Protecting Your Bird Dog?

[WCB]

As far as Porkies and coons etc. They usually get stumbled upon and not much you can do. As far as wolves, bears, lions, bobcats. Most likely those things move out/or tree when pressured. If for some reason the dogs stumble upon them not much you can do. As far as the dogs chasing critters that is training and backed up with a collar.

For wolves in things like grouse woods....I guess our dogs are 99% of the time within 50-60 yards. Every once in a while they get side tracked or something but there is only so much you can really do.

I guess #1 would be train them not to chase.
#2 know your dogs body language and pay attention to it
#3 shit can happen that is out of your control

 

[Ten Bears]

I used to be concerned about running my dogs around wolves and bears. Honestly there isn’t much you can do about it besides having solid training to control your dog.

Every black bear I have ran into runs the other way. Obviously brown bears are a lot different. In Michigan they list every location of hunting dog/wolf conflicts. Just know the ground you are hunting.

I am way more concerned with injuries out there. Barb wire, sticks, split paw pads, weird infections, you name it, it has happened.

Just do the best you can, keep a good med kit and list of vets in the area.

 

[KurtR]

100% recall would be first . The leave it command is also very important. Also being properly e-collar conditioned. A beep here or a buzz there isn’t the right way to do it.

 

[Superdoo]

A lot of great knowledge has already been dropped here.
Basically if you work a dog anywhere there’s a probability that your dog isn’t coming back. The same is true for you and you still do it, so don’t let it bother you.
You also don’t need to be dumb about it. Training a dog is great for all parties involved. LEAVE IT and a strong recall are your friends. I’ll add the WOAH command too. If the dogs out a ways you now have a way to tell him to stand there until you catch up.

 

[tops911]

All good advice here. My experience since retiring and moving to Montana, Drahthaar pointed then killed a mountain lion cub on our very first walk on a forest service road (where's the momma?); several black bear encounters, with a nice point on one and a surprised me when I flushed it; too many rattle snakes (dogs point them): and more porcupines than I can count; and a whole bunch or raccoons. Like said before know how to read the dog, I know a porcupine/ rattle snake point vs a bird point. Also know when to leave an area, I was hunting an area and after finding a lot of grizzle sign I left, no fun when you go in for a flush and you are worrying if its a bird or a grizzly. Any my last recommendation is run more than one dog. My thinking is 2 dogs would be able to assist or at least give pause to some of the predators.

 

[MJB]

One of my Jagdterriers got a blind strike on the back paw by a rattlesnake. She had the vac and being hit in the paw lowered the amount of venom in her to where I stayed up all night to make sure she was fine.
In the morning all good!

When it comes to black bears, lions, yotes and Coons they fear my dogs and I always run two bird hunting or 3-4 BG hunting.

I'd recommend a terrier in your pack to help the pointers or hounds. As they stay focused on the Baye or the point the terrier is always on guard for a fight if needed.
I run the gps e-collar so I know where my dogs are in the thick stuff.

As was said before they & you are at risk while in the woods all time don't dwell on it and enjoy

 

[Sanchez]

Lots of good info to consider. I hunt with brittanies in multiple states and hike with my dogs year round in western Oregon.

The close calls I have had are singled up cow elk that are calving in late May and early June. They will turn on the dog and attach with flailing hooves that are lethal. I avoid areas with elk (or nesting birds) during the late spring.

 

[arock]

I try to keep an eye on where I let my GWP run like a maniac. They were bred to deal with small cats, badgers, foxes and so forth on the farm in addition to their pointing, retrieving and tracking so there's a lot of stuff he'd try and pursue. I think that if they are within eyesight and 50 or so yards, there is an acceptable level of risk. I don't have to deal with brown bears but wolves will be an interesting dynamic in the years to come.

Having them trained well enough so that they'll leave stuff alone and come back to you so you can clip a lead on if needed is super important. With one with a high prey drive having an e-collar to get their attention is a key piece to that IMO.

I've had two cat encounters elk hunting (without the dog and one was about a meter and a half away so I could have rubbed his belly) and saw a third bail into some brush while on a hike. Also been within 40 yards of a black bear who could care less I was there. Unless there is a wee one near by - I don't think that most healthy cats or black bears are going to mess with a 65-80lb sporting dog, especially with a human near by. I probably don't have as healthy of a fear of those critters as I should. I'd be more concerned about pissing off a moose.

Aside from the Coyote we saw who had pups - I wouldn't give much thought to one of them. (The pups were in a ditch in the big field at Elk Meadow Park in Evergreen CO and Mom was trying to run off anyone who was walking in that general direction - most of the people I bumped into on the trail were irritated there was an "aggressive" animal until I pointed out the little ones. Super cool thing to see.)

Wolves in CO will be a bit of a concern but they're not in the front range yet. Though based on how that vote went, that's probably where they should put them.

There was a Harrier hovering over him trying to figure out if he was going to swoop down or not when we were camping this summer which was interesting. The pup was running around having the time of his life and me, the boss and the bird were all looking at each other like what next?

I really like the idea for a second dog.

Anyway, have fun and enjoy the pup. Sounds like you're taking good precautions.

 

[cod007]

Hey guys - I know some of you have bird dogs for hunting upland game or ducks.

How concerned are you about wild predators attacking your dog while hunting, and what do you do to prevent it?

