1 00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:05,480 Speaker 1: Hey, everyone, Welcome to The Houndation's podcast. I'm your host, 2 00:00:05,519 --> 00:00:08,800 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson, and today's episode is all about road trips 3 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:12,400 Speaker 1: in search of hunting adventure with our four legged counterparts. 4 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:17,680 Speaker 1: How to make them go smoothly because sometimes they don't. 5 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:20,759 Speaker 1: Tis the season to load up the pups and point 6 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 1: your truck somewhere wild and birdy. This month, all kinds 7 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:26,759 Speaker 1: of upland and waterfall seasons will open up, and a 8 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 1: hell of a lot of us will head out somewhere 9 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 1: for a little feathery adventure. Some of us won't have 10 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:34,440 Speaker 1: a good time, though, and that might be because of just 11 00:00:34,479 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 1: like little issues, or it might be because something goes 12 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: catastrophically wrong, which is obviously no bueno. But a lot 13 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: of what goes wrong could be preemptively avoided. You have 14 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:48,720 Speaker 1: to know how. That's what I'm going to talk about 15 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 1: right now. There are two things that I've done a 16 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 1: lot for my writing career. Done a lot of traveling. 17 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 1: I've done a lot of camping, often together, as you 18 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:05,840 Speaker 1: can imagine, since I wasn't just chilling in my backyard 19 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:08,039 Speaker 1: in a tent. I don't know how to frame this 20 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 1: up any other way, but to highlight what a lot 21 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,679 Speaker 1: means to me. In the context of camping and traveling, 22 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:17,039 Speaker 1: I'll say this, I average driving about twenty five thousand 23 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 1: miles a year, and since I work from home, there 24 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 1: is no work commute in the mix. It's mostly miles 25 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 1: for some kind of over the road trip on the 26 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:28,080 Speaker 1: camping front, which has thankfully slowed down a lot in 27 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 1: recent years. I might spend anywhere from about ten to 28 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five days in a tent, but it used 29 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:38,119 Speaker 1: to be around forty to fifty for quite a few years. 30 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 1: And let me tell you that the novelty of tent 31 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 1: life wears off pretty quickly when you start hitting some 32 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: big numbers there. Now, in case you're wondering, none of 33 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 1: that was glamping Kardashian style. 34 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 2: All of that is. 35 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 1: To say that I feel like I'm well equipped to 36 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:55,160 Speaker 1: talk about the pitfalls of travel in many forms, and 37 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 1: quite a bit of my over the road time involves 38 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 1: taking my dog somewhere, you know, which is track with 39 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: an asterisk. You might be thinking about this very thing 40 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: right now, considering that upland and waterfall seasons are opening 41 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:09,639 Speaker 1: up like crazy, and sometimes travel is not just a 42 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 1: means to a unique experience, but a true coping mechanism 43 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:15,360 Speaker 1: to facilitate hunting that you can no longer get close 44 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 1: to home for some reason. 45 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 2: There are a lot of. 46 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:19,959 Speaker 1: Reasons to head out on the road. So let's start 47 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 1: with something that needs to be said. Do you need 48 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 1: to travel with your dog to shoot some birds? 49 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 2: Probably not. A lot of people have no desire. And 50 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:27,919 Speaker 2: that's great. 51 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:30,640 Speaker 1: Some people, and I know this to be true because 52 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:33,399 Speaker 1: they reach out to me a lot love the idea 53 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:35,799 Speaker 1: of traveling somewhere to hunt some birds, but are hung 54 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 1: up on actually making it happen. There is nothing to 55 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: say to them, but either you know, get over it 56 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 1: or don't. But it's best to get over it and 57 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 1: just take the plunge. I think a good way to 58 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 1: look at life, and you know, in this particular instance 59 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:50,919 Speaker 1: life with a dog is to think about if your 60 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 1: dog could talk, and if it could and you said, hey, buddy, 61 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: you want to head over to Kansas to try to 62 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 1: shoot some roosters and quail. What do you think that 63 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:02,720 Speaker 1: dog would say? You think that dog would go? I 64 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: don't know what if the truck breaks down, or the 65 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 1: weather sucks, or the birds just start as thick as 66 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 1: we like them, you know, And we drive all the 67 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:10,520 Speaker 1: way for roosters, and we could just buy them at 68 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 1: the game farm down the road. 69 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 2: No, your dog's not gonna say that. 70 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 1: Your dog is going to say hell yes and then 71 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 1: run straight through the wall like the kool aid