[Mark Teahan]

hunting threads?
Is this place just about competition dogs, or are there people here who actually train to have a great hunting partner?
When i did my search here, I wanted a companion dog and hunting buddy.
Lee of wrl contacted me and I ended up buying trap, and started 1.5 yo male yellow.
We had chatted some and she said trap would be a great mix for me.
She couldn't have hit the nail on the head better.
He is awesome.
All these threads here just talk about training. Where are the pics of actually using your trained dogs for hunting?
I learned alto here, and continued traps training, and he now has to straight passes towards his junior title, and has retrieved 78 ducks and 22 geese so far this season.
We will enter the last two junior hunt tests in a few months and go for his senior next fall.
He also goes everywhere with me, even on my oryx hunt. Yet i read nothing of others and what daily life is like with their dogs?
Why?
Are most dogs here just kept in kennel and are not family members?
Are companion dogs not good hunters or competition dogs?
Here was yesterday at 2 below zero.

The oryx hunt.

Climbing thru tree branches in the river retrieving a duck.

His first Jr ribbon.

And a pic from in the duck blind.
I love my dog.

Come on now people, lets see some life pics of you and your dogs.

 

[Mark Teahan]

Our waterfowl season is 3.5 months long.
That is plenty of time to train in actual hunting conditions. I don't hunt everyday, just to give trap a rest and be a house dog, and we didn't go today because of minus 6, and a winchill of of minus 17. I won't do that to my buddy.
Oh, and Wayne, RTF, yep, what are we training for?
Just titles? if so why? Just to breed a mh, qaa, etc, for the money? are you saying that's what this is all about?
The money, titles?
Where are the breeders/ trainers that have pride in producing great all around dogs as companions and hunters?

 

[Mark Teahan]

Yes, sadly prego.
They breed all year.
And thanks guys. Nothing warms the heart as a fine dog doing what they are bred and trained for.
And no i do not play golf, or race, or rodeo. Age has given me a more subtle way of looking at lfe. After jumping out of a c-130, rappeling from a chopper, getting shot, blown up by a grenade, and other near death happenings, i don't riisk much anymore, nor does the body allow for such.
I do shoot br, idpa, and trap.
I can understand a machine or tool or ones god given ability to compete with, but give the dog its credit. One is but the teacher or director.
Not the same, as competing in a sport where your ability determines the winner.

 

[Mark Teahan]

Lots of great people, and info here, I agree.
Its just nice to see what we do with our dogs besides train.
Lets just see how the training is used.

 

[Mark Teahan]

That was quite some time ago! !
Have no interests of running ft's. Heck, I didn't really want to do the ht's, but got talked into it.
Guess I'm just satisfied with having a hunting buddy and all around great dog.
We are shopping right now and trap is right along with us.
Sams club.

Lowes.

 

[Mark Teahan]

Trap and I Are up getting gear together. Lots of ice on the rivers, so we are going to do the goose thing.

 

[Mark Teahan]

Thank you Chris.
I am about training, alright not as much as some/most(?)...
I have a buddy first, a hunting partner second, and a competitive dog third.
I have learned so much from lee and here, that i feel it makes trap a better hunting dog.
I was just curious what everyone does with all this training.
Trap did 2 blind retrieves well over 100 yards today. Had to dive into the ice choked flowing water, over the solid ice, then back into the flowing water.
He isn't perfect but some whistle stops and hand signals he got the first goose. Second was on the solid ice on the gravel bar, but down stream.
Here is my boy after going back for 5 of the geese we left by the blind. He carries 1 bird all the time with, then i send him back for whatever is left behind.
6 geese, 3 shooters.

Tired boy sleeping on the front seat of my old huntin truck.

 

[Mark Teahan]

Any more hunting pics?
Lets ask a situation question then.
How many here hunt in moving water?
Iirc, one requirement in a ht, is that the dog returns back in a straight line?
How do you over come this when the current carries the dog down stream and it returns on the bank?

 

[Mark Teahan]

I gotta get a good camera!
I find it hard to take pics while things are going on. Don't have time as the bird is floating away, and gotta send trap quick. I have a few, but rare.
This is great guys, really enjoying the pics.

 

[Mark Teahan]

I guess maybe we can expand this thread a bit.
Lets talk gear.
Who uses what waders?
I have a pair of hodgman that have served me well til a month or so ago.
I got a tear in one of the front clears in my right heal. The heel is hollow and now i get a wet foot.
I have tried shoe goo, aqua seal, glue i got from a plastic welding place, rubber cement, and even super glue. Nope can't seal it. Next step is a torch and some rubber and gonna melt it closed.
In the mean time i saw an ad from www.rogerssportinggoods.com and bought a pair of their 5 mil toughman waders, delivery due today.
The price seemed very reasonable, after spending quite a bit more on the hodgman's for waders with more features, more insulation in the boots, and construction that sounds the same.
How are you getting decoy and such to your spots?
I am thinking of trying a wagon or something similar to get decoys, mojo's, chair, etc for a one trip haul all.

 

[Mark Teahan]

Tried a plastic sled, but was too small.
Toughman waders came in. Like them so far. Gotta wear a few pairs of socks tho.
Now to get out and try them!

 

[Mark Teahan]

That cart looks like a great idea! Thank you.

 

[Mark Teahan]

That's it? No more pics? No more gear?
How bout, what calls do you use?

 

[Mark Teahan]

Here's a few trophy pics from Sunday and today.

3 gw teal, a widgeon, and 2 mergansers that didn't make the pic.

I've been using "duckbait" double reed calls. They seem to work just fine. Got an old wooden goose call. Works fine as well! !!!

 

[Mark Teahan]

Polmaise,
Here is my best roe.

And i just can't get trap to blow! !

 

[Mark Teahan]

Friday morning with trap. His 2nd, 2 junior tests are just around the corner!