ProStaffer Rick Smith with Regional Sales Manager Josh Miller's English Setter Breeze giving a seminar to over 300 people at Pheasant Fest 2012.
For those of us that are upland bird hunters, the name Pheasants Forever is a name we can easily recognize. They are one of many organizations that are dedicated to preserving the sport we love to partake in. What some of us may not know is they can also throw one heck of a party!
Every year, Pheasants Forever puts on the event that they call Pheasant Fest. I have been fortunate enough to be a part of it now for the last 3 years. Each year they move to a different location to try to reach as many of their supporters as possible. Each year it seems to get better and better and this year, in particular, was very special to me.
Growing up as a kid, I was the same as many: Athletes were who I looked at as who I wanted to be like when I grew up. For me there was, Michael Jordan, Sammy Sosa, Troy Aikman and my love/hate relationship with Bret Favre. As I got older and my passion for dogs blossomed, I started replacing them with the names of trainers. The interesting thing about looking up to people is that you always seem to look up to the best. So, that’s exactly who I was looking up to: the best of the best. Now, the coolest part of my job is, if you look at SportDOG’s Senior Pro Staff list that is exactly what you will find, the best! I am now on the same team as all of the trainers I looked up to in my younger days.
I have been very fortunate with where my path has led me. I can now honestly say that I am very close friends with many of the names that I once and quite frankly, still do look up to. Tom Dokken and Rick Smith were two names that as a kid I wanted to meet so badly and now I can proudly say I am very close with. This year at Pheasant Fest I was able to cross two more names off of that list by finally being able to meet Ronnie and Delmar Smith!
If you are an upland hunter or a dog enthusiast, this event is a must to try to get to at least once. The lineup of seminars on the main stage brought to you by SportDOG and Purina is reason enough to get to this event! With names like Tom Dokken, Rick, Ronnie and Delmar Smith, Rick Grant and Jim Morehouse giving you their knowledge while up on stage, you will not be disappointed. Not to mention all of the exhibitors that are there showing off their products. You are sure to leave with a bag full of goodies and a big smile on your face.
About Josh
Josh Miller is the newest official member of the SportDOG team, having accepted a position as Regional Sales Manager in August of last year, but he’s been working with SportDOG™ through contract sales since 2008. Josh lives in Wisconsin and has been training dogs for the last 8 years. A few years ago, he started training his brown lab Easton to shed hunt, and the pair recently won the NASHDA World Championship. He is also the proud owner of a English Setter named Breeze.
In the prime of wetland season here, we shared with you some of our favorite duck recipes. We got some great responses from a lot of your about your favorite recipes, as well as some requests for pheasant recipes. In honor of Pheasant Fest 2012, and of getting some birds out of our deep freezers, we are going to share with you all some of our favorite meals involving this staple of upland hunting.
Orange Pheasant
This dish is great because anyone can make it. Yes, anyone. Wild game can intimidate a lot of beginning cooks because everyone has a nightmare story of the time they burned the heck-fire out of a whole duck and had to air out their house for a month or cooking a pheasant that turned out so dry eating sandpaper was a viable alternative, and venison. We have heard enough venison horror stories to start a “How Not To” book on the subject. We promise though, this recipe is quick, easy and painless, but it tastes fantastic.
Pheasant in Orange Sauce is a quick and delicious meal for every skill level.
Ingredients:
1 Pheasant, Skinned and Split in Half Lengthwise
3 Tablespoons Butter
1 Cup Water
1 Teaspoon Instant Chicken Bouillon
½ Cup Orange Marmalade
¼ Cup Orange Juice
Paprika
Directions:
Wash the pheasant and pat dry. Lightly sprinkle both sides of the pheasant with paprika according to your own taste (not a fan of spicy? Skip this step). Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a skillet and brown pheasant on both sides. Mix water and bouillon and pour over the pheasant. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes until pheasant is tender, turning the meat often. Combine marmalade and OJ. Once the broth has cooked off of the pheasant, baste with marmalade/juice mixture. Simmer uncovered and baste frequently for 10 minutes. Serve with your favorite side, and a nice cold one.
