Outdoor Life - Pheasant RSS

Hunting Dog Training: How to Cure Displacement Behavior

Alex Robinson — Wed, 01 May 2013 09:34:10 -0400

A dog that suddenly stops carrying out a command could be confused. Or he could be subtly undermining your authority. Here’s how to tell the difference

A rowdy canine, like an obnoxious child, rarely displays its resistance to your authority suddenly. Instead, it’s usually a slow degradation of standards, brought on by the failure of the owner to pay attention to subtle cues and hold his dog accountable.

Yawning, scratching, shaking, sniffing, licking, or rolling over are just a few of the displacement behaviors your dog might use to delay performing a command. It’s likely he will have at least two or three favorites.

Displacement behavior is simply conduct that doesn’t fit within a scenario or a script, like when a dog that begins to carry out a command suddenly stops and shakes his head, pausing on his own terms for a moment. When this is successful, the dog learns that he doesn’t have to immediately follow your commands at all times, and he will use that precedent to slowly usurp your control.

Teaching vs. Training
When dogs learn new tasks, they experience anxiety just like you do. When competing drives are at odds, a dog’s mind is conflicted, and he’ll often try to control the situation by stopping all action with seemingly out-of-nowhere behavior. The momentary break in carrying out the exercise is a device the dog uses to reduce anxiety and confusion.

When you’re teaching, it’s not training time. No corrections should take place; adding more pressure to the mind of a conflicted dog will only erode his confidence and ability to learn. Instead, give your dog time to work through the task, use positive reinforcement, and above all, set him up for success.

Uphold Standards
When a dog thoroughly understands a given command (most trainers like to see better than 80 percent proficiency) but still exhibits displacement behaviors, he’s trying to get out of the work or to carry it out on his terms.

This is when the dog needs to understand that it’s not acceptable to dally or to become inattentive. A gruff vocal correction, a hand clap, or a nick with the e-collar are examples of corrections to get his attention and hold him accountable. Immediately repeat the command, and your dog will likely carry it out to the best of his ability, without pausing, licking, or otherwise subtly defying you.

Hunters Beware: CA Passes Bill Banning Hunting Bears and Bobcats With Hounds

OL Editor — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 14:44:08 -0400

I don’t know why the idiocy of California continues to amaze me, but it does. The state is filled with misinformed activists who believe their way is the only way, and that everyone should live according to their morals and paradigms, while disavowing anyone who holds opposing views and values as being close-minded cavemen.

Such is the case with the passing of California Senate Bill 1221, which bans the use of hounds for hunting bears and bobcats. You’d think the people of California and the legislators that represent them would have learned their lesson when it comes to banning the hunting of large predators. Perhaps the legalization of medicinal marijuana has made them a little slow, in addition to stupid.

Since the 1970s there’s been a moratorium on cougar hunting in California. The people of the Golden State seem unable to grasp this simple fact: When an apex predator is allowed to reproduce in an ever-shrinking habitat, conflicts with humans arise. This has been the fallout from the bellbottom-era of politicking in the state. More cougars are killed per year because of nuisance complaints and human conflict than were taken when a legal hunting season was on the books.

The same thing is about to happen with bears and bobcats if/when this bill becomes state law.

More evidence of the stupidity of the anti-hunting advocacy, which is wholly supported by urban dwellers with a Disney-fied view of nature: Hound hunting was outlawed in Washington state in the late 90s (see a left-coast theme here?), and since that time cougar populations and conflict have soared…so much so that special hound permits are now available in some areas.

It would be nice to just sit back and watch as the inevitable conflicts with these predators escalate in the coming years, but we can’t. As Evan Heusinkveld of the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance points out in the group’s “Protect What’s Right” blog, the lies being told, and believed by legislators in California will undoubtedly be used against houndsmen, upland and waterfowl hunters, as well as every other sportsman in states across the country.

As Heusinkveld points out, what’s the difference in fair chase of dog tracking the scent of a bear or bobcat and of a dog following the scent of a pheasant or quail?

Precedence becomes set, supposed evidence believed and laws passed. The idiots win and those of us that enjoy watching a dog work field, marsh or forest are slowly forced out of the lands we monetarily support; unnaturally constrained to plush recliners like the Disney-loving lawmakers and activists puffing on the magical (medicinal, of course) weed.

The 35 Best Hunting and Fishing Towns in the US

Alex Robinson — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:54:56 -0400

Now in its fifth year, our annual “Best Towns for Sportsmen” feature is an OL institution. Readers love to argue the merits of their burgs based on our rankings; local newspapers crow about the inclusion of their town; and realtors call to ask for extra copies of the issue.

This year we’re forgetting all the socio-economic data and focusing on what matters most: hunting and fishing. In the next few pages, you’ll find the 35 towns in the U.S. where we would live right now, based solely on the outdoor opportunities there. Some boast bass and deer, others elk and trout or ducks and redfish. Regardless, each of these towns is an outdoors mecca in its own right, and from sea to shining sea, they offer the best hunting and fishing in America.

#1 - Appleton, WI
More than 170 years ago, trappers and fur traders chased the promise of lucrative beaver pelts up the Fox River and settled the town of Appleton. Today, enormous whitetail deer draw outdoorsmen and -women to the Fox River Valley. The Boone and Crockett Club recently anointed Wisconsin the number-one trophy whitetail state in the country, with Cheesehead hunters logging 383 B&C entries in the last five years. In the last three seasons, three different bucks killed within 50 miles of downtown Appleton have either broken or threatened Badger State records. But there’s a lot more to do in Appleton than sit in a treestand.

