Dogs for pack animals?

[otolith]

There are sheep outfitters in Canada that use dogs for packing. A couple years ago we had two along on a mountain goat hunt and they were awesome! The packed an entire goat out, meat and hide. They packed all of their own food in as well as most of ours. They were well trained and would lay down when asked and remain there until told otherwise. At one point that was 6+ hours as we stalked some goats.

As far as their scent goes, by day 3 of a backpack hunt you are going to smell a lot worse than that dog.

Now that's cool. It can be done. The dogs not the stink. The smelly part I already knew.

 

[otolith]

Not a bad idea but what are you going to do with the akitas the remaining 11 plus months a year? Many home owners' policies won't even cover you with akitas, pits, Rottweilers etc

You're going to be feeding a lot of food and picking up a lot of poo.

 

[Ryan Avery]

Not a bad idea but what are you going to do with the akitas the remaining 11 plus months a year? Many home owners' policies won't even cover you with akitas, pits, Rottweilers etc

We report, you decide....

 

[BiggMc]

They smell like a predator, that would be hard to mask.

 

[Heath Hansen]

They smell like a predator, that would be hard to mask.

If you are close enough for the animal to smell your dogs then you are already in range.

 

[mtwarden]

I could rent Tiny Elvis out for the right price; he doesn’t eat a lot

 

[squirrel]

You guys are way late to this party, but it is an open party so welcome. I started using my dogs back in the mid-80's. Quickly found out that Nugget could carry up to 30-35 lbs. of burger meat in rough country. With heavy loads they may not be able to chase every squirrel (a travesty) and may need help over large obstructions like logs of consequence. On a typical 3-4 load pack out of an elk that is 100 lbs off of my total.

Dog food on the way in payload on the way out is the best way to make it work out. They also make great hunting companions as they keep you warm and never tell a soul where you were, kinda like Jake the Bush's Beans dog. And they are GREAT on butchering day, though the tent may reek a bit that night!

Get yourself a pack that is of appropriate size for your dogs' chest and work with him like any of us need starting with light loads like dog food before overloading him with meat.

Oh and make sure you bag the meat in beaver dam waterproof bags, cause when working hard they will ignore the "NO SWIMMING" command every time and then your meat will be a bit... shall we say "swampy" tasting. Of course this plastic bagging is only for the immediate transport, change back to a breathable bag upon reaching the truck.

Of course you must have a well behaved dog, I always do many people never do, yet somehow it is always blamed on the "breed" or breeding. People need their "illusions" I guess.

Enjoy your dog, they make life worth living and are here for far too short of a time.

 

[Sundodger]

You guys are way late to this party, but it is an open party so welcome. I started using my dogs back in the mid-80's. Quickly found out that Nugget could carry up to 30-35 lbs. of burger meat in rough country. With heavy loads they may not be able to chase every squirrel (a travesty) and may need help over large obstructions like logs of consequence. On a typical 3-4 load pack out of an elk that is 100 lbs off of my total.

Dog food on the way in payload on the way out is the best way to make it work out. They also make great hunting companions as they keep you warm and never tell a soul where you were, kinda like Jake the Bush's Beans dog. And they are GREAT on butchering day, though the tent may reek a bit that night!

Get yourself a pack that is of appropriate size for your dogs' chest and work with him like any of us need starting with light loads like dog food before overloading him with meat.

Oh and make sure you bag the meat in beaver dam waterproof bags, cause when working hard they will ignore the "NO SWIMMING" command every time and then your meat will be a bit... shall we say "swampy" tasting. Of course this plastic bagging is only for the immediate transport, change back to a breathable bag upon reaching the truck.

Of course you must have a well behaved dog, I always do many people never do, yet somehow it is always blamed on the "breed" or breeding. People need their "illusions" I guess.

Enjoy your dog, they make life worth living and are here for far too short of a time.

I love this, the pictures and everything, thanks for posting.

Couple of questions:
-When you are glassing, stalking into an animal, etc. are they with you they whole time?
-I am impressed the amount of weight they can carry in those packs, have you ever tried anything with a frame and panniers?
-Any issues with saddle sores?
-How heavy are your labs and goldens?
-Other than their packs and food, what else do you bring for your dogs? Maybe a scale to make sure their packweight is even?
-Anything you would change, improve, or do differently?


That waterpoof bag tip is a great one, any others?

Thanks again

 

[squirrel]

I love this, the pictures and everything, thanks for posting.

Couple of questions:
-When you are glassing, stalking into an animal, etc. are they with you they whole time?
-I am impressed the amount of weight they can carry in those packs, have you ever tried anything with a frame and panniers?
-Any issues with saddle sores?
-How heavy are your labs and goldens?
-Other than their packs and food, what else do you bring for your dogs? Maybe a scale to make sure their packweight is even?
-Anything you would change, improve, or do differently?


That waterpoof bag tip is a great one, any others?

Thanks again

Yes my dog is pressed against my leg even when at archery ranges though it is extremely difficult to stalk that close with a dog in my experience. My dogs come to heel with a snap of my fingers and pointing to my heel, even if the "snap" is silent.

No just my soft packs (I have two) with a half dozen dogs i could just walk an elk out in two trips max. But have never used more then two at once, usually just one.

never

80-105 lbs over many generations of use.

Nothing they are dogs after all all they need is food and me

Better made packs would be nice most are very poorly made for long and serious use.

You mentioned pics????

