Having a hunting dog can make hunting a whole new experience. What gear will you need to help you keep your hunting dog safe while you're out in the woods? Here, you'll find a few tips to help you prepare for your first outing of the season with your canine hunting companion.
Orange Collar or Vest
The most important thing you'll do before you release your dog into the woods is put an orange collar or vest on him. You need to make it very obvious that the creature running through the woods isn't prey – it is a dog, doing its job. For optimum visibility, choose an orange safety vest.
Electronic GPS Tracking Collar
You want to be able to let your dog run through the woods and push the wildlife, but you don't want to spend the rest of your day looking for him. With an electronic tracking collar, you can let him run freely and easily be able to track him down whenever you're ready. The dog wears a collar and you carry a handheld device with a little map on it that shows you exactly where your dog is.
As you choose the tracking collar that you'll use, pay close attention to the battery life of the device and the range. Make sure that you choose a model that has a long enough battery life to get you through your hunting trips and more than enough range to find your dog if he doesn't return.
Travel Crate
You won't know what your dog will get into while you're out in the woods, and you sure don't want him tracking whatever it is all over him inside your vehicle or camp – so get a good travel crate to house your dog.
One accessory to consider adding to the crate is an insulated wrap for it. If you'll be hauling the dog in the back of the truck inside the crate, he will get cold, and if he's wet, he's going to be really cold. The insulated wrap goes around the crate and zips up tightly, so your dog will get more than enough air to breathe, but he'll stay warm.
Safely getting out there and hunting with your dog is something that a lot of people look forward to all year long. Don't let your hunting season be cut short because you didn't have the training equipment for hunting dogs to keep your companion safe while you're out.