Pheasant En Croute
This one is from Marketing Specialist, Eleanor Marshall. Her attempt to bag her first pheasant left her covered in briars, cut, bruised and bleeding…but beaming with a pheasant in hand. She managed a few more kills that trip, but this one had a special place in her heart. El swears she tracked that bird for miles, and when she got home she spent weeks researching and thinking of the perfect way to eat this bird. “I worked hard to get this thing” she said, “it’s gonna taste good.” After about a month of stewing on the idea, El gave this recipe a try. It’s a conglomeration of other recipes she found from friends, online and in cook books. It’s a little more involved in preparation, but it’s worth the effort.
Ingredients:
4 Pheasant Breasts
Salt and Pepper
2 Tablespoon Butter
¾ Cup Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Diced
1 Shallot
2 Clove Garlic
1/8 Cup Finely Chopped Mushrooms
1 Teaspoon Sage
4 Slices of Bacon
4 Sheets of Puff Pastry
1 Beaten Egg
Directions:
When you work hard for a bird, it needs to taste good. Pheasant En Croute, one of the best spoils of victory.
Begin by melting 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat. Add garlic and shallot and sauté until soft and translucent. Remove from garlic/shallot mixture from heat and set aside. In the same pan that the garlic and shallot were in, melt another teaspoon of butter. Season the pheasant breasts with salt and pepper and sear in butter. Remove breasts from heat and set aside. In a large bowl,mix the mozzarella, shallot/garlic mixture and sage. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide cheese mixture into quarters. Stuff one quarter into each breast (make sure breasts are cooled enough to handle). Wrap each stuffed breast with a slice of bacon. Wrap bacon-wrapped-stuffed-breasts with sheet of puff pastry. Brush the top of each pastry with beaten egg. Bake at 425 degrees for 13-16 minutes. Remove from oven and enjoy!
Give these recipes a try and let us know what you think. As always, we’re constantly looking for new recipes, so please share your favorite pheasant preparations.
Joining the SportDOG team has taken me places I never dreamed I would be able to go. SHOT Show, Game Fair in Anoka, MN, the Bird Dog Hall of Fame in Grand Junction, TN and various hunts that would have taken me years to pull off on my own accord. All of these have been incredibly special to me for a variety of reasons. SHOT Show brought with it a feeling of VIP status in the shooting, hunting and outdoor industry being able to view the newest releases of all of my favorite brands, Game Fair introduced me to my first Dock Dogs event and I got to meet many of our fans and customers in person and the Hall of Fame induction was one of the most moving experiences I have ever had the pleasure of attending. I have gotten to attend many extraordinary events on behalf of SportDOG, and all have been exceptional, but the one that has had the most profound effect on me to date is Pheasant Fest 2011.
Ed Radar, Marketing Specialist Eleanor Marshall and SportDOG Vice President Lance Tracy with the legendary Tom Dokken at El's first Pheasant Fest.
Last year was my first appearance at Pheasant Fest, and it is a memory I will cherish always. Like Game Fair, I got to meet an astounding number of our fans and supporters, and I really cannot express to you what a great joy that is for me and the rest of the SportDOG team. It’s awesome to get to interact with you guys, hear product experiences and see families out enjoying a day dedicated to the arts of hunting and conservation. What really stood out about this event for me though, was our ProStaff. Rick Smith, Rick Grant and Tom Dokken were all at the show with me, working the booth. By then, I had gotten to talk to all of these guys a lot on the phone, and I had even met Tom Dokken in person, but Pheasant Fest represented three full days of getting to hang out with these guys, see their seminars and talk about everything dog training.
We talk a lot about how much our ProStaff does to help us conceptualize and perfect our products. We talk about what incredible trainers they are. All of this is true, but what we could not do justice to, even if we dedicated a thousand blogs to the subject, is what great people they all are. They truly amazed me with their willingness to talk me (a young lady from backwoods Tennessee with limited access to upland birds and little success in the area of dog training) through every aspect of my training experience. They were patient and kind and willing to talk for hours. While they may have chuckled a few times at some of my past training fiascos (a much nicer response than some are owed I assure you) they never judged or condemned me for my missteps, but instead led me to be able to overcome some of my past errors and to have the faith in myself to make them better in the future, and that experience was not limited to me.
Category Manager Darrell Douglas, Sales Manager Josh Miller, Delmar Smith, Rick Grant, Tom Dokken, Rick Smith and Ronnie Smith at Pheasant Fest 2012.
