-pointing dog will use scent to locate the bird but then won't point until it has a visual on its prey. Bumping and pushing birds will result and because pointers range much further than flushing breeds, you're not going to get a shot off. If you're hunting a cagey three-year-old rooster or skittish grouse, you can forget about getting a sight point.

Instead of dangling a wing on a string, get your pup into the field, park or anywhere they can get out and explore and experience nature. Let them point butterflies, field larks or whatever else they find.

Gunshy goof-up: "Don't check to see if your dog is gunshy by shooting over their head. If they weren't before they probably will be afterwards," said Larson. "Build your dog's prey drive and get them fully engaged in chasing bird and then shoot. Use a small cap gun from Wal-Mart if you have to before moving up to blanks."

If your dog shows any sign of intimidation from even a low-level shot, Larson says to continue on as if nothing is wrong. If your bond and position of authority in your pup's eyes is solid, he'll see that you're not worried about anything and will take it as cue for him not to be concerned. Should he return to you out of fear, pitch a pigeon out for him to chase to ramp his prey drive back up and distract him from the negative thoughts in his mind.

Socialize them: "Get them out of the house and kennel, be it the local dog park or a nearby field. Don't leave them leave them in the kennel and then seven months later decide it's time to train," says Larson. "The more he's subjected to as a puppy, the better off he's going to deal with things in the future -- be it your buddy's dog box, hotels, kids, flora or fauna."

No rescues: Stay out of your dog's way; let him get himself into trouble and figure out how to get out of it. "No matter how hard we try as trainers, we can't teach them what certain things are...like cowpies, skunks and the like," says Larson. "If he goes into a skunk den and gets sprayed, well he's learned that skunks aren't to be messed with. Some things they have to learn on their own so that when it comes time to hunt, they know what's important and what's not and they're not going to waste their time."

Shed Hunting: Advanced Pattern Field

Brian Lynn — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 19:37:03 -0400

If you want a dog that can find shed antlers, then eventually you have to move past indoor puppy games and advance to more challenging training exercises. In these two videos, Tom Dokken discusses the training of Tank, owned by Lee and Tiffany Lakosky, stars of "The Crush" on the Outdoor Channel.As you can see in the video, Tank is hunting outside in the snow. He didn't, however, jump to this level of training overnight. It took time and started long before with much more simple drills.

What Tank is running in the video is an advanced pattern drill; very similar to teaching a dog to quarter in search of upland birds. Before a dog can make it to this level of training, however, you have to teach him that the shed antler is the object he should be searching out. This is done with puppy games of simple retrieves, easy hide-and-seek indoors, as in my last blog post, and eventually progresses to a simple pattern drill.

To start the pattern drill, you lay out sheds in the same simple pattern and teach the dog to seek these destinations out using their eyes and memory. Dokken has invented antler silhouettes to help speed the process (see photo above).

Using the silhouettes, you can pull a dog to the area of a hidden antler and from much greater distances. At first you would keep the antler close to the silhouette to ensure an easy find. As the dog begins to understand the game and uses his eyes to seek out the very visible silhouettes, you can begin to hide the shed antler further and further away -- forcing him to use his nose and teaching him perserverance.

Dokken also uses multiple silhouettes in combination to break through barriers and different cover. The first silhouette would pull the dog to the general area and upon reaching the spot he would see the second silhouette that can pull him into thicker/higher cover in search of a shed.

The reason behind this is that dogs are funny when it comes to changes in cover. They will "bounce off" thicker/higher cover and hunt the edge unless you train them to break through. The silhouettes can help pull them past that barrier and get them hunting an area.

Check out the two videos of Tank hunting up some shed antlers in an advanced pattern drill and how he delivers them to Dokken and then returns to the field upon cue.

Beginning Shed-Hunting Training

Brian Lynn — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 16:50:55 -0400

If you're interested in training a dog to pick up and retrieve shed antlers, then you'll want to watch this video I shot of Tom Dokken working with a young dog named Tank. The appropriately named pooch belongs to Lee and Tiffany Lakosky from the Outdoor Channel's "The Crush."

Like all dog training, teaching a pup to pick up shed antlers begins simply -- with easy and encouraging retrieves and games of search-and-find indoors. As Dokken notes in the video, food rewards are used in the beginning phases to add importance to the antler -- there's no way a bone can compete with the scent of feathers (or fur, if you were training a hound).

Before you can get to this point in training, however, you have to teach the dog that the shed antler is what you want him to focus on. Playing fetch to begin with and then moving to the dog picking up an easily visible antler on his own and delivering it are starting points. After the dog understands that finding a shed is the object of the game and he eagerly seeks them out, then you can progress to hiding them throughout the room -- under pillows, behind doors, in a corner or up/down a couple of steps.

