Scouting companions

[Apatkelley]

I've been thinking about taking my dog out with me when I go scouting and hiking. I was wondering how many of you have tried it. If you do, what type of dog and share some of the pros and cons. Thanks for any info you can provide.

[Red Rabbit]

I wouldn't think of taking my dog hunting. They'll bark and scare the deer.

 

Dogs will be ready to knock your tripod and expensive Swaros over

 

They will only require you to purchase them a nice O/U to take quail hunting cuz they will only hunt with the finest equipment

 

They will stand on rocks skylining themselves to cause game to hide and seek cover

 

They run away down into steep canyons where you do not want to follow

 

They are vampires and will suck the blood right out of your elk, rendering the wapiti useless as table fare

 

They will eat the only Gambels you shoot after a full day of taking them hunting. Such gratitude.

 

Yep. Leave em at home. The only good dog is a dead dog .

 

[flagstaff]

I take my Lab all the time. I bought him a dog backpack so he can carry some of my load. My pack was 26 pounds (with the water, tripod, optic gear, and stuff), I gave him 12 pounds of it. Now we are both happy - he goes with me instead of staying at home, and I don't have to carry as much up and down all those hills.

[SilentButDeadly]

My dog is with me everyday, even during deer season (I leave him at home for elk).

 

Pros: Dog is a good companion, hears more than I do which helps me find more deer, can sniff out things I'd never know were there, ran a blood trail in 1 minute that would have taken us an hour.

 

Cons: Dog is a pain in the butt the other 95% of the time, and if he ever gets bit by a snake it is going to cost me a fortune and an earful from my wife.

 

Briggs is a Vizsla

 

[Apatkelley]

Thanks for all the information guys. The pictures everyone posted were great too. Snakes seem to be one of the biggest problems. I've heard that you can have your dog snake broke I think I'll have to look into that.

[Ron G.]

I usually take my dog while scouting, especially if just glassing or walking new country. He's found me all sorts of things that I never would have found, from antlers to lion/winter kills. The below pic was from scouting for my dad's Nov elk hunt last year. When I sit down to glass, he'll just lay down beside me and chew on a stick or take a nap.

 

 

 

[EagleEye]

I took my lab before silly dog found every jumpin cactus in one square mile and steppep and brushed against all of them then i spend twenty minutes less time glassing and more time getting cactus in my fingers trying to pull them off her feet wish i had pic

[KB-AZ]

I think it depends on the dog. You should have a good idea if he will be all over the place and a distraction, or well behaved. I really enjoyed having my lab on scouting trips. We both enjoyed being out exploring new territory, and as said, they can actually help. He'd sniff out all kinds of interesting finds, and was a real bonus in the PJ's, being closer to the ground he often saw legs below the thick stuff that I hadn't picked up yet.

[SunDevil]

usually they are good company when sitting around the campfire in the evening but poor Rica has to endure campfire envy when she is taken out.

[Basser15]

Pros: Good for the dog, they can find stuff for you, always nice to have your dog out with you.

 

Cons: Sometimes have to find your dog....or at least mine as he has a tendency to want to just keep exploring. If you have a shock collar just make sure his "hearing aid" is fully charged

 

 

 

 

[firstcoueswas80]

I love taking my dog out. When I was up in Flagstaff, him and I made dozens of scouting trips looking for elk. He loved it out there so much, he would peel out when he hit the dirt!

 

I have only taken him out coues scouting once and he was very well behaved. Stays on the trail, and doesnt go far in front of me. If he gets too far, he stops and looks back at me and waits for me to say something to him.

 

I have only taken him out once, because the next time I went out scouting after the first time I ran into my first snake I have ever seen while glassing. I will probably take him some more this year, because he loves it!

 

 

Doug, dont forget, Rica is notorious for blocking the view!

 

 

Especially in the early mornings, Rica is very rowdy, and terrible for standing still!

 

[IHunt2live]

Wish i could take my dogs for some company but whenever they hit the feild they think we are searching for birds. They just would not sit still. Only time I see these to sit still longer then a few seconds is this time of year when its to hot to run around the yard or after a LONG days hunt.