Tom Dokken is basically a rock star of the dog training world. He filled our booth with people wanting signatures on his book and advice on their training, and Tom spoke at length to each and every one of them. He is always excited to talk to anyone and everyone about dog training, hunting and shed hunting. It is incredibly humbling to watch him work, and the same can be said of Rick Smith and Rick Grant. Rick Smith, his brother Ronnie Smith and their dad, Delmar, are basically the First Family of dog training. I think together they represent over 80 years of dog training experience, but they are all as patient and kind as you can find in any human being and they will talk to you for as long as you are willing to listen and learn because they sincerely want to help you. Rick Grant also offers a humble style and willingness to go the extra mile to make sure your experience and your dog’s is the best it can possibly be.
I think I was most blown away by this group of guys at our last dinner. As the only representation of SportDOG employees (Sales Manager Josh Miller was also there, but at this time he was not on our payroll) the guys came to the table with a plethora of praise, critiques and criticisms for our entire line of products. I heard every detail of win and miss in the six years that had transpired since we were founded in 2003 and I started in 2009. It was a lot to take in, to say the least. Then, just when I was feeling overwhelmed, Rick Smith looked me in the eye and said “The most important thing to know about any of this is that we’re telling it to you because we care. We are rooting for you guys, and you’ve all come so far. We want to make sure you all continue to lead the way. We’re proud to be a part of this team, and we want to keep it that way.” This statement was followed by adamant agreements from Tom, Rick Grant and Josh, and I whole heartedly believed them. I still do. Though I had suspected it my entire career here, that dinner cemented for me that we have the best possible support in these guys, and our entire ProStaff line-up.
SportDOG's own Josh Miller with his dog, Easton, after winning the NASHDA World Championship.
Since leaving Pheasant Fest, Tom has helped me train my lab mix while visiting our Knoxville office. Rick Smith extended the invitation to the Hall of Fame Induction mentioned above and Rick Grant continues to be a consistent voice of advice and guidance. Josh Miller has also come into his own training fame with his dog Easton. The pair are now the NASHDA World Shed Hunting Champions. I could not be prouder to know these guys. They have taught me so much, and I know I’ll learn so much more from them over the years.
If you’re going to be at Pheasant Fest this weekend in Kansas City, MO, I strongly recommend stopping by our booth and taking the time to talk to these guys about any questions you may have. Rick Smith, Rick Grant and Tom will be joined by Ronnie and Delmar Smith and Jim Morehouse. Together, these guys represent more than 85 years in dog training, and they are more than willing to share all of that with you. Also, definitely try to see at least one of their seminars. The Bird Dog stage is right by our booth and there are seminars planned every hour. One conversation with these guys and you will understand exactly why I am so glad to know them and have them as friends and mentors.
Hope to see you this weekend at Pheasant Fest 2012.
About Eleanor
Eleanor, El, Marshall is Assistant Marketing Specialist for SportDOG. She joined the team a little over 2 1/2 years ago. El is a graduate of the University of Tennessee with majors in Business and Communications. She is a die-hard UT fan, even through the rotten years. El lives in Knoxville with her beagle, Blitz, and her four year-old son. She is a proud momma who intends to educate her son in all things hunting as soon as he’s big enough to carry a shotgun.
Taking the new SD-1875 through the paces at one of our favorite hunting lodges, Sinkola in Thomasville, GA.
If you follow SportDOG regularly, you know we talk about field testing our products a lot. There are two main reasons for this: 1. It’s fun. Let’s be honest, the chance to get out of the office and into the field in the name of work is our idea of a winning scenario, and 2. It’s just that important. We know that it doesn’t matter how good we make a product look or how many features we add to it, if it doesn’t work it’s not worth it. We spend too much time and energy making our products the best they can possibly be not to put them through the paces before we give them over to you, and put them through the paces we do. Our products experience every real-world scenario we can put them through before they ever reach the shelf.
Our official field testing begins as soon as we build the first prototypes of one of our new products. The first handfuls go to the engineers to put through the rigors of the lab. Fancy machines drop, stomp, throw and otherwise mutilate our newly built models. Provided they stand up to the abuse of the indoors, they’re turned over to the team and we get to take them out and put them through the scenarios even the most high-tech labs could never simulate. Whether hunting individually or as a group on one of our many hunting get-aways, we make sure whatever product we are testing is something we are proud to have our names on. If it passes this portion of the test, it’s on to the real challenge: field testers.
