Growing up in a family of hunters & fishermen has lead Kristen Monroe of OutdoorNews.com to have passion for the outdoors. Recently, Kristen visited South Dakota for some old fashioned casting and blasting.

Some visit South Dakota for the great pheasant hunting.  Others seek a peek at Mount Rushmore.  But I was searching for adventure on the beautiful Black Hills streams.

I was anxious to wet my fly line in the picturesque streams and lakes in the area. The City of Deadwood and the Black Hills, Badlands and Lakes Association were our hosts for the 4th annual Association of Great Lake Outdoor Writers (AGLOW) Spring Cast & Blast event. Both greeted the media and our participating corporate members with open arms.

Twenty-four outdoor enthusiasts shared turkey blinds and hiked the natural terrain with hopes of taking home a Merriam’s turkey. Lori Smith of Indiana and Dean Bortz of Wisconsin saw not only turkeys, but also had visits from mountain lions at their respective blinds. Perhaps these powerful predators were seeking a turkey dinner? The sound of the purrs, clucks and gobbles evoked curiosity from the massive pumas. While ten had successful hunts, others were still smiling after experiencing a city rich in old, Wild West history and plentiful wildlife.

Twelve other event participants split up and headed to local lakes and streams to catch walleye, trout, bass and panfish. Lakes Sheridan, Orman, Pactola and several area streams produced beautiful catches and photos for the AGLOW anglers.

Rapid Creek is a tailwater fishery flowing out of scenic Pactola Lake.  Its shallow, clear waters and large, experienced trout make it a highly technical stream.  The fly-fishing was challenging yet delightful, and my persistence was rewarded with my first beautiful brown trout.

“The insects in this area are very small, and the trout are smart,” said David Gamet, manager and guide from Dakota Angler & Outfitter out of Rapid City.  “You have to trick them with a nymph, long leader and light tippet,” he continued.  If you have ever tried to fish with 7x tippet, you know the thickness is next to nothing. It was light and hard to control. The flies were equally tiny.  I used a San Juan Worm as an attractor and a size 22 beatis nymph as a dropper.  These tiny hooks presented another hindrance, as they kept getting covered with algae. But no algae was going to stand in my way.  I cleaned my hook multiple times.

Indeed, the country trout were canny.  I could almost hear their laughter while repeatedly roll casting my St. Croix 5-weight with careful determination. To avoid spooking these smart trout, I fished from the bank on my knees. Casting with stealth, I could hear faint rumbles of thunder in the background. Anxious to hook a trout before the storm hit, I casted like never before. I could smell the rain. Suddenly, a subtle hesitation of my strike indicator and I saw the brown eat the nymph. I lifted the rod gently and fought the glorious fish to the bank. My first brown trout was captured in the net, photographed, and released.  We were caught by the impending downpour on our hike back to the truck, but needless to say, I didn’t care.

At the end of each day AGLOW members met and swapped stories at the Deadwood Mountain Grand Hotel, Event Center and Casino – a wonderful hopping off point for all of our Black Hills outdoor adventures.  Deadwood is known as the city that never dies, a title it has earned after being rebuilt three times due to fires. Buildings don’t last forever. But like the surrounding mountains cloaked in Ponderosa pines, the tales of the Wild West will live on for eternity – as will our memories and outdoor stories.

For more info visit these helpful links for the Black Hills, Badlands and Lakes Assoc, Deadwood Mountain Grand and Dakota Angler & Outfitter.

The winter months had been rough.  Dark days veil the distance and wet wind pierces marrow.  The city skyscrapers hide among low clouds, mountains drown, windshields streak and stain with light played through endless precipitation.

Those days, one can’t help but wonder.

Thoughts of spring shoot up like dandelions, wild-eyed and full of promise.  In the Northwest, the first signs of warmth shatter cocoons and stagnant lakes ripple and teem with life once again.  On one of the first beautiful days this year, the Filson team took to the highway with a car full of shooting vests, shotguns, and shells, and returned with endless appreciation for this new season.

By David S. Lewis
Executive Editor, (614) Magazine

Funny thing about hunting, sometimes you know exactly what’s happening, and that what’s happening is working.  Assuming all things go properly, something delicious is going to die, and you’re going to get to eat it.

Other times, it is spring turkey season, and you and your bud will sit in a strange wooden shack in the middle of the forest and use various devices to squawk and scream at each other for what is probably no real reason at all.