Nearby Lake Winnebago and the Fox River, which runs through town, are premier walleye fisheries. Green Bay, 30 minutes to the north, offers some of the best smallmouth bass and muskie fishing in the country. Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area sits 70 miles to the south and is the largest freshwater cattail marsh in the country. Hundreds of thousands of geese migrate through the region each fall. Sixty miles to the north, the 661,000-acre Nicolet National Forest, home to deer, bears, and grouse, is one of the last true wild places in the northwoods.

#2 - Salmon, ID

This town’s name should be your first clue as to why it attracts sportsmen the way a spawning run draws bears. Located right on the Salmon River—and bordering millions of acres of public hunting ground, including the largest wilderness area in the Lower 48 (the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness)—Salmon has, well, everything.

The Salmon and its tributaries offer world-class fishing for trout, steelhead, and other species year-round. On the crags and benches above the Salmon and other nearby rivers, wingshooters chase chukar and huns, while at higher elevations blue and spruce grouse predominate.

The big-game scene has changed in Salmon with the resurgence of wolves. But trophy elk, mule deer, and whitetails are still accessible, and the hunting for bears and mountain lions is second to none.

#3 - Venice, LA

If you like your saltwater rimmed by white sand beaches, palm trees, and tiki bars, this is not the place for you. However, if you live to hunt and fish, and yearn to do it 24/7/365, then this tiny community at the mouth of the Mississippi River beckons.

Despite its infamy as the epicenter of both Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Venice remains arguably the greatest place in North America to fish and hunt waterfowl.

In 2011, Bassmaster Classic competitors ran down the Mississippi from New Orleans to Venice—more than two hours by boat—to fill their livewells with largemouths. However, it’s world-class redfish and speckled trout fishing that draw the recreational fishermen. You will catch fish here every day that you hit the water, and you can’t say that about very many other places in the country.

If you get bored in the marshes, big-game fishing opportunities—from marlin to tuna, sailfish to swords—are plentiful around the offshore gas and oil rigs.
September marks the beginning of teal season in this waterfowler’s paradise, with more than 14 percent of the country’s wetlands located in this region of southern Louisiana.

#4 - Rapid City, SD

This gateway to the ruggedly beautiful Black Hills region of western South Dakota offers its 67,000 residents a wide variety of hunting and fishing opportunities. Mountain lakes and coldwater streams to the west of town are home to brook, brown, and rainbow trout. In the surrounding prairie, a constellation of reservoirs and stock dams hold largemouths, pike, and panfish.

Hunting opportunities are available nearly year-round. Whitetails, mule deer, elk, and Merriam’s turkeys prowl the mountains. A short drive will put you into pheasants, sharptails, and prairie chickens. Pronghorns, coyotes, and prairie dogs are plentiful in the grasslands.

#5 - Centerville, IA

They got the name right. Centerville is in the middle of a sportsman’s paradise. Epic whitetails get the headlines (the 307-inch Lovstuen Buck was killed just north of here), but south-central Iowa has plenty of four-season opportunity: abundant turkeys and waterfowl, plus great crappies, walleyes, and channel cats on Rathbun Lake north of town.

But it’s the human dimension of this place—the classic Midwestern courthouse square, the easy friendliness of its residents—that makes this a great town to call home. Plus, Centerville has some bona fide hunting pedigree: It’s the original home of groundbreaking Knight muzzleloading rifles.

#6 - Grand Junction, CO
Magnificent mesas and endless elk—Grand Junction’s breathtaking scenery makes the perfect backdrop for chasing public-land bulls. Numerous alpine trout lakes keep local anglers busy.

#7 - Georgetown, SC
Several rivers converge at the Intercoastal Waterway in this city in the Carolina Lowcountry. Famed lakes Moultrie and Marion are a short drive to the west.

The Francis Marion National Forest provides more than a quarter million acres of public-land hunting for deer, turkeys, quail, and small game.

#8 - Bend, OR
Drive less than an hour from Bend and you can be fishing a stream in a desert canyon, a high alpine lake, or a spring creek.

#9 - Bismarck, ND
If you’ve got your eye on walleyes, set your sights on Bismarck, on the banks of the Missouri River. Grouse, pheasants, ducks, and geese abound in fall and winter.

#10 - Saratoga, WY
With the North Platte River running through downtown Saratoga, your next trout is never more than a cast away. Elk, deer, and pronghorns roam the mountains and prairies around town.

#11 - Traverse City, MI
Glacial inland lakes hold perch and smallies, and Traverse Bay offers big-water angling opportunities. But the area’s four blue-ribbon trout streams get top billing. The Boardman, which winds through downtown, is the birthplace of the Parachute Adams fly.

#12 - Lake Placid, NY
Fish for brown trout on the famed West Branch of the Ausable River, and catch lake and rainbow trout on Lake Placid. Whitetail deer and black bears roam the quarter-million acres of state lands surrounding this quaint Adirondack mountain town.

#13 - Cody, WY
Cody is heaven on earth for big-game backcountry mountain hunters. Mild weather means more opportunities to chase bighorns, elk, mule deer, and pronghorns.

#14 - Islamorada, FL
Watch the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean, where offshore fishing for everything from grouper and snapper to dolphin and swords abounds. Cast to tarpon, permit, and bonefish on the flats as the sun sets over the waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the west of town.

#15 - Ely, MN
Just miles from the million-acre Boundary Waters Canoe Area, Ely is a pike and walleye fisherman’s paradise in the summer, and a whitetail mecca come fall.