Now, while all of us would like to dedicate days, weeks, even months to solely testing our new prototypes in the field, as of now our paychecks require us to put in at least 40 hours a week in the office making sure all of our projects come together, and you’d be hard pressed to find one of us that isn’t putting in far more than that. When one of us becomes independently wealthy, you can expect to find us in the field judging our products pretty much 24/7, until then, we get by with a little help from our friends. We recruit the likes of Tom Dokken, Rick and Ronnie Smith, Chris Akin, Charlie Jurney and many of our prostaffers to really put our prototypes to the test, and boy do they, and they tell us all about it. We don’t mind telling you that these guys can be brutally honest about what we’ve giving them. Many times their feedback has sent us back to the drawing board.
The newest edition to the SportDOG line of superior e-collars, the UplandHunter 1875 .
Generally, we send them prototypes when they are heavy in hunting or training season and basically tell them to try and destroy the system, and to give us open and honest feedback about how it performs. They take this to heart. It’s our general policy that after we send them out, we call them once a week to check in and get feedback. This timing alone tells you right off the bat if the field test is going to go good or bad. If the product’s working, we’ll talk to the guys when we call them for their scheduled check-in. If the testing is going poorly? The phones are ringing off the hook. No one waits around for us to call them when there is something they want off their chest, and that’s what we need. A sanity check. A person that’s not been essentially married to this product for the last 6 months to 3 years to say “this isn’t going to work” or “you nailed it”. We prefer the latter, but it’s the previous that keeps us getting better.
A lot of work goes into our field testing, and most of the time even more work comes out of it, but it’s one of our favorite parts of the job. It’s exciting to see a product come together, and while solving the various problems that can arise in dealing with technology can be a headache, it’s also awesome when we finally get it right. It’s that moment when all of our field testers agree that we’ve done a great job that we start getting excited about getting it out to you. We’re hoping to get one of our tester’s to document his/her field testing time this year, so hopefully you will be able to get a first-hand look at what goes into testing our products, so check back for an inside look into the beginnings of some of our next awesome products.
As most of you already know, the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show is the biggest show in the hunting/tactical industry. It is also where we debut all of our new products for the coming year, and this year was no different. We’ve got a lot of great stuff coming to you throughout the year, so keep your eyes open for all of these great products in 2012:
UplandHunter® 1875
The UplandHunter® 1875 (model SD-1875) is the latest and greatest in our UplandHunter® line. If our SportHunter® 1825 and the old UplandHunter® 1850 could mate, this would be the result. It’s got all the great attributes of its predecessor, with all of the updated technology of our most recent systems. You still get your mile of range, with 9 selectable tones, 3 run modes (silent, 5- or 10-second beep) and our UplandBlaze® orange finish so your beeper, collar receiver and transmitter are all easy to see in the field. You also get 7 levels of continuous or momentary stimulation, vibration and tone, the ability to control up to 3 dogs and a two hour charge time on the beeper, collar receiver and transmitter, and it all comes to you in a sleek, ergonomic collar and lightweight transmitter. The beeper, which field testing shows can be heard up to 500 yards, will also be available as an addition to 1825 systems as the SD-BEEP, so those of you with an SD-1825 that have been waiting for this day, it’s finally here. As is true with all of our systems, the SD-1875 will have DRYTEK™ technology so it is waterproof and submersible up to 25 feet.
We are in the final rounds of field testing this awesome addition to the SportDOG line-up now, so expect it online or in a store near you this coming summer.
400 and 800 Family Updates
The FieldTrainer® 400 and 400S, WetlandHunter® 400 and SportHunter® 800 are a few of our most popular products on the market. For many of you, this was probably your introduction to our brand if not your current system. We are incredibly proud of these products. We’ve brought them all a long way since their introduction all those years ago, and they’ve built our brand incredibly well. However, we realize even great products can get better, and with that in mind we began to work on updating these systems. All of the new 400 series (models SD-425, SD-425S and SD-425CAMO) will offer an extended range of 500 yards and all of these new systems will feature continuous and momentary stimulation, vibration and tone for all of the 3 dogs you can control with one transmitter. In addition, these products will have a charge time of only 2 hours. Another great attribute of these updated products is that they come with the smallest collar receiver we have ever introduced. This collar receiver possess the same low-profile, ergonomic design as our SD-1825, SD-1825CAMO, SD-1225, SD-3225 and SD-2525 systems, but is about half the size. The collars will be compatible with all of our latest systems, so if you love your SD-1225, but wish you had a smaller collar for your dog, here is your chance. We will offer Add-A-Dog collar receivers in this size that will be compatible with all of our A-series products.
