Hunting is known to be one of the most popular sports in the United States of America. For avid hunters, hunting is more like a passion and less like a form of sports. Hunting offers fresh air for hunters, while the natural surroundings can improve the state of mind. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of taking your dog to hunt.
Hunters always feel the joy and excitement to its full when they can complete a successful hunting mission. And, for a successful hunting excursion, taking a hunting dog is a must.
It is essential to let you know that dogs used to be the hunters’ primary hunting companion before the invention of guns. For this reason, different types of dog breeds are now available for your hunting purposes.
This article will give a brief idea about the major benefits of taking your dog to hunt. I think this piece of discussion is essential for every hunter who owns a hunting dog.
Let’s dive right into the discussion.
5 Benefits of Taking Your Dog to Hunt
Simply put, a hunting dog can offer you a wide range of benefits when you take it to your hunting mission. But, in this article, I will be focusing on the five major benefits of taking your dog to hunt.
If you are a passionate hunter, it is obvious that you do know how hard it is to locate the game when you are in a large field. When you take your dog hunting, your game’s navigation can become much simpler and easier for you.
This will give you the flexibility to focus more on your hunting skills. And, your four-legged hunting companion will track your prey down.
It will significantly benefit you when it comes to navigating the prey in a large field. This will minimize the risk of returning home without even the taste of your prey.
For this purpose, most hunters prefer a long-range binocular. So, I would suggest managing the best binoculars under 300 because they will serve you for navigation purposes without emptying your pocket.
Pointing & Retrieving
If your hunting dog is properly trained for pointing and retrieving, it can make your hunting mission even more effective, successful, and easier as well. This will allow you to spend more time hunting instead of looking for the game you have already shot down.
In this regard, your loyal four-legged friend will perform the “grunt work.” This will ensure a satisfying and pleasurable hunting experience. Also, it will make your hunting mission even more exciting and fun.
And, it is only possible when you take your hunting dog with you for hunting.
Expanding Hunting Opportunities
One of the biggest benefits you can get while taking your dog for hunting is expanding more hunting opportunities. An example, I think, would be more helpful in this regard.
Well, have you ever gone for a hunting excursion in a type of terrain that is too rugged? I mean, whether the terrain of place where it is much difficult to search for your prey.
For cases like this, a hunting dog will bring some additional advantages for you. And, this will surely expand your hunting opportunities and capabilities. All you need to do is to train your dog to effectively use its heightened sense. This will make the process of tracking down your prey easier for your canine.
Sniffing Tracks
A hunting dog is best known for its special capability called sniffing out the tracks. This will significantly increase the chance of enjoying a successful hunting trip.
When you have a properly trained hunting dog with you, it won’t be difficult to locate your target. Always remember that locating your prey in a faster way will always bring some additional advantages during your hunting journey.
Having Loyal Companionship
No one can deny that going out for a hunting mission with friends is both fun and exciting. However, sometimes you may want to feel the silence of nature. In that case, you don’t want to have the companionship of your friends.
This is where a dog can be the ideal companionship for you during the hunting mission. Your hunting dog truly understands your commands and obeys accordingly. This will allow you to enjoy the beauty of nature with loyal companionship.
Types of Hunting and Hunting Dogs
Here, I will mention some of the most popular types of hunting and hunting dogs.
Types of Hunting
- Camouflage hunting.
- Dig handlers.
- Bird hunting.
- Big Game Hunting.
- Small game hunting.
- Wild boar hunting.
- Bait hunting.
- Active hunting.
- Recreational hunting.
- 24/7 hunting.
- Safari.
Type of Hunting Dogs
- Retrievers
- Pointers
- Setters
- Spaniels.
- Hounds.
Best Hunting Dog Breeds
In this section, I will give a shortlist of the best hunting dog breeds:
Labrador Retriever
- Average Size: 25-35 Kgs.
- Life Expectancy: 10-12 Years.
- Specialty: Water Retrieving.
Golden Retriever
- Average Size: 25-35 Kgs.
- Life Expectancy: 10-23 Years.
- Specialty: All-round Retrieving.
Beagle
- Average Size: 8-14 Kgs.
- Life Expectancy: 12-15 Years.
- Specialty: Scent hound, hare, and rabbit hunting.
American Foxhound
- Average Size: 25-33 Kgs.
- Life Expectancy: 11-13 Years.
- Specialty: Large Game.
English Springer Spaniel
- Average Size: 20-25 Kgs.
- Life Expectancy: 12-14 Years.
- Specialty: Flushing and Gun Dog.
Pointer
- Average Size: 23-33 Kgs.
- Life Expectancy: 11-14 Years.
- Specialty: Pointing, Gun Dog – possible to train it to make a retriever.
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
- Average Size: 20-25 Kgs.
- Life Expectancy: 12-14 Years.
- Specialty: Flushing and Gun Dog.
Bluetick Coonhound
- Average Size: 24-35 Kgs.
- Life Expectancy: 11-12 Years.
- Specialty: Big Game.
English Setter
- Average Size: 24-32 Kgs.
- Life Expectancy: 11-15 Years.
- Specialty: Working Dog, Gun Dog.
Irish Setter
- Average Size: 24-32 Kgs.
- Life Expectancy: 12-15 Years.
- Specialty: Working Dog, Tracking.
Essential Care for Hunting Dogs
It is very crucial to have a clear idea regarding taking care of your hunting dogs. Here, I will make a short description of essential care for hunting dogs.
- Get your canine vaccinated.
- Always arrange good food for them.
- Give proper attention to the paws.
- Take preventive measurements for ticks, fleas, and parasites.
- Wash your hunting properly dog after finishing a wet hunt.
- Give your canine enough time to rest after a hunting mission.
How Much Does Gun Dog Retriever Training Cost?
It is crucial to have proper knowledge regarding the Gun Dog Training Cost. If you want to hire a professional retriever trainer, it can cost you around $500 to $1000 per month. And, a good gun dog retriever training program can last around 3 to 4 months.
Final Words
Now you have understood how much benefit you can get from taking your dog to hunt. In the above discussion, I have tried to describe only the five major benefits you can enjoy from keeping your hunting dog with you during hunting.
You will also experience many other advantages once you start taking your canine with you for hunting.
Whether you take your canine for hunting or not, don’t show any negligence while caring for your dog. I have already discussed essential care for hunting dogs. I think it will help you know what you have to do to care for your new hunting dog.
