[stodgman]

My GSP is pretty smart. I have a couple sliding glass doors that give him a good view into my bedroom area so he usually catches me getting ready for a hunt. ANY gear out (whistle, dog collar, chaps, boots) is enough to fix him outside the window. If I touch any of that equipment or put on my hunting boots, grab an orange cap or especially get a shotgun out and he is going to wake the household.

During the season he knows that if I lay around in bed I am not going to work. In his mind that means we must be going hunting. This means a fixed stare (kind of a hopeful, begging look full of anticipation) watching me like a hawk all morning long.

So, what sets your dog off?

 

[AG]

My Springer knows when when the camo comes out.

Funny thing is sometimes I don't take the dog, if there is alot of cholla cactus he stays home.

Then for the next 2 days he pouts ....
Temperamently little turd...

 

[GordonSetter]

My dog used to freak out when she saw the gun, but since I've been doing trap so much she learned a gun is not just for hunting. Now when she see's my field vest she stays right at my side untill I open the truck.

 

[fishmstr]

When I strap on the electric collar. He knows I'm serious at that point.

 

[uglydog]

Not much of a material thing sets my dogs off, the training and beeper collars, the bird bag (for carrying training birds), gunshots, and any pheasant crowing are the exceptions. They are generally hunted from September to Feburary on wild game and "work" wild birds the rest of the year. I also have a dog training permit for my properties that allow me to plant and shoot birds in the off season. I think they key primarily off physical clues no matter how small, like seizure detecting dogs. I can work in the yard all morning and not have them move a muscle but I can eat lunch, decide to do some training, and have them go bonkers when I walk out the door.

 

[Dalee100]

HI,

Just seeing the whistles is all my two need to get excited. But I think it's deeper than that. I think they know the time is upon us just by the scent of the air, and change of season.

About a month before hunting opens, I see thier demenor change. They are a bit more excited, Things like whistles, guns and vests mean more than just another training sesson to them.

Dale

 

[pigeonhunter]

My shepherd knows we're going hunting when any of the following happens

:Get up early

:I put his e-collar on.He is the only dog on the planet in which his behavior is actually worse when the collar goes on because he is so exicited.

:I pick up my gun

:I put on my hunting pants

:I pull out my black duffle bag

:I pull out my waders or decoys

:Or we're walking in the park and he catches a pigeon (they're his favorite) or a dove thats not fast enough.
then he struts around showing them off to utterly perplexed people.All of the park regulars love his antics 8)

:Then there was the time he went "hunting" right in front of a peta member.But thats a diffrent story.

whe we go to the park I don't encourage him to chase the birds
but when he is playing with other dogs or off leash and he see's a bird,well you know what happens if they're to slow.But they're usually aren't.Usually

 

[quackster]

Nellie goes banannas when I get out any of the hunting stuff--- guns, boots, vests, even the box that holds the Happy Collar. Then comes that great disappointment, because we don't actullay go.... I'm just loading up the truck the night before!

She gets a clue the next morning when I'm putting on those ridiculous Upland Bird Pants with the nylon outer layer, with the lingering smell of previous birds and pheasant country.

-- Quackster

 

[Guest]

One word.... Orange.

Well, that's not true. Camo as well.

Or...

Using the word "H-U-N-T-I-N-G" in a sentence without spelling it. (Gosh I hope they never learn to read!)

The "Evil-meter" as we call it starts to jump when any of the above happen.

It starts to get into the yellow when they see the collars or their hunting vests come out.

Entering the truck, they are definitely yellow/red on the Evil-meter because they KNOW "it's gonna happen! We're going HUNTING!!!".

By Long Lake Road which is two miles from the game farm they start screaming..... and the Evil-meter goes off the scale....

Evil Meter

Green.......Yellow.......Red
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| * <--Level at hunting

 

[Bird Hunter]

usually it is the gun case. even if i bring down a empty case he is out of control. any gun including my deer rifle is fair game to throw a fit. the game vest does it too.

 

[gbottger]

Both mine know something is up when I get up before it's light out. Buddy is outside and if he hears me coming down the steps he starts his routine. Sucks when I'm just getting up to let the puppy out, I have to go outside and let Buddy run for a good 10 minutes before he will calm down.

 

[luv2safari]

When I head to the "can" at 4:30 a.m., instead of 6:30.a.m....
By the way, how in the world did we EVER train dogs without e-collers, and hunt without 4-wheelers, and shoot ducks without 3 1/2" mags...? Well, we took the TIME to TRAIN our dogs, we Walked (now there's a novel idea), and we WORKED THE BIRDS IN...