We are just beginning field testing on these products, but expect excellent results. As soon as we feel they are ready to meet and exceed your expectations, we will release them to our retailers. Look for more on these products throughout the year, and expect a retail release late 2012.
SportDOG Locator Beacon
Our new Locator Beacon allows you to always know where your dog is at night. The compact flashlight fits securely on your dog’s collar and is adjustable for a 1” or ¾” collar. Locator Beacons are offered in five colors: Red, Blue, Green, Yellow and White. To ensure that no amount of brush or cover can turn off your Locator Beacon while your dog is on the hunt, a small partially covered button operates all the modes. Holding for 2 seconds will turn the system on, holding for 3 seconds switches modes from steady to flashing and holding for 6 seconds turns the light off. The replaceable battery gets an incredible amount of life and is easily removed and replaced. The amazingly bright lights are also handy for household chores like walking your dog at night.
Field testing has commenced on the Locator Beacon, and we expect them to be available at a store near you this summer.
We are really excited about all of the new and innovative products we will be able to provide you this year. We know this is just a little peak at our newest additions, but check back frequently for updates. If you have any questions, just comment below and we will answer all of your inquiries.
Jeff King and his team on track to victory at Sheep Mountain
WOW. The New Year has arrived on schedule and the Husky Homestead team is on track to arrive at the Iditarod Starting line in early March. Our first race of the season in mid-December was the Sheep Mountain 150 Sled Dog Race. Over 45 teams assembled to take on this challenging mountain terrain. The field included many top names – including past Yukon Quest and Iditarod Champions. After a dubious start that included an unexpected slam into a snow-covered obstacle that broke one of my sled runners in half, my team surged over the last third to win the stormy race by a narrow 20 second margin!
The dogs have never been in any better health. Thick, shiny coats, voracious appetite, and daunting amounts of raw energy abound in the team this year. Clearly the SportDOG supplements have complemented our feeding and training program resulting in happy, healthy dogs. Their vigor and stamina impressed mushers and spectators alike at the recent Sheep Mountain race. In particular, SportDOG’s hydration product is a clear favorite with the dogs, and therefore with me. Keep up the good work.
Now our focus is on preparations for the Iditarod – coming in less than two months. We have 20 adult dogs in training vying for a spot in the 16 dog team that we will be taking in our 22nd running of the Iditarod. Today we will be loading the dogs up and taking them to a remote snow covered trail for a 120 mile, 24 hour training marathon. Our emphasis will be on training the dogs to match the speed which my years of racing experience tells me is perfect for an 1100 mile adventure. That speed is 10 miles an hour. Talking the dogs in to going 10 miles an hour when their psyche tells them they want to go 20 miles an hour is our biggest challenge. But we are up to the task. Pundits have researched my training philosophy and have found that my slow start ends up ultimately in a fast race. The old adage “slow is smooth, and smooth is fast” is my mantra.
To be sure to do my part personally, I have been working out with a personal trainer improving my own health and fitness as I look forward to a record 5th win. Prior to the Iditarod our race schedule points us also to the Kenai peninsula for the Tustumena 200 Sled Dog Race which will be held later this month. If you want to follow this race, check it out at http://www.tustumena200.com/.
Thanks to SportDOG for your support for the 2012 Iditarod,
Jeff
About Jeff
Jeff King is recognized as the “Winningest Musher in the World.” His victories include not only the 1,049 mile Iditarod Sled Dog Race in 1993, 1996, 1998, and 2006, but also over two dozen first place finishes in races all across Alaska. During the past 20 years, Jeff has logged more than 100,000 miles on a dog sled. Jeff will be going for a fifth Iditarod win March 2012.
5 New Year’s Resolutions for Hunters
Another new year is upon us, which means it’s a great time to reflect on what went well in 2011 and how to make it even better in 2012. Generally, our resolutions focus on how we can make the best products for you all and your dogs. Our goal every year is just to get better for you. In looking at how we can do this, we realized that the path to making the best products coincides with the path to just generally being the best dog owners, hunters and well-rounded people we can be. Below are some commitments we have made to ourselves that we thought everyone could benefit from in the coming year.