My pal and hunting buddy, Andy, lives on a rural southeastern Ohio tree farm. Deer are in hog heaven here for 50 weeks of the year – and hogs love it, too.

Similarly, wild turkeys are abundant in Vinton County and on his farm every moment of the year – except, of course, the two weeks or so when they become the most interesting to everyone.

Andy had just bought his box call a day before the season opened. In the cabin, he’s fluent in Turkese.  As soon as we get to the blind, however, everything breaks down.  The noises emitted from that $12 chalkless hellbox are deafening, at least a hundred times louder than any turkey born after the Second Ice Age.  Sometimes it creaks like a barn door plugged into a Marshall stack; others it shrieks like Rhodan from the old Godzilla movies.

At no point does it sound remotely like a lady turkey, however.

I don’t do much better.  At one point a farmer’s turkey hears my gurgling, and hollers back half-heartedly.  We made small talk for nearly an hour, him gobbling a response to every flaccid rattle I produce.  I assume now that he knew the deal, in which I was trying real hard and he just chose to play along for my confidence’s sake.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have him quite so well ID’d: I grew increasingly excited and impressed with myself, waiting for him to stampede my location, until I realized that he wasn’t the turkey I was looking for.  (I later learned that the little jerk was trained to poop in a litter box.  Clever girl…)

The hours crawl by the days when you’re out in the woods, and I soon realized that I had only one day left.  Some friends on motorcycles had come by and ruined an entire day of hunting, and proceeded to make up for it with some poker and good whiskey.  Before long, I realized that I had one of two options: wake up in two hours, or make my way out to the blind now and pass the night there. It was raining, and I knew that any birds still in the woods would be interested in digging up some worms in the morning, so I hiked out around 2:30 a.m., en route to a turkey blind I would never find.

Andy’s property has been in his family since his grandfather, a Kentucky coal miner, picked it up in the early seventies, as the lay of the land reminded him of the central Kentucky steep hills and long wooded hollers of his youth.  Around 80 acres of land, most of it is either up or down hill.  I headed towards the very back of the farm where I knew the blind to be, wearing only a light jacket and Filson packer hat, as I had left my sleeping bag in the blind.  It was cool, especially with the pouring rain, but I knew I would soon be snug and the possibility of waking up to a randy gobbler was very real; the pines had shown the most promising sign, scratches everywhere and the telltale parallel lines on the dirt trail, the wingtip drags that tell you a dominant tom has been strutting.

My anticipation for the morning’s evaporated in an instant as the battery in the flashlight died and I was thrown into overcast darkness.

I had already been hiking for an hour, and with the clouds over head, there was absolutely no light available.  I stumbled off the trail, and while I could normally have oriented myself somewhat by the sound of the nearby creek rushing with water, the rain cascading down every hill was far too loud for that.  I knew I was in the area…but where was the blind? Frustrated, I finally found a tree to climb, and made my way into the crook of two branches coming out of the main trunk.  My muscles were screaming from three days of hiking, and — apart from my head which Filson’s shelter cloth had kept entirely dry — I was soaking wet.  But, at least I would be near the pines in the morning.  At least I’ll get in a good early hunt was my final thought before I succumbed to whiskey and exhaustion, and amazingly fell sound asleep as the rain fell heavily through the young leaves.

Also amazingly, I woke well after the sun was up; in fact, my jacket had mostly dried off.  Not as amazingly: I was nowhere near the pines I thought I had been hiking through.  I was nowhere near the blind.  And I was nowhere near any damn turkeys.

At least my head was dry.  One more weekend, turkey devils.  I’ve still got one more weekend.

Brian Koch started Ultimate Upland in 2010 to be the most comprehensive resource for upland hunting enthusiasts. Since then it has grown into a community where bird hunters congregate and share their love for the sport. Koch strives to be the hardest working bird hunter in the country and aims to reach hunters and fans with detailed accounts of Ultimate Upland adventures.

Three decades ago my dad put a shotgun in my hands. We’d setup on the old farm hill with the hand trap and shoot clays until our shoulders were sore and cases of pigeons emptied. Then we’d go down in the pasture, pick up the unbroken clays, return them to the top of the hill and shoot some more. I’ve never had a professional shooting lesson but believe I’ve had the best shooting instruction available anywhere.

