dog

Trophy Room: Photos of the Week

Joe_Cermele — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:20:25 -0500

Hobbs the Hero

fieldandstream-editor — Tue, 30 May 2006 06:00:00 -0400

Two years ago, Larry Crouch and his family got a free bird dog. The pup, an Elhew English pointer, was a giveaway because he'd been born with a right front leg that hadn't fully developed. Normally, a dog, especially a hunting breed, with such a birth defect would be put down right away. But something about this pup drew people to him, and beguiled Crouch into taking him home. He became an instant member of the family and was named Hobbs.

This would be nothing more than your basic "happiness is a warm puppy" story if Crouch had not become interested in tournament hunting. In this sport, a dog and a hunter have 20 minutes to find and point three planted birds, get them to flush, shoot each with one shot, and retrieve each bird back to the hunter's hand. Somehow, Crouch knew that this was something he and Hobbs were meant to do together.

At nine months, Hobbs went into training, and when he began competing in events sponsored by the National Bird Dog Challenge Association (NBDCA) and the Tournament Hunter Champions Club (THCC), he immediately showed enormous talent and tremendous heart. Even Crouch's rivals on the circuit were won over by the pointer's amazing drive. Today, total strangers walk up to Crouch and ask, "Where's Hobbs?" And the mention of his name at tournament banquets can produce sustained chants of "Hobbs! Hobbs! Hobbs!"

More than just a sentimental favorite, Hobbs has proven to be a determined and able competitor, as well as a potential champion. In 2005 he held second place for the "High Point" dog in the NBDCA Hunter Division national standings, finishing in the top ten in both the Hunter and Puppy Divisions. This year he was the number-one qualifier in the Top Gun Division at the NBDCA/THCC Nationals in Davis City, Iowa; and last March, Hobbs qualified for the Midwest Series Nationals by placing second at an event held at Bear Lake Club in Ridgeway, Missouri.

As Hobbs continues to pile up points, you have to wonder how far he could have gone on four good legs. Then again, in Hobbs' case, maybe an extra one would have just slowed him down.

Hobbs' Stats:
2005 NBDCA / THCC Standings:
2nd Place High Points Dog in Hunter Division
Qualified NBDCA Nationals in Top Gun Division
Qualified NBDCA Nationals in Hunter Division
Top 10 Placement NBDCA Nationals Hunter Division
Top 10 Placement NBDCA Nationals Puppy Division
2005 NBDCA Championship Hunter Division
17 NBDCA National Qualifier Placements

2006 NBDCA / THCC Standings To Date:
6 NBDCA National Qualifier placements
1st Place Top Gun Division National Qualifier
2nd Place Midwest Series Nationals

First Shot Wallpaper: Jump Start

fieldandstream-editor — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 04:20:00 -0500

Jump Start: "This is typical pre-hunt behavior," says Gifford Cochran, whose 51/2-year-old Lab, Gertie, couldn't contain her excitement for a pheasant hunt near Belgrade, Montana. "She'll do this at least 15 or 20 times. I'll keep telling her to settle down and save it for the birds."

Click here to check out more of Cameron's photos on his web site, www.cameronlawson.com

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Instructions for downloading wallpaper (Windows users):
1.) Click on either 800 X 600 or 1024 X 768 to open the resolution you prefer.

2.) Right-click on the opened image. You may then choose to download the image, or select "Save As Wallpaper" (or "Set picture as...," "Set as Wallpaper," or "Set as Desktop item," depending on your system.)

3.) If you chose "Save As Wallpaper," you're finished! If you chose to download the image, go to your "Control Panel," select "Background," and browse to locate and select the downloaded image.

Instructions for downloading wallpaper (Mac users):
1.) Click on either 800 X 600 or 1024 X 768 to open the resolution you prefer.

2.) With your mouse on the opened image, hold down the mouse key until a menu appears, then choose

3.) "Download Image to Disk," select a folder, and save.

4.) Under the Apple menu, open "Control Panels," then "Appearance."

5.) Under "Appearance," open "Desktop," then "Place Picture." Browse to the folder in which you saved the image and select the image. Click "Open" and choose "Set Desktop."

First Shot Wallpaper: Down Time

fieldandstream-editor — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 04:20:00 -0500

Down Time: "Max is kind of a goofball--every once in a while, he'd snap at a feather going by," says Don Banducci, whose springer spaniel had to be at the center of this marathon plucking session after a Saskatchewan goose hunt last October. Banducci and his friends have made a tradition of the big annual bird cleaning. "We bring some lawn chairs and some six-packs and go to it. And we'll toss the dogs the livers and hearts, so they're pretty interested."