Man. 72 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: The biggest hang up that hunters usually have when they 73 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 1: hit this contemplation stage is an obvious one. Where should 74 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: I hunt? The thing about this is we always try 75 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 1: to default to what should be easy, what should be 76 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 1: you know, a sure thing for success? That lodge in 77 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 1: South Dakota that promises pheasant limits without hardly burning a calorie, 78 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 1: Or the quail hunt in the southeast somewhere where the 79 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: covees all contain familiar birds, and the whole thing isn't 80 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 1: a foregone conclusion, but is so close you might not 81 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: be able to tell the difference. Should you do those hunts? Honestly, 82 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:57,120 Speaker 1: I don't care you do you boo? I just think 83 00:03:57,160 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 1: that a lot of people don't want to do those 84 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 1: hunts for a variety of reasons. I'll tell you a 85 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 1: few of mine, since no one asked. I don't want 86 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 1: to hunt with strangers ever, not even a little bit. 87 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:10,280 Speaker 1: In fact, if you said you have to hunt pheasants 88 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: with two strangers for an hour, or choose option B, 89 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 1: which is a cattle prod to your junk pile for 90 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:19,719 Speaker 1: an hour while we shoot you with paintballs. I'd have 91 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 1: to seriously consider it. There is also the cost factor, 92 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:25,719 Speaker 1: which can't be ignored, and of course the reality that 93 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:27,839 Speaker 1: some people just want to forge their own path and 94 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 1: spend time walking behind their dog and letting the whole 95 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:35,040 Speaker 1: thing play out without outside influence. Count me in that camp, 96 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 1: and if you are too, you're still going to be like, well, 97 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:40,920 Speaker 1: where the hell should I hunt now? I'm not going 98 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 1: to break this down as granular as I could, but 99 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 1: let me say this, there are a hell of a 100 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 1: lot of birds out there on public land in the 101 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 1: hell of a lot of different states. If you understand 102 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:51,720 Speaker 1: the basics about what birds should need as far as 103 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 1: cover and food, and you have on X on your phone, 104 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,479 Speaker 1: you're pretty close to where you need to be already, 105 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 1: well sort of. I guess what a lot of people 106 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:02,920 Speaker 1: don't get as this, especially you know if they're used 107 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:05,159 Speaker 1: to hunting private land or have years of experience on 108 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:08,599 Speaker 1: properties that they know close to their house, is this 109 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:10,000 Speaker 1: is going to take some work to get on the 110 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 1: birds on the road. 111 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 2: It just will. But that's okay. That's the best part 112 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:14,680 Speaker 2: for a lot of. 113 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:17,280 Speaker 1: Folks, because when your dog does flush some sharpies or 114 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: woodcock or whatever in an unfamiliar environment, that feeling is 115 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: pretty damn sweet. But you have to get over the 116 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:26,840 Speaker 1: intimidation factor. How I did it was by being too 117 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: stubborn and stupid to not believe what I would eventually 118 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:32,280 Speaker 1: find something. No matter where I traveled with my dogs, 119 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: you know what, it almost always worked, even on trips. 120 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 1: It took a while to get the old engine turned over, 121 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 1: it eventually did, and some birds hit the ground and 122 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 1: things turned positive after enough miles and enough head scratching. 123 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 1: The main thing here is that you will hear a 124 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 1: lot of people say that traveling to wherever isn't worth 125 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:52,799 Speaker 1: it because there aren't any birds left on public land 126 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:57,280 Speaker 1: here or there or whatever. Those people are probably woefully misinformed, 127 00:05:57,279 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 1: even if they speak with a lot of confidence. I 128 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 1: see this constantly with birds. I see it with deer 129 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 1: in Western game and fishing opportunities and everything. Most people 130 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:10,839 Speaker 1: are either just lying to gatekeeping opportunity or they genuinely 131 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:13,400 Speaker 1: don't know. I guess the main thing that puts me 132 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:16,720 Speaker 1: on birds in these situations. Besides, just going is not 133 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: believing what I hear from people or what I read 134 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:22,160 Speaker 1: on forms or whatever. A lot of hunters aren't all 135 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:25,280 Speaker 1: that into putting in real work to find birds, and 136 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:27,599 Speaker 1: a lot of those hunters think they know what's going on, 137 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 1: but they don't, and if you listen to them, you're 138 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 1: gonna get a false read on the situation. You got 139 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 1: to believe that the birds are out there for you, 140 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:38,159 Speaker 1: because they are, and if you can't find them. 141 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 2: You just got to switch things up. 142 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:42,240 Speaker 1: This is mostly a matter of doing what other hunters 143 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 1: don't or won't, and that might mean hiking farther huntings, 144 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 1: thicker cover, hunting during the week and not the weekends. 