Gun Dog Forum

I know we have a huge number of different sporting dog folks, hunters, testers, trialers, breeders and on and on here...so I thought it might be interesting to see how some of the rigs folks use to hunt, trial, test, guide, etc are set up...share your ideas of organization and convenience issues for traveling. I know this will run the gammet from dog boxes to horse trailers and everything in between but some of the info and ideas might be a valuable transfer to somebody else. Especially the custom or modified design stuff for ideas.

Personally I use an 8 dog trailer and pull it with a truck with gun vault storage and additional gear and dog storage room....just found it to be the most organized and flexible setup for the different hunting, testing and trialing venues I play in...how is everybody else making their rounds? Throw some pictures out there too and I'll try and add some myself later.

Do you have any photos of your getup? I'd like to see that.

I kindly "happened" into what I have, but I love my pickup and even when the finances regain solidity I'll just stick with what I have (I'm sure there will be a few modifications, though). Last summer my boss had an old, beat up '05 Chevy 1500 that he bought as a work truck and never did anything to it but put gas, oil and water in it. The thing had gone 5,000 miles without being serviced AT ALL! He gave it to me and the rest is history. When I got a little cash I started replacing fuel filters, air filters, fuel lines, egr valve, everything, and redid the interior, too. From there I picked up a couple new dogs (was without a dog for several months) and needed a dog box, but figured I'd wait for a good deal. Found a two-hold dog box on Craig's List for $50 (NOT a misprint ). It's not the greatest box in the world, but I it's so light I can carry it around and it does really great in the summer. Before my first trial I was looking all over for a couple big jugs to use for water so I wouldn't have to take several gallong jugs and I happened across a sale on pesticide tanks. Got a 150 gallon tank for a steal, but with nowhere for it, I wound up just strapping it on top of the tool box. Before my last trial I drilled holes around the bottom of the exterior of the bed and fixed 2.5' chains to it, one chain to each corner of the outside of the bed, that I use to stake the dogs out. I fasten their water buckets to the side of the pickup, they can go under the pickup for shade, there's no hassle with setting the stakes or pulling them up and no worries with dogs uprooting the stakes.

The rig's transmission is out (stupidity on my part), so it's out of commission for now. I'll post photos when I remember to take photos while the sun's still out.

I've got an 02 F250 4 door shortbed with the Powerestroke. Just the basic mods. (I don't leave anything unmodified. Custom tuned chip, intake/exhaust, built tranny, lighting upgrades, full replacement front and rear bumpers.

I carry a three hole dog box, with top storage, and a crap load of stuff in the top. For water, a 7 gallon jug and bowl. That rubber stuff livestock bowls are made of.

I'll get pictures. The box is black, like I was told doesn't work. The dogs think it's fine.

I've seen were some guy's mount a 6" plastic water pipe or the inside wall of their pickup. Cap one end with a spiget and 45* elbow and cap on that end to fill it. Looks like a neat set up. I just carry a couple 1 1/2 gal bleach jugs and a bowl. My pickup, 1983 Ford Super 250 has a transfer tank that holds 70 gal of exrta fuel and when I retired my old 69 Chev I took off the eye bolts from each bumper and put then on my Ford. I have 18" chains on them. Dogs ride in the baqck in dog crates.

Actually thinking about selling this box

I drive a Ford F350 4X4 Crew Cab with a 4 hole dog topper, roll out bed slide with 35 gallon water tank, pump, tool box, gun and gear drawer, inside lights and power ventilator. When hunting I usually tow a 24 ft. Airstream trailer. The topper eliminates the fifth wheel hitch, but I am OK with bumper pull for now.

Link: http://wenaha.blogspot.com/2009/10/new-dog-topper.html

Here's a photo of my rig. It's nothing fancy, but it never gives me any mechanical trouble (unless, "hypothetically", someone didn't add transmission fluid to it and the gears went out while you were five hours from home and you got a quote for over $1,200... but, that's just hypothetical). Love this pickup and it gets almost 20 mpg if you go premium. If I get a million bucks, I'll still drive this ol' beater.

This is how I started:



Then this:



And now this! We haven't used the truck or trailer yet for field trialing (just got both of them in the last month), but we can't wait until spring!



The truck is a 2012 Chevy 2500HD with a crew cab, long bed and 4.10 gears (gas). The trailer is a 2004 Bison Alumasport 3Horse w/stud stall, 8' wide, 8' short wall with slide.

8 hole dog trailer with plenty of storage and 21 gallon water tank.
Pulled with a 95 F15O and a 2 hole dog box in the back.