And a few years ago my nephew Zach began getting that same instruction on the same farm hill from the same man, his grandpa. The hand trap has been replaced by battery powered which is now towed up the slope with a lawn tractor. But the lessons are the same: be safe, shoot often, have fun, but listen and learn from a man who has put more rounds down range than most small armies. Needless to say, Zach has grown comfortable with a gun in hand.

As part of our Off-Season Odyssey I thought it would be interesting to pit pupil against pupil. As we drive cross country on Zach’s spring break we’ll stop whenever time allows to shoot sporting clays and hone the shotgunning skills sowed by my dad. After eight hours driving we get our first opportunity to stretch our legs and burn some powder at a clays course in Illinois.

Zach has sprouted into a young man. His reactions times will be faster, his vision better. He’s on the front end of life, the upswing. Whereas I’m fighting to stay on the right side of the hill, he’s coming of age. Needless to say, I have concerns. This is the first time I’ve had a shooting stick in hand since the close of wild bird hunting season. I don’t want to be outshot by my nephew. It’s too early for that. But the possibility is real.

It’s apparent these friendly shooting matches are just a microcosm of the purpose for this road trip. As much as I hope to broaden Zach’s horizons, there is also a growing desire to define my own legacy. There has to be something that an uncle can still offer, some nugget of experience, of expertise, that can still awe a teen. Maybe that’s besting him in sporting clays, exploring amazing new places or just driving infinite hours to stick to a self-imposed itinerary on a road trip few would attempt in this timeframe.

After the first couple shooting stations, I’m grateful some of the symptoms of youth are still at hand: small lapses in focus, and a reluctance to try the proven path. It’s these things which keep me at a small shooting advantage. But there is also foreshadowing of rounds to come – stations where my nephew whips me handily and forces me to lug the dreaded shooting bag to the next. Each round of sporting clays we shoot, the margin of victory is tight, but more importantly we both improve our own scores.

Whether it’s shooting at the foot of the Rockies, off-roading at Big Horn Canyon, peering over the rim of Crater Lake or bouldering at Devil’s Tower, I find comfort in remaining relevant. And watching Zach grow up seems less a threat than a privilege.

We complete the 6,900 mile Off-Season Odyssey loop returning to the exact same sporting clays course where it kicked off ten days earlier. A legacy of shooting that began over 30 years ago with my dad’s passion for the shooting sports has come full circle as well. What Zach will do with his love of the outdoors and shotgunning is up to him. But I expect he’ll pass it along in his own way and own time and the legacy will continue. And one day, hopefully in the very distant future, he may actually be able to best his uncle’s score.

For over two decades, George Hickox has shown all levels of owners how to train great bird dogs.  More often than not, the secret to successful days in the field start with top tier nutrition and a consistent feeding program.  Find out how to feed your working dogs the right way to ensure many happy memories are made on the hunt.

Sound genetics, proper and consistent training, as well as feeding a tier one nutrition are required for the canine athlete to maximize his stamina. A genetically talented dog that has developed his abilities through a successful training program will be unable to stand up to the rigors of a day of running if fed improperly.

The canine receives the nutritional benefits from eating eight to sixteen hours after ingesting his food. Feeding Pupster in the morning of the big hunt or strenuous exercise is not a sound feeding program.  Feeding raises the dog’s body temperature and pre-exercise feeding can led to gastrointestinal health issues such as bloat.  Gastro Volvulus Distention can be life threatening.

A dog should not be fed within two hours prior to exercise or within one hour post exercise.  Digesting food requires water and a dog fed prior to exercise is more prone to dehydration.  There is no plus to feeding in the morning prior to a day of activity.  We feed in the evening no sooner than an hour post exercise.  This schedule allows the dog to digest his food and receive the necessary calories that will be demanded for the following day’s activities.

The amount of calories individual dogs will require varies considerably. A dog with a high metabolism will demand more calories than a pooch with a lower metabolism.  A dog that is kenneled outside in lower temperatures will need to ingest more calories to maintain his internal body core temperature than a companion living in the house.  A good guideline is that a dog will require 7% more or less calories for every 10 degree rise or fall in temperature.  If the temperature was 50 degrees on Tuesday and dropped to 30 degrees on Wednesday Fido would require 14% more calories on Wednesday than on Tuesday.

Obesity and the side effects of obesity are the leading cause of early death in canines in the US.  A good gauge for the proper weight a dog should maintain is if viewing the dog from above the dog should look like a horizontally placed hour glass.  Purina has a body scoring system on their website that will inform viewers about proper weight.  Google “canine body scoring.”