#16 - Thompson Falls, MT
This secluded town west of the Rockies is surrounded by massive swaths of national forest. The two most accessible, the Kootenai and Lolo, hold elk, whitetails, ruffed grouse, and turkeys.

#17 - Show Low, AZ
You’ll find pronghorns to the north of town, and elk, deer, and lions to the south and east. The nearby White Mountains are the only place in the world to fish for Apache trout.

#18 - Russell, KS
Pheasants, quail, doves, turkeys, waterfowl, and deer provide hunters in the heart of the Smoky Hills a dizzying array of opportunities.

#19 - Toccoa, GA
Tucked into the southeastern corner of the Chattahoochee National Forest, Toccoa is 15 minutes from the Lake Russell Wildlife Management Area, home to deer, turkeys, bears, squirrels, rabbits, and wild hogs. Lake Russell is stocked with trout, and nearby Lake Hartwell has hybrid stripers, brown trout, and crappies.

#20 - Craig, CO
Craig offers access to a million acres of public land just 7 miles from town, and boasts two of the largest elk herds in North America.

#21 - Cadiz, KY
In less than 30 minutes, you’ll be into bass, crappies, and catfish on Kentucky Lake or Lake Barkley. Deer and duck hunting are vital threads in the local sporting fabric.

#22 - Logan, UT
Located in the Cache Valley, Logan is surrounded by marshland for waterfowl hunting and myriad blue-ribbon trout streams.

#23 - Homer, AK
Halibut, ling cod, salmon, and rockfish are plentiful in Kachemak Bay, while local rivers host spawning salmon runs, plus Dolly Vardens, grayling, and monster rainbows.

#24 - Wellsboro, PA
Nearby Pine Creek, which runs through Pine Creek Gorge—aka the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon—is a prime flyfishing destination. Surrounding that oasis is state land set aside for whitetails, black bears, rabbits, squirrels, and pheasants.

#25 - Rogers, AR
In the heart of the Ozark Mountains, Rogers is a short drive from 31,700-acre Beaver Lake and its epic striped and largemouth bass fisheries.

#26 - Montauk, NY
The Atlantic Ocean and the Long Island Sound meet at this home of world-class saltwater fishing. Hook up with bluefish and stripers faster than you can count them during the spring and fall blitzes.

#27 - Goldendale, WA
Salmon, steelhead, bass, walleyes, perch, crappies, and catfish live in nearby waters. Duck, goose, and deer hunting starts at the edge of town.

#28 - Los Alamos, NM
Stay close to home for walleyes, catfish, bass, and trout, in waters like Abiqui Lake, Rio Chama, and Rio Grande. The nearby Valles Caldera National Preserve runs a lottery program for monster elk.

#29 - Sebago, ME
Sebago hugs the northwestern shore of Maine’s deepest lake (and the town’s namesake). Locals troll for landlocked salmon around rocky points and shoals.

#30 - Arnold, NE
With only 500 residents, tiny Arnold is home to more whitetails and mule deer than people. That game-rich environment has fostered a hunter-friendly culture in this north-central Nebraska town.

#31 - Mammoth Lakes, CA
Surrounded by dozens of fishable lakes and streams, this central California fishing hotbed is ringed by the stunning Sierra Nevada mountains.

#32 - Woodward, OK
Kansas’ big-buck cup runneth over the border into Woodward, in northwestern Oklahoma, where a number of 150- to 200-class bucks are tagged every fall.

#33 - Beckley, WV
The New River is a prime destination for smallmouths, walleyes, and muskies, and many of its tributaries teem with wild trout.

#34 - Harrisburg, IL
Though the nearby Shawnee National Forest is best known for its whitetail hunting, the area is also home to turkeys, waterfowl, upland birds, and small game.

#35 - Uvalde, TX
This beating heart of south-Texas deer country is also home to some of the best dove hunting in the nation. Lake Amistad sits on the Mexican border 70 miles to the west of town and offers excellent bass and catfish opportunities.

Worst Town - Camden, NJ

Little-known fact: The upper Delaware River’s fabled American shad run is caused in large part by the fish trying to get the hell away from downriver Camden as quickly as possible.

Who could blame them? Camden, a perennial favorite on any “Most Dangerous Cities” list, laid off half of its police force in January. Take a cue from the shad and stay far away from Camden.

Do you have any suggestions for other fishing and hunting towns not mentioned on this list? We'd love to hear from you, so enter your favorite town in the comments section below or click here to upload photos.

New Gear for Waterfowl, Turkey and Upland Bird Hunting

Alex Robinson — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:31:00 -0500

While the SHOT Show has taken a tactical shooting turn, there are still some great products for bird hunters. Here are the best gear items we found this year.

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.

Top Ten Creatures You Hope To Stumble Across in 2012

OL Editor — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:36:29 -0500

Bigfoot, Loch Ness, mermaids, unicorns and dragons... I’ve never seen any of these creatures, and I’ve covered a lot of ground in my day. I’ve even been lost without a camera a few times. You’d think that would have been the perfect time to run into one of these! But, "Nope!", Chuck Testa’d. I’m not lucky enough. Question is what would a guy do? Shoot it? Probably.

There are a ton of myths out there, including whatever always swallows up that missing sock. I have no idea. And Da Turdy Point Buck--where’s he livin’? I definitely haven’t seen him and if I did, what would I do? Miss, most likely.

So, Happy New Year everyone! Let’s hear what critter you’d like to finally get an encounter with in 2012!

Here’s Mine: A Liger! If Napoleon believes--I believe!

Write your funniest ideas in the comments section for the chance to win an ASAP Survival Gear Pack. Last week’s Winner

Top Ten Christmas Gifts You Hope Fall Out of Santa’s Sleigh

10.) from pineywoods: Feral hog chia pet.