145 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 1: There are many ways to skin the old cat here. 146 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 1: Now there's another aspect of e scouting that you should 147 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:56,360 Speaker 1: consider as well. Before you head into new ground. Pay 148 00:06:56,400 --> 00:07:00,400 Speaker 1: attention to the property and whether it borders a busy 149 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: road on the backside, which could be a potential danger, 150 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:06,720 Speaker 1: and look for homesteads around it where your dog might 151 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 1: grab the attention of a farm dog that doesn't take 152 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:12,240 Speaker 1: too kindly to a stranger coming into his territory. We 153 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 1: get focused on identifying the most birdy looking spots, but 154 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 1: it's also a good idea to pay attention to the 155 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 1: danger zones you can identify and then plan your routes accordingly. 156 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 1: This is just a small warning, but the important part 157 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 1: is to understand that you can find good hunting spots 158 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 1: on your phone, and if you do, you'll have a 159 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 1: pattern to run wherever you are, which is a pre 160 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 1: fricking suite. So okay, that hype song is played out. 161 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 1: Now you might be thinking about what could go wrong 162 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 1: on your trip, and. 163 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:49,720 Speaker 2: There is a lot. 164 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:52,440 Speaker 1: You could get a flat tire, which means you should 165 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 1: have some fix a flat and a workable spare, and 166 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 1: of course the knowledge on how to change a tire. 167 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: I guess all simple easy preparation stuff there that sort 168 00:07:59,880 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 1: of that's the tone for this whole thing. But what 169 00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 1: about this? Your dog could get sick? This one is calmon. 170 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 1: It's almost always due to a couple of different things. 171 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 1: Your dog could, for example, drink some water that doesn't 172 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:13,760 Speaker 1: agree with it, which if you've ever gotten Manazuma's revenge 173 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 1: in Mexico, you understand I did once back in my 174 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 1: drinking days. And let me tell you something. When it 175 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 1: hits and you're sleeping, You're going to wake up real 176 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:24,760 Speaker 1: fast and you'll be real happy that your hotel room 177 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 1: has tile floors and that your wife is a heavy sleeper. Anyway, 178 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 1: they might also you eat something on the road that 179 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 1: makes your dog sick too, roadkill or three day old 180 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 1: sandwich in the alley behind the hotel. 181 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 2: You just never know. 182 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:42,559 Speaker 1: And if you've ever eaten anything that gave you food poisoning, 183 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:44,800 Speaker 1: like maybe at a Christmas party for your work in college, 184 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 1: and then you know the next day you have a 185 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 1: very embarrassing situation happen in a larger grocery store, you 186 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:52,959 Speaker 1: know what I mean. But the main reason for dogs 187 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:55,760 Speaker 1: getting sick on the road is just stress. Sometimes you 188 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 1: can't avoid the water or the road killed that it 189 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:00,720 Speaker 1: finds or whatever, but stress is a big one. Some 190 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 1: dogs travel well, some don't. The first key to this, 191 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 1: to avoiding it anyway, is just to have a healthy 192 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:11,640 Speaker 1: dog going into the journey, one that is fit, well fed, 193 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:15,720 Speaker 1: well hydrated, and just generally doing pretty well health wise. 194 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:18,680 Speaker 1: That's a good state to keep your dogs in anyway, 195 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 1: but can really be an asset when you decide to 196 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:23,240 Speaker 1: put five hundred miles in the rearview mirror and hunt 197 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 1: with them for four or five days. There is another 198 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 1: aspect of taking dogs down the road that we don't 199 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 1: often think of, but we probably should. That ties into 200 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 1: health sleep. I'd say my number one issue with my 201 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:36,960 Speaker 1: personal travel is that there are very few trips I 202 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 1: take where I'll sleep better on the road than I 203 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 1: would at home. The motel life or the tent life 204 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 1: or the lodge life is generally not conducive to totally 205 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 1: restorative sleep for us. Now imagine it from your dog's perspective. 