Carbohydrates heat and fat cools.  A diet of high carbohydrates and low fat will raise the dog’s body core temperature which can lead to overheating.  In addition to keeping the dog well hydrated prior to and during exercise a higher fat and lower carb diet will keep the four-legged hunting partner running cooler.

A balanced diet with the proper percentages of proteins and fats will provide the dog with the necessary fuel to perform his tasks on a day’s outing.  We feed a blue ribbon diet of 30% protein and 20% fat for the working dog.  Feed your dog a quality nutritionally balanced diet and do not let the dog become overweight.  Your dog will live a longer and healthier life.

The Switzer Ranch is a ranching operation in Northern Nebraska that has been family-owned for 105 years. Here, a true love of the land and the wildlife it supports has been passed down throughout the family.  Sarah and her brother Adam are part of the four generations currently living and working on the ranch.  Follow as Calamus Outfitters, which provides guiding and outdoor recreation at the ranch, prepares for the start of Turkey Season.

As Adam Switzer makes ready for the year’s first spring turkey hunt in the Sandhills of Nebraska three things are at the top of his list for a successful outing; his calls, his dog, and his gear.  As the owner/operator of a professional outfitting business that draws turkey hunters from across the nation, Adam takes his preparation seriously.  In fact, he never stops preparing.  Throughout the year he constantly practices his various calls, works his dogs and keeps a mental inventory of the daily habits of many wildlife species on the Switzer Ranch, the home base of Calamus Outfitters.

I accompanied Adam to set up a blind to be used the following morning by hunters from Texas.  The past week had covered the plains with snow and ice making spring calving on the ranch a bit more complicated but no one here is complaining.  The past year’s severe drought has affected every living thing, testing the resiliency of the prairie and the animals and people that call it home.  It is still hard to tell the full effect the hot dry year had on the turkey hatch, but a strong existing population will undoubtedly weather the dynamic conditions that define the Great Plains.

As we travel through the ranch on our way to Adam’s destination, he intermittently makes clucking noises with the call hidden in his mouth.  I see various calls strewn about the back seat of his hunting suburban as well.  A couple box calls, a worn slate call, and a wing bone call are at the ready.  I ask what his favorite call is.  “Depends on the birds,” he states, in a matter of fact tone.  “Whatever their favorite is, is my favorite.  And that seems to change every year.”

As we pull up to a stand of ancient cottonwood trees poking into the sky above mature cedars, Adam stops the suburban and slides out.  Grabbing his pop up blind, he strides to his selected spot.  Blind placement is key for the morning hunt.  Because Adam has studied the birds throughout the year he has learned the daily habits and travel zones.  He places the blind close to the cottonwood roosting area, angling the main opening towards the faint path nearby.

I ask about his plan for the morning hunt.  He explains that the turkeys will make the first move.  After listening to the birds, he’ll call softly as they become more active.  The objective is to draw the big gobblers in to the decoy for the prime kill zone shot.

As I picture a large tom carefully approaching the decoy my thoughts are interrupted by the excited whines of Adam’s main hunting dog, Number 2.  Contained in the back of the suburban, No. 2 pleads to investigate the area but Adam gently puts him off.  Although dogs aren’t usually associated with turkey hunting like upland game or waterfowl excursions, No. 2 is never left behind.  Not only does he find birds in areas that are hard for man to access, he is on call to quickly retrieve any wounded birds.  Although that scenario is rare, as a guide Adam must be ready to deal with a variety of situations and it seems No. 2 is the main tool for most solutions during hunting season.

As we jump back into the suburban, now on our way to a patch of pasture that No. 2 will be able to stretch his legs in, Adam comments on the predicted weather.  The early morning will be cold, but temperatures will rise somewhat quickly after the sun pops over the hill.  He mentions that his hunters will need to be ready when they enter the blind.  They need to be quiet and stay warm so their faculties will work when the time is right.  Since the blind hunt can last from 5 minutes to 3 or 4 hours he advises his hunters to wear quality gear allowing multiple layers that can be quietly manipulated.  One of his pet peeves is bulky outdoor clothing that makes loud swishing noises every time the body moves.  “It’s hard to be stealthy when the birds can hear your coat from a ¼ mile away.”

