# hiding your dog in decoys



## bust'em (Oct 27, 2007)

I was just curious about how most of you hide your dog in the decoys. Do you guys use a dog blind,or just leave them in the decoys next to you.We do fairly well hunting over decoys but everytime we bring the dog with us we cant get the birds to finish. Which really stinks because I love to have my hunting companion with me!!!And she should be. Please, help me out.


----------



## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

You have a black dog, don't you... :wink:


----------



## whitehorse (Jan 28, 2008)

I have talked to a couple of people that say the dog isn't much of a problem at all. I know where ur comin from, the dog makes the hunt 10 times more meaningful. I bought a little cheapo blind i'ma try and work with, have no idea how successful it's gonna be. But we hunt outta these big *** blinds (lord knows why) and so a little mutt hut isn't going to flair birds if your big 7'x3' coffin doesnt. 
Another thing I don't like, is you have to worry about the other hunters. It's your dog, but they will tell you what needs to be done in training even though you've been workin on it, have worked on it or know about it.. kinda stressful!

train him on "kennel" and he'll jump right in... my dog did the first time I told him.. and can't wait... the STAY command is what i'm worried about!


----------



## White Diablo (Mar 11, 2008)

Having the dog along makes the hunt to me!!! I use a dog blind most of the time but it doesnt seem to matter eather way!!


----------



## jwdinius1 (Dec 14, 2006)

i have a choc. lab and he is fairly short and stocky and imo a dog blind sits higher than he does, so i have him lay right next to be, usually slighy behind me and on the side i feel the geese won't be coming from so i dont have to swing over him, and then i just put quite a few decoys around him to hide him, i usually put sentry heads in front of him so they stick up higher and provide put coverage. We have no problems finishing birds!!
Good Luck :beer:


----------



## Bustem36 (Feb 5, 2008)

We've always had Springers so most the time the white on them sticks out on them when hunting Canadas and ducks. When field hunting we have them lay down and through a piece of burlap over them maybe camo that alittle bit just like your blind should work.

Obviously let their head stick out or youll have a blind, stumbling, lump movin in the spread. Its happened more than once


----------



## bust'em (Oct 27, 2007)

thanks for the Info guys and no I dont have a black dog. I have a choclate lab. And she is very steady. I think tomarrow Im going to throw a fast grass mat over her with some corn stubble on it. Hopefully that will help.


----------



## Bustin Lips (Mar 16, 2008)

as long as your dog is not a tard and greets the birds face to face, i think no blind is required.


----------



## E (Oct 5, 2005)

Some people suggest a white vest for snows which I have never used, but it sounds like a good idea. I have a beavertail blind that I love because I am able to keep my chocolate lab in with me. He can peak out by my feet and when I say "take em" he pretty much opens the blind for me and goes after the falling birds.(assuming they are falling!)


----------



## Zekeland (Oct 6, 2005)

My chocolate is on my left side of my blind, on the outside of blind laying down...
Depending on the cover I will maybe use the dog blind.

We have a new white vest to try out this spring as well.

As long as your dog is steady/motionless while they are coming in, you should be good to go.

A few xtra dekes around the dog as well!!!


----------



## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

Bill the Chessie is dead grass so he blends in pretty good. Used a GF dog blind last fall. Really nice and easy to set up. Stuck some silo's in the stubble straps to help hide it. Worked great.
Good luck,
Dan


----------



## SoDakShooter (Mar 17, 2008)

I have an Final Approach Eliminator Blind. I have my dog trained to crawl into the blind between my feet and he sticks his head out the trap door. I am about 5'10 and 180 pounds by dog is about 70 we both fit in there comfortably. I can use my legs to keep him still if he gets antsy. And having that extra 100 degrees of body heat or so really helps on those cold days. I typically put 3 decoys in front of the blind to help hide any movement he may do.


----------



## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

Ive been wondering about my dogs effect on decoying snows. I dont see myself leaving him at home to find out if they'll work better without him though. I use a GF dog blind laying flush up against my GF layout. They are the same height and dont look like more then one regular layout together. I'm tempted to try hunting without the blinds sometime this spring as well, so Id need to do something different there.

Remmy's head is always moving around watching the birds as they work, I'm not sure how that effects the birds but I know its not something I'd ever try to train out of him. That white avery vest looks like a neat idea.

Another thought: Would you shoot at geese in front of you if a close friend was laying in front of you/ between your legs? Why should your dog be any different? Pretty unsafe when you think of how excited and jumpy birdy dogs get when the birds start fallin from the sky. Those muzzle blasts are very hard on hearing as well.


----------



## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

I agree. If my dog was running around when I am shooting I would be :******: .

Keep them in the blind till all the bangin is done then send them.


