Hey guys - I know some of you have bird dogs for hunting upland game or ducks.

How concerned are you about wild predators attacking your dog while hunting, and what do you do to prevent it?

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

I hunt a lot of wild country, not much in farmland. Like yesterday, Mav was hunting off leash, running, enjoying, working to find birds where there weren't any. I've hunted that same area for mule deer & elk.

There are wolves, coyotes, mountain lion, bobcat, and black bear in that vicinity. Yesterday when a coyote sounded off, only a couple of hundred yards away, I put the leash back on Maverick to keep him from going after the coyote.

A few years ago I was working Clark on some wild chukar in a nearby canyon before season. He was so intent on the birds that he didn't notice the large black bear about 200 yards above us! The bear clearly had seen us. I put the leash on Clark before he could go running after the bear. Would he? I don't know. Fortunately he never even noticed the bear!

I have a shock collar I put on Mav anytime I might have him off-leash. He's good about coming when I call, and getting better, but if he gets more than about 100 yards away, I give him a quick beep with the collar. That normally works. Only time to time have I had to actually zap him. That brings him running back to me for sure! Normally he just comes when I call.

I almost always have pepper spray and a decent handgun with me. Of course a shotgun while bird hunting.

What do you guys do to keep your dog from getting attacked by wild predators?

Thanks, Guy