We stop to let No. 2 have a romp before we return to ranch headquarters.  As I watch him bound effortlessly through the bunchgrass, I survey the open hills.  Waiting for spring to fully arrive, the sand drinks in every drop of moisture.  I can smell the dampness play with the crisp air.  A sharp-tailed grouse, and then another, is flushed by No. 2.  Adam chuckles and calls him back to the suburban.  Turkey season at Calamus Outfitters starts tomorrow.

Brian Koch started Ultimate Upland in 2010 to be the most comprehensive resource for upland hunting enthusiasts. Since then it has grown into a community where bird hunters congregate and share their love for the sport. Koch strives to be the hardest working bird hunter in the country and aims to reach hunters and fans with detailed accounts of Ultimate Upland adventures.

I think the level of exertion at sporting clays courses should extend beyond the trigger finger. The name “sporting clays” implies a certain level of physical activity. But, a number of courses have paths for vehicles and even golf carts for transporting shooters and their gear from one station to the next. Distances between each shooting location are generally 40 yards and up. For us, upland hunting is an active sport that involves a fair share of hiking. So when we shoot sporting clays to practice bird gunning, we prefer not to drive a vehicle from station to station. We walk. And we don’t push a glorified stroller with a gun rack that some courses provide, either. We lug the gear and guns between volleys, just like we would in the field. This also allows for a healthy dose of banter, and time to keep a close eye on the score.

There’s no monetary wager between my nephew Zach and I when we shoot clays. The stakes are simple and immediate: lose the station and you lug the shooting bag to the next.

Big whoop, right? Well, Filson’s Sportsman Bag can make that lugging a bigger deal than you might think. In the main compartment Zach and I stash 300 rounds of 20-gauge shells, because even if the course is only 100 clays you still can never have enough ammo. It looks as though we’d easily be able to stow 16 boxes of 20-gauge and still have room for our two cameras, mini-tripod and various POV video accessories that we pack to chronicle the round.

In the rear outside pocket we put all our gun cleaning gear: rags, oil, cleaning rod, grease and barrel snake. And during the round we stash our shotgun socks in this compartment for safe keeping too.

In the front zippered pocket goes hearing protection, shooting gloves, eye protection, choke tubes and wrenches and cell phones for two shooters. In the pockets on either end we place keys, drinks and the scoring clipboard. I’m pretty certain we’ve intentionally made this bag as heavy as possible to inflict the worst punishment for poor shooting.

With the hefty bridle leather strap, thick canvas and beefy zippers you just know this Filson bag is built to take a beating. I’m not real certain what it weighs when fully stocked, I just know the added heft never stings quite as much as the reason you’re carrying it in the first place. So the best course of action is to get a Filson Sportsman’s Bag and make sure your shooting buddy carries it the entire time.

When the round is complete we remove the cameras, restock the shells and there’s room to stow two Filson shooting vests for the next outing. I suppose one could use this Sportsman’s Bag for any sort of travel or adventure, but why would you want to when it’s perfect for shotgunning?

Brian Koch started Ultimate Upland in 2010 to be the most comprehensive resource for upland hunting enthusiasts. Since then it has grown into a community where bird hunters congregate and share their love for the sport. Koch strives to be the hardest working bird hunter in the country and aims to reach hunters and fans with detailed accounts of Ultimate Upland adventures.

When wild bird hunting seasons end it leaves a pretty large void in our schedule. Both the dogs and I must cope with the withdrawals from time afield and adjust to the looming summer doldrums. Seven months is just too long to rest on laurels. I always dread that final day of hunting, but this year I started planning well in advance to help fill the vacuum.

Over the winter my nephew Zach researched and reported on medieval weaponry for his sophomore high school English course. Given the current climate for anything weapon related in schools I was actually somewhat amazed the report didn’t land him a suspension or on the terrorist watch list.

I’m blessed with an abundance of nieces and nephews. When one expresses an interest even remotely related to my passion I run with it. In my mind catapults and claymores are precursors to the modern tools of the trade which I use all hunting season. You have an interest in swords; let me tell you how that relates to upland hunting. I’m fairly certain there are few topics safe from my associating to pursuit of birds. I suppose the ease of which I make creative connections is likely just a result of recent reflections of my bird hunting legacy.

