Innholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2023 i Gun Dog

SPORTDOG LOCATOR BEACON The Locator Beacon is a very simple, affordable way to keep track of dogs at night or in low light around the campfire in bird camp. The Locator Beacon provides up to 250 hours of on-time and can be set to either constant ON or FLASHING. The locator light includes a handy carabiner clip for attaching to a collar D-Ring, vest strap, belt loop, or any collar strap up to 1-inch wide. $15; sportdog.com STONE GLACIER M7 JACKET Stone Glacier understands lightweight hunting gear. Primarily catered to backcountry big game hunters, their gear is also extremely functional for the upland hunter who wants warmth in the late season without all the weight. The M7 Jacket is under 2 lbs., is fully waterproof, windproof, and includes an articulated…

AT ONE TIME all shotgun manufacturers made shotguns for men, but over the last several decades marketing research has shown that there are a lot more women hunting and participating in clay target shooting than ever before. Designing shotguns that appealed to the growing cadre of female hunters and shooters seemed like an easy proposition, at least to a design room full of dudes: simply cut down the length of pull on a shotgun designed for men, give said shotgun a feminine name and perhaps a pink stock, and boom—a shotgun model that was sure to make the ladies swoon. Except serious female hunters and shooters weren’t buying it. By the time Kim Rhode had started piling up Olympic medals the “shrink-it-and-pink-it” crowd was out of vogue. To appeal to…

WHEN IT comes to early season hunts, you have a lot of advantages. The birds are usually spread out pretty evenly through the cover—cover that isn’t often overly thick. You also have uneducated birds, and young birds, with which to work. Making a little extra noise then, to keep your dog in line, isn’t going to cost you a limit in most cases. But when it comes to the last weeks of the season, the rules change. The dumb birds are dead. The cover is always thick and unruly. And often, the conditions are pin-drop quiet. In other words, making too much noise during the last hunts of the year is a great way to give the birds all they need to get up well out of shotgun range. What’s…

THE REPORT of the shotgun and the folding of the rooster appeared to happen simultaneously. The aging springer was almost sitting, taking short steps in anticipation. Impatiently waiting for his name to be called for the retrieve. As the bird hit the ground, his wish was granted. “Pete!” rang out in the cool fall air, and the dog was off. A quick pick up and delivery of the bird to his owner finished the work off nicely. After taking the bird from his animated little hunting partner, Fred turned to me with a big grin on his face, “Quite the dog, don’t you think? He likes to cheat a bit on the retrieve, but I don’t mind.” I was impressed with the dog. He had an amazing zeal for his…

Dear Kali, I'm writing because I've been hunting with my husband, Richard, for 38 years—ever since 1983, when it was rare to be a “girl in the field,” and when men hunting with us made sure I broke open my 20-gauge when I went over a barbed-wire fence. Most of my hunting has been in Montana, although we also have a house in Maine where we hunt ruffed grouse. Long ago, I discovered Gun Dog and admired its clear writing, its ability to take on difficult issues without stinting (Ex. how to be ready for your dog’s getting caught in a fur-hunter’s trap, so you can safely release him). We subscribed, and I also bought an annual subscription for our hunting partner, Bob Hausmann, in Missoula. We've loved the issues.…

I BORROWED $500 from my parents about the turn of the century to buy my first Labrador. She was bred from American lines—her dam and sire were hunting/family dogs and I credit her for where I find myself today regarding training style and philosophy. For over 22 years I’ve trained retrievers and have never owned, much less used an e-collar. Back then, I knew nothing about them more than this broke college kid couldn’t afford one. Poverty saved my dogs from a couple of decades worth of nicks and contant stimulations. E-collar design in the year 2000 wasn’t comparable to those of 40-50 years prior and in the last 20 years, it is safe to say they’ve continued to evolve. I took an oath not long after that first dog…

SUMMER TRAINING in the heat is a variable in and of itself, but the cooler temperatures of late fall and early winter have their own challenges—and the flushing dog handler must be aware that the dangers of cold are just as real as the dangers of heat. In this installment of “Flush,” we will look at late-season hunting and the precautions, or at least considerations, that come along with it. In more northern climates, hunting seasons start early, typically in September. During the early fall, weather and conditions can fluctuate quite a bit. It is not uncommon in New York to see September days that push 80 degrees. As the season progresses and the dogs become acclimated to running hard in the field, the weather generally cools, which enables handlers…

This is KBS NOVA RUNS WITH ORION, a 10-month-old standard poodle. We are working towards an AKC Spaniel Upland title. She is intelligent, loyal, loves her birds, and loves the retrieve. Nick Hatch Appleton, WI REIGN is a 1-year-old English springer spaniel. This was her first year living the bird dog life, and she surely found her life's obsession! It was so fun watching her grow, develop, and learn in this first year—especially the day that it all "clicked" for her! Brian E. Halchak Acme, PA MURPHY is a 3-year-old wirehaired pointing griffon. Here he is with his four quail and one rooster. Matthew Garton Woodland Park, CO PHOTO SUBMISSION GUIDELINES – Please make sure your phone or camera is set on the highest quality jpeg available. – Submit no…

I’VE BEEN SO tempted to serve wild game for the holidays but have always been too scared to go through with it. Timing is important when cooking game—a dry turkey could be fixed with a bit of gravy, but an overcooked duck or goose is lost. While I probably won’t reach for game birds when feeding a large crowd, this recipe showed me that smaller gatherings can be made extra special when you share hunted meat. You should consider wild duck roasted pink and served alongside soft pears in a dark, syrupy red-wine sauce. Full of the aromas of cinnamon, orange and rosemary, this recipe sings the praises of the holiday season—and it’s simple to pull off. When I throw a dinner party, my biggest worry is timing and turning…

EVERY YEAR, as we anticipate the opening of the upland bird season, topics of proper preparation occupy our thoughts and conversations. We spend the hours leading up to the season with worthwhile pursuits: planning hunts, maintaining equipment, and preparing dogs for the prospect of a great few months in the field. Once the season kicks off, however, it is easy to get immersed in the day-to-day of hunting. As we too get caught up in the moments, we can become slightly sloppy in our handling. Sometimes we get caught up in making those perfect shots, and we therefore forget that we are balancing the desire for a full bag of birds and the attention required in handling our dogs. Sometimes we get more distracted than we should as we walk…

I HAVE HEARD a fair amount of grumbling from sporting dog enthusiasts complaining of having little or no public land open for training and exercising their dogs. Yet, almost on par with those are land manager’s complaints of problems keeping public lands maintained, clean and safe for people to enjoy. If this sounds like your part of the country, I’d like to offer up a working model we use here in our part of Eastern Iowa. We’ve formed a group of local sporting dog clubs who work with our public land manager to identify projects and share in upkeep, particularly on designated dog training areas. TEAMWORK These designated dog training areas were agreed on back in the early 90’s as part of Lost Grove Lake Wildlife Management Area, a project…

WHEN I WAS young and about to ask the girl I loved to marry me, I went for a walk with a man I then knew to ask for counsel. This was a man with some miles under him, and he had achieved a way of considering substantial matters with a humble and curious heart. I asked him what he could tell me about being married, how to make sure that the knot of my intention would stay snug as his had done for over forty years. He answered me thus: “I remember a similar question that a girl once asked me, a girl that I too loved and hoped to marry.” He stopped, considered the memory through dappled sunlight, as a little breath shuddered the leaves in the treetops.…