Another bird hunting season has come and gone. January is now upon us. With all my free time spent in the field the past few months that "honey do" list has grown to epic proportions. I suppose it is time to rotate back into the general population for awhile; or should I? Dewey, my pointer, can't understand why both of us are now hanging around the house staring at each other and not out chasing birds. For gun dog owners like us, it is definitely not the time to shut it down and call it a season. The honey do's can always wait. Our gun dogs can't.
I recommend a vet visit shortly after the regular upland season has ended. Just like the preseason check up, a postseason trip to the vet is extremely important. Remember to take in a fecal sample. There is no telling what type of bad stuff a gun dog was exposed to or possibly ingested out in the fields over the course of a hunting season. Never allow the dogs feces to touch the ground if planning on having it tested. Yes, this is a tough job to do!(no pun intended) Catching an exiting poop in your bagged hand is definitely a challenge. Allowing the feces to touch the ground opens the possibility of contamination from whatever type of other bad stuff might possibly already have been on the spot your dog decided was just right for his job! Have the vet perform a thorough eye, ear, and skin check as well. Let the vet know the dog has been hunting hard the past few months as well as the type of cover and fields he or she has been exposed to. Although it is difficult, find a vet that is familiar with sporting breeds and familiar with the type of health issues that can arise from prolonged hunting activity.
A change in food formula might also be needed. If the dog had been switched to a high protein/high fat food just before and during the season, now is the time to slowly transition back to one with possibly a little less "octane" in it. That is, of course, the owner and dog plan on less activity this time of year.
Although the grip of winter is still tightened down, opportunities to keep your trusty gun dog working are many. Firstly, most game farms and preserves will continue to be in operation until early spring. Although these are not the "real deal" to you, I would bet your dog can't tell the difference! Within this struggling economic environment it is tough for most to part with cash for the chance to put your dog on birds after the season. This is especially difficult when large private shooting clubs are charging an arm and a leg for a few hens and a couple hours trudging their back forty. Even more so if the club charges an annual or membership fee. I suggest doing your research on
http://www.gamebirdhunts.com/. This site has the most comprehensive listing of game farms, preserves, and shooting clubs in America. It lists everything from the small mom & pop operations to the ritziest clubs available. If you are like me, my money is best spent on quality birds and good cover. I could care less for the hoopla of fancy clubhouses and private lockers that only seem to increase the cost of the experience and do little to gratify the actual hunt. I spend my money at a local preserve near my home here in southeast Wisconsin.
Crawfish River Sportsman's Club is a small operation, doesn't advertise much, uses an old barn as a check in office, and charges a very moderate price per birds released. No annual fee, no monthly dues, leaves out the flashy white collar benefits that hardcore hunting blue collar types could care less about. Pete, the owner, is a down home genuine guy who is more concerned about the quality of his birds and what shape his cover is today. No matter if you are a single hunter or a group, Pete
guarantees one of his two separated 300+ acre tracts will be all to yourself or group. After the hunt and back at the barn, Pete will offer you a cold can of Budweiser for only a dollar as you shoot the breeze! Fresh water for my dog(who got his bird fix) and a cold can o' beer for me(who also got his bird fix). Life is always good at Pete's place. The thing I like most about Pete's place is the fact that he always asks how my dog is and how my dog did "out there". That type of genuine concern is most important to me. Like I said, Pete's a quality guy and a true bird hunter. He is a dog man first, preserve owner second. Whatever type of game club or preserve you choose to spend money on the experience allows you work with your dog on birds in a more defined atmosphere. It is a great time to tune up some of those "issues" your dog might have developed during wild hunts where his or her bad habits may have snuck back into the picture at times.
Live pigeons or farm bought pheasants/quail are another off-season option and a very economical one at that. Find a state run public field trial or dog training area to release these birds in. The downside is public opportunities for dog training are few and far between in most states. Your best bet is to kindly ask a local farmer to use one of his fallow fields to train on. The best part is most farmers are happy to have you trap pigeons around their farms. It is doing them a great service and they are usually glad to allow the use of a small parcel in return. If trapping pigeons isn't an option, let the farmer have any of the pheasants you shoot as a kindly gesture in return. It is always best to dress them out before giving them to farmer as a sign of respect and thanks.
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Can '09 Memories hold us over until the '10 open season? Nope!
These are just a couple options in the many ways to keep your gun dog healthy and trained up even though the public open season is over. As always, keep them running hard and wanting more. Remember, October 2010 is right around the corner. For gun dogs and their owners; the season is never really over!
Best of luck to each of you out there. -Mark
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