Hunting Etiquette Question

[brake man]

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.

[Deltamud77]

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.

[pintail07]

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.

[brake man]

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.

I agree with you completely and will not plan to take my dog with me if I am an invited guest unless asked to do so. My original post is asking what the folks who have hunted with labs for years think about a few questions I asked. As a newbie to hunting with a lab and to the whole retriever "way of living," I have hoped to learn some good tips before I accidentally offend someone and/or ruin a hunt. I may take one or more customers 2-4 times in the upcoming season with the remainder of hunts being with family and friends. Lots of things to figure out before the season begins.

[Smoke68]

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

[pintail07]

I agree with you completely and will not plan to take my dog with me if I am an invited guest unless asked to do so. My original post is asking what the folks who have hunted with labs for years think about a few questions I asked. As a newbie to hunting with a lab and to the whole retriever "way of living," I have hoped to learn some good tips before I accidentally offend someone and/or ruin a hunt. I may take one or more customers 2-4 times in the upcoming season with the remainder of hunts being with family and friends. Lots of things to figure out before the season begins.

Just as long as you demand respect from your guests most everything will work out...'guests' and their hunting dogs have been at the center of a lot disputes or disagreements...now if you are taking business customers out...might be a good time to let them hunt their dog if they want...seems to work pretty good for some reason?

Close family and friends should be easier especially as time passes and rules are established

[champcaller]

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.

well put.

[bpinson1]

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 agree, I sent it to my buds.

[bpinson1]

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

Yes, me too, can I bring dachshund?

[brake man]

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.

Thanks for the kind comments. I took that picture on my phone and really wish I had a higher resolution photo that would be suitable for blowing up and framing.

[Hambone]

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.

Thanks for the kind comments. I took that picture on my phone and really wish I had a higher resolution photo that would be suitable for blowing up and framing.

PM to you, Brake Man!

[Dr. B]

More than one dog is just a pain in the !@#.

I disagree.

If the dogs are well mannered you can have 12 in the hunt and it will not make any difference.
We usually have more than one hound with little problems. Multiple dogs can be a huge asset when you have 5-6 people that can shoot, on a big flock of birds. It saves one animal from getting too tired and from not being out in the water for 30 min retieving cripples. All that time is 1.making it more difficult for the single dog because of wind or current or them trying to escape and getting more distance from the blind. and 2. probably screwing up the next birds trying to get into the hole. Generally speaking the dog should be ALL about the hunt and not worried about the other dog that is there. You can fix that by having the dog on his "stand" and not letting him come away from that position until he is getting a bird then go right back to his spot. Anything else, like checking out the other dog is not tollerated.

Now that being said, my brown dog does as well with other dogs as he does by himself. That may not be saying much but the only dog he has any issues with is one of his littermates that a friend of mine has. When either of the dogs are by themselves, they do fine, but add them both together and it can be a disaster.They seem to be trying to out screw up the other one. But its just that one dog, other peoples dog in the blind or boat doesnt seem to matter, just that one littermate.

I will be honest with you, most people that duck hunt with their own dog care more about working the dog than the other parts of the hunt. If I was told to leave mine at the house, which I have done a few times, the first thing I am thinking is "alright where else can I hunt tomorrow".
it has to be a "special" hunt for me to leave him at home. I mean think about it, you have a max of 60 days to use the animal for what he is for, and lets face it most of us dont get to hunt 60 days. I feel its kind of like cheating him and me for me to leave him home.

My opinion.

LODI

Well said. I made that mistake last year. I brought a guest to my lease who happens to have a really good dog. Another member was bringing his dog. Not knowing anything about having 2 dogs in a blind because I've never had it, and not wanting to offend the member, I asked my guest to leave his at camp. BIG MISTAKE. The member's dog was good but 6 of us shot 31 in heavy wind. Would have been so good to have another dog that day. I spent most of the morning apologizing to my good friend for not knowing what to do in that situation. Turns out, the member was wishing for another dog as well. Had ducks strung out all over the place and it was just a tough morning for one dog. Live and learn. 2 good dogs in a blind is a blessing not a curse.

Dr. B

[Caller1]

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

[the tree]

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

[brake man]

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

Yes, me too, can I bring dachshund?

If that sucker can crawl up into a nutria den and put a beatdown on those nasty critters then please plan to bring him on!