Addendum:

Watch (or rather, listen) to how Dokken encourages the dog to stick with picking up the antler and making the retrieve in the video. The antler is hidden behind some waders and the dog is a bit intimidated by swinging boots and is puzzling out exactly how best to pick up the antler.

Tank is only 9 months old in these videos and, like all puppy retrieves and introductions, lots of encouragement and positive reinforcement needs to be used. Listen to Dokken's voice and how he keeps Tank digging for the shed.

World Shed Dog Hunting Championship

Brian Lynn — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:34:43 -0400

Shed hunting has gone to the dogs. Literally. The endeavor has grown in popularity over the last decade and several pro trainers are taking a cue from the public's interest and have started training dogs to assist would-be bone collectors.

One trainer, Tom Dokken of Dokken's Oak Ridge Kennels, has taken it beyond just training dogs to find shed antlers and has created an association, the North American Shed Hunting Dog Association, a World Shed Dog Hunting Championship event and a new website that covers not only the planned events but also offers tips and products to help you train your own antler-finding Fido (such as this step-by-step training handbook).

Dokken created the association about a year ago and just last week launched the companion website, sheddogtrainer.com, to help promote the events and championship efforts as well as to support do-it-yourself trainers interested in training their own dog.

The site features upcoming events, sells training aids and will soon feature tips and columns for trainers. A trophy room gives users a place to send in pictures of their pooch with found sheds.

The World Shed Dog Hunting Championship will be held on Dokken's property in Northfield, Minn., in April...hopefully. "We've still got a lot of snow on the ground here," said Dokken. "So we're shooting for April sometime but we have to be flexible."

The inaugural championship event will be an invitation-only affair, but Dokken is proposing two qualifying events for 2011 that will hopefully serve up a field of 15 to 20 dogs for a 2012 championship. The proposed events would be held in late summer and early fall. Ideally, Dokken sees qualifying events taking place throughout the country with regional events filtering the best shed-hunting dogs into the championship similar to the Super Retriever Series or other dog-related testing associations.

The events would be broken into three divisions: an Open Division, for professional and amateur trainers alike; an Amateur Division, for weekend-warrior-only participants; and a Junior Division, for dogs two-years old and younger.

Any breed of dog can participate in the events and judging criteria consists of points for the number of shed antlers found, and delivered to hand, within a specific time limit.

Dokken sees not only room for the events in the dog training world, but a need for them. "There’s been such a great interest in this new sport and it’s growing by leaps and bounds. This gives people a place to compete and develop shed dogs through competition; that’s normally how these things develop," said Dokken. "It gives people who are training and breeding shed dogs a place to showcase their dogs and exchange information."

My Favorite Dog Stories

Brian Lynn — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 15:48:54 -0500

The Big Book of Favorite Dog Stories:

Merry Christmas to Brian, from "Candy" Nana 12-25-1982

So the inscription reads on the inside cover of a book I remember receiving that holiday season when I was nine years old. It was from my great grandmother, with whom I added the moniker "Candy" in part because of the ever-present supply of sweets in various dishes found throughout her apartment. I recently rediscovered the book while perusing the bookshelf in my old room at my parents' house during the Super Bowl Sunday weekend.

The 334-page tome (including author bios), entitled "The Big Book of Favorite Dog Stories", has an Irish setter on the cover and was probably part of the impetus for its selection as a my gift. At the time I absolutely loved dogs, but Irish setters especially. This was due not only to their good looks, but in no small part to the borrowing of Jim Kjelgaard's novel "Irish Red" from the library of an elder cousin (from which I'd also borrow Desert Dog and Lion Hound).

As I type this, it's 29 degrees and snowing outside. There are no hunting seasons open. My plan for today included finishing up some social media commitments, writing this blog and then taking the dog out to play with the new Tri-Tronics G3 Beeper and Tracer e-collar light (for a future blog post) and a little exercise/training.

Now, however, I'm thinking that I'll do exactly what the month of February was invented for: staying in and reading a good book. The Big Book of Favorite Dog Stories is an anthology featuring such classic writers as Jack London, Rudyard Kipling, Farley Mowat and John Steinbeck.

I recently watch the 1974 adaptation of Wilson Rawls' "Where the Red Fern Grows", an excellent story of a boy and his hounds. The slower pace, simple message and grainy film from the disco days is in stark contrast to today's high-definition and action-packed flicks. Sometimes I wonder if we're really advancing or just moving faster.

Yeah, I'm definitely in a mood to chill today, and a good book filled with dog stories sounds about right. But before I go, let me ask: What are some of your favorite dog stories and authors? Or heck, even just authors and books!

