Originally Posted by marshmud991
Originally Posted by Fishduck
Your ducks were reduced to possession and you enjoyed hunting with your dog. That is what matters. Congratulations!!!

Since Marsh was sharing stories of the "field trial dogs", I will share a guide dog story. Called the guide to ask if I could bring a dog. Answer was "Sure but don't bring a bad dog". Showed up that morning and they had 2 dogs. Unloaded the guns at the bank of the slough and leaned them on a tree. While they set decoys in a boat both guide dogs peed on the guns. They then disappeared but by legal shooting time one had returned and the other was running on the other side of the slough. Shot into the first group of teal and both dogs broke about the time the safety clicked off. We sat back and watched the one dog fetch and eat 3 teal. They cranked and used a boat to get the long ducks and mine picked up the close birds that the other 2 dogs didn't see. I have hunted with guides that had very nice dogs but these were not.

No way in hades I’d have a dog like that. A good dog is a valuable and pleasurable part of the hunt. The place I guided for was a family owned private club and it was always the same people that would come every season. I always left my dog in the kennel if someone wanted to bring their dog. It was their hunt and I was fine with it. I would explain to them that at my blind it was “ your dog your birds”. I don’t work other people’s dogs and if the dog didn’t hunt (most didn’t) I’d go back and find the lost birds with my dog after the hunt. I’ve had guys ask to bring their dogs and their hunting partners would tell them Nope you ain’t bringing that dog on our hunt. 🤣
I did also get to hunt with some of the finest dogs money could buy and the owner new how to handle the dog. It was great to watch the show but I wasn’t there for a show. My job was to kill ducks and I didn’t have time to handle a dog. My dogs worked 95% of the time on their own and I would help them when needed. We both had jobs to do and that’s what we did. The 3 dogs I had through my guiding career, Roux, Shadow, and Cajun, all black Labs made way more money in that marsh then I ever did. I was blessed to have access to well bred true hunting dogs and they were simply amazing. However none of them intelligence wise was even close to Raven. I still kinda wish I duck hunted a lot because she loves to go hunting anything. I didn’t do her the justice she deserves. Heck I think she taught me more then I ever taught her. I spend more time with Raven then I do with my wife. Is that a bad thing? 🤣🤣
Spec had a dang fine yellow lab, Jake. He was a beautiful male dog. He was another one that went out to the blind and did his job well. There were days poor Jake would get back to the camp and he’d be black, covered in that good ole marsh mud. That was the good days.


It has been my joy and pleasure to own some really nice labs that hunted a lot. Also because of the duck club I was in, I got to hunt with a lot of highly titled dogs. You have obviously been in the same position.

Most of the highly titled dogs that made the hunt miserable, involved an owner that had no control over their dog. Saw exactly the same things you describe with several dogs. The dog would go back to the trainer and be the most well mannered, obedient dog you could want.

I compare it to buying a very nice shotgun. The $$$$ spent will not make you a good wing shooter. A dog trainer can train a dog but until the owner learns how to handle the dog, it will not reach its full potential.