206 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:51,440 Speaker 1: They don't know where they're going. They will usually be 207 00:09:51,559 --> 00:09:54,320 Speaker 1: hyped to the max because that's their default mode, but 208 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:57,320 Speaker 1: that comes at a cost. I kept my older lab 209 00:09:57,360 --> 00:09:59,719 Speaker 1: in pretty good shaper whole life, but one thing I 210 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:02,120 Speaker 1: could never figure out was how to get her to 211 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:05,280 Speaker 1: relax when we took off on our trips. This only 212 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:07,319 Speaker 1: got worse. So she started to figure out that we 213 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: might be going on a bird hunting trip. She'd watch 214 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:15,560 Speaker 1: me pack and then be anxious, panting, pacing all night long. 215 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 1: Part of that was anticipation of a hunt, I think, 216 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 1: but part of it was her watching me pack for 217 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 1: a trip she might not get to go on, which 218 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:26,480 Speaker 1: happened a lot and stressed her out more than anything else, 219 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:29,880 Speaker 1: you know, the old separation anxiety. I ended up having 220 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 1: to pack either the morning of the trip or figure 221 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:34,040 Speaker 1: out a way to keep it a secret from her. 222 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:36,559 Speaker 1: I'm sure there are trainers who will listen to that, 223 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:39,160 Speaker 1: who will slap their foreheads in disgust. But by the 224 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:40,960 Speaker 1: time I figured out what was going on, it felt 225 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:42,959 Speaker 1: like it was too late to untie that knot. 226 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 2: So I did the best I could. 227 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 1: I do know that if Luna had not a great 228 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:49,960 Speaker 1: night of sleep, you know she was all keyed up, 229 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 1: or you know, on that drive hours and hours where 230 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 1: she was just running a little bit hotter because she 231 00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 1: knew where we were going, that I would eventually see 232 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 1: her energy level flo flag not too deep into the trip. 233 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 2: You know. 234 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 1: Add in motel rooms or the tent life that not 235 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:09,440 Speaker 1: only keeps us restless and awake, but keeps a dog 236 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:12,240 Speaker 1: restless and awake, and you have the recipe for a 237 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:15,439 Speaker 1: dog that gases out way too early on a trip. Now, 238 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:18,320 Speaker 1: this is where our beliefs about dogs often don't jive 239 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 1: with reality. They are athletes in a way that's hard 240 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 1: for us to understand, but they're also living, breathing creatures 241 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 1: that have similar biological needs like we do. One of 242 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 1: the things I learned after starting to work out a 243 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:32,000 Speaker 1: lot is that a bad night of sleep for me 244 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:34,880 Speaker 1: won't affect me much the day after, but two days 245 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 1: later it definitely will. I don't know if that's standard 246 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:39,880 Speaker 1: or unique to me, but I know that I feel 247 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:42,719 Speaker 1: it at the gym or during a run. It's palpable. 248 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 1: Your dog might only get, you know, eighty percent or 249 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 1: fifty percent of the sleep it's used to getting at home, 250 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:52,000 Speaker 1: and that's going to change things. Then it comes down 251 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,960 Speaker 1: to realistic energy management and trying to find ways to 252 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:58,320 Speaker 1: facilitate better sleep. Little things like a noise machine app 253 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:00,559 Speaker 1: on your phone to override the noise of other people 254 00:12:00,559 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 1: in your hotel opening and closing doors and talking in 255 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 1: the hallways. And if you're in a place with a 256 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 1: lot of hunters other dogs barking. 257 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 2: That can help a lot. 258 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 1: If you can feed them on the same schedule you 259 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:13,440 Speaker 1: feed them at home and let them out for a 260 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 1: pee break at the same times, that can help. Structure 261 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:18,840 Speaker 1: is good for dogs, and sticking to the routine as 262 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:21,679 Speaker 1: much as possible, you know, as long as it's reasonable 263 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 1: on the road just helps, but it's also just our 264 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:28,520 Speaker 1: responsibility to read our dogs too. If on day four 265 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:32,960 Speaker 1: you're exhausted, think about them. Maybe you don't need to 266 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 1: go from start to finish that day, burning it up 267 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 1: during every minute illegal shooting hours. Instead, maybe you should 268 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 1: just sleep in and keep it relaxed and head out 269 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:44,199 Speaker 1: at noon or want. I've started doing this when my 270 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:47,080 Speaker 1: dogs are burned up, and it's an absolute game changer 271 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:49,640 Speaker 1: for pheasant hunting. Instead of getting a couple hours of 272 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:52,120 Speaker 1: energy and then a lot of hours of a slow burn, 273 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:55,319 Speaker 1: I can get a smaller window of really good energy 274 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 1: out of my dogs when I want it the most 275 00:12:57,040 --> 00:13:00,440 Speaker 1: in the afternoon and not continually burn my dogs to 276 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:03,199 Speaker 1: the ground. Look, it's not ideal because a lot of 277 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:05,920 Speaker 1: us don't really want to waste time not hunting when 278 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:08,160 Speaker 1: we're on a hunting trip. But it's also not fair 279 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:10,520 Speaker 1: to ask too much of them because they generally will 280 00:13:10,559 --> 00:13:15,319 Speaker 1: try to deliver and they'll generally fail, as we all 281 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:16,840 Speaker 1: would if the roles were reversed. 