Puppies in Pastel

Brian Lynn — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:23:56 -0500

Joanne Graham:

The eyes are the window of the soul - English Proverb

While the potential to go broke as an outdoor writer is very likely due to low wages and a saturated market, all the cool gear and accessories don't make it any easier to pay bills on time. Case in point: Joanne Graham's pastel paintings.

While at yet another trade show, this time in Portland, Ore., I found Joanne tucked among the booths lining an aisle amid all the other vendors hawking their wares. Her work stopped me in my tracks. While her work is amazing, it was the expression and detail of a black Lab's eyes that really caught my attention.

The picture, which can be seen to the right, is a commissioned montage that details the life stages and greatest memories of the owners. Take a look at the expression and eye detail of the centerpiece. It's a phenomenal work. If you're a dog person you've seen that look and expression before from your own companions, and you know it's what's usually missing in artwork; that conveyance of real emotion.

Joanne's medium of choice is pastel paints. They're like little chalk pieces that she colors the paper with and uses only her fingers -- no brushes -- to shade in the fine detail and highlights. In addition to dogs, she paints cats and horses, too.

The award-winning artist (she has more than 22 recognitions to date) who hails from Chico, Calif., paints dogs on paper ranging in size from 16 x 20 inches to 24 x 30 inches. Costs run from $1,000 for a 16 x 20-inch piece of a single dog's head to $2,500 for a 24 x 30-inch full-body dog with background or a montage piece of a head, bird and body.

Those prices might make you go "ouch!" when you first think about the dent to your wallet, but consider this: you're getting an original piece of artwork of YOUR dog that contains all your memories and emotions. Throw in the fact that it takes Joanne about three weeks to complete a piece and you begin to understand the necessity of the price when factored against the hours involved.

I'm already envisioning various pictures of Kona that can be included in a montage portrait. From puppyhood to our South Dakota adventures to a really neat shot I have of him at just over a year old staring at incoming geese as his sire sits in the background in a very similar and intense pose.

Now I just have to figure out how to balance the price of commission against the wages of an outdoor writer!

If you want more info or to view more examples of Joanne's work, check out her website at http://www.joannegraham.com or call (530) 877-2100.

Kona's Dock Dog Debut

Brian Lynn — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 14:56:36 -0500

Kona's Big Air:

After sitting in the booth for my hometown for several days at a recent Sportsmen's Show, both Kona and I had grown restless. That's when I decided, partly as a means to escaping the endless jokes about Mega-Millions Lotto winners, who came from Ephrata, Wash., and partly out of curiosity, to enter Kona in the Puget Sound chapter's Dock Dogs Big Air Competition.

I really had no idea how we would do, but I was confident Kona would jump even when the girl signing us up said that he might not (something that would reverberate through my mind during our practice round). The feeling when climbing onto the stage is the exact same as when you approach the line in a hunt test competition; butterflies swim in your stomach as people watch every move and evaluate not only your handling skills but your dog's worth.While I usually don't give a rip what most people think of me, I know Kona is a good dog and the limiting factor in his training and lack of titles has been my inexperience and inconsistencies. Ascending the stairs to the stage/dock, I became keenly aware of the eyes upon us; from Dock Dog veterans to judges to a fairly sizable crowd.

Kona didn't care. His focus was on me and the bumper I had borrowed from some guy behind the scenes. Blocking out the small practice-round crowd watching us, I in turn focused all of my attention upon Kona. Just as when stepping to the line to run marks and blinds, you have to forget the judges and everyone else watching and get in sync with your dog. The problem was, when running a hunt test I'm confident Kona can do the work; here I had no idea what he would do or what exactly was the best approach I should take.

Do I put him on sit at one end of the dock and throw the bumper from the water's edge? Do I walk Kona out, throw the bumper and take him back to the end and send him ala a memory blind? Should I try the prevailing Dock Dog method of sitting him and releasing him, only throwing the bumper as the dog nears?

I was still running through options when it was our turn to take our one and only practice jump. In the end I opted to take Kona to the end of the dock so he could get a very quick familiarization with the platform and entry height. Then I took him to the far end of the dock, put him on sit and walked back to the end. The plan was to throw the bumper just as I would when training alone with Kona and release him as if it was a mark.

With Kona sitting at the opposite end of the dock, I tossed the bumper into the air. Up it went...right into a concrete support beam. Dropping into the water less than three feet from the end of the dock, I could hear some laughter from the audience.

After asking one of the staff to net the bumper for me, I tossed it again and released Kona. He tore down the platform and I instantly had visions of him launching through the air and landing in the water to great cheers.

Instead, when Kona reached the dock he put the brakes on and looked down at the water before jumping in. A few more laughs from the audience. Well this wasn't going as planned and it would only get slightly more embarrassing.

