Hunting with older dogs

[JPederson5]

Hey guys, wondering if anyone here has any tips they could share. Gunner just turned the big 10 this summer and physically, is still more than able to hunt. The past 2ish years, I've noticed an increasing issue with his hearing. Probably a mix of age and too many field mallard hunts laying next to me in a ground blind with shots over his head. Anyway, I'm wondering if anyone has experience with hunting with deaf, or at least decreased hearing dogs? I'll likely get him some sort of a bell so I at least can hear and locate him when he's hunting. Here in SD there's not may days of light winds and 90% of the cover we hunt is either cattail sloughs or tall native grasses which adds an unnecessary challenge. My worst fear is losing him in a windy day in tall cover and not being able to locate him as I know he cannot hear me as good as he once could.

Hopeful for another great year here in the Dakotas. We were fortunate enough to chase down our 500th rooster together last year in the snow! Good luck to everyone this fall.

 

[TSAMP]

GPS e collar. Beeper e collar. Lots of options. Bell is certainly the cheapest route. The vibration setting on an E collar might be of value to you in this circumstance since you could use that to issue commands since he can't hear ya.

 

[KurtR]

Once both my older dogs hit that age I was really selective on which cover they would go. Those cattails will make those old dogs sore. Would walk crp that wasn’t crazy thick. Mostly just field hunted ducks that’s what they both liked the most. I would get a gps collar so if something would happen you can find them. A bell only works if they are able to move.

 

[JPederson5]

Thanks for the replies, guys. The GPS/beeper collar is definitely the way to go I'm thinking. Unfortunately I had just updated my shock collar about the time I started noticing decline in hearing. I had never needed those features previously so saved the money. Can't put a dollar amount on piece of mind in the field though. We went out last night getting some field work in and are seeing fairly good numbers so fingers crossed for increased numbers through the drought we had.

 

[MTAntelope]

I’ve used the e-collars with beepers and trained my dogs to come if they hear the beep. It isn’t something that I use often, but has come in handy a few times with both young dogs (porcupines, excitement) and old dogs (hearing issues).

 

[Roksliding]

Garmin alpha best investment I’ve ever made!!

If you want, there is a cattail slough west of Wolsey that has the hand receiver GPS unit in it somewhere, find it and you can keep it!!

hunting with old dogs is tough. Hard on them hard on you.. I hunted my old dog with a young rock star pup, and I felt horrible about it, it’s almost like I could see the embarrassment in my old dogs eyes.

I actually found a dog one year somebody had lost. ol boy was on point holding a rooster down till I flushed it. Got a (poor) video of it!! Not to far north of Woonsocket.