Blade design is an art that has been around for millennium. Because the basic functions and requirements of the knife haven’t changed since first wielded, it’s a great case study of what people have done to improve it. When I informed our friends at Benchmade about my saber smitten nephew they were quick to invite us on a VIP tour. Benchmade is a leader in modern blade development and they help nurture new concepts by inviting interns to participate in their design process. It is a testament that good ideas can come from anywhere. I find it important to show Zach that besides knives just being cool, there are reasons for form and function. And there are people bringing these concepts to fruition. The power of an idea is a lesson I wish I would have learned earlier in life, but now I get a redo with my nephew. We just have to get from rural Ohio to the Benchmade headquarters in Oregon.

Luckily the end of bird hunting season times up really well with Spring Break. So I’ve wrangled Zach into a cross-country road trip which will cover over 5,000 miles in just 10 days. Along the way we’ll shoot, hike, camp and explore our place in the great outdoors. Wyatt our black lab will join us for some training, entertainment and to keep the varmints from camp at night.  Zach seems excited for the adventure but is likely oblivious to the amount of tutoring I have planned or the posterior pain that comes with infinite days behind the wheel.

It’s early spring so we’re preparing for a mixed bag of elements along much of the route. Luckily Filson recognized the merits of this odyssey and agreed to outfit us for any conditions which we might encounter. From the rugged Rockies to spring torrents of the Pacific Northwest we’ll be putting our new Filson gear to the test as other explorers have for over a century.

There are common threads to most of the great memories from my youth; exertion and accomplishment. Turns out that things that come easy are easily forgotten. The current trend toward sedentary existence puts a generation at risk of having no formative tales. My hope for this Off-Season Odyssey is that my nephew learns observing life will never be as satisfying as seizing opportunity.

It’s the eve of our departure and the gear is loaded. At the crack of dawn we’ll pour into the truck to start our first 16-hour day of driving. Somewhere in Illinois we’ll stop for a round of sporting clays to stretch the legs. And here Zach will learn another lesson: even with the faster reflexes and better vision that accompany youth, you can’t outshoot your uncle.

For over two decades, George Hickox has shown all levels of owners how to train great bird dogs.  More often than not, the secret to a successful day in the field starts with a solid upbringing.  Learn what small steps to take early on in your dog’s development to ensure many happy memories are made on the hunt.

The first twenty-week period of the dog’s exposure to life is referred to as the imprinting stage.  During this psychological developmental stage the canine youngster can develop good habits through proper training and environmental control.  Puppies are monumentally impressionable during this critical period of the imprinting stage.  It may only take one repetition of a negative association to forever scar Pupster.

During the imprinting stage, there are a number of well-documented critical periods.  The ability of a canine to learn to live with people and other dogs is substantially diminished after twelve weeks of age.  The most critical period for the youngster to develop a positive association with humans is from six to eight weeks.  A dog denied positive human contact until the post twelve-week periods will very likely make a not as good a companion.  Studies have shown that human contact for only twenty minutes at a time for only a couple of times a week is adequate to create normal development.

Owners should implement a program designed to maximize the dog’s ability to learn.  Stages are not finite in each dog.  It is important to recognize that each pup has unique prenatal and neonatal stimuli and is influenced by his own genes as well as his mother’s hormones.  However, the concept of critical periods and the sub stages can serve as an excellent guideline.

The prenatal period is the time the fetus spends in Mom’s womb.  There are indications that mothers that experience high levels of stress during pregnancy produce pups with a decreased ability to learn and demonstrate behavioral extremes.  A healthy mother, properly fed, exercised, and housed in a proper environment is important.  The neonatal period occurs from birth to two weeks of age.  At whelping the pup’s brain is not fully developed. During this period the sensory abilities of scenting, hearing, seeing, and touch are poorly developed.  The way mom treats her pups during the neonatal stage will affect the pups in later life.  These early experiences have a tremendous effect on the dog’s mind.

The transitional period is the time the sensory abilities turn on and the pup’s awareness of the world around him begins.  The pup receives stimuli from his environment, which can affect him the rest of his life.  During the neonatal and transitional periods, people play an important role in developing the puppies’ bodies and minds.  By the transitional period puppies should be regularly handled and picked up.

