South Dakota Sojourn
 

Sometimes the hardest part about a hunting trip is just making the commitment to go. I'm still kicking myself for not making the second trip back up to the UP in December. We knew that it could be iffy weather in SoDak, and a conversation with Dean Weber confirmed that. But, after perusing weather and snow depth charts, we found that the area we were going to had not been hit as hard as Dean's locale in Sioux Falls, or just south of us in Mitchell--Mitchell got another foot of snow our second day there, while we got nothing 30 miles from there. Still alot of snow in our area and heavy drifting, at times the snowplows had left snowbanks higher than the roof of my truck. we often broke thru up to our crotch in snow. No sense hunting grass lands, the grass was either under snow, or had been emergency hayed in the fall. Shelterbelts and cattail sloughs were the objects of our attention, but finding a place to even pull off the road was tough. The WPA and GPA parking areas were often plowed shut , and alot of secondary roads were impassable. I managed to get the Ford stuck the first evening trying to park in a GPA lot, luckily, I was able to flag down a big Dodge dualie, and I always carry a tow strap, so he pulled us out. We had to slog 3/4 mile back in, but the birds were there. Trouble is, they could hear you coming thru the crusty snow and literally a hundred birds got up out of range. But they are always a few tail end charlies, and I managed a big cock bird with a Sterly 16 and Boss non tox shot. Had a wonderful retrieve by Doodle. Terry manged another with his lab.
The weather was quite cold, but winds had moderated, making it fairly comfortable.
The second day found us in a big WPA, the lake was of course frozen, but the birds were in the cattails big time. I too k 2 over Doodle, and suddenly she was gone. She is not a big runner, doesnt chase deer, but only weighs 35 lbs and is always skinny as a rail. She is a great retrieving setter--maybe the best I've ever had. I had a locater beeper on her, but couldnt hear anything when I hit the button. She recalls very well to the beeper and to the silent vibration mode. I was panicked, almost in tears, walking around and calling until well after dark.I got back to the truck around 8pm--gets dark by 5. I left her crate and food. There was one house in that area, and a young couple answered the door. I asked them to keep a lookout for her around their barns. I later found that they went out looking for her that night--wonderful people.
I barely slept that night, and we were headed back well before daylight. Her crate and food were untouched and it was 3 degrees. We walked back down into where I last heard/saw her and saw a set of fresh tracks paralelling my boot prints from the night before. Suddenly Terry hollored, "I see her" and ther she was at the edge of the cattails. She was afraid and ran from us but slowly seemed to recognize me. I had brought her mother Fancy with me, and turned her loose, and she went right up to her. Cold, starving, but OK, I could care less about the rest of the trip. Got her back to the truck, warmed and fed her .
Since we were there, we waited until 10:00 am--starting time in SD. Terry went on to kill 3 birds in a row, while I never got a shot all day--and couldnt care less.
The rest of the trip was good, both of us shooting birds every day, but the conditions were so tough on both man and beast, that we called it after 5 days. We drove the 1150 miles straight thru yesterday--and we will be back up next January!
( I will post pictures from my Phone)

SoDak

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Pics

Willie is the B&W setter in the first picture.
My hunting buddy since grade school, Terry. Terry is a diehard old Beretta fan. He loves BL 4's, esp in 20 ga, and shoots an old SO 3 with double triggers on pheasant.
Doodle is the little white setter.
The hoar frost was with us all week, beautiful. Never got warm enough to melt, and the air so dry we really didnt get wet.
If you think that is a strange looking Parker in my hand you are right. It is a FAIR Rizzini 600 OU with double triggers and choke tubes, a great pheasant gun. We hunted all Waterfowl Production Areas and Game Production Areas, thus shooting all non tox bismuth Boss .

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Harold, glad to read you had a successful trip and, most of all, that you found your lost pup. What a horrible feeling to lose a dog. I've had it happen several times and there is nothing quite like the anxiety you feel.

But...we go again and again, every chance we can...

Harold,

I still have a second 5-day license for SD. My buddy up there goes out and comes back in an hour saying he can’t get to any place the pheasants are due to the drifts. I keep wanting to go but after your pictures I must have gotten soft. I have no desire to use my last 5 days!��

Looks like some great shooting.

Ken

Harold,
Glad everything ended well with Doodle, I’m sure that was a long night. I lost my Brittany while grouse hunting for about 4 hrs, I can’t imagine trying to sleep.

Thanks for all the pictures, those hoar frost pics are beautiful!

