Black lab decoy
- Thread starter yipnhowl
- Start date
AmbushCZ243
New member
Make shure that the dog is very good at verbal comands. Hand comands are even better. Dogs can be great to hunt with as long as they don't try to bolt in front of you as you try to take the shot. Some people will let the dog run to the yotes before the shot and that seems to distract the yotes from your movements and sent. Taking your best friend should be great fun. The size of your dog should be fine.
cougerbait
New member
I brought my female lab a couple of times last year. It is funny how they know what is there long before you do! I called in 2 coyotes with her on 5 stands. No shots were taken though. She isn't aggressive at all, I worried about her. Most of the time she just sat right by me.
I since bought a dog just for that. Once I have the little one trained, the black one will star coming along also. I got my dog from a breeder that has been doing this for 15 years. I can sure tell the difference in this one. She will play supper hard going for the thought of the lab 1 second, to playing with my daughter licker her in the face in another. It just amazes me how she can turn it on and off when needed.
Bring your Lab! Have a good time. It sure adds another dimension to the calling. It is like they get birdie with the coyotes. Acting all strange. You will know that some thing is there and just flat out get pumped!
By the way My female lab it a tall girl weighing in at 80 pounds.
I since bought a dog just for that. Once I have the little one trained, the black one will star coming along also. I got my dog from a breeder that has been doing this for 15 years. I can sure tell the difference in this one. She will play supper hard going for the thought of the lab 1 second, to playing with my daughter licker her in the face in another. It just amazes me how she can turn it on and off when needed.
Bring your Lab! Have a good time. It sure adds another dimension to the calling. It is like they get birdie with the coyotes. Acting all strange. You will know that some thing is there and just flat out get pumped!
By the way My female lab it a tall girl weighing in at 80 pounds.
Varmint Al
New member
I use Bart and he is my eyes, ears, and nose.
Here is a typical stand:
It was about 9:00am and Rush was on the AM radio. I heard coyotes howling on the hill north of Lobdell lake. Well, enough of Rush. I got my rifle and Bi-Fur-Pod and selected the Dan Thompson Howler and the new L&M call. Off we went heading for a good stand in the sage brush. We (Bart hunts coyotes with me) setup in the shade of a small white bark pine tree. I put Bart on a very short leash tied to my belt. If he were to lunge forward, he couldn't get as far as the muzzle of the rifle. I scanned the ridge top with my binoculars and there were 2 coyotes at about 1000 yards and in among the cattle. I gave two greeting howls and they stopped and looked my way. They were not that interested. I started with the L&M call and made a medium volume distress call. The highest coyote started walking toward me and stopped after traveling about 50 yards. The second coyote stopped but didn't come my way. About this time Bart stiffens up and does a very low growl. A third coyote was headed toward us out of the creek bottom. If Bart hadn't warned me, I wouldn't have seen it. This male was circling around and headed downwind and went out of sight over the rise. I moved the sticks around to match his possible approach. I guessed pretty well and he stopped at about 75 yards just peaking at me through a sage brush. That was all the target I needed. One shot and one coyote down.
Here is Bart posing with the coyote. He makes a great coyote hunting dog. Bart watches while I am calling and is very alert.
Here is a typical stand:
It was about 9:00am and Rush was on the AM radio. I heard coyotes howling on the hill north of Lobdell lake. Well, enough of Rush. I got my rifle and Bi-Fur-Pod and selected the Dan Thompson Howler and the new L&M call. Off we went heading for a good stand in the sage brush. We (Bart hunts coyotes with me) setup in the shade of a small white bark pine tree. I put Bart on a very short leash tied to my belt. If he were to lunge forward, he couldn't get as far as the muzzle of the rifle. I scanned the ridge top with my binoculars and there were 2 coyotes at about 1000 yards and in among the cattle. I gave two greeting howls and they stopped and looked my way. They were not that interested. I started with the L&M call and made a medium volume distress call. The highest coyote started walking toward me and stopped after traveling about 50 yards. The second coyote stopped but didn't come my way. About this time Bart stiffens up and does a very low growl. A third coyote was headed toward us out of the creek bottom. If Bart hadn't warned me, I wouldn't have seen it. This male was circling around and headed downwind and went out of sight over the rise. I moved the sticks around to match his possible approach. I guessed pretty well and he stopped at about 75 yards just peaking at me through a sage brush. That was all the target I needed. One shot and one coyote down.
Here is Bart posing with the coyote. He makes a great coyote hunting dog. Bart watches while I am calling and is very alert.
