Training In The Cold

[gunflint]

I've been busy studying and reading as much as possible on training my pup. (17 week old English Setter.) I've learned a lot here and the advice to my questions as usual has been top notch. For now I'm just working on basic obedience. My question is this. What are some techniques I can use to start training him on upland bird hunting when winter hits? Last year we had snow on the ground for 7 months. I'm concerned that as he comes into his own personality wise and maturity wise I won't be able to do much effectively in relation to upland bird hunting until maybe mid-April due to deep snow and cold temps. Any ideas? Thanks.

[ezzy333]

Next April will be about the right time to get started with serious training Remember, dogs know how to hunt, and your job is to give it the opportunity to learn where and how my going for walks with your mouth shut most of the time and teaching him the manners that you want like steady and retrieving, coming when called, walking on a leash, house and truck broke, and manners around people.

Ezzy

[DonF]

Next April will be about the right time to get started with serious training Remember, dogs know how to hunt, and your job is to give it the opportunity to learn where and how my going for walks with your mouth shut most of the time and teaching him the manners that you want like steady and retrieving, coming when called, walking on a leash, house and truck broke, and manners around people.

Ezzy

+1

Where do you live? Sometime's in heavy snow country like that you have to look pretty hard for an area. Doesn't matter if snow is on the ground, what you need is pocket's of cover where you can plant a bird. The area's may be small but they are better than nothing.

[Fun dog]

I did all my prelim training with Lily during the winter. I had a very small area with just a tuft of grass or clump of alder to hide the birds in, but really winter is a great time for teaching heel, here, whoa. By the time the snow melted Lily was ready to have birds shot over her and on to some more serious training.

[Neil]

Good advice, but you can and should train in the cold snow. If I can hunt in it, I can train in it, and I have hunted in 3 feet of snow at zero degrees.

[cjhills]

Good advice, but you can and should train in the cold snow. If I can hunt in it, I can train in it, and I have hunted in 3 feet of snow at zero degrees.

really

[ezzy333]

Good advice, but you can and should train in the cold snow. If I can hunt in it, I can train in it, and I have hunted in 3 feet of snow at zero degrees.

The winter of 77-78 we had 40 inches on the ground and it was cold. Would take the dogs out and we would find quail after quail with a few pheasants mixed in dead in the drifts. Dogs would point them and we had to dig them out. Only problem with snow and cold is watching the dogs feet and help them clean the snow balls from between their toes if they couldn't get them clean by themselves.

Happens about every winter around here.

Ezzy

[Neil]

Good advice, but you can and should train in the cold snow. If I can hunt in it, I can train in it, and I have hunted in 3 feet of snow at zero degrees.

really

Really.

I drive 1200 miles, I am hunting. There had been 40 mph winds after the snow fall, so there were nearly bare ground with drifts in the ditches, where the birds usually are. It was hard hunting and we didn't shoot many birds, but we did hunt.

[gunflint]

The second to last time I went deer hunting it was 17 below zero and the snow was so loud the deer could hear me leave the house. Anyway depending on the winter we should be fine. Yesterday I found a good grouse area within walking distance from our house. Lots of birds as it's inside the city limits and can't be hunted. Chief accidently flushed his first grouse yesterday. I'd like to tell everyone how great his hunting instincts are. Before the bird was 10 feet away Chief was already back tracking at full speed and about knocked me over. I'll have to work on that.

[cjhills]

Good advice, but you can and should train in the cold snow. If I can hunt in it, I can train in it, and I have hunted in 3 feet of snow at zero degrees.

The winter of 77-78 we had 40 inches on the ground and it was cold. Would take the dogs out and we would find quail after quail with a few pheasants mixed in dead in the drifts. Dogs would point them and we had to dig them out. Only problem with snow and cold is watching the dogs feet and help them clean the snow balls from between their toes if they couldn't get them clean by themselves.

Happens about every winter around here.