9.) from Buckshott00: A man bag. I don't care what the salesman told you, it's a purse!

8.) from Sven_Katur: A python.

7.) from Johnnie: Reindeer poop. I have three dogs and I pick up three dogs worth of poop all year long. The one gift that I hope Santa doesn't bring me this year is nine reindeer pooping on my lawn. I have enough poop to pick up as it is. Merry Christmas everybody!..... Johnnie and Family

6.) from pbshooter1217: A gift certificate to the mall, I was their long enough with my girl friend Christmas shopping.

5.) from Fishman24: A$$less Chaps, I just don't need them.

4.) from ishipley: naked Rosie O'Donell quote of the day calender

3.) from JM: Women's Lingerie...it's not the base layer I want to wear hunting.

2.) from Ric Waters: I carved a brook trout and wan't happy with it. My mom pulled it from my scrap heap, painted it, screwed brass hooks in the side and gave it to me for hanging my keys on.

1.) from drake_whisperer: A week long visit from my new mother-in-law...'nuff said...Anyone need company in a duck blind? The lab and I are ready to load up the wagon and peel out of here.....

Sunflower State Roosters

Alex Robinson — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:05:25 -0500

Despite a nasty drought, there are still areas in Kansas that offer phenomenal wingshooting for pheasant hunters.

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.

Man's Best Friend, Even in Death

Alex Robinson — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:59:12 -0500

The web is abuzz with the loyalty displayed by one dog in China. It seems that the dog’s owner died a week or so ago and that the dog has stayed by his grave ever since. After a week, villagers began bringing it food and water, and now there are plans to build it a kennel.

It’s reminiscent of Shep from Ft. Benton, Mont., as well as the story of fallen Navy Seal Jon Tumilson and his Labrador, Hawkeye, who laid down near the serviceman’s coffin during the ceremony.

While the stories do pull at the heartstrings, especially the photos of Hawkeye at Tumilson’s funeral, I have to wonder: are the dogs really “mourning” as headlines and some people proclaim? Or is anthropomorphism blinding us and something else entirely is going on?

I don’t know the answer. While I will admit that I do get a little choked up at Tumilson’s photos and story, Shep and his latest Chinese incarnation create a passing sense of wonder and interest but not an outpouring of emotion (maybe this says something about me?).

While I will quickly acknowledge the extreme loyalty of dogs and their desire to please and fit in with a family, when I hear stories of one dog passing in a multi-dog household I often times wonder if what people are relaying is more of what’s inside them than what the dog is actually displaying.

As humans we continually misread our dogs. Just watch an episode any canine “fix it” show and you’ll see. As hunters and trainers we’re usually far ahead of average pet people when it comes to understanding canine psychology and picking up on body language. But even many amateur trainers I know slip into this sort of touchy-feely mindset after a dog dies and then talk of how bad it has affected the other dog(s) in the house.

I often wonder what’s really going on in the household. The dog might actually be mourning. But from what I’ve read and seen, any such mourning tends to be short lived. After all, if wild dogs or wolves were prone to mourning for any extended time, the livelihood of the pack would be put at risk because the attainment of resources (prey, safety cover, etc) would be interrupted.

I’m not discounting that mourning actually takes place, but I think there’s a human element that comes into play with anything lasting more than a few days or week. We see the dog adjusting to life without a pack mate and inject our human emotions (read: baggage) into the process, giving the dog cues and reinforcements. The feedback the dog receives often comes in the form of resources (food treats, a uniquely human pacifier) and physical praise (touching, petting); both are highly regarded by the dog and strongly reinforce the dog’s behaviors.

The sudden change in pack hierarchy combined with a human not acting normally (excessive petting and treats) has, from the dog’s point of view, turned his world upside down. Not only has a pack member disappeared, but the focal point of the pack and one responsible for providing resources has gone on the blink! The remaining dog is left to figure out how to stabilize the situation and if everything will be okay; that insecurity goes a long way to perpetuating behavior changes in dogs.

While there are many scientific reasons why a dog might behave in the manner of Shep, Hawkeye or this yellow dog from China, it’s nice (from an emotional human viewpoint) to think that they really are so attached to their owners that even death can’t interrupt their loyalty.

What say you, Gun Doggers? Do you think these dogs are really mourning? Or is something else taking place, too?

How Fast Do You Work Your Gun Dog in the Field?

OL Editor — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 09:39:59 -0500

While I’m not as young as I once was, I still like to get up and go fast. It took awhile but I finally learned that it doesn’t pay to speed more than five mph, but I often tend to go to fast in the field--especially compared to other hunters I’ve coursed the uplands with.

How fast is too fast when it comes to hunting upland birds with a good dog? Should you, or do you, force the dog to slow down? Or do you follow the dog’s pace, or even push the dog?

Over the last couple of weeks, Kona and I have put miles upon miles of boot leather upon the basalt-coated earth and outcroppings, on public land here in Washington state. We move fast and cover lots of ground in short order.

After hunting with a friend and his two dogs, I realized just how fast we work. While out alone together this past week, I got to thinking about it. Do we work too fast?

The speed at which you hunt the uplands depends upon several factors, the greatest being, of course, the amount and thickness of cover you’re in. The more dense, thick and unyielding the cover, the slower you must go and the more time you must allow your dog to work through the underbrush to scent hiding game birds.

Sometimes you have to slow a dog down and force them to circle back and take their time. They can get as excited as you, and if they’re inexperienced dogs that don’t know the game, they might get even more excited and bypass opportune hiding spots.