Varmint Al,
I've enjoyed your website and stories for years and have a serious question for you regarding your hunting with Bart. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowingsmilie.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowingsmilie.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowingsmilie.gif
Aren't you worried about his hearing possibly suffering from shooting? I'd think that if he wasn't behind you that the muzzle blast from your rifle would be VERY painful to him and that it might damage his hearing. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
I'd LOVE to get a dog specifically for coyote and bobcat hunting since my senses are becoming dulled from all the shooting and rapidly progressing years that make me "slow on the uptake". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif
I bet I'm missing a lot of 'yotes just because I'm not nearly as aware or alert as I used to be and I'm hoping a young companion dog would add to my hunting fun and success. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
So... What has your experience with Bart shown and what are your conclusions. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
TIA,
$bob$
I've enjoyed your website and stories for years and have a serious question for you regarding your hunting with Bart. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowingsmilie.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowingsmilie.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowingsmilie.gif
Aren't you worried about his hearing possibly suffering from shooting? I'd think that if he wasn't behind you that the muzzle blast from your rifle would be VERY painful to him and that it might damage his hearing. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
I'd LOVE to get a dog specifically for coyote and bobcat hunting since my senses are becoming dulled from all the shooting and rapidly progressing years that make me "slow on the uptake". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif
I bet I'm missing a lot of 'yotes just because I'm not nearly as aware or alert as I used to be and I'm hoping a young companion dog would add to my hunting fun and success. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
So... What has your experience with Bart shown and what are your conclusions. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
TIA,
$bob$
Varmint Al
New member
When Bart is on the short leash at my side, his head is even with my body. There are very few shots fired when coyote hunting and so far it appears that Bart still has very good hearing. He can still hear the slightest sound. I had to but some lube on the leather of my Bi-Fur-Pod where the rifle rests. If not, when I move the rifle a slight bit it makes a very soft noise and Bart keys on that. We usually call into the wind and Bart can smell a coyote on the way in. He stiffens up and gives out a very low growl. I am sure the growl can't be heard more than a few feet away. Once you hunt with a dog for a while, you begin to "read" the dog.
Bart has very good eyesight. He can see a coyote at 600 yards. I don't think he keys on the shape so much as the motion. He also keys on deer. When I am up in the High Sierras, we often call in deer and he usually sees them first. Also, Bart is very quiet while I am calling. When I finish a calling sequence, Bart starts scanning the horizon.
Bart can usually hear a coyote that has circled around and is coming in downwind. If the coyote gets too close, Bart fouls up and barks at them. But when he does that, they usually don't run very far before they stop to see what black dog is. That gives me time to setup in the downwind direction.
When I am up in the high country, I usually stay 3 or 4 days and sleep out in the open under the stars. Bart is also very good about not letting anything sneak up on us at night.
It has really been enjoyable taking Bart on hunting and fishing trips. Bart also fetches trout when I am dry fly fishing. He watches for the rise to the fly and once the fish is on he heads in to fetch it. It is strange, but he doesn’t see a trout under the surface. Once I bring them up to the surface, he is after them and fetches them right out on the bank about 20 feet onto dry land. Then I go over and he delivers them to hand!
Bart has very good eyesight. He can see a coyote at 600 yards. I don't think he keys on the shape so much as the motion. He also keys on deer. When I am up in the High Sierras, we often call in deer and he usually sees them first. Also, Bart is very quiet while I am calling. When I finish a calling sequence, Bart starts scanning the horizon.
Bart can usually hear a coyote that has circled around and is coming in downwind. If the coyote gets too close, Bart fouls up and barks at them. But when he does that, they usually don't run very far before they stop to see what black dog is. That gives me time to setup in the downwind direction.
When I am up in the high country, I usually stay 3 or 4 days and sleep out in the open under the stars. Bart is also very good about not letting anything sneak up on us at night.
It has really been enjoyable taking Bart on hunting and fishing trips. Bart also fetches trout when I am dry fly fishing. He watches for the rise to the fly and once the fish is on he heads in to fetch it. It is strange, but he doesn’t see a trout under the surface. Once I bring them up to the surface, he is after them and fetches them right out on the bank about 20 feet onto dry land. Then I go over and he delivers them to hand!
nc_deerhunter
New member
I have a question...I have a pup he is about 9 weeks old, do you reckon that if I take him and he does his normal pup whines it would help to call them? I was just wondering because if I tie him up near me where I am just out of his reach he will whine and howl and make all sorts of racket.
NM Leon
New member
Quote:
Varmint Al,
Sounds like you have the perfect hunting and fishing buddy! Thanks for the info... Now to convince the wife I need a dog... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
$bob$
Bring home a puppy that you "rescued" and will "find a good home for". After a few days there's no way she'll let you give it away, LOL. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
Varmint Al,
Sounds like you have the perfect hunting and fishing buddy! Thanks for the info... Now to convince the wife I need a dog... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
$bob$
Bring home a puppy that you "rescued" and will "find a good home for". After a few days there's no way she'll let you give it away, LOL. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
Tommy Johnson
New member
Cool, just got a yellow female and have been working her pretty hard with learning verbal commands and at 3 mo's she already knows several. I'm hoping she will make a good decoy.
Good looking dog Al and great story.
Good looking dog Al and great story.