Ezzy

The real problem with hunting in deep snow and extreme cold is Hypothermia. Dogs die from that and it can happen very quickly. It is just plain silly to train in deep snow and extreme cold. We are not talking three foot drifts here which the dogs can run on top of, we are talking three ft. of snow on the ground and long periods when zero would be a nice day. It does not take long for the dog to walk on the back of your snowshoes and give up hunting plus the grouse are in three feet of snow to protect themselves from the cold and predators. they give off little or no scent.
As Ezzy or somebody said, there is a lot of training you can do indoors or in the yard and have the dog ready for birds in the spring. Hopefully, we can get in a few more days of grouse hunting and training this fall before the snow falls and spring will come early at least before June.
Driving up there to see the color this week.......................Cj

[Neil]

Just like with high heat, you have to be extremely cautious in cold and snow. It is hard to keep them hydrated as water gets hard below 32 degrees. You need to take breaks, even come back to the truck or house to warm up, use towels to dry them, etc. But other than lighting and winds above 60 mph, I train in all weather. I have found that it is usually us humans that avoid the discomfort. You need to practice in bad weather, you don't want your first experience with it to be on a hunt.

But to repeat CJhills' point, be very careful and don't let a dog injure or kill themselves, you have to be the adult.

Neil

[gunflint]

Cj,
Your timing should be pretty good. We're at about 30% turned with Maple and Oak and maybe about 10%Birch and Popal. Plenty of birds around also.

[gonehuntin']

I do train them in the winter at that age, sort of. I work them on whoa and here and take them into the woods, letting them run as far as they want. You'll need snowshoes or skis. I also get them handling wing clip birds, retrieving only. I don't do much pointing work with them until spring because they can trail you to the birds. Come spring, you'll have plenty of time.

[welsh]

Deep snow is also dandy for causing ACL injuries.

[gunflint]

Great stuff guys, I will be blowing out a run for him maybe 150' x 20' so he will at least be able to turn on the after burners once in a while. It's almost unreal the way the little ball of fur I brought home a couple of months ago can now stretch from one end of the love seat to the other. And although he's all puppy there's an occasional flash of maturity and stone cold seriousness when he's got his nose in the wind and picks up a scent. I regret waiting so long to get into this.

[gonehuntin']

Watch you lakes up there once they're frozen. Lots of times most of the snow is blown off them and the dogs can really crank on them.

[ibbowhunting]

yep I run my dogs on the lake in the winter also,they think is a big field

[mnaj_springer]

Good advice, but you can and should train in the cold snow. If I can hunt in it, I can train in it, and I have hunted in 3 feet of snow at zero degrees.

Haha Neil, last winter that was t-shirt weather here in MinneSNOWta. Gunflint, just watch your dog closely while training in the winter. I know I won't be training outside when it's -20 with 15 MPH winds!

[gunflint]

I should have explained my question better. When we say "cold" in Minnesota we start at zero degrees and go down from there. Anything above zero is considered either nippy or chilly depending on the wind.

[Neil]

I should have explained my question better. When we say "cold" in Minnesota we start at zero degrees and go down from there. Anything above zero is considered either nippy or chilly depending on the wind.

When I am kind enough to give advice would you all please exercise some common sense in applying it. Please tell me the number of consecutive daytime highs of sub-zero you have in an average Winter? It is a mistake to hibernate for 6 months.

[cjhills]

I do not believe anybody said anything about hibernating. We are all out in it every day. But there is no reason to do outside training in the dead of winter or in 50 mile an hour winds. The bird work can wait for better weather.
Nothing good would come of trying to train in sub zero temps with 50 mile and hour winds. People who live up here know that and Do not do it. It is abusive to the dogs and serves no useful purpose. No need to train in bad weather just because someday you might hunt in it.
Many winters we go a week or more with sub zero highs and a couple months below freezing. There are some clear still sub zero days and the dogs love to running in that kind of weather but mostly it is excerise, not training....................Cj

[Neil]

If I can hunt in it, then I will train in it.

[Tejas]

I wouldn't know.

[cutty72]

If I can hunt in it, then I will train in it.

I modify that a bit. If I WILL hunt it in, then I will train in it.
Love getting in the field, but there are times that it's just not worth it.