Stan

Harold that looks like a rather comfy lodge and glad your setter was okay ! But that white stuff all over the ground kinda kills it for me :rotf::rotf:

Harold I also have temporarily lost dogs while out hunting. Its a feeling I don't want to experience again.
I can honestly say since I bought my Garmin GPS tracking collar system over 10 years ago I have not had an issue. Last year Scout feel in a deep hole and I found and rescued him. Im not sure I would have located him without the collar.
Just a few weeks ago my young dog Ollie was spooked by a Javelina that chased her. She ran like the devil was after her. I got on the whistle but she would not stop. I watched the handheld as she covered over 900 yards.
Luckily I headed to the top of a hill and was able to tone her and then finally blow the whistle to get her attention and watched as she made her way back.
15 minutes later we were hunting again.
You may have a GPS collar and may not have been using it that day. If not and want to chat about what and how I use it just PM me and I will be happy to share my experience with you or others that may have any questions.

I second the Garmin GPS tracking collar, if I would have had this on my dog while grouse hunting, I feel confident in saying I would not have lost her.
I do use one since and they hold up well except to dog teeth:cuss:

A good Parker, a good dog, and a good truck, not neccesarily in that order.

Yes, I wiil have a GPS collar by next season, and thanks for the recommendation of the Garmin. What model is it? I currently use a Dogtra T&B 2 dog unit and like it. My dogs are not horizon busters--I mostly hunt grouse--they go 100-150 yds, but will stretch out in open areas. I use the locator function and vibration recall buttons. I dont even know how to turn the beeper function on , and never use the "shock" buttons. I never felt the need for a GPS before, but it would give great piece of mind.
I have a theory as to what happened to Doodle. We were hunting a big cattail slough, and the lake was frozen solid. The snow was laying heavy over mounds of cattails, creating virtual snow caves and tunnels that the birds could run and hold underneath. The dogs, and us, were having difficulty crashing through. I think Doodle got trapped down underneath these mounds and I couldnt hear the beeper. We were there for hours looking, so I really dont know. I am going to do a little on line research today, and probably call Collar Clinic for their recommendations. Got a bunch of guns that I havent shot in years, so may sell to fund the project.

Harold,

I currently use the Alpha 100 with a compatible collar.

Stan

Harold, Stories like yours and the others mentioned on this thread scare the heck out of me. A number of years ago one of our Griffs developed epilepsy and would occasionally have grand mal seizures with little to no warning. I was always concerned it would happen while in the uplands, and confused, he might take off in the wrong direction. A good friend told me that a satellite collar is like insurance and he was right. They're not perfect but I use the Garmin Astro 430 with the big collar (in the photo) and also use a Dogtra training collar with a beeper that I only use manually if I'm trying to locate the dog on point. Many folks think I over do it by strapping on all that hardware to the dog. But it gives me a piece of mind. I exercise and train the dog(s) at least 5 days a week in the off season and they never leave the house or work off leash with out them. When the collars go on they know it's "fun" time! And the equipment is beat up but stll works like a charm.
These are just my thoughts and I absolutely respect those who prefer no electronics and rely on eyesight or a bell.
BTW- Been hunting SD the last 16 years. We go in November and the weather this year was the most hellacious we've encountered. Lathered the dogs with mushers wax every day. My wife calls and asks how much snow we had on any given day. How the heck do I know! Snow doesn't "fall" in SD, it blows sideways. The corn field could be bare in spots and then a 12 foot drift in the ditch next to the road that you can't get through...still love it tho...
So pleased your pup was located.

Harold I use the Alpha 200i track and train system. I had the Astro 100, then the Alpha 200. The 200i has a very clear screen. Just a hint go to a local phone repair shop and buy a impact glass screen protector like you use on a cell phone. I don't recall which one I got but the shop I do business with told me the one that fit was for an older iPhone and they just gave me the protector. 4 years old and my screen is like new.
The system is not cheap but it should last at least 10 years. Antennas, collar straps, and batteries are all replaceable. I also went one step further and riveted on brass tags with my contact info just in case.
Best dog insurance you can buy. I know at times prior to getting my systems especially if you loose your dog overnight. I would have paid a $1000 to get my dog back and know he was safe.

Handsome Griff, Chris!
Spent some time looking at GPS collars yesterday, and the 200i looks like the way to go Phil.
Surprized to find that the hand unit and collar are not sold as a unit, but sold separately. Season is over for me now , so I'd like to get a hands on view/demo of the collars.
As for SoDak weather, we were there the same week last year(3rd) and there was no snow at all, just quite cold. Still, we will be back the same time next year

Harold if you search for Garmin 200i bundle you will find a number of Gog supply companies carry bundles. The TT15 mini collar is nice, although I actually own the regular size collar. My hunting partner has the mini’s and they work just as well.
The nice thing about the 200i it also has some great features like InReach. Even if you are not using this unit on your dogs it doubles as a normal handheld GPS.
There are many things you can do with this unit but I just use it mainly for three things. Where is my truck, where is my dog, and is he on point?
I have attached a couple of pictures where my dog Scout feel into a 30 foot very narrow crevice. If not for the GPS Things could have turned out much worse.

