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Field Armor V2 Waterfowl Vest Review
As waterfowlers and gun dog enthusiasts, we all want what is best for our faithful companions. Our dogs face the severe conditions of freezing cold, sharp debris, and long swims in cold water, all without hesitation. Because of this, we owe it to them to get them the best gear available. At least this was my philosophy when I purchased a vest for my Labrador, Libby, from Field Armor.
Tall Timbers: Burning Down the House
I’ve heard of folks figuring out the price tag on costs to raise wild quail, but I don’t know of anyone who has kept track of the amount of time that goes into the breeding, training and developing of a championship gun dog. Both are significant. Take that dog number, multiply it by 55, and you’ll have one heck of a lot of hours all represented in the dogs that qualified to run across 28 braces in the February 2025 National Championship for Bird Dogs held at Ames Plantation. The first brace of this 126-year old Super Bowl caliber event commenced on February 10th . The final brace ran over two weeks later on February 27, and during that time weather conditions ranged from a soggy, below-freezing 22 degrees Fahrenheit day to a 75-degree Fahrenheit sweat lodge. If you don’t like the weather in Grand Junction then wait five minutes.
Retriever Safety
With a heave, I pulled my foot free of the thick muck, I wondered if another half mile of this was worth the trouble. The edge of this particular beaver pond seemed solid enough, but I had slogged far enough to find out that wasn’t the case. The previous day, a group of mallards were feeding on the far end of the hellish mire, and the decision was made to return with a couple dozen decoys. Behind me, my black lab was having a harder time than I was, the mud was clutching at her belly and legs, and the sharp ends of gnawed-off sticks protruded through the loamy sludge. Up ahead the mallards quacked and whistled tauntingly. Despite the temptation, I decided to turn back. To me, no duck is worth potentially injuring my dog.
DRIFTER HYDRATION
No matter the environment wingshooters and the bird hounds that accompany them find themselves in, it is essential that both man and beast stay hydrated. Even more so as temperatures fluctuate and the sun beats down, both humans and dogs can be susceptible to dehydration in any kind of weather condition. A lack of drinkable water can have serious health consequences, so taking proactive measures to prevent thirst is something to take seriously. Having the ability for a constant source of H2O is detrimental in maintaining a safe, functional, and enjoyable bird hunt. It comes down to having enough water in a capable carrying system that is flexible in its configuration and use. The best way to do that is to procure it from a water source and have the ability to filter it easily for consumption and allow for refilling. Enter … Drifter Hydration.
Don’t Chicken Out Of Hunting Chickens
“Flump! Flump! Flump!” sent soundwaves tingling through my ears, followed by the crack
Meet Gen Next
Everyone loves puppies, but not everyone likes dogs. It’s unsurprising that the same holds true in the canine world. Many adult dogs don’t care that much for puppies, and some downright despise them. Making sure that the introduction is successful isn’t just important, it’s critical. That prevailing attitude means introductions to the new member of your string requires some thought and planning. After all, you only get one chance to make a good first impression.
Booty Blevins and Marvin Means
It was 1946. The War was finally over, and Booty was back in Alabama after duty as a duce-and-a half driver and then infantryman at the Battle of the Bulge, mustering out as a corporal. Before the War, he had worked as a hand on Mr. Maytag's quail plantation at Union Springs. The washing machine maker had loved to shoot quail. Booty had helped Mr. George Hardin train his bird dogs and retrievers and the horses ridden by those involved in the hunts or pulling the hunt wagon.
C-C-C-Cold-Weather Canine Care
Our October and November waterfowl hunts weren’t anything to write about. Air temps north of us hovered between 70-and-82 degrees Fahrenheit, and with all of that open water those birds weren’t in a hurry to go anywhere. A bone-chilling cold snap rolled in just before Christmas, and it spanned half of the East Coast from Canada to Maryland. The season’s entire migration seemed to arrive all at once.
Read Your Dog
Just because a gun dog can’t speak doesn’t mean he’s not saying anything. Reading the dogs’ body language is key for elevating performance levels, so here are some things pro trainers look for when they cut loose their string.
My Invention
I have always been blessed with just the right amount of intelligence to get neck deep into something, but never enough intelligence to get out successfully. This was one of those occasions. It involves two bird dog bitches and a dummy, me.
How much to puppies sell for?
I’ll occasionally get a phone call, text or email from someone asking how much money they should be asking for their puppies when listing them on Gundog Central. I have a ton of data that I’ve collected on dog prices over the years and decided to put together this quick list showing the average list price for puppies, by breed. I’ve also looked at the trending data for the past five years to see if puppy prices were rising or falling, but didn’t see a lot of movement for the most popular breeds. Below you’ll find the median list price for puppies, broken down by breed, over the past year. These are puppy prices only, it does not include started or finished dogs.
Tick Check
When it comes to ticks, the only thing you need to know is that they should be avoided at all costs. Nothing good comes from an association with a tick. They’ll latch on to you, your dog, your wife and kids, your horses, and anything else they can sink their grubby meat hooks into. Diseased ticks can leave you sick for the rest of your life.
Lt. Colonel Robert Milner, Jr., Rest in Peace
On July 14, 2024, the retriever world lost a titan with the passing of Lt. Col. Robert Milner, Jr., USAF, Ret.. Milner’s final battle was fighting amyloidosis, a rare liver disease. He was 79 years old.
Holes and Rules
"Every dog has got a hole, and his handler has to hide it," was a truism in the world of bird dog field trials.
Spring Shuffle Delayed
Oliver Bain sold his AI (artificial intelligence) Unicorn (billion-dollar start-up ) to Microsoft instead of taking it public. He was 58, and unknown to any around him, had a secret ambition he would now satisfy. As a boy growing up on a farm in Virginia, he had walked with his father, a dirt farmer, behind home grown pointers and setters after quail.