I hunt a lot of wild country, not much in farmland. Like yesterday, Mav was hunting off leash, running, enjoying, working to find birds where there weren't any. I've hunted that same area for mule deer & elk.
There are wolves, coyotes, mountain lion, bobcat, and black bear in that vicinity. Yesterday when a coyote sounded off, only a couple of hundred yards away, I put the leash back on Maverick to keep him from going after the coyote.
A few years ago I was working Clark on some wild chukar in a nearby canyon before season. He was so intent on the birds that he didn't notice the large black bear about 200 yards above us! The bear clearly had seen us. I put the leash on Clark before he could go running after the bear. Would he? I don't know. Fortunately he never even noticed the bear!
I have a shock collar I put on Mav anytime I might have him off-leash. He's good about coming when I call, and getting better, but if he gets more than about 100 yards away, I give him a quick beep with the collar. That normally works. Only time to time have I had to actually zap him. That brings him running back to me for sure! Normally he just comes when I call.
I almost always have pepper spray and a decent handgun with me. Of course a shotgun while bird hunting.
What do you guys do to keep your dog from getting attacked by wild predators?
Thanks, Guy

The e-collar is a must have. My 2 dogs are very trustworthy. The beep alone will pretty much always bring them back and if they take too long (when unseen) a small jolt surely gets them coming quicker.
That said, my 2 dogs are with me almost 24/7/365. We read body language well. I rely on them and them on me. We live our lives for the ‘experience’ of life. Occasionally troubling, but much more often full of fun and exciting times. Both dogs have experienced porkies. One dog more than once. Memorable? Yep. For all of us.
Fun, at the time? Nope, not so much.
Bottom line tho is you gotta go out with em and do everything you would do out there just like if u were doing stuff with a friend. Some of your friends you hunt with, or do other things with, you become aware of tendencies both good and bad of those friends. Same with your dogs.
Like I said, I’m out with my dogs a lot. Therefore they are exposed to a lot of circumstances for them to learn. Get them out and treat them as if they are just another hunting buddy. You can/will get them them to behave in whatever manner you want them to behave. Because u are their Master. It’s all about getting out with them.
Although we don’t have rattlesnakes, badgers, and some other critters you have down south, we do hunt/live in both brown and black bear country along with wolves and moose. We embrace our experiences. We learn along the way.
There are times they alert me to certain predators nearby and sometimes, I alert them. They have learned how to act by my expectations along the way.
They’ve been along on bear hunts, wolf hunts, coyote hunts, otter hunts and other critters around here. I say go out there with them and enjoy. Can bad ever happen? Sure! But there is an awful lot of good fun to be had along the way.

 

[Wrench]

My new pup has had quite the year. She learned about porkies and badgers. Luckily I had a Leatherman and a stapler....

I'd love to think she learned her lesson.....but the prey drive is soooo high in these dogs.

 

[Bro-sada]

I have hunted Brittany's for 40+ years and have never had any issue with predators. My Brittany's are on the smaller scale and when they were pups I was concerned about Eagles thinking they were an easy meal...but other than that, I have had no issue.

Like others have said...my biggest concerns are always rattle snakes and porcupines. I have had several hunts ruined by a face full of quills.

 

[Okhotnik]

Snakes are my main concern and why I don't hunt unless it's cold but of all things a Badger has been the biggest problem nipping one of my dogs Chukar hunting.

My buddies GSP was killed by a badger hunting in Montana. They concern me too

 

[Okhotnik]

A good GPS ecollar and a good OFF or LEAVE IT. Just as important, like stated earlier, is to know your dog's mannerisms. Lil man's points and demeanor are different when he's pointing birds vs 4-leggers. For example he's pointed three or four porcupines in tall grass then I'll hear him make a "whimper" sound as he starts to move around it when I approach.

Thank goodness he hasn't had a face full of quills, yet, but did get skunked once

I carry a pistol with me as well incase all fails.

off or leave it are very important commands. good post. Whether it's a deer, garbage they want to eat, neighbor's cat, porkie, another off leash dog, traffic nearby, snakes, unstable ice on a pond or river etc

 

[NEWAoutdoors]

Ive walked with my dogs all over ne Washington. Lots of coyote encounters and several with black bears. Just keep them close to you and do not allow them to chase. The long lead suggestion is spot on to start them. Some dogs because they chase i would never walk them in the woods

 

[NEWAoutdoors]

Oh and moose are my biggest concern. They aren't too friendly

 

[Vandy321]

I carry a pistol anytime I'm in predator country with or without my dogs..if just out east in grasslands (yotes) I throw a few rounds of 00 buck in my vest for multiple yokes, if it's just one yote, I have faith in my dogs, even my pup, to hold their own until I can get there with my knife. Not gonna go shooting into a scrum...

 

[Blockcaver]

All valid concerns. Just in the last couple years I had my Vizsla bark at a black bear that treed, followed by a pack of wolves cutting loose with howls very close by. I was unarmed and certainly got out of there as fast as we could, making a racket.

Last November she got caught in snare. Without the gps collar we likely would not have found her. Thick spot and she didn’t bark, whine etc. I broke the wire with my leather man by working it until it failed in fatigue. Couldn’t open it back up. Since we’ve picked up some top notch wire cutters as the Leatherman is old and the wire cutters on it did not cut aircraft cable. I also won’t I birdhunt her after Nov 15 when trapping starts.

She also chased a coyote and bowled it over on a hike a year ago. They stared at one another and she finally came back to me.

We have rattlers too…and she is not snake trained yet. Border closures have affected trying to get south for “school”.