Waterfowl Risks

[ESS13]

I have only hunted my springer for upland game, no waterfowl yet. Since I love watching my dog work, I am now finding myself looking for any excuse to have my dog with me in the field.

Do you waterfowl guys take extra precautions while afield? I would think having a dog in a boat, out making water retrieves in possibly cold weather, Or simply making a water retrieve is much more dangerous than simply hunting upland on land. I hear horror stories of dogs swimming out to sea and never coming back, dogs jumping overboard and getting hit by the prop, getting caught in decoy spread.....kinda scary stuff to me.

Is it basically common sense or do you waterfowl guys prepare your dogs for specific things before going out? I would like to start pursuing waterfowl hunts.

[Pedro]

Not sure how springer coat compares with brittany, but I've taken my brittanys on early season teal hunts, they did fine. I grew up duck hunting timber and rivers in AR with labs. That was not a job for a brittany, nor would I imagine a Springer.

Yes, you need to expose your dog to boats, motors, decoys, steadiness is preferable to breaking...

[mnaj_springer]

Springers make great waterfowl dogs with two caveats...

1. They have properly conditioned to the conditions in which they will be hunting. That includes getting in and out of a boat, ignoring decoys, simply retrieving in water, having retrieved an actual duck, sitting steady and quietly in the blind, etc.

2. They aren't going to break the ice like a lab or chessie.

My little springer hunts waterfowl with me. I have one of those neoprene vests for her to help with warmth and a little help with flotation. I also conditioned her to decoys. I laid them out in the yard and walked her at a heel through them... every time she tried to nose one I said, "Leave it!" and brought her back to a heel. After we could walk through without her paying attention to the decoys I started throwing retrieves off to the side, eventually working my way closer and closer until she was running through the decoys to get the dummy thrown. All of that is on land, in the yard. After we had that down I moved to the water, same thing... off to the side, working closer, etc. My decoy line is the tanglefree plastic coated stuff. It doesn't wrap around plants or dog legs as easy. The conditioning is the same with the boat... if you have a canoe or jon boat, start with it on the lawn, just getting the dog used to being in it, making it a good experience, then practice getting in and out, then after all that is done and you can move to retrieves out of the boat. All on land, before anything in the water.

I don't do much waterfowling after the day time temps are consistently below freezing. I'm sure she would retrieve even if it was 10 below, but I'm not risking it. And I also take breaks during slow times to let my pup run around on shore so she can warm up.

Keep in mind I hunt dabblers mostly, and on ponds, creeks, and small lakes in Minnesota.

[gonehuntin']

You'll have to put a vest on her and still watch the water temps.

Biggest thing is first breaking her through decoys like the other poster said, then to never rig your decoys in a gang set so she can tangle in them. Always use individual decoys with lines the correct length and heavier weights so she won't tangle in them. I've trained dogs that had tangled in decoy lines and nearly drowned before the owners got them out. I had to re-train them to go through or in the decoys again. Took time but it was doable although I don't think a one of those dogs were ever comfortable in decoys again.

[Sharon]

some excellent advice here:

http://www.ducks.org/hunting/retriever- ... ck-hunting

[Timewise65]

I hunt retrievers and primarily hunt waterfowl. Most of the comments noted above are good. I think if proper preparation of the dog has been done (recall must be at 100% because your dog may be out over 100+yds. swimming after a wounded duck, if the duck dives or fly's away...this is a common occurrence in most duck/goose hunts) Make sure you have a neoprene vest that the dog is conditioned to wearing, you are probably ok from a safety point of view. If ice is not forming on the water is also important dogs can be trained to break ice, but some dogs just are not built to handle that task...!

One comment, though, in waterfowl hunting it is common place that the dog will not see a bird fall (two or more hunters shooting at an incoming group of birds may drop or more birds. Typically, most dogs cannot mark well, in that situation. So that becomes the 'go' bird. After that first marked retrieve you have to have a dog trained to do a blind retrieve which involves lining, stopping on whistle, and following hand directions so you can direct them to the other down birds. This training takes an experienced trainer 3-6 months to teach well enough to hunt, using this technique. If you dog cannot do this it is very difficult to get those other birds....not impossible if you are in waste deep water, but if you are on big water....you will have to wait until the wind blows the birds to shore....

