This year Gundog Central turns 15!! There's no way when I stated Gundog Central that I thought I'd be doing it 15 years later. I was 35 years old when I started the site, I was spending hours and hours every evening hacking away just trying to create it. I didn’t have a clue if anyone would even use it, I just knew it was something I wanted to do. For the past 15 years, I’ve worked a full time job while dedicating my evenings and weekends to approving ads and improving the site. For me, it still remains a part time job, but full time passion. A lot has changed in fifteen years, I’ve lost friends and family, got divorced, had multiply children graduate high school, became a grandfather twice over, got remarried, changed three jobs, moved 4 times, traded cars at least 8 times and traded dogs more times than I can count, but Gundog Central has been a constant … although the server might have crashed a few times along the way.
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As opening weekend and memories of early fall rambles through our favorite covers begin to fade, winter settles in across the northern reaches, signaling the last call for many bird hunters. For many of us, hunting the last days of the late season are an anticipated tradition, as we take extra time off around the holidays to spend time with family or travel to western or southern destinations to extend our season. Much like us, who will hunt as long as we are warm, dry and comfortable, our dogs are tough and ready for these winter wingshooting wanderings. Hunting in the cold and snow can be enjoyable and rewarding but following a few simple considerations will help to keep your dog safe and end the season on a high note.
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We’d been walking for several hours, neither of us speaking a word. Even the dogs at heel sensed the tension in the air. Frank looked hangdog while he occasionally checked his cell phone for service. My feet were sore and only getting worse in anticipation of the ten miles back to civilization when all of a sudden we heard the gravel crunch and diesel roar of a truck coming toward us on the logging road. We looked at each other, grabbed our dogs by the collars and jumped off the road and into the underbrush. The truck roared by and I tried to puzzle out the day’s events that brought us to this sorry state of affairs.
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Pointers are more adept at using their amazing nose to find birds & game. Once found, this breed will freeze, usually pointing the direction of game.
While most Retrieving breeds can be used to locate game, they excel at returning downed birds or wounded game to the hunter undamaged.
Flushing breeds are primarily close working dogs used to spring birds & game from cover.
In the past, hunters would carry several different breeds to the field with each serving a different role. There became a need for a dog capable of serving multiply roles in the field. The Versatile dogs are bred to find and point game, as well as track and retrieve on both land and water.
Scent hounds specialize in following a smell or scent. Most of these breeds have long, drooping ears. Most of these breeds have deep, booming voices and use them actively when running, and especially when following a scent trail.