 

[bdg848]

This is super cool. Unfortunately my German short haired pointers wont handle the cold too well haha.

 

[Sundodger]

Those pictures are absolutely fantastic, I think my favorite is the one with the goat and smiling golden.

Thanks for answering my questions, I have a couple more.

Can your dog’s cover 10 miles a day with 30-35lbs in their packs?

I backpack hunt solo in august for bear, Sept and oct for mule deer. Almost all of those are backpacking hunts with ultralight/minimalistic gear. It looks like from some of your pictures you have nicer/more comfortable setups than I. Anything you would change with dog packing setup going to a solo minimalist approach?

I need a pack animal(s) that can carry about 50lbs total, so when I am coming out my pack is only about 100-120lbs (I tend to get 100-120lbs of boned out meat plus antlers from my deer). One big dog would be a lot easier to deal with than two dogs while hunting. Which direction would you go on that?

Thanks again

 

[squirrel]

Those pictures are absolutely fantastic, I think my favorite is the one with the goat and smiling golden.

Thanks for answering my questions, I have a couple more.

Can your dog’s cover 10 miles a day with 30-35lbs in their packs?

I backpack hunt solo in august for bear, Sept and oct for mule deer. Almost all of those are backpacking hunts with ultralight/minimalistic gear. It looks like from some of your pictures you have nicer/more comfortable setups than I. Anything you would change with dog packing setup going to a solo minimalist approach?

I need a pack animal(s) that can carry about 50lbs total, so when I am coming out my pack is only about 100-120lbs (I tend to get 100-120lbs of boned out meat plus antlers from my deer). One big dog would be a lot easier to deal with than two dogs while hunting. Which direction would you go on that?

Thanks again

Yes when conditioned and in their prime. Absolutely not when the answer to either one is no, then poundage must be scaled back. Your dog will tell you when he is done in, then your choices are to camp there or put his pack on yours. Anything else is abusing his loyalty.


I faced exactly that dilemma 25 years ago, my solution is a field full of pack llamas and a VERY comfortable camp. And good food, proper adult beverages steak sauce for my backstraps and as many socks as I care to change into. Your solution may be different, but mine works for me. With each passing birthday it works even better than it used to.

I have never hunted with more than one dog, except when my buddy's slips his collar and joins me in mid hunt... (he's a peckerhead!) The direction I would go with that is exactly the direction I already have gone with that... llamas.

If I would not or could not go that way i would abuse my friendship with a dog sledder I know and borrow a half dozen of his older and over the hill gang and take them in after the kill has been made and pack out in one big noisy (they are huskys) trip. This is a far distant second choice option compared to using llamas, but it would absolutely work as long as some other dog hating nimrod doesn't decide to shoot them. And they are out there, believe me...

 

[Brianb3]

Don’t know if this has been mentioned but in WA I’m pretty sure hunting with animals is prohibited. Even as companions. I’m sure in states w hound hunting rules are much different but way want to look into it


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[Sundodger]

Don’t know if this has been mentioned but in WA I’m pretty sure hunting with animals is prohibited. Even as companions. I’m sure in states w hound hunting rules are much different but way want to look into it


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Yes, that is a good point. I have read the RCW and it is quite vage. I was going to try and get some clarification, since they are going to be stock animals and not hunters. The funny thing is, there is no doubt in my mind they will hinder my ability to harvest animals, not help.

RCW 77.15.245: Unlawful practices—Black bear baiting—Exceptions—Illegal hunting—Use of dogs—Exceptions—Penalties.

app.leg.wa.gov

 

[Decker9]

Iv only had/have 1 pack dog, and after the past 4-5 years of her company, I’ll never hit the hills without one
Not so much for the pack, but for the company, and bear protection. Twice now she has saved my arse from what would have surly ended bad, grizzly encounters.

She is a Shepard/husky/lab (plus who knows what else) and sits about 75-80 lbs. I generally don’t put more then 10-12 lbs on her back, I have put more before, and I could tell it was spoiling her enthusiasm, something a guy doesn’t want to do!!

My dog is a high anxiety dog, but once I started her on her pack, she was a total different dog. When her pack goes on, she’s in “work mode”, and all eyes are on me.

If a guy has the time to put in the proper training, I highly recommend a pack dog.






Sometimes, the training keep going, even in sheep country.



And when a guy isn’t successful, they can pack out the garbage.



And even when you are successful, sometimes they need a break


I will attach a link to our solo sheep hunt, which no way I could have done alone. It’s a long read, but shows how good of company a good dog can be.

solo sheep hunt 2018.docx

1drv.ms

 

[Sundodger]

Interesting you mention "high anxiety dog and a pack helped". I had a pit/Dalmatian mix a long time ago that had a lot of anxiety issues. I noticed that when backpacking he was much better. I started putting his little pack on him at home and it really seemed to calm him down a bit. Exercise was the most important thing to ensuring that dog was a good citizen, but man, wearing a pack was easily second place. Dogs are like a lot of people, they need jobs or they spiral out of control.

 

[Sundodger]

Great Story and pictures Decker9, thanks for sharing.

 

[Okhotnik]

I could rent Tiny Elvis out for the right price; he doesn’t eat a lot

Id like to borrow Elvis to help pack out squirrels on my next hunt.

 

[mtwarden]

Id like to borrow Elvis to help pack out squirrels on my next hunt.

just pm me and we can make the arrangements

 

[Hondo]

Taking your dog on a pack hunt sounds like a sure fire way that one of you will have a great time.