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The Conflict - By Tom Word
A lawyer fears a conflict of interest like a foot-plowing share cropper fears a kicking mule. And so fear grew in me after on impulse I recommended Sweetie to John Bassett as a grouse dog after his beloved Jill went to her reward. That recommendation put me in jeopardy of losing both my two best friends and best client and principal source of referrals, and my regular quail-hunting partner and key to quail hunting territory.
Heat Stress: Early Signs and Life-Saving Tactics
Pet owners tend to think of their dogs in human terms. When it's cold, they want to make sure their pets are warm - to the same degree, literally, that they themselves are comfortable. At the Sportsmen's Alliance, we've even seen legislation banning outside dogs when temps drop to 32 degrees.
SportDOG: Gear the way youd design it
My dentist, Doc Biehn, was a waterfowler and I always got to check it out when I got my teeth cleaned as a kid. I remember one visit when he handed me a new, Marlin Super Goose he extracted from his closet. I'd never seen anything like the 10 gauge, bolt action shotgun that took a 3.5 inch shell and came with a two-shell clip and full-choked 34-inch barrel. That beast weighed a whopping 10.5 pounds, making it a virtual shoulder-cannon for waterfowlers. I could barely lift the heavy artillery let alone work the bolt without significant muzzle rock. My amazement turned to confusion, and in the end I couldn't see how that firearm would replace my side-by-side or pump in the blind. The Super Goose must have been designed by someone who didn't hunt geese.
Girls, Guns, and Gun Dogs!
Growing up in the south one gains an appreciation for late fall/early springtime bobwhite quail hunting behind a brace of pointers about as much as anything can be appreciated. The landscape here is dotted with private plantations, public shooting preserves, and small family farms that hold the elusive Gentleman-Bob...opportunities abound. In fact, I cut my gun dog teeth, as it were, training pointing breeds and stumbling around bottom lands I could access hunting quail. It would be some years before I switched my focus over to retrieving breeds entering the world of professional training and trial competition.
Field Trials Matter
Most scouts yawn when linemen run 40's, but not at the 2020 combine. Mekhi Becton, a 6-foot-7-inch, 364 pound offensive lineman out of Louisville ran a blistering 5.1. Heads didn't turn so much as they spun off of heads, for what current lineman of Beckton's size runs what used to be speed of yesteryear's fullback? My, my have times changed.
Late Season Care for Gun Dogs
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.
Stocking Stuffers for Gun Dog Owners
If you generally dread holiday shopping and have a hard time picking out gifts for the gun dog guy or gal in your family who has everything, then you're going to absolutely love this list. And if you're at the receiving end of this holiday exchange, you're going to find great value from these items, because just as you can never have too many gun dogs, you can never have enough gear and supplies for your gun dogs. The holidays are stressful enough so we hope this gift-giving guide will help you finish your shopping early and allow for more quality time with your family and four-legged friends this holiday season.
Cadillac Farm by Tom Word
My great friend Joe Prince, farmer and every-day-in-season quail hunter of Stony Creek, Virginia, died from a tractor accident I predicted in 1997. His brother, Dr. John S. Prince of Emporia, died of old age at 97 last month, having practiced as an Internist to age 90. They were alike as two peas in a pod, smart, hard working, opinionated. Both had served in WWII, Joe as an enlisted radar operator aboard troop transports to Europe, John as a Navy officer aboard a cruiser.
You Cant Just Have One
I love the saying 'anything done in moderation shows a lack of interest' because it's true. My gun cabinet, my rod rack, my decoy rack and my kennels are all full. I'm immoderate, just like you.
COVID-19 in Our Bird Dogs - By Shawn Wayment DVM
The current status of our world today resonates like a Hollyweird thriller...I remember frighteningly reading the Hot Zone by Richard Preston while in veterinary school and thinking to myself how scary...good things that will never ever happen! Well...Hello 2020 hold my Corona!
Long Distance Runaround - By Craig Koshyk
In a perfect world the pup of your dreams, from the breed of your dreams, would be whelped by an awesome breeder living just down the street. And when the happy day came for you to bring you puppy home, all you'd need to do is walk half a block to get him.
Whatever you do, dont panic if you accidentally shoot the dog
My liver and white pointer Gep stood staunchly on point on a covey of scaled quail on the Colorado prairie. I hadn't seen my 6 month old coverdog-setter Gretchen for almost an hour since I turned her loose on the shortgrass prairie. My last check on the GPS showed her 700-plus yards out to the west. As I approached Gep, a large covey of scalies erupted in a whirr from the cholla as I raised my Parker GH 16 bore to pick an escaping bird. The first bird folded and I swung to pick another bird out of the covey. I pulled the back trigger just as I detected motion from the corner of my right eye...Gretchen appeared out of nowhere and it was too late. I had already fired the second barrel on a late riser just as she arrived on the scene. I was pretty sure she got peppered by the tail end of my pattern.
Skin Laceration Repair in the Field by Shawn Wayment DVM
There is nothing finer than being afield in autumn's country with bird dogs. The whir of wings as a covey of scaled quail erupts from the sand sage can stir the cholesterol from the morning's greasy-spoon-country-dinner breakfast. Gun smoke clears the air as the setter climbs through the taut five-stranded barbed wire fence retrieving the first bird of the day. This is the Wild West, and ranchers want assurance that their livestock are protected. As you reach down to take the bird your well trained setter delivers gently to hand, you notice fresh blood on the dorsal surface of her back. A nimrod's classic morning has now turned into a trip to the local vet ... which in this case is 150 nautical miles from where the event occurred and it is Sunday.
Two Heroes - by Tom Word
They are two heroes , both Pennsylvanians, both Vietnam combat veterans. Both are pointing dog professionals. One is a Marine, one is Army. They both saw much combat, and that has had its inevitable consequences, physical and mental.
Understanding Canine Influenza
If you have been watching the news lately or reading metropolitan newspapers, you may have noticed articles about a "new" flu outbreak in dogs. In some sections of the country, veterinarians are reporting a near-panic situation around this canine flu news. Here are the facts.