While I’m sure Kona and I miss a few birds now and then, I trust his scenting ability, range and experience. Working into the wind he’ll diligently scour any cover, coursing back and forth and seeking out objectives in which to investigate. Moving with the wind, he’ll work ground scent when present but will lift his head to air-scent cover he’s passed, or he’ll circle around prospective spots and air-scent them just to double check. Watching him intelligently play the wind is one of my favorite sights when afield.

He does work fast, but he is diligent and we work together to pin likely birds into advantageous areas. On very rare occasions I’ll ask him to slow down, work more thoroughly or come back and double check a spot. I’m not sure he’s ever found any scent, much less a bird, where I’ve specifically asked him to hunt.

What about you Gun Doggers? How fast do you work the upland field? Do you let the dog set the pace or do you?

Why You Need At Least Two Hunting Dogs

Alex Robinson — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:02:13 -0500

Once you get in to training dogs, it can take over your life. Dog men (and women) spend thousands of dollars training with pros; traveling to various training and testing sites; on training gear like dummies, launchers and birds; as well as on complete truck-and-trailer setups. And on just about anything else they can even remotely draw a tenuous connection to dogs.

Spouses often don’t understand this hobby – or perhaps habit would better describe it, depending on which side of the fence (or kennel run) you’re standing. Trying to add another dog to the mix might not go over very well with a spouse, but you need at least two, if not three. Trust me.

If you remember my and Kona’s outing for public birds, you might recall that it was an all-day affair. We hunted our butts off. It was a great day. The only problem was that a day or so later, Kona came up lame.

He limped about the house barely putting weight on his right front leg, and at times completely gimped around like the proverbial three-legged dog named Lucky. I feared a torn ligament or perhaps a small broken bone.

And that right there is why you need another dog. If you only have one or if one of your two is aging, any small injury can end your entire season. Just like that I saw a year’s worth of waiting and anticipation for hunting season blown, along with the rest of our season.

It was diagnosed as a sprain/strain mostly likely, and with some rest and NSAIDs he should be fine. And within a day or two he was, but the threat of missing an entire season still lingers with every step he takes whether we’re in the field or not.

How To Win the "One-More-Dog" Arguement
The best way to get another hunting dog is to find a breed you want and then take the wife and kids to see the pups while on a drive or mini-vacation. No wife or child can resist an 8-week-old fur ball. If driving to see the pups isn’t possible, well, I’ll leave it to you to either convince your spouse that you need another one or to just have it sent and try the above tactic and hope puppy cuteness saves your butt.

If you do try to convince your spouse, point out that in the grand scheme of things (i.e., all the cash you’ve spent on the first pup) buying another is a small investment. All that equipment can be used for the second pup, so really all you’re paying for is the puppy, transport, yearly vet visits and food.

Rick Perry's Iowa Pheasant Hunt

OL Editor — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:23:34 -0400

Republican Presidential Candidate and Texas Governor Rick Perry hunted pheasants in Iowa this past Saturday and used the opportunity to make sure the public understands how he feels about hunting and gun ownership. “As long as I’ve got memory, I had something to go hunting with,” Perry told reporters at the Loess Hills Hunting Preserve outside of Merrill, Iowa.

“It was a long love affair with a boy and his gun that turned into a man and his gun, and then it turned into a man and his son and his daughter and their guns.” Perry was referring to his children who apparently also enjoy hunting. “One of the great American traditions is taking your family hunting,” Perry continued. “I wish my son and daughter were here with us today. They would truly enjoy this. From my perspective, that’s part of America—walking across that hillside with one of your children hunting.”

Of course this isn’t the first time Perry has been in the national news because of hunting or firearms. Last month it was revealed that the name of Perry’s longtime family deer lease in west Texas was--well--I think Herman Cain put it best when he said it was “very insensitive.” In April 2010, Perry made headlines when he shot a coyote with his laser sighted Ruger .380 while jogging with his daughter’s Labrador retriever. That incident led Ruger to develop a special .380 named the True Texan Coyote Special.

By my account, Perry is the only candidate to be seen hunting or fishing since the race began. My only question is this: If Perry’s proud of his “love affair” with hunting, why didn’t we find out how well he did Saturday morning. Did he not get any birds?

Hunter Nelson Leaves Behind Outdoors Legacy

OL Editor — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:24:27 -0400

In 1999 Robb and Wendy Nelson gave birth to a boy they named Hunter. He was a healthy newborn, until at seven months old he was diagnosed with Sturge-Weber Syndrome, an incurable brain disorder. Robb and his family started the Hunter’s Dream for a Cure organization soon after he was diagnosed.

Hunter's Dream raises money for children with SWS and other neurological diseases along with programs for kids with special needs. After bravely fighting the disease for so many years Hunter tragically passed on May 29th, 2005 due to a massive seizure, but he has left one heck of a legacy and is an inspiration to other’s dealing with Sturge-Weber Syndrome.

Born and raised in northeast South Dakota, Robb Nelson comes from a family of outdoorsmen. He had been hunting with his grandfather and father since he could walk, and it was his dream to take his two sons hunting too. Nelson had a pheasant hunt planned for Brady and Hunter, which Hunter sadly never got to go on.

Earlier this month the 9th annual 2011 Celebrity Hunt for a Cure was held. Celebrities such as country singer Aaron Tippin (who played for guests both nights) and the Cowboys tight end Jay Novacek were among many who attended the charity hunt. On Saturday and Sunday guests could be found either pheasant hunting or shooting trap. Sunday evening the big silent auction took place where the majority of the money was raised. The president of Berretta, Jay Pattassi, was in attendance, and along with him came an assortment of guns and firearms, many of which were donated to the event and auctioned off.

