Living with Birddogs: February 2018

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Jim at 11-months

photo by Holly Higgins

At 11-months-old, Jim is progressing nicely. He was initially tought to "stand" on a barrel and board in the yard. Now during his initial fieldwork I make him stand before I cast him off. His intensity at cast-off in the field is built-up because he is expecting to find birds after the whistle blows.....

Sunday, February 11, 2018

Gear

I stumbled across this handy item while perusing a fly shop in Bend, Oregon, last fall. The "Tailgater" is made by Umpqua and fits around and inside a Rubbermaid Roughneck (18-gal) container. The Tailgater is designed with the flyfisherman in mind, but I found it perfect for packing around all the gear and other necessities associated with a day or more spent bird hunting or dog training. The assorted pockets of the Tailgater are situated both inside and outside the Roughneck, and are perfect for storing a number of items including medical aides, e-collars, batteries, whistles, reading material, you name it. The heart of the container is ideal for storing water jugs, dog feed, bowls, shotgun shells, any number of the larger items you typically tote around on a hunt or training session.