Click here to check out more of Denver's photos on his web site, www.denverbryan.com

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Jerry's Tips: February, 2006

fieldandstream-editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 04:15:00 -0500

Train Your Dog to "Give"
A retriever takes pride in carrying a bird, so don't rush to grab it away. Instead, command him to heel and have him walk at your side. Let him enjoy his accomplishment for a while. Praise the dog, then tell him to sit, and gently take the bird from his mouth. Dogs soon form the habit of holding the bird until you want it if you don't snatch it away.

Catch More Tournament-Size Bass
Competition anglers commonly release their best fish right after a tournament's weigh-in. And for a week or so after one of these events, many of the largest bass in a lake will be concentrated by the release site. Expect to find them schooled near the closest structure (such as a gentle dropoff) to the competition's weigh-in area, feeding on baitfish.

Track Game Through Leaf Litter
Big-game tracks on leaf-covered ground are tough to see from a standing position. If you lose an animal's trail, crouch down to get your eyes close to the ground. Look for a series of disturbances in the fallen leaves in the direction the track was last headed. Sight this path as far as possible, then walk to the point where it disappears and take another low-angle view.

Injure Fewer Bass
It's fun to see bass inhale topwater lures. But because most are built on offset hooks, which catch easily in the gills or gullet, you'll mortally wound many fish when you're using these baits. Try bending the hook in with pliers until the point lines up with the eye. Your lure will now slide out of the fish's throat and snag instead on the hard edge of its lip.

Show More Fish Your Bait
Instead of simply dropping your bait to the bottom, try suspending it by a couple of inches. You'll catch more fish. To do so, attach your sinker 3 feet above your hook. Then clip a small bobber to the line 12 inches from the hook. Fish can see a floating bait more easily, and the semislack leader allows them to take it without feeling resistance from the weight.

How to Pick a Pup

fieldandstream-editor — Sun, 25 Dec 2005 04:05:00 -0500

A high-quality gun dog adds riches to your life. But a lot of pups for sale are genetically designed to be nice-looking nitwits that bring their owners nothing but frustration and embarrassment. So how can you tell the good from the bad?

[BRACKET "1"] Look at the Parents:
The qualities of the parents tell you more than anything in a pup's papers about what it will look like, how good its nose will be, and how it will behave. That's why you should never buy from a breeder whose claims cannot be checked. TIP: Ask to see the parents work. Pointing-dog parents should be close-working bird finders, not runaways that disappear and hunt out of control. The parents of good retriever prospects retrieve enthusiastically without any frantic activity.

[BRACKET "2"] Check Their Health:
Make sure you see a veterinary certificate showing that the pups you're interested in are in excellent health and have been wormed and inoculated with DHLPP vaccine. TIP: Arrange to see the litter at feeding time. A healthy pup eats eagerly, has a firm covering of flesh, and is happy and robust, not timid, spooky, thin, or runny-eyed.

[BRACKET "3"] Test Their Temperament:
One by one, gently pick up the pups. Before putting each one down, turn it on its back for a moment. A pup that snaps at your hand or struggles wildly when held on its back momentarily is hypersensitive and may be difficult to train. One that just lies there may be dull. You want one that wiggles but doesn't go crazy. TIP: Male or female? The only absolute difference is that females come in heat. In my experience, females are extra-affectionate and sometimes handle with less effort in the field.

[BRACKET "4"] Take Them for a Test Drive:
Take the pups you like outside one by one and apply these tests. Their responses will indicate how they may respond to training later.
Test 1: Walk away. Does the pup romp along beside you or ignore your departure?
Test 2: Stop walking, clap your hands, and squat down on one knee. Does the pup run up to you or wander off on its own business?
Test 3: Crumple up a paper and throw it in plain view. The pup should show healthy curiosity and run after it.

[BRACKET "5"] Trust Your Gut:
By now you should have narrowed your choices down to a few pups. If one appeals to you more than the others for some unexplainable reason, play your hunch and take it. If a final choice seems impossible, just reach in and grab one of them.
TIP: Before making your final pick, check the pup's temperature: 101.5 degrees is normal; anything between 101 and 102 is acceptable.