During the event a video played the story of what Robb’s son had gone through. Chris Lemaire of the Cheyenne Ridge Signature Lodge said, “It had a powerful message. I’ve never seen 250 grown men and women as struck as they were by this video.”

Four years ago the Kennedy Krieger Institute in partnership with Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore was renamed after Hunter. The money Hunter's Dream raises is split between the center where they treat Sturge Weber Syndrome and other neurological diseases and programs for special needs children and their families across the country.

Last year at the Celebrity Hunt for a Cure about $127,000 was raised. The foundation itself has raised almost two million since their inception ten years ago through their three major celebrity fundraisers.

Learn more about Hunter’s Dream for a Cure here.

Iowa Pheasant Population at an All Time Low

Alex Robinson — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 10:59:54 -0400

There's bird trouble in the Hawkeye state. Today the Iowa DNR reported that pheasant numbers are at an all-time low thanks to another tough winter and wet spring. The DNR drives 30 mile routes through pheasant habitat to survey populations, and this year surveyors averaged seven birds counted per route. That's down from 11 birds per route last year, according to KCRG News. Keep in mind that's birds counted, not the actual number of birds on each route.

This is the fifth year in a row that Iowa was hit with a harsh winter and an extra wet spring, which makes for brutal nesting conditions. Other pheasant powerhouses like Minnesota, South Dakota and Nebraska have also seen a drop in pheasant numbers over the past few seasons.

Here's the report on Iowa's season last year from Pheasants Forever: "Coming off a record low year of just 74,017 hunters bagging 271,136 roosters, Iowa's statewide August roadside survey count showed a decrease of 30 percent from last year.

Iowa hasn't been able to escape moisture. The state had one of the snowiest winters in state history, only to be followed up by a June through August stretch that was likely the wettest in state history. Mix in the previous years that haven't been good for pheasant production, and CRP acreage losses, and it's easy to see why Iowa pheasants have dropped to such historically low levels."

Annually, the top five pheasant harvest states are South Dakota, North Dakota, Kansas, Minnesota and Nebraska. Iowa ranks number six historically.

Introduction to Trailing

Brian Lynn — Mon, 09 May 2011 18:23:32 -0400

For a dog, the act of following a scent trail upon command is a very different behavior than that of following one during hunting. It's a learned behavior that cues the dog to act in an independent manner and not interdependently with the handler.

It's a cue and behavior that I'll be working with Kona on over the next couple of weeks, and I'll be laying scent trails all over the place as is described in the video above by Dan Hosford. Trailing was something I was worried about with Kona at our last NAHRA test, but wasn't something I trained on during the two-week hiatus before this week's test. This past weekend it came back to bite us in the butt.

While Kona nailed the sit-to-flush, which we thoroughly trained during the last couple of weeks (including walk-through sits at heel, flushed pigeons in the field and obedience drills in the fight pen with birds flying and walking directly in his face), when we moved from the upland exercise of quartering and flushing he was still in hunt mode and we didn't have cue cemented in his psyche that told him to stop hunting and start following the scent without regard to my distance.

As a dog that has done quite a bit of pheasant hunting, Kona keeps my location in mind and works as a team (most of the time anyway). When we're afield and looking for a cripple, he's either in hot pursuit or we're both working the cover for the downed bird.

His "dead bird" command holds him tight to the immediate cover and if he scents the bird he can track it down. In the hunting field when he gets on scent I'm usually following behind in case a follow up shot is required. In the NAHRA test, however, you show the dog the start of the trail and then he's on his own.

You can encourage him to follow, but you can't give hand signals or walk with him. Most trails take a turn or two and can stretch anywhere from a short 20 yards to 100 yards or more. Where Kona and I often run into trouble is that he picks up the scent and tries to puzzle it out but when I encourage him with a "dead bird" he stops and starts working the cover for more indications. If I use his "where's the birds, get 'em up" command, he thinks it's time to hunt and starts to quarter the trail eventually stopping and waiting for me to catch up into gun range. When I don't follow, he returns to me.

This past weekend the trail had broken down on Saturday morning and redrage in a different location was fair and Kona followed it. On Sunday, however, he was all messed up. Coming straight off the quarter and sit-to-flush exercise he was still in hunt mode and never even showed an indication of understanding what I was asking him to do. It was a very fair judgement to be disqualified.

So, our next couple of weeks will be filled with trailing, as well as sit to flush, marking, blinds and water work. When you get down to it, trailing is probably the easiest thing for the single trainer to work on alone, yet it's something that is often ignored for sexier things like technical marks, blinds and the like.

But that folly won't happen again. I'll be dragging a dead duck through the sagebrush and fields surrounding me every day from now on! Check out the above video to see how best to lay a trail and teach a dog to use his nose independently of the handler.

As I can attest however, use a separate command to initiate the behavior and after the dog starts getting good at it, make sure to train it with other dogs and people so he gets used to the multitude of scents and tracks laid.

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!

Gun Dogs: Training vs. Practicing

Brian Lynn — Tue, 03 May 2011 14:57:06 -0400

Back in my younger days I enjoyed skiing. A day on the mountain was filled with fresh, cold air and adrenaline rushes as my buddies and I pushed each other to do better. I used the mantra (sometimes it doubled as an excuse): "if you're not falling, you're not skiing hard enough."

The same might be said of training your dog: if you're not making adjustments, corrections or changes to your dog's performance, you might not be training hard enough. You might just be practicing. Now, I say might because with dogs it's very subjective and depends upon what you've already done with the dog.