Harold, I totally second the feelings of others in regards to GPS collars. Mine is a Garmin Alpha 100 with the TT15 regular collar. My boy, Beau, is never off the leash without that collar on. He is also whistle-broke, so I often don't even need to use the unit to locate him, but it sure is nice to have. I primarily use it to track him, his points, and getting back to the truck after beating through the popple groves in Northern Michigan.

I hunt with a few buddies who only use a bell and/or a whistle on their dogs, and I would never disparage those methods and I admire the folks who use them. However, the peace of mind that the GPS collar offers me is way more important than its cost or that I'm using technology.

I don't know if you ever purchase from Gun Dog Supply, but the owner, Steve, has some awesome videos to discuss GPS collars. Check it out here: https://www.gundogsupply.com/search2...lpha+100+combo

I have no connection to GDS, nor do I want to offend anyone or the rules of the Forum, but just wanted to help a fellow avoid the unbelievably frantic feeling of losing a dog for any period of time, let alone overnight.

If you want to get together sometime to see how I use mine on Beau, I am currently living in my childhood home in Columbiana, Ohio, not far from you. I moved there temporarily after the tornado destroyed my Kentucky farm.

Dave

Thanks Dave, we ought to do that. I often go to the big flea market in Rogers, the wife likes to go there. Kenny Graft( SXS Ohio) has a great little gun shop less than a half hour from you, this side of the Pa. line. You would enjoy meeting Kenny, and he has alot of nice Parkers to ogle, his gun shop is "Shooting Stars".

Yes, I've been to Kenny's shop. Great set-up and a terrific assortment of guns there.

Let me know of any future visits to the Rogers Sale, and we could possibly use that as an excuse to get together.

Dave

I won’t put one of my dogs on the ground without a gps collar on and a functioning handheld.

Quite an adventure. I’m glad that you found Doodle.

Hey Harold, I had an experience a few years ago while Grouse hunting near lake Arthur in Butler County Pa where a landowner refused me permission to his property and asked me to leave while trying to locate my dog (things started to get ugly quickly). The situation ended well though it prompted me to go with a GPS and a little piece of mind to make my hunting trips more enjoyable. The one thing I did do last year to make things a little more streamlined was to pair the Garmin 200I to a Garmin wristwatch (I wear the watch while hunting anyway). Now the GPS pretty much stays tucked away in the jacket, and I can glance at my watch anytime I need to know where my dog is.

Thanks John, thats a great idea.

You can’t go wrong with a Garmin. I have two different collars (one big one smaller) along with the handheld receiver. I don’t know the numbers offhand but I simply won’t hunt without them. I too have lost dogs and there is no way to describe the angst I felt until they were recovered. We have a lot of very tall prairie grass and cat tails around here and the Garmin system is invaluable.

Going to go look at the Garmin 200i. There is a huge Cabelas 10 miles away, will look at them there, may use my accumulated Cabelas pts on it. Will have one and know how to use it by next season. I like the 200i's emergency locator ability if I have a problem and need to summon help.

You will NOT be sorry. And Garmin customer service and support is absolutely outstanding especially for the technologically challenged like me. I have trouble with batteries and flashlights. Really.

Steve Snell has an entire tutorial on you tube .. fantastic walk through the entire system.. highly recommend watch..

Harold, I'd echo the Garmin recommendations. I like the mini version. The batteries last plenty long for us. I also have the watch to help with the tracking (and counting my steps!). In addition to the handheld device with the screen, I also have the more traditional linked transmitter that allows for better/easier access to use the tone for communicating with my pups. I have them trained to respond to the tone as well as the whistle. The transmitter is in a holster at my hip, much easier to access. It also has a small screen that has a direction signal.

I also recommend Steve Snell's Gun Dog Supply. They ship quickly and have great information about their products. Steve is a dog guy for sure and his knowledge is helpful.

No more lost dogs!!! Please!!

Looks like I need to get one of those Watches.

The watch works well for those of us that cannt hear the tone of the handheld when they go on point.

Harold, Phil's comment reminds me...the transmitter and watch both vibrate when the point signal is triggered. Sometimes the dog is pooping over the hill, but, hey, at least you know where not to step.:rotf:

I went with the solar recharge model. looked at battery life and easy recharge without having to plug the watch in. You can find battery life while in GPS mode in specs page (even though it doesn't use GPS mode while showing dog tracking).

There are plenty of used Garmin watches available. Same with most of the Garmin collars and handheld products. I just sold an extra alpha 100 and a TT 15 collar. I’m still using an alpha 100 with TT 15 mini collars and a phenix 5 watch. It’s a great set up and you can always locate your dogs. (and the truck thank God)

Good feedback from Steiner there on used electronics. My Garmin Instinct watch is the entry level fitness tracker that functions perfectly well for me as a wristwatch tracking device for Beau with his Garmin TT15 collar, and the handheld tucked safely inside my coat. I think I got my Instinct brand new for well less than $200.

Good luck, Harold. Let us know how things turn out.

Dave