Good books/websites on hunting with dogs?

Losech

Hello everybody! Sorry if putting this in the hunting section doesn't really work...

I'm very interested in hunting with dogs and would love some good reading material on how to train and hunt with them. I'd like to have some knowledge before I get my first hunting dog so I don't go into it blindly. Tagging along on a hunt would be awesome but I don't think anyone here hunts in Missouri...
Anyways, there is a possibility that I'll be going back to Oregon sometime around May. If that happens I will get a license there and get some experience without dogs.
I'd like to go for bigger game like deer and elk but will most likely start out on rabbits and birds.

On a more funny note, Conker LOVES birds and has an immense prey drive towards them. I figured he was gonna be more of a squirrel guy but man did he want to kill those robins we saw yesterday! Every time he sees a bird he gets into his stalk-hunt-kill stance. It's really neat to see him like that and hard to not encourage him to want to get them.

shishiinu

So I will start some few answers to your question. The key word is "it depends". There are man different game that you can hunt with dogs and almost each game requires some sort of training that is some what exclusive to the game you are hunting. If you are wanting to hunt small game like birds/rabbits/suirrle, there many DVD's and books on how to start a dog off in the right direction.

I'm not a big fan on training a NK for bird hunting just because I feel theres more work required for the training versus a known bird dog breed like a lab, pointer and etc. Not saying it cant be done but be prepared on the possibility of having a dog that does not want to hunt small game. The best way to train a dog is to know some one who already has started dogs to hunt with. Young dogs will pick up from older dogs and thus making your training that much easier.

But either way I would need to know exactly what kind of hunting you want to do with dogs.

Losech

Ach, sorry I wasn't clear on what I wanted to hunt. I wrote that in the middle of the night.

With dogs, deer and elk, maybe boar once I've got more experience. Tracking, chasing, what kind of hunting is that called? Where the dog follows a scent to the animal then chases or keeps it in an area. Not attacking it, barking and driving.

Birds and small game I'd do on my own.

shishiinu

It sounds like you want to get into a general big game baying dog. One thing you will need to do is check your locallaws on the use of dogs for big game, especially deer and elk. The north american mule deer and elk is a bit difficult to hunt with dogs, not saying it cant be done but hunting them the traditional way (spot/stalk or calling) will be your best luck.

As for hogs, using dogs will be your best bet. I think some where on the forum there are some info on how to train a NK to hunt hogs that Shigeru and I threw in. If you go to ebay there s a DVD called how to train a og dog and that has a good amount of actual how to info for beginners. It all comes down to putting your dog on as many hogs as possible. It also comes down to if you dog is willing to hunt. Fortunately I have only had one Kishu out of the all the big game dogs I have had in the past.

For a some one just getting started here are a few things I suggest you secure.
1) a place to hunt with the animals you want to hunt.
2) a dog or dogs willing to hunt.
3) a area with penned wild hogs to get your dogs sarted.
4) most important: time and funds to traing your dog and hunt with it.

Now one thing you will need to understand is a big game dog may "catch" a animal meaning the dog may get close enough to a hog to bite and hold. This all depends on the dog. I know Shigeru's dogs and my dogs will go in and catch a hog if they are willing to do so. So that being said if you dont like to see that not sure if using dogs to chase big game will be the style you are lookng for.

dlroberts

I'd check your local regulations about hunting big game with dogs. In NC, we have VERY liberal big game regulations, but there are only a select few places in the state where hunting big game with dogs is allowed on public lands. On private lands you can do what you please, but it may take years before you have the connections to get access to private lands.

I'll also second many of the things that Gen has said to you. I spent months looking for information on hog dog training and only found one DVD on amazon that I thought was completely useless. I've come to the conclusion that part of the reason for this is that hog hunting with dogs can be very dangerous both for the dogs and the hunter. There just aren't that many people who do it, and many of those who do tend to treat their dogs as expendable tools for hunting, rather than cherished family members. Gen is a notable exception to this.

As for small game and bird hunting, that is something where you can really benefit easily from having a dog. When it comes to big game, they cover large distances, leave easily noticeable tracks, and can be spotted from a distance. That makes them relatively easy to hunt without dogs. Small game and birds are prey animals, so they tend to spend their time hiding. Many upland game birds will let you walk directly over them and not move an inch. Their defense mechanism is to stay still and hide, rather than run or fight. Using dogs in that setting is invaluable.

I'll also agree that using a NK as a bird dog is tough. I speak from experience on this. I've been training my Kai for the past six months to be a bird dog and he is progressing reasonably well. By next season I'm hopeful he'll be a passable bird dog. BUT, he's never going to be a really good one. His instincts are all wrong. He wants to chase and catch birds, retrieving is not a natural behavior for him, and his natural range is much farther than is generally appropriate for a bird dog. That being said, you can train over these things to some degree, but it has been and will always be a constant battle to extinguish those tendencies.

As someone who is/was in your position not long ago, my suggestion to you if you really want to get into hunting with dogs, is to get yourself a dedicated bird dog first. A lab, pointer, vizsla, etc. will make an excellent hunting companion and can even come along on big game hunts to help you track wounded game. Train your dog and learn to hunt birds or small game with it, and as you make more and more connections over the years, you'll get access to land and to other hunters who can help you in your big game pursuits. That will be the right time to start thinking about raising a big game dog.

Losech

Thanks for the info guys, it's quite helpful.
I have no problem with the catching thing if the dog decides to do it, I just don't want to train them to do that and that only.
I know it's going to be a year or more before I'm able to get a hunting dog, but research never hurts. Thanks again!

CrimsonO2

Hey Dr. Dave,
Sounds like a book opportunity for you, Gen, and Shigs to get together and write a kick-ass book on game hunting with NK:-). Neh?

Jesse

okiron

I say go visit Dave, Gen or Shigeru and tag along :P

TeamLaika

I have this book. http://www.amazon.com/Squirrel-Dog-Basics-Hunting-Squirrels/dp/0967170001/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

It is a decent basic text for beginners. You might like to check out Squirrel Dog Central over at http://www.sqdog.com/ There is a section in the forums for other game (boar, coon, coyote, etc)