If you hunt ducks/geese in a lightly flooded corn field most of these issues go away, provided you have a 100% recall trained into the dog.....retrievers are all trained to whistle commands, not necessary but saves a lot of yelling....!

[fishvik]

I agree with all the previous postings, but let me add a few thoughts. First start practicing boat work this summer, particularly if you use a canoe. Your swimming, or just getting wet, is better when the water is warm. Practice the pressure on the top of the head method of bringing the dog into the boat. Also if you hunt a body of water with current practice retrieves in current. One hint on this is keep your dog at heel until the downed bird clears the decoys. That way when you are hunting divers with gang rigs, like I do, the dog won't get tangled in lines. In addition when hunting current encourage the dog to swim with the current to shore and finish the retrieve by running the shore. Trying to swim against current back to the blind just puts unnecessary stress on a dog. And if you use your dog later in the season make sure you add some more fat to their diet.

[ESS13]

I agree with all the previous postings, but let me add a few thoughts. First start practicing boat work this summer, particularly if you use a canoe. Your swimming, or just getting wet, is better when the water is warm. Practice the pressure on the top of the head method of bringing the dog into the boat. Also if you hunt a body of water with current practice retrieves in current. One hint on this is keep your dog at heel until the downed bird clears the decoys. That way when you are hunting divers with gang rigs, like I do, the dog won't get tangled in lines. In addition when hunting current encourage the dog to swim with the current to shore and finish the retrieve by running the shore. Trying to swim against current back to the blind just puts unnecessary stress on a dog. And if you use your dog later in the season make sure you add some more fat to their diet.

Can you explain the pressure on top of the head method please?

[ESS13]

Awesome responses thank you so much to all. I can relate to everyones suggestions. They are all very practical and safe. I would get along with you all when afield thanks.

[fishvik]

Deleted

[fishvik]

Can you explain the pressure on top of the head method please?

I agree with all the previous postings, but let me add a few thoughts. First start practicing boat work this summer, particularly if you use a canoe. Your swimming, or just getting wet, is better when the water is warm. Practice the pressure on the top of the head method of bringing the dog into the boat. Also if you hunt a body of water with current practice retrieves in current. One hint on this is keep your dog at heel until the downed bird clears the decoys. That way when you are hunting divers with gang rigs, like I do, the dog won't get tangled in lines. In addition when hunting current encourage the dog to swim with the current to shore and finish the retrieve by running the shore. Trying to swim against current back to the blind just puts unnecessary stress on a dog. And if you use your dog later in the season make sure you add some more fat to their diet.

Can you explain the pressure on top of the head method please?

As the dog swims to the side of the boat they usually will put both paws up on the gunnel of the boat. If you put your hand on the back of their head and exert pressure forward towards their muzzle, while they have their paws on the gunnel, it will give them the leverage to enter the boat. This works real well on the smaller to midsize breeds(springers, GSPS) and with a little practice will work on larger breeds(Labs)

[DougB]

Can you explain the pressure on top of the head method please?

I agree with all the previous postings, but let me add a few thoughts. First start practicing boat work this summer, particularly if you use a canoe. Your swimming, or just getting wet, is better when the water is warm. Practice the pressure on the top of the head method of bringing the dog into the boat. Also if you hunt a body of water with current practice retrieves in current. One hint on this is keep your dog at heel until the downed bird clears the decoys. That way when you are hunting divers with gang rigs, like I do, the dog won't get tangled in lines. In addition when hunting current encourage the dog to swim with the current to shore and finish the retrieve by running the shore. Trying to swim against current back to the blind just puts unnecessary stress on a dog. And if you use your dog later in the season make sure you add some more fat to their diet.

Can you explain the pressure on top of the head method please?

As the dog swims to the side of the boat they usually will put both paws up on the gunnel of the boat. If you put your hand on the back of their head and exert pressure forward towards their muzzle, while they have their paws on the gunnel, it will give them the leverage to enter the boat. This works real well on the smaller to midsize breeds(springers, GSPS) and with a little practice will work on larger breeds(Labs)

Or get a vest with a handle built in. And carry a towel. Springers get wet all the way through, and could use some drying off and some wind protection.