1. Spend More Time with Your Dogs- Our dogs are our partners in our daily lives. Not just in the field or while training, but at the office, home and on those long road trips we all must take sometimes. For us, it’s obviously beneficial to spend as much time as we can with our pups because it helps us build the best possible product for them, but making an effort to spend a little extra dedicated time with your dog is beneficial for any dog owner. The more time you spend with your pooch, the better you both understand each other. You learn more about each other’s mannerisms and reactions to better improve communication, which leads to better training. Plus, studies show that spending more time with your dog reduces stress, lowers your heart rate and blood pressure and increases mental well-being. Whether it’s getting in the field more, training a little extra or just extending the daily walk by a few minutes, put the effort in to get some extra time in with your dog this year.
2. Give Time to Conservation- Conservation is important to us at SportDOG. It enhances our hunting environments as well as preserves our sport for future generations. These are the reasons we created our Conservation Fund, but there is another big reason to make conservation a priority: it makes you feel good. Take some time to volunteer with a conservation project near you this year, and we are sure you will end up doing it again. It gives you a sense of accomplishment and well-being to know you are helping your community, your sport and future generations. If you’re already actively volunteering for projects or leading your own, make sure you keep up with our Conservation Fund. We offer grants to help you with these projects and are adding a really cool feature to our award process in the coming months.
3. Remember You Are an Athlete- We know our dogs are athletes. We do everything we can to make sure they get the exercise and nutrition they need to stay strong in the field, but we can often fail to do that ourselves. We tend to think more of our dogs’ needs than our own. As one of our friends said, “I may have a doughnut and a cigarette for breakfast, but I would never feed that to my dog.” We are in the fields, blinds, woods, etc. right beside them though. We don’t get the same miles, nor do we keep up the same pace, but as hunters, we are athletes. It’s important to take the extra time to make sure we are going to be on the hunt as long and hard as they are. In fact, our dogs depend on it. So this year, take a little extra time to take care of yourself. Whether it’s eating a little healthier or taking 10 or 15 extra minutes to move a day make sure you are making yourself as built to last as your dog.
4. Join a Youth in the Sport- There is nothing like seeing the excitement in a young person’s eyes when they pick up a gun, take down some game or just get out for the hunt. It’s good for the future of our sport to get kids out there and it’s good for them. In an era of video games and the Internet, a lot of kids aren’t getting as much time outside as they used to. If you have kids, get out with them this year. Whether they’re seasoned pros or it’s their first time, take them along on a hunt or to the shooting range. If you don’t have kids of your own, find a local hunting club near you and see if you can volunteer for a youth event. We promise it will be a great time. The only thing more exciting than your own first hunt is watching a child on their first hunt.
5. Reward Yourself- Around here, we have a bit of a habit of only looking for where we could do better, and not taking time to celebrate what we did right and we have a feeling we’re not alone in this. We are all bombarded with messages every day that tell us the economy is bad, unemployment is high and various other things that can cause already highly motivated people to work their fingers to the bone. Working hard is never a bad thing, but make sure you take the time to reward yourself this year. Get off the clock and spend some time not worrying about what still has to be done, but focusing on enjoying what you’ve accomplished. Take some time with family and friends in the field. Spend a little extra money to take a trip out to see your old hunting buddy. Save up some cash for that awesome piece of gear you’ve had your eye on but just didn’t want to buy quite yet. Take an extra day in the field. We’re not saying quit your job to live in a duck blind and spend through your retirement, but remember that to be the best worker you can be, you need some time to do what you enjoy. We know you all accomplished a lot in 2011 and we expect great things from you in 2012, so take a moment to celebrate what went right before you dive into the task of making it better.
Happy New Year!
SportDOG ProStaffer Steve Borecky with one of his many award winning dogs.
The black Labrador retriever intently peers into the morning haze, a whine escaping as he shivers slightly despite a balmy morning of duck hunting.
“Get ready”, says Paul, his owner. There must be some ducks out there. The big boy doesn’t whine unless he’s got a duck in sight.”
