# Dogs in the feild



## goosehunter20 (Oct 19, 2006)

What do you guys do with your dogs when you hunt feilds?


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## Dave Owens (Nov 11, 2002)

KC lays down directly along side my blind. See pic


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## Ginger Quill (Jan 25, 2008)

My dog also lies beside me when hunting fields. As you can see, I throw a piece of camo burlap over her for some extra concealment.


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## cut'em (Oct 23, 2004)

I keep my dog in the blind with me She's always at full alert.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

If there is lots of cover to hide it I always use a dog blind for mine. It is helpful just so they know exactly where to be + it helps on breaking. On fields with little cover I just have him lay behind me, same deal when hunting snows, only he has his white vest on then


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## Goose Guy350 (Nov 29, 2004)

I almost always hunt my dog out of a dog blind, it just makes things easier. I position his blind behind me but most of the time its behind my left shoulder so when I shoulder my gun (left handed) he's looking right down it from behind me. If I can't have him in a blind I just make him lay right up tight against the back of my blind, he seems to like that and he leans up against the blind pretty hard. Here's a pic right at the beginning of our regular season.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

Just curious to those who keep the dog in the blind at their feet - don't you worry about affecting the dog's hearing with the muzzle blasts?

I often wondered how long an ear could take direct blasts.


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## cut'em (Oct 23, 2004)

Mine doesn't stay at my feet she's along side me. With a short check cord hooked to the back of the blind as soon as the doors open she's up and watching. The gun muzzle is a couple feet ahead of her. I use the check cord for safety reasons. when she leaves the blind she jumps up and out. Bad things could happen if she brakes during the shooting. I've thought about puting her outside the blind but I've kinda got used to it now and the blind heater feature is a great plus


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## cut'em (Oct 23, 2004)

You say you wonder how long an ear can last. I'm sure most all of our dogs will suffer hearing loss. Any one out there have an older hunting dog that's now deaf? I'll bet there's a bunch of them.


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## Horker23 (Mar 2, 2006)

i dont knw how safe it is to have them in the blind when you call the shot. Dont they get ing the way? And how the hell do you fit a dog in there. Im 6 2 180lbs ave a 60lb lab and its a pain in the ***!


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## ValleyCityHunter2008 (Jan 13, 2008)

Personally i wouldn't use a dog to hunt in an open field, I just go get the birds myseself. I use a dog hunting over water or when hunting in CRP. That's my two pennies.


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

My lab has always been in a blind to the left and slightly behind my blind. 
I always cringe when I see a dog who shares a layout. Especially those who use the zippered foot bag of the blind.

Imagine being muzzle blasted by your buddy over and over.

How comfortable would that be and how long would your hearing last?? Not too mention the chance of an accident happening.



ValleyCityHunter2008 said:


> Personally i wouldn't use a dog to hunt in an open field, I just go get the birds myseself. I use a dog hunting over water or when hunting in CRP. That's my two pennies.


Spoken exactly like a guy whos never seen a good dog work.. :wink:


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## Chaws (Oct 12, 2007)

Mine's behind my head usually all the time and able to look over my shoulder or use the gun for marking off of.

A fine steady dog is wonders in the field, wouldn't imagine it any other way anymore. Being able to have a dog that can handle is also great in a field for running woundies that the dog didn't mark out past a couple hundred yards.


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## cut'em (Oct 23, 2004)

How many of us have a truely 100% steady dog? Also I've used a decible meter! Hearing loss, either 1 foot in front or three feet behind. Don't talk to me about hearing lose. I've got it all. 75% lost in my left and 25% in my right add Tenitus in my left ear 100% of the time and 50% in my right. For those who don't know what that is, it's the constant ringing, I mean CONSTANT live with that, and you'll wish you praticed prevention all those years. Don't do this to our dogs. Mines my best friend, I try to protect her whenever. Wait till you get my age and you've shot this **** out of your ears I've sufferd for seven years now and I'm only 45.


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## bjn (Jul 17, 2003)

150+ dB within a foot or two of your dog's ear will absolutely cause permanent cochlear hearing loss. Certainly no different than our ears, probably worse with the muzzle blast being that close. And some people wonder why their dogs are deaf after hunting a few years? Maybe I should start fitting dog's with hearing aids, at least they won't complain like their owners!
That said, my lab is behind me in her mutt hut or in bare fields, staked behind me for her and my safety.
Brady Ness


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

bjn said:


> 150+ dB within a foot or two of your dog's ear will absolutely cause permanent cochlear hearing loss. Certainly no different than our ears, probably worse with the muzzle blast being that close. And some people wonder why their dogs are deaf after hunting a few years? Maybe I should start fitting dog's with hearing aids, at least they won't complain like their owners!
> That said, my lab is behind me in her mutt hut or in bare fields, staked behind me for her and my safety.
> Brady Ness


Very good advice considering it's coming from an Audiologist.

Believe it or not Brady I gotta hit you up again, I somehow broke another earpiece on my protection. :lost:


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## jwdinius1 (Dec 14, 2006)

I will just have mine lay right next to my blind and slightly back to stay out of my shooting range. I cover him and my blind with several decoys. I also have an avery sporting dog vest to break his chocolate fur up when sitting in light colored fields. In the late season i use a low-profile ground force to get him off the ground because he will sit in shiver after awhile of laying on the ground. The blind also gives him an "exact place" to be.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

ValleyCityHunter2008 said:


> Personally i wouldn't use a dog to hunt in an open field, I just go get the birds myseself. I use a dog hunting over water or when hunting in CRP. That's my two pennies.


Youd be the guy i send after the sailed birds then :wink: Another thing Ive been doing more and more is sending my dog on a "blind" after birds landing in nearby fields or opposite ends of the field we're hunting so we dont have live competition. A lot of the time the birds he scares up will come right in 8)


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## cut'em (Oct 23, 2004)

USAlx50
How do you pull your dog back??? I tried what your saying and she ran right at them 500 yards out, when they lifted and flew she went with them 1/2 mile away (not good) I'd say to do it when the wind is blowing from you to the birds. that way when they lift and get into the wind they come up and over the dog bringing her back to me. I don't know this seams crazy but I'm trying to rationalize this.


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## Chaws (Oct 12, 2007)

I've done that in the past as well, running a blind on live birds. After they lift off, hit the whistle and the dog sits. You just have to hope the birds take flight over your spread. After they're up and away, another double whistle blast and the dog runs back in. If your dog can run blinds and can handle this is a cake walk.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

cut'em said:


> USAlx50
> How do you pull your dog back??? I tried what your saying and she ran right at them 500 yards out, when they lifted and flew she went with them 1/2 mile away (not good) I'd say to do it when the wind is blowing from you to the birds. that way when they lift and get into the wind they come up and over the dog bringing her back to me. I don't know this seams crazy but I'm trying to rationalize this.


It does seem like a legitimate concern. Once the dog gets out that far and close to a loud flock of geese, its pretty easy for whistle commands to be ignored. Ive done it a lot and he either chases the geese right to the spread or they get up high enough to where he will respond to whistle commands and return to the spread. They have never seemed so bothered by the dog that they wanted to leave the area completely. Usually start looking for another spot in the field to land as soon as they get up. Maybe our birds are different though.

On another note- This is probably a pretty dumb thing to do in terms of what you are teaching your dog, but it enhances our hunts and it hasn't ruined my dogs performance as a meat dog.


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