If you haven't taught the dog what you expect and then suddenly throw him into a scenario that he has to figure out by trial and error, then corrections, be them verbal, physical or via e-collar, are woefully unfair.

However, if you've gone through the teaching phase, the dog understands what you're doing and what's expected, then pushing him to do better by challenging him mentally and giving him every opportunity to make the correct decisions is training the dog.

If you're simply running drills over and over or keep repeating the same scenarios in the same area, then the dog begins to pickup on what's happening and can react accordingly.

"So many people don't train, they just practice," said pro trainer Dan Hosford recently when I was out at his place. "They just go through the motions and the dog isn't really working or having to try."

Now, practicing can have it's benefits. It's great for building a dog's confidence and momentum, as well as re-establishing the basics, but repeating the same scenario or drill over and over in the same place doesn't train the dog to react accordingly in the future in a new setting.

"When people train in the same place, the dog begins to pick up on cues and anticipates what's going to happen next," said Hosford. "You need to get the dog out of its comfort zone a little bit and challenge it, or else you're just practicing and not training."

You can push a dog by changing locations or making a known drill/scenario more challenging by increasing the complexity, distractions, number of birds, suction, terrain or getting out in inclimate weather (after all, hunting rarely takes place during ideal conditions).

I've been guilty of lazy training (especially over the last couple of months) and have repeated training sequences that rarely challenge Kona. What about you Gun Doggers? What's your ratio of training vs. practicing?

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.

Dogs Can't Cram

Brian Lynn — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 01:35:04 -0400

Cramming with Kona:

Pushing deadlines and cramming isn't a good practice for anyone. When a dog is added to the mix, however, cramming definitely doesn't work.

Case in point: I entered Kona in a North American Hunting Retriever Association hunt test in Chewelah, Wash., despite not doing any serious training for months. We went 1-for-1 in the Senior Division, which is the highest of the organization's four levels. We passed on Sunday but failed to meet the standard on Saturday.

To add an ironic twist, the judge that ruled us out Saturday was my high school Vice Principal. I was sent or called to his office on more than one occasion and now nearly 20 years after graduation I find myself, not to mention my dog, once more disciplined by the man.Going into the weekend I feared two elements of the test the most: sit to flush and trailing. Some last-minute training, or cramming if you will, did nothing to alleviate my concerns. Arriving at the test as a late entrant, I found out my high school Vice Principal has been into dogs for 30 years and would be judging the Senior stake on the first day.

This man struck fear into even the biggest, baddest football players we had at school. Probably because he was bigger and meaner than they were. His bald head contrasted with his dark bushy moustache and only served to frame his penetrating eyes.

I found myself sitting in his office on three occasions that I remember: once for talking in class (not guilty, it wasn't me), once for getting into a fight in gym class (guilty, but I was sticking up for a smaller kid) and another for a Homecoming prank that apparently wasn't funny to some female members of the senior class (again, guilty. But it WAS funny). In all three instances the punishment fit the crimes. He was very fair and two decades later it was no different.

After nailing the land triple and one-whistling the land blind, we moved on to the quarter and sit-to-flush test. Coming out of the holding blind we worked down a thick hedgerow. Kona worked the cover perfectly. He stayed in range and zig-zagged back and forth hunting the cover, plowing through briars and crossing the small creek in search of birds.

And then the sit-to-flush portion came. The thrower tossed the bird into the air and shot it. At the toss I blew the sit whistle and Kona's butt dropped. The pigeon dropped too. About 7 yards in front of him. The mostly white bird flapped, flopped and rolled around. It was too much for Kona to handle even with a second whistle. He broke and had the devil bird in his mouth within two strides. Delivering it happily to hand, the man that had meted out discipline in 1992 again informed me of my punishment: "that's an out," he said.

I agreed with the decision (although I did say, "that was brutal!" to which my old VP agreed) and we ran as the test dog for the rest of the day.

On Sunday we did better but I think the only reason Kona didn't break on the sit-to-flush portion was because the gunner missed. When Kona realized the pigeon wasn't coming down his posture relaxed a bit and I no'd him off the flyaway and we continued quartering through the field. I can't say for certain, but I am pretty sure had that bird been shot that "The Black Booger" would have reared his head and he would have broke again. I bet you can guess what we'll be working on for the next couple of weeks.

After that Kona nailed the marks for both the land and water triples (despite a no-bird situation on the land test's live flyer), did so-so on the water blind, respectable on the land blind and looked like a Hoover vacuum on the trail.

Despite passing on Sunday, I'm not happy with either Kona's or my own performance. In addition to training sit to flush before the next test in two weeks, we'll be working on line manners (specifically: creeping), water blinds and practicing more trailing. He did great on the trail Sunday, but I'm not confident in Kona's confidence in himself on the exercise at this point.

I'm an idiot who has been extremely lazy in training this winter and obviously cramming doesn't work when it comes to dogs. The ony reason I got one ribbon this past weekend is because I just have a good dog that can handle most of what I throw at him on short notice and with little preparation.

It's the Why, Not the How

Brian Lynn — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:53:46 -0400

You can run drills all day long, day after day, and you will produce a hunting dog. It's not until you understand why you're running them and what effect they, and any subsequent corrections or praise, have on your dog that you start to really become a trainer.Plugging along from Point A to Point B and beyond will build a foundation for your hunting dog. It's vitally important that your dog have that foundation to build upon, and it's also one of the biggest problems amateurs have with training.