We squint into the mist and a couple of black dots appear. Two mallards, a hen and a drake, begin to take shape. Heading straight for our large spread of decoys, the mallards cup their wings and lower the landing gear. Jake, the Lab, burns each splash into his brain and is ready to retrieve a dandy double. On command, he vaults from a platform on the bow of the boat and efficiently brings back the hen mallard, then the drake.
‘’Good boy,” says Paul softly. “Nice work.” The Lab glances over as if to say, “Well, what did you expect.”
Jake’s a two-year-old Lab that’s already retrieved a few dozen ducks in his first season in the duck boat and marsh blind. He’ a friendly sort, glad to have someone to scratch his thick coat as we loaded the shotguns and decoys, but in the duck boat he’s all business. The big dog doesn’t wander the boat or bark at seagulls. He knows his place on the bow and stays there all morning to scan the skies for ducks. More often than not, he marks incoming mallards, gadwall and mergansers well before our trio of hunters, who are usually busy chatting about the state of hunting in America.
Paul doesn’t have to be told that Jake is something special. He and the young dog have been inseparable and it shows. They are on the same page while duck hunting, roaming the grouse woods and in the back yard. The constant supervision and training has transformed Jake from a rambunctious pup to a calm, dedicated hunting companion.
The classic duck dog is a black Labrador retriever, such as Jake, although there are many breeds that excel in the marsh. The golden retriever has always been a favorite, and chocolate and yellow Labs have become as popular as their black cousins. The Chesapeake Bay retriever is a hardy performer in the coldest of weather. Flat and curly-coated retrievers are graceful on land and in the water.
Also, many of the pointing breeds, from English setters to German shorthaired pointers, make excellent retrievers. Some may not have the rugged coat that’s needed when there’s ice on the pond, but can sparkle in the early season. A friend of mine hunted waterfowl deep into the winter with a German wirehaired pointed, a breed blessed with a sturdy undercoat to thwart the frigid weather.
Because a dog retrieves well in the upland fields on a pheasant or partridge hunt, or scours the woodlots for a wounded grouse, does not mean it is ready for the marsh. Just ask Paul, who spent many weeks getting Jake tuned to the task of retrieving ducks and just importantly, long stretches of idleness in the duck blind.
It is important to teach Jake that he just sit quietly when the ducks are circling the decoys, trying to decide if it is safe to land. A whining, barking dog just will not do when a flock of Canada geese are heading toward a pit blind in a cornfield. Long periods of inactivity punctuated with short bursts of action are the nature of waterfowl hunting. It is the rare day when the sky is filled with ducks eager to drop in for a visit. It is much more likely that a water fowler will spend long hours scanning the skies and keeping his fingers crossed.
A hunting dog used to constant activity in the field is soon bored in the blind or on the duck boat. A retriever will lose sight of the task at hand and search for his own entertainment, much to the frustration of its owner. Getting a young retriever used to sitting still for long periods of time will not happen on a hunting trip or two. It is a year-round adventure, and can be exasperating for both the dog and its owner.
Fortunately, the training sessions can be fun. Paul enjoys summertime fishing. When he launches his small fishing boat, Jake is aboard. During the early trips, a short lead attached the young Lab to a cleat on the side of the boat, preventing the dog from roaming around the boat to sniff lures or bury his nose in the bait bucket.
When the dove hunting season arrives, a special rig is used to keep Jake from running amok while the pair waits on the edge of a plowed field for doves to zip past. An O-ring and small metal bucket are attached to a t-shaped steel rod, which is stuck in the ground. The dog’s short lead is attached to the O-ring and the bucket is filled with water, a must for keeping a dog cool when hunting on warm, sunny days.
When a dove is downed, Jake is released to retrieve it. Misses are common in the dove fields and the duck marsh, and the dog now understands it will not get a retrieve every time the shotgun is fired. It didn’t happen overnight and setbacks were common, but the young lab slowly but surely began to settle into a hunting mode and look to his master for instructions. The hunting lessons will continue, as Jake learns to follow voice and hand signals, but the foundation that has been built is a solid one.
About Steve
For more than 20 years Steve has been training bird dogs for hunting and field trials. As the owner of Pine Haven Kennels, he provides a complete training program for dogs and their owners. Steve is the winner of numerous awards including: Ohio’s All-Breed Hunter Trial Championship in the premier All-Age Pointing Class in 1990, 1995 and 2003 and the Dog of the Day honors at the championship trial in 1995 and 2003.