The U.S. Military’s “Super Dog” program demonstrated that neurological stimulation occurring from three to sixteen days following whelping have a profound effect forever.  Recommended stimulation involves tickling between the dog’s toes, holding the pup in both a vertical position, perpendicular to the ground, with the head up and the head down.  Further exercises should include holding the pup in the palm of the hands with the nose pointing to the sky.  Puppies exposed to stress during this period are more adept in handling stress when exposed to new situations, training, or corrections down the road.  Not only does the breeder determine the pedigree, the breeder should prepare the pup from birth until the buyer takes possession of the hopeful.

The socialization period occurs from four to twelve weeks of the pup’s development.  Weaning from mom’s milk, exposures to outside influences, or lack of exposures, are critical to sculpturing the pups’ personalities.  If a pup from four to six weeks of age misses socialization with other dogs, the pup is more likely to be fearful of dogs.  Correspondingly, if the youngsters are denied people contact from six to twelve weeks, the dogs will lack proper social skills with humans.  The greater the exposures the pup encounters during this critical period, the more likely the pup will demonstrate improved social skills, emotional soundness, and an open mind towards new learning.

During the socialization time frame a fear period occurs normally around eight to ten weeks. During this fear factor stage, the pup is much more inclined to permanently associate fears. The pup that is frightened during the fear factor stage may take a long period of time to return to normal, if ever. If the pup has not been properly developed prior to the onset of the fear stage anything that the pup associates with the fear with may always be a fear stimulus throughout the dog’s life.

After sixteen weeks, the pup becomes less susceptible of the paired association.  After twenty weeks, the imprinting stage is really on the down side.  A dog’s personality is pretty much made by five months of age, the rest is teaching.  After twelve weeks of age, the pup should explore independence.  The pup that bonded with you and stuck with you like glue would rather run through the fields with no never mind to what you want.  If the pup has been properly developed in the neonatal, transitional and socialization periods, now is the time to lay the groundwork for more advanced training that lays down the road.  Basic obedience, and creating good habits and behavior are all taught to the dog in the twelve to twenty week period.  A dog that has heard “Here,” “Here,” “Here,” and did not respond and got away with non-compliance is a big deal.  It will require more pressure later on to enforce compliance.  And no dog exhibits more style and more confidence with more pressure.  By introducing good habits, enforcing an effort to respond in a timely fashion to a known command and rewarding success we can mold the dog into the partner we are seeking. Don’t baby the dog, spoil the dog, and let the dog blow you off.  Short repetitive sessions of yard work will pay huge dividends down the road.  If the dog does not learn to learn, take mild pressure, handle stress, and look to the owner for direction at this time, a window is forever lost.  By implementing yard work at this age, you will train with less pressure.  And less pressure is better.

Peter Patenaude, a registered Maine guide, has been a Filson advocate for over six years. His blog Boot & Canoe, focuses on traditional skills and Maine’s outdoor heritage. Peter shares some tips for a successful snowshoe hare hunt with you.  Find them useful?  Make sure to leave a comment below!

At the end of a fresh snow, there is nothing more fun than to chase snowshoe hare through a stand of thick evergreens.  This is certainly a much easier and more productive activity with a set of trained dogs, but can also be done with a few willing people.

I never grow tired of snowshoeing out on top of a new white blanket and finding that first set of tracks to follow.  Not only is this a great way to get some much needed winter exercise, but it is a very exciting chase that will certainly bring camaraderie to a hunting party.  After the hunt, it is short and easy work to clean the snowshoe hare and get it into a pot.  I have always found it hard not to stew the meat as it becomes tender and sweet tasting after a long day of slow cooking.  Here are some tips that can be useful for a first time snowshoe hunter:

1. Wear a full brimmed hat.  You will be thankful when snow is not falling down the back of your neck while you are busting through the covered branches.

2. Wear eye protection.  As I have mentioned before, eye injuries are very common in the woods and spruce/fir trees are full of small dead branches.

3. Be the beagle.  Have one hunter act as the dog and push through the brush while the other waits and looks for the hare’s movement.

4. Carry a plastic bag.  It would not be pleasant if the hare released its bladder into the game pouch of your jacket on the walk out.

5. Watch the circle around you.  The hare will not leave familiar grounds and will work around a large circle of its territory.

6. Blow a whistle.  If the hare is running, blow a whistle and it may stop to see what the noise was.  I find the sound of my shotgun will stop him just the same.

7. No mess.  When cleaning the hare, I do not cut open its stomach. After skinning, I remove its legs and the meat running down its back.

8. Cook with fat.  It is a very lean meat, so stewing a hare with bacon or duck makes for a tasty meal.