We get excited to "get to the fun stuff" and skip all the small steps that teach a dog to correctly carry out that fun stuff. When someone says their dog doesn't do something correctly or only does X, Y or Z incorrectly, you can almost always bet that the issue was caused by glossing over or altogether skipping a step in their foundation.

However, just plugging along and running drills, exercises, obedience and applying praise, corrections and the like in a more or less ordered sense isn't what it's all about.

The why is much more important than the how.

When you understand why you're carrying out a task and why you apply positive or negative reinforcement, praise, corrections or any other type of pressure and instruction, the how, when, where and what make so much more sense.

Going beyond just connecting the dots in a training manual allows you to truly understand what's happening in your dog's head and gives you the opportunity to anticipate what your dog is going to do next (before even he knows it) and also to shift gears, improvise or change your training tack altogether.

While it's very advisable to follow an established training program from start to finish, no program can serve the needs of every dog and amateur trainer. And when professional trainers put out books, DVDs and the like, it's a broad-sweeping generalization of how to train a dog using their methods. They can't incorporate every little nuance of training many different dogs and their personal quirks and issues. That's what makes a good trainer: adjusting the program to fit those "problem children" that have issues, whether they're genetic or learned it doesn't matter.

And you can only do this when you understand why you're performing a certain task, what ramifications it has on the dog both mentally and physically, how it fits within the program, when you will use the skill in the future and where the issues might arise by changing the program's sequence or training stresses.

When you hit that level of consciousness, not only you will be living in the moment with your dog but you'll be looking forward and backward at the same time. You'll truly be clicking along in your training. You and your dog will be on the same plane and it will all come together magically. Only, it's not magic.

It's understanding what's really going on from both your perspective and the dog's. It's knowing that the why is more important than the how.

Keeping Water Introductions Positive

Brian Lynn — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 01:17:40 -0400

Most dogs, even non-gun dogs, enjoy water. There are, however, a few precautions you should take when introducing your puppy to it for the first time. With just a little forethought you can ensure that your dog will always love working in and around water.First, make sure your puppy is mature enough to handle going into the water and that it's safe. Having her shots could help protect her from many water-based bacteria. Make sure that the area has a gently sloping bank that the pup can use to enter. You don't want her to explore water for the first time and suddenly step off into the deep blue yonder. Any bad experiences in the beginning can have severe repercussions for a long time.

Also make sure that the water is warm enough. It's a new experience for pup and you want that to be as pleasant as possible. Again, extremely a cold-water introduction could have a negative impact for a long time. In many parts of the country it's getting warm enough during the day and water temps are rising sufficiently enough to go ahead and start introductions, but in other areas it's still fairly chilly and those water temps are still pretty cold.

Once you find a good, safe spot that is warm enough, and you're sure your dog is ready to start swimming, the fun begins!

And fun is what you should make of pup's first experience. Make it very enjoyable for her and let her go at her own pace. Let her explore and ease down the gently sloping bank. Toss a favorite toy for her to go get; don't throw it into too deep of water, but just far enough that she goes a little bit deeper each time.

Get in the water yourself. As her primary focus in life, your presence in the water helps reassure her that everything is okay and that it's a pleasant and safe place to play. Splashing and playing with her toy will keep her confident and excited.

Don't try to do it all in the first session. If she only goes in up to her chest and is reluctant to go deeper, it's no big deal. Come back on another warm day after some playing, when she'll want to cool off, and try again.

If you're still having difficulties with her confidence around water, enlist the help of an older dog that enjoys it. Pick a warm day, do some playing and bring both dogs down to the water. Let the older dog lead the way and show her what's going on. Natural curiosity and pack mentality should help significantly.

Click here to see a gallery on force fetching.

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.

Dogging the Periodic Table

Brian Lynn — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:54:08 -0400

Beyond answering an occasional question on Jeopardy, I've never used algebra, geology or the periodic table since leaving high school and college. I'm sure on some level it's good to know about those things, as I freely admit that I'll never fully understand any of them, but for day-to-day living (both personally and professionally) there's really no reason for me to know much about them.

Just as I haven't needed to know that stuff, my dog doesn't need to know anything that doesn't pertain to hunting or being a good citizen.

At outdoor shows, the park, while on walks and many other places, people will quite often ask: "Does he shake hands?" And before I can answer they're commanding Kona to "shake," "roll over," "play dead," or any number of other tricks that are common for household pets to perform.

After watching them desperately try to get my dog to do something while he just sits there with his head cocked looking at them like they're idiots, I tell them: "If it doesn't have to do with hunting, he doesn't know it."

Some people accept that, some go on to tell me how smart their dog is and some people seem rather taken aback. I don't really care. Kona is a working dog. He needs to know only certain tasks, but those tasks can be very complicated. Why would I muddy the waters of his thinking mind by introducing things such as tricks, commands or behaviors that could be construed as counter-productive in many circumstances?

I'll give you that learning to shake hands probably wouldn't mess his field training up in the slightest. He's probably not going to raise a front paw and wave it around in the air when sitting on the whistle during a 150-yard blind with a crosswind blowing scent from a poison bird to him. He'll have other things on his mind. But I don't see the need to even put it in his head to begin with.

Last time I counted, I came up with around 30 or so commands that he has to follow if you include verbal, whistle and hand/body signals. Those are the commands I have trained him to follow. Who knows how many cues, both verbal and non-verbal, he uses to decipher me on a day-to-day basis. I just don't see the need to add more entries to his mental dictionary. If he doesn't need it, it doesn't need to be there.

But what say you, Gun Doggers? Do you teach your dog "stupid pet tricks"? Have any of those tricks/commands interfered with your training or proved costly while in the field?

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.