----------



## SDwaterfowler (Mar 2, 2006)

IMO, the most dangerous situation you can put your dog in (and yourself) is having your dog in your layout blind with you. I would never try that and would not let anybody hunting in my spread do it either.


----------



## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

Bustin Lips said:


> as long as your dog is not a tard and greets the birds face to face, i think no blind is required.


 :huh:


----------



## Traxion (Apr 16, 2004)

I've got a yellow lab and she is either in the blind or lays directly beside me. I use a GF dog blind. It is a little blocky but overall it hides well. When laying outside she watches birds but honestly I cannot see this hurting things. I'd be more concerned with guy peeking out of their blinds, kicking around the footbags, etc. She blends in well with the field (she also wears a vest much of the time). The dog is an important part of the hunt for me so I will do everything I can to take her along.

She does break out of the blind at the shot sometimes. I'm working on that, my main concern is people taking low shots if the dog gets out early. Probably not a huge issue with snows and the high angle shots, but some of those honkers are on the deck when the shot is called.


----------



## NDMALLARD (Mar 9, 2002)

SDwaterfowler,

I have a smaller lab (60lbs) and have her trained to lay in my avery finisher. She jumps in and lays between my legs with her head resting on my belly. I am a lefty and my gun rests on the crossbar pointing straight out of my blind. When I open the doors, she hops out to the right and stands by the blind and waits for something to fall, if nothing falls she hops back in when I tell her to and we repeat the process. Why do you think this is dangerous? I never leave in her the blind with my gun when I get out to move around. I honestly have never really paid attention to how she gets out of the blind but I can tell you it is very nice when you sail a goose or duck 2-300 yards and you know she is going to get it, plus if more birds are coming you aren't standing out in the middle of the field screwing it up for the rest of your party. Now if the dog is a hyper idiot, it could be dangerous, but that is a training and obedience issue... :beer:


----------



## SDwaterfowler (Mar 2, 2006)

NDMALLARD, For one thing, I don't think it is safe to have a dog in the same blind as a firearm. Many things that could go wrong there. I have heard of at least one occasion where a dog has jumped into a blind and set off a shotgun which was pointed at another hunter. Of course a well trained retriever is always better and safer than one that is not well trained but either way dogs in the same blinds as people is not my thing. I personally use a GF dog blind for my dog. I wish I had the lower profile one as the regular one is a bit tall and boxy. But at least I always know my dog is safe. She does move her head around a lot looking at birds but I am fine with this. She also breaks when the shot is called and I'm ok with that too as long the people I'm hunting with use a little common sense if the birds are real low.


----------



## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

NDMallard- maybe it is smoother then it sounds, but that sounds like a pretty rough transition from laying in the blind to shooting. The first thing I think of when I hear about dogs in the layout is the danger of them being in the line of fire and loud muzzle blast. After thinking a little the story of the guy who got shot last year by his own dog stepping on the trigger also comes to mind.


----------



## calisnowhunter (Jun 7, 2006)

just go buy a white t-shirt and put it on him. i hunt like this all the time and when he is in the decoys it adds movement. we have had birds decoy in with him out picking up birds


----------



## SoDakShooter (Mar 17, 2008)

No matter what someone says on these types of forums someone else is always right. I dont feel that it is unsafe in anyway. My dog is physically under my control so that he doesnt run out after birds. I crawl into the blind hold my gun and give a command and he jumps in. The muzzle blast is an issue that I try to watch and pick my shots carefully. There just geese if i miss out on a couple shots who cares. I also typically find myself at the end of the spread honker hunting so most of my shots are across my body away from the dog. He stays put until the i send him and if he does bust free i can feel him with my legs before i see him darting in front of my barrel. To each there own I guess.


----------



## MrSafety (Feb 22, 2005)

I USED to keep my black lab in my blind with me........she's about 60 pounds and it worked great until.................we were duck hunting in SD and I'd always keep her laying on my LH side. I'd swing the blind open to shoot and she'd pop out........no problem. .....BUT........I've always had a sling on my gun and won't ever go without one.........Flock of mallards comes in..........I holler "TAKE EM".........swing my blind open and swing to take the shots slightly to my RH side..............dog bolts out, head catches the sling and away goes my gun with my dog..............NOT GOOD. Fortunately, the gun did not go off........so now, she lays next to the blind when duck hunting.......for snows....she wears a smaller white turtleneck......no kidding........I've never had any trouble with her moving. It's worked great.......just my 2 cents.......


----------



## SDwaterfowler (Mar 2, 2006)

That sounds like a very scary experience MrSafety. Glad to hear everything ended up ok in that situation.

Retrievers are big and muscular. When they bolt they are producing a lot of force and you aren't going to be able to stop them on the spot if something goes wrong.


----------

