MA Jay

I am curious to know what other people do during the heat of summer to prepare their dogs for the upcoming hunting season. I know with my Springer I have increased the length and intensity of her exercise sessions recently. I do a lot of swimming work as well to keep her cool during the hot days and it seems 30-40 minutes in the water tires her out about as much as an hour and 1/2 in the field. I usually don' t have her work live birds till end of August though, and I usually start with pidgeons because they are easy to catch where I live and cheaper than buying birds or heading to a preserve.

I am no expert though and would love some ideas on how I can get my dog " more" ready for the fall.

seattlesetters

Fly fish.

MA Jay

I do take the dog fishing along the coast for Stripers ... but fear either a big school of blues or patroling shark will make short work of her. That would realy mess up my season.

Beans Morocco

Fly fish...But usually not with the dog. He' s such a compulsive damned retrtiever that he can' t help but chase the odd fly and goes bonkers when I' m hooked up with a fish. He does, however, get in plenty of water time and dummy practice. Blue Grouse season starts here in about 5 weeks...If he could read a calendar he' d be even jumpier than he is. Where you live in MA.? Although I' ve been in the Colorado Rockies for 16 years, I grew up in Norwood and on the Cape in Dennisport. Lived in Boston for 9 years as well before I came to my senses. Sure would love to get back there to chuck flies at Stripers. I' ve only fished them deep-sea, and they were nearly decimated when I left the area.

MA Jay

I currently live in Waltham MA. About 10-15 minutes from Norwood .. maybe longer with the usual traffic.

The Stripers have really rebounded amazingly the last 5 or so years. Last Thursday I went out after work for 2 1/2 hours up at Plum Island fishing where the Merrimac enters the ocean and caught 5 just shy of keepers, 25-27" fish. I was using top water plugs with light freshwater tackle which makes it real fun .. but I use my fly rod sometimes depending on the wind. There are a lot of 15 - 30lb fish taken off the beaches nowadays.

Grew up in the Tri-cities area of Washington so was spoiled on the upland birds .. the bird hunting is pretty sucky here. Grouse and woodcock are great to chase, but all pheasant hunting is put and take which isn' t nearly the same. I started hunting waterfowl to keep me and the pooch busy .. we do have some outstanding waterfowling but I' d rather be working upland birds any day .. I' d hunt grouse more often in NH and Maine .. but those birds make you work for it! You' ll wear your boots out to limit out, and we do, but I' m usually sore the next day!

How' s the grouse hunting in CO? How about pheasant?

ironranger

Except on really hot evenings, I' ve been walking about 3 to 4 miles a night so my springer gets alot of exercise. Also, working with him in the yard throwing the dummy and reinforcing commands.