If it is just me going hunting, I ussually leave the trailer home but if there is a few hunting or training then the trailer comes along.

I bought a Honda Element a few months back and I love it. Very dog friendly. Has a rubber floor so clean up is a breeze. Seat fabric is also easy to clean. I popped out one of the back seats for bird season. I can haul two dog crates, three people and all of our gear comfortably. Element gets decent MPG. I would like a small dog trailer down the road but still need to get a hitch put on. All and all I love my rig!

2005 Ram 3500 Quad Cab SLT 4x4 with the Cummins. Cap on back with a platform for 4-varie kennels. Also pull a 2-horse BP for the walkers. So, hunting, testing, trialing or a weekend at Grandma's works. Get 20-21mpg without trailer and 17 with. Love it.

Dirty, muddy, and full of dog hair. LOL.

01 F250 Crew with a 4 horse slant with camper on the front.

Works great, set up some cots in the back and sleeps 6 comfortably with the dogs.

for hunting we take my 06 duramax 4 door with a canopy on the back with the dog kennels and all our hunting gear, with the dogs in the back seat most of the trip because apparently dogs like heated seats,

00 F250 7.3 4x4 with a few standard go fast parts. In the summer and until it gets stupid cold i run open bed and a 2hole dog box. Had my box built 10in shorter so that I can slide the dog box all the way forward and still hook up to our 4horse with living qtrs. when it gets cold I have a camper top and down grade to a bumper hitch stock trailer for the ponies.





Jim

Outlaw,
Over many years we have used a lot of different rigs for transporting us and the dogs to both Grouse hunt and train. At one time when living in Texas we had a pull
along trailer, and a double wheel pick up truck with slide on camper, we used it for years. When I moved back north to Pa I sold the rig and purchased a large SUV with
swing out storage box so the dogs would always be warm, after hunting all day in the cold snowy weather. I was very pleased with this rig for many years, had gun vault
under the cages and lots of storage room for men and dogs. I was lucky and my origianl 350 engine in 1995 Tahoe had little pollution equipment, and it got 18 miles to a gallon of regular gas. I finally traded the vehicle with half a million miles on her, on a new Ford Expodition which I still own today.
RGD/Dave

The 1995 Tahoe with storage Box. Note the two standard size dog cages with, milk carten in between the cages. The storage space in this vehicle was massive.

OK Guys, here you go...sorry it took so long to post my own photos...the purpose of the post in the first place was to see how folks "organized" and "transported" their evergrowing collection of gear and necessities...it seems the longer we are around the more "stuff" (and dogs) we seem to take afield ...I was hoping by each person sharing their rigs.... that some of their ideas on organization might be valuable for someone else to use....I am fully convinced that there is no perfect rig...if you train, hunt, trial, test, guide, etc. in multiple venues, I'm certain you could have 5 different setups and still not have the perfect one for each thing...for me, this setup has proven to be the best for the things I do in the multitude of places I do them...it's not perfect by any stretch, but seems to be versatile enough to fit the bill at least the majority of the time....keep 'em coming...I could use a few more ideas myself....

Here's a few more

Nothing fancy here, my days of big dog rigs are over. Now I just drive a tundra with a storage box built into the back end and two kennels ratcheted to the top.

Man alive Outlaw, nice setup!!!!! Wowsers!

Nice trailer outlaw, looks like a deerskin, I've been very pleased with my deerskin box.

One day I will have a truck with dog boxes, but until truck's run on some alternative fuel or I get rich, this is my rig, and you might be amazed at what I can take this bad boy through. Unfortunately I have to pull the engine and do the head gaskets sometime this spring, the subaru flaw.... :roll:

Here is how me & the llews get it done! However with gas prices as they are her days are numbered!

Phoenix great plate!!!

birddog1968 wrote:Nice trailer outlaw, looks like a deerskin, I've been very pleased with my deerskin box.

It's a Jones.

Here is the "Amazon". Expedition 97' next to a Kansas pheasant field. Before I had a 84' Bronco.

phoenix when that ole gas guzzler gets too long in the tooth for ya, let me know, I'd love to own her.......nothin like an older AMC.

