DuckSouth.com

His second retrieve was a blind retrieve on this teal



Walking in the fog with my buddy. The terrible thing was that I didn't know until a couple of days after this hunt that Cooper had slit his neck open about 3-4 inches on a broken off screw on the blind the day before on a hunt with my Dad (long story). Cooper hunted that first day with my Dad and me and was a lot more "needy" that day (wish I had known why!). The second day he hunted all morning and had to swim through the woods with us and was ready to go for several hours. The edge of the screw apparently got underneath his collar, cut him, and then the collar hid the wound that first day. I checked him when I heard him yelp but didn't see any blood or a gash in his thick, wet fur. Many hard lessons learned after realizing a couple of days later what my pup had suffered. I almost threw up when I realized his wounds!



The last week of the season in the buck brush. Just took a single time to get him up and steady on the stand. Just needed a few more ducks and better shooting.



Cooper is great in training and is worked several times a week in the river and/or dry land. He gets really focused when he is working and ignores other dogs if they try to distract him while working. I am cautiously optimistic about this season but still wrestling with the "guest" dog issue. Thanks for all the good advice and comments. Lots of things to ponder and consider.

That second picture needs to be blown up and framed. Heck, this website ought to use that as its backdrop...that is what this whole thing is all about.

I think etiquette was the question here? If you are invited on a hunt don't expect to take your dog unless specifically asked. Camps and clubs have different rules, so if you are invited on a hunt don't worry about your dog too much. Respect their rules and if you cant do that you shouldn't hang around. If you are worried about your dog getting to hunt, just find another place to hunt. Don't accept the invite, find out you can't bring dog and then act butthurt and cancel. Doesn't really matter how many ribbons, stories, or retrieves your dog has, if hunting on an invite with another group those members will always have first pick on which dog to hunt.

Guides and outfitters should be more than accommodating per a customers request to hunt over their dog. They are paying you $$$ for an enjoyable hunt and if that means listening to their dog whine and watching it break remember what your job is and what you signed up for. A guide should mainly be concerned about safety and concealment of that dog. Some clients are going to want to hunt their "trained dog" but that's just the nature of the beast...

Last, never make a negative comment about a dog while hunting. It may not be perfect or live up to your expectations but as a guest that is something you bite your tounge on. Bashing someone's dog does nothing but cause problems...if you don't like the way a hunt goes or how the dog situation is handled find another group to hunt with that is more like-minded. I have bitten my tounge sometimes to keep myself welcome at a club, and to make sure I was respectful to other camp members I maybe didn't know so well.

A lot of hunters don't have the same views/opinions on dogs and hunting so good luck finding the best option for you and your guests. Sometimes it's hard to please everybody.

What do you sell and how do I become a customer?

Not everybody needs to have a dog. Forrest gump voice, " That's all I am gonna say about that".

Its not the dog that causes the problem, its the master!