For the past five or six years it has been a ritual to head west over Thanksgiving weekend and enjoy all that
Chris Akin's up and coming pup, Hottie, on a retrieve in Stuttgart, AK.
Stuttgart, Arkansas has to offer with their annual Duck Festival. Duck Festival includes the following: World Duck Calling contest, Miss Duck Festival, Duck Gumbo, going by Mack’s Prairie Wings to see what new duck calls are out, stopping by the RNT Duck & Goose Call shop and of course visiting with friends I’ve met over the years.
I will say if you have never had a chance to experience Duck Festival, take the time to do it at least once in your life. One of the best parts of the weekend is actually taking a little time to go out and hunt with your buddies. I was able to head to one of my buddy’s places and go on a hunt with one of our Pro Staffers, Chris Akin, and the guys. Chris has become a good friend of mine over the past 8 years. I remember back in the late 90’s and early 2000’s watching Chris and Boomer compete in the Great Outdoor Games on ESPN. Boomer holds a special place in mine and my wife’s heart as Bullet, our black lab, is a Boomer puppy. Anyway, we had a great dinner Saturday night and got things ready for the Sunday morning hunt. I was a little worried about how we would do because they had received about an inch of rain in 24 hours plus the wind would be gusting from 10 to 20 mph. Chris, George and I got out to the blind around 6:15 am with Chris’ new upcoming dog, Hottie. Boy, was she a little firecracker. We shot a little bit of everything… Spoonies, Green Wing Teal and Mallards. It had been a while since I had shot at Teal… boy are they quick. It took a little time but we managed to squeeze out a three man limit by 10am.
I was able to catch up with some friends from Chris’ club and meet some great people at Mack’s PW. I’m already looking forward to next year and seeing these great people again next duck season. We are heading back to Tennessee to finish out deer season and doing a little duck hunting in East & West Tennessee with some more buddies. Bullet and I are ready to stock the freezer with some venison and duck meat to get us through the year. I have a couple of pictures of Hottie bringing back some ducks. We hope your season is going well and we’ll see ya down the road.
Best wishes,
Kevin & Bullet
About Kevin
Kevin Lee is Distributing Sales and Field Staff Manager for SportDOG. He has been with our parent company Radio Systems® Corporation for 11 years, and with SportDOG specifically for the last 7. Kevin has been hunting for 23 years and is a graduate of Tusculum College here in Tennessee. Kevin and Bullet are featured on many of our marketing materials and packaging. Most notably, they are featured on the WetlandHunter® 1825CAMO ad and packaging. In addition to Bullet, Kevin also has a younger yellow lab named Cooper. He is married with one little boy he intends to have hunting as soon as he can hold a gun.
Janice Mills, owner of Barker Brook's Beagles, with FC Barker Brook's Hare Raising HUlu with
I would like to say a few words about what I want & need when I cut my dogs loose. We hunt as well as field trial so we spend a lot of time running and training our beagles. When you spend as much time as we do with dogs it is very important to have a product that you can count on. I feel that we now have this after years of using the latest product put out by so many companies over the years. For the last past 6 months I have been using the new SportDOG TEK Series GPS Tracking + E- Collar and can’t say enough about it. I love the fact that when I cut my beloved beagles loose I feel confident I will know where they are & have complete control of them at all times.
I wear reading glasses and could not see other products handheld devices without them. I don’t need glasses for long distance so I don’t wear them to hunt. This creates a problem for me with other units that I have tried to use in the past. The new SportDOG GPS system has a lighted screen (activated by a button on the side) that I can see clearly without my reading glasses. In my case, this is very handy because it is very difficult to shoot while wearing reading glasses.
Recently we have added 2 more collars to the system. I am running 3 dogs off this system and can see them all very clearly. I love the fact that this is a very easy to use product. There is not all kinds of clutter on the screen, just the dogs, where they are and how far they are from us. I can’t get over how you now can have a toner, e-collar and GPS all on one collar!! When you have invested time and money in dogs, then cut them loose in the wild you want to feel confident in a product that their lives depend on. I feel that I have that with the new SportDOG system GPS tracking + E-Collar series. I highly recommend this system… can’t live with out it… love it!!
Janice Mills
Barker Brook Beagles