Birddog she is actually for sale. I know I will regret it. I have been restoring her for a bit now. I as about to list her on ebay. She is an 89, I stripped the entire interior, sanded, painted the floor, applied BedArmor & fat mat sound deadening. Did the same to the roof & put in a new headliner. The interior is mint. Shehas 142k on the clock & has a rebuilt 360 in her with around 5k miles. I replaced all of the crappy flex track power window regulators with new model units from a grand cherokee (metal worm drive). Allo thats left to do is some body work & paint & she will be cherry. I havent done it because she looks good to me and I push her down overgrown 2 tracks in persuit of grouse & such. I couldnt see dropping 3k on bw & paint just to scratch it up! Im goint to list her for $3500 even though I know she is worth more. Unfortunatly Old wagoneers take the right kind of buyer. People like me & you ho appriciate what she is. I know this. She goes where most trucks wont. Lol last week I climed the nastiest, muddiest hill to get deep in some cover & walked away with $50 bucks from the group of bear hunters that bet me she wouldnt go up it. None of their toyotas or chevys would! LOL Only in a Jeep Baby!!!

Ford PowerStroke, it has been a great rig. Very seldom are there birds on the tail gate.

2007 plenty of room for me and pup. No problems getting to the good spots!!!

Here she is, not nearly as nice as the others here. Darn spare tire in the back takes up ALOT of valuable room.

Here is our RIG headed for South Texas. Polaris Ranger with dog boxes built by Jones Trailer. Three dog box in back of truck built by Creative Sports Supply. Truck built by Government Motors. Birds hard to find.

Some of you guy really know how to instill envy in a guy!! Bossman that is one SWEET set up!!




quote="bossman"]Here is our RIG headed for South Texas. Polaris Ranger with dog boxes built by Jones Trailer. Three dog box in back of truck built by Creative Sports Supply. Truck built by Government Motors. Birds hard to find.

[/quote]

Nothing fancy. Home built box. Totes in the back seat or under the boxes. Cooler in the back. This was my chevy, (I still have it but now this is on my dodge cumins with a grizzly locker 4X4. The Chevy has 320,000 miles or so. The dodge 160,000 or so.)

last years rig

My new rig this year , now i need a little advice on a trailer for the truck.

Is that motor home rated to tow 10,000 lbs?

I don't know birddog, it is an e350 with a 6.6 eng.
I'll have to check!

I assume, maybe wrongly, your wanting to tow the Pickup behind the motor home, on a trailer......

yes birddog , i was ; you think it is too small ?

I would say with the weight of the truck and a trailer you are going to be over your max. I would look into to the attachment that will allow you to just pull it.

Something along this line. http://www.roadmasterinc.com/products/t ... lcon2.html

If you have any questions feel free to ask.

You all have some nice rigs. I enjoy looking at other set ups. Phoenix, the old Jeep is cool, you just don't see them around any more. I would have liked to seen the bear hunters when she made it up the hill. Way back in the day I had a couple also; a 77' Wagoneer and a 79' Cherokee.

motor probably do it, might be hard on the trans, its the RV manufactures frame/engine capabilities you need to know.
I'd just be interested to know if it'd work, looks boarderline to me but thats just from an uneducated guess, I'm certainly not telling you it won't. If you can find and post the GVWR or CombinedWR again i'd be interested to hear if thats do'able.

I used to build horse trailers for a living so the easist thing for me to do to get what I wanted................ build it

Here is my rig...97 ford R-title... 6 holes,top storage... Built the box around a 01 Toyota Leer topper .. Car Fans in top storage and batts in under boxes.
Under boxes where fabed from old penn-dot work box cut in half..Great place to haul birds/coons or a Britt lol. Need some kind of water set up... Thinking of ripping out the back gas tank and welding up a water tank this winter ..It has dual tanks

So here is the old waggy's replacement. Now I just have to find a dog box! Have to save up for that, thaose things are friggin expensive!

Thats sweet! Expecially the setters!!!

Wildweeds wrote:I used to build horse trailers for a living so the easist thing for me to do to get what I wanted................ build it

Phoenix,

The setter mural was CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP, 400 bucks.The guy who did it should know better at age 63 and 4 rounds of treatment and 2 stints in prison but the cocaine got him bad, the more he smokes the better and wilder his airbrush work gets.The key to working with a fellow like this is half now and half when your done.He's a helluva freehand pinstriper too.The mural with clearcoat took him about 4 hours total.

phoenix wrote:Thats sweet! Expecially the setters!!!

Wildweeds wrote:I used to build horse trailers for a living so the easist thing for me to do to get what I wanted................ build it

Here is mine

2006 Chevy Colorado 4x4 crew cab. Just paid it off last month!

Dog box is a Pro-Built - it's cheap but gets the job done. One of the few I could find that fits in the bed of the Colorado. Now that the truck is paid off my next purchases will be a spray in bed liner and then a topper.

Picture taken outside of the lodge at Nelson Ridge game preserve with some guys I'm trying to get into bird hunting and bird dogs.