Picking up the bumper, Kona turned and started looking for me. Having left the dock and positioned myself atop the exit ramp, I guess Kona missed me. He tried swimming back directly to the dock. When he couldn't get back up the dock he tried exiting over the side of the pool. He was pushed back in and I began tooting the recall whistle. Kona then swam over to the ramp. Up one side, off the other and again attempted to crawl out the side of the pool. He was pushed back in and swam by me as I tried to pull him up the ramp. He was just swimming, confused at this point and started heading back to the opposite side of the pool.

I jumped back onto the dock, only faintly aware of the crowd's giggles, focusing instead on just getting my mutt out of the water. Seeing me atop the dock, Kona came at me. I reached down and grabbed the skin on the back of his neck and pulled him up on the stage. Standing, I was nearly as soaked at my retriever. If not perfect, at least it was comedy relief for all involved.

Returning to the booth, both Kona and I drenched, all that kept going through my mind for the next several hours was: what have I got us into this time?

Looking on the bright side and trying to stay positive, I told myself that he was now familiar with the dock and exit ramp and the actual competition would go better. And it did.

In the end we used a bumper borrowed from a walleye guide I know and a tennis ball, which Kona absolutely loves, borrowed from a Dock Dogs veteran. I let him watch the first two flights of dogs jump to up his excitement and hopefully overcome any end-of-dock hesitations.

I tried two different approaches for Kona's two competition jumps. First, I ran it like a memory. Taking Kona to the end of the dock, I threw the bumper (very conscious of the concrete support beam looming above) and heeled him back to the opposite end of the dock. Lining him as if for a blind, I released him with a loud "Back!" He had his best jump, 12 feet, and garnered some cheers and applause instead of laughter. Some of the pressure was released and this competition was becoming what it was meant to be: fun.

The second jump is when I borrowed the tennis ball. I put Kona on sit and tried throwing the ball like a mark from halfway down the dock. It was a lame throw, but good enough to try. I released Kona by name and he didn't hesitate to jump. It was an 11-foot jump.

They weren't great jumps, but they weren't bad ones either. Some dogs, as the sign-up girl said, wouldn't jump while others just sort of flopped off the end of the dock. The veterans, which included not only Labs and Chesapeakes, but also collies, goldens and even a pit bull, soared to lengths of 18- to 20-plus feet!

Having worked for ESPNOutdoors.com during the heyday of the Great Outdoor Games, I knew Kona and I would never threaten the world record of 28.10 feet but it sure provided a few minutes of reprieve from working a show booth, as well as some fun...and not just for the audience!

Who Needs Booth Babes?

Brian Lynn — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 14:10:16 -0500

Having attended SHOT Show in Vegas last week, I'm now at the Sportsmen's Show in Puyallup, Wash. This time, instead of cruising the floor in search of scantily clad women, I'm sitting in a booth helping to promote the outdoor activities found around my hometown. Kona is with me and let me tell you, a dog will attract just as much attention as a midriff-baring hottie.

Having escaped our booth a few times, I hit the floor with Kona and checked out the guides and outfitters, as well as products being hawked by vendors. Most of the time I don't pay much attention to the wares, but I did find one item that piqued my interest. For a dog owner, the Miracle Door Mat might just be a must. Check out this video I shot of the mat in action.

Like most items at a trade show I was skeptical of the mat, (i.e., the "energy bands" being sold in the booth across from us) but after doing the demo myself (and with the assistance of Kona to boot) I think I'll have to buy one of these things.

As you can see in the video, the guy has a container of mud you can step in. A regular "wipe yer paws" mat stll leaves debris on the bottom of your shoe (or canine's foot). But the "Miracle Door Mat" seems to suck most of it off.

Originally made for commercial use, the mats are now being produced for residential dwellers. They're a cotton and micro-fiber blend that attracts and cleans your shoes/boots of both wet (mud) and dry (sand) material with just a step. Available only at trade shows right now, you can call their customer service number and have one shipped to you. I'm probably going to spring for the purchase price of one just to give it a shot; the dogs and I track so much mud into the house it's even driving me crazy.

Prices range from $40 (30" x 20" mat) up to $100 for a runner (30" x 60"). There's also a mid-size mat that's $60 and measures 30 inches by 40 inches. If you have it shipped anywhere in the country there's an additional $10 charge.

Easy to care for, you can supposedly just throw the mat in the washing machine and dryer to clean it. There is also a 30-day money-back guarantee and it comes with a 5-year warranty that covers anything--including if the dog chews it up!

To order, call 800-995-8141. You can also find out what trade shows they'll be at if you want to see the mat in action before buying it; it's a Pacific Northwest company, however, and they pretty much just stay in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and western Montana areas.

Hot for SHOT: Chick Magnet

EricAichele — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 15:15:40 -0500

Primos new innovative box call: The Chick Magnet.