Upland hunting with dogs in the winter?
#11
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: PA.
Posts: 5,195

had to laugh, in a way.toby RIDES ice burgs down the sushanna river .he was only 6 months old when he started doing this .i almost had heart attack.he still goes out in middle and sits on burgs but avoids them while they are moving because i yelled at him.
#13
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: PA.
Posts: 5,195

i have sticks that build up along river.toby went down and never came back up.
i went down and saw tracks going in but not coming out.

i thought i died that day.

i started to call him but he was gone. i walked out on those sticks and almost got stuck myself.like quicksand but wood.
i walked back to house and saw toby sitting on neighbors porch.
you are right, those sticks will drown a dog but so far toby swims thru them but i am watching that he stays away from them.
#14
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location:
Posts: 860

We don't have winter hunting in Western Wash for upland. Grouse usually end in Jan. But I don't mind running my dog during winter as it really doesn't bother her. I have to limit the time she's out because the snow balls accumulated in her fur will become solid especially in her paws. So, after the run, I usually do a quick warm water rinse.
#15

I run my Vizsla all winter long. If it's too cold for me, it's too cold for the dog. I don't hunt if it's below 10degrees, just because I don't like to. Otherwise, I don't put anything special on my dog for cold weather. It's actually easier for dogs to find the birds in the snow, because there aren't a lot of competing scents on the ground. The bird scent sticks out like a beacon, especially in fresh snow. I will put a blaze orange vest on Zoomie when there's no snow, just so I can find him...
#16

Hunt my vizslas all season up here in South Dakota. Season doesn't end until Jan.
Common sense in winter goes a long way for both people and dogs.
Pheasant season is coming!
www.SkoglundFarm.com
Common sense in winter goes a long way for both people and dogs.
Pheasant season is coming!
www.SkoglundFarm.com
#17
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: PA.
Posts: 5,195

i am only one out in woods with my lab in winter here in central pa.
i have whole place to ourselves.
i use blank pistol when toby flushes a grouse .
dont see soul for days but flush 5 to 6 birds a trip.
most of time we just walk the dirt roads and grouse are in culverts .not hard hunting at all but if you go into the 12 inchs of snow, it is .
not necessary.1 day we flushed 12 grouse in about 1 mile .
in regular fall season you are lucky to flush 12 grouse in a month.
NO VESTS OR BOOTS OR BEEPER EVER GO ON TOBY.not needed at 10 degrees .
i have whole place to ourselves.
i use blank pistol when toby flushes a grouse .
dont see soul for days but flush 5 to 6 birds a trip.
most of time we just walk the dirt roads and grouse are in culverts .not hard hunting at all but if you go into the 12 inchs of snow, it is .
not necessary.1 day we flushed 12 grouse in about 1 mile .
in regular fall season you are lucky to flush 12 grouse in a month.
NO VESTS OR BOOTS OR BEEPER EVER GO ON TOBY.not needed at 10 degrees .
Last edited by sproulman; 08-19-2011 at 12:40 PM.