282 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:17,600 Speaker 2: Well. 283 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:20,800 Speaker 1: Lastly, it pays to remember that your dog will feed 284 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:24,319 Speaker 1: off of your energy on these trips. This might sound 285 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 1: like woo woo bullshit, but I don't think it is, 286 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:28,160 Speaker 1: and they neither do a lot of people who have 287 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:31,880 Speaker 1: way more experience working with dogs. If you're stressed, they 288 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,599 Speaker 1: know it. If you're frantically trying to walk out the 289 00:13:34,679 --> 00:13:36,400 Speaker 1: seventh slew of the day because you don't have a 290 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:39,520 Speaker 1: limit yet, it's going to affect your dogs. This is 291 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:41,400 Speaker 1: supposed to be a fun adventure, and it can be 292 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 1: exactly that, or it can be a stress filled grind 293 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:46,720 Speaker 1: where you go into terminator mode on the fear that 294 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 1: you'll have to return to work on Monday and tell 295 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: your co workers that you drove all the way out 296 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:53,360 Speaker 1: there to only kill a cup a quail or a 297 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:57,319 Speaker 1: praier of chickens or whatever. A relaxed, calm hunter is 298 00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:00,040 Speaker 1: a hunter who will shoot more birds if for no 299 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:03,200 Speaker 1: other reason than the dogs will recognize that vibe and 300 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 1: match it to the best of their ability. I've said 301 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:07,839 Speaker 1: this a lot, but if you spend enough time with 302 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:11,240 Speaker 1: dog trainers who really know their stuff, you rarely encounter 303 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 1: an edgy, nervous, over the top energy vibe from them. Yeah, 304 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:19,080 Speaker 1: almost always get the opposite. They are generally pretty calm, 305 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:24,000 Speaker 1: pretty confident, and just even keel. This is an accident 306 00:14:24,040 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 1: and it's not an act now. I honestly don't know 307 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:28,520 Speaker 1: if it's because those types of people are drawn to 308 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 1: the profession or the profession molds those types of people 309 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 1: and weeds out the people who can't get there. Doesn't 310 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:36,800 Speaker 1: really matter either way, but it is something we can 311 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:39,160 Speaker 1: try to emulate when we are in a highly dynamic 312 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 1: environment with our dogs and everything is humming at a 313 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 1: little higher frequency. This is important to remember because it 314 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 1: will literally flavor your entire trip and can make it 315 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 1: awesome or a total suckfest, not only for you but 316 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 1: for your dogs. So have some fun with it. Take 317 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 1: your time, slow down, plan out your routes, and try 318 00:14:57,560 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 1: to learn from what you know the land and the 319 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:02,560 Speaker 1: it's going to show you. It's also a good idea 320 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:04,520 Speaker 1: to keep an open mind, especially if you go someplace 321 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:06,120 Speaker 1: where you might be able to shoot more than one 322 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 1: species of bird. For example, I don't know how many 323 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 1: times I've had woodcock save a tough grouse hunt, or 324 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 1: how fun it has been to realize that our peasant 325 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:17,520 Speaker 1: plans might not pan out, but that prairie chickens are 326 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:21,400 Speaker 1: far more available than we planned. Options are good and 327 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:23,520 Speaker 1: twitching from one bird to the other might not seem 328 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:26,040 Speaker 1: appealing when you're planning a trip, but in the moment 329 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:28,760 Speaker 1: it certainly can be. And I can promise you this. 330 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 1: Your dog won't care if you're having fun. They are 331 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 1: having fun, and there are a lot of ways to 332 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:37,520 Speaker 1: ensure that happens. So consider this stuff if you're heading 333 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:40,720 Speaker 1: out for a road trip this fall, and definitely consider 334 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 1: this if you're not heading out on a road trip 335 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:46,040 Speaker 1: this fall, because it might be entirely possible to make 336 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:48,960 Speaker 1: one happen. And if you do, and you anticipate some 337 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:51,360 Speaker 1: of the bigger hurdles, you'll have the kind of trip 338 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 1: that makes you want to take more trips, and that's 339 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:58,880 Speaker 1: good for you and your dogs. That's it for this week. 340 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:02,640 Speaker 1: I'm Tony Peterson. This has been The Houndation's podcast. As always, 341 00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 1: thank you so much for listening and for all of 342 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:08,400 Speaker 1: your support everyone here at meat Eater. We truly appreciate it. 343 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:10,640 Speaker 1: We are nothing without you, guys, so thank you for that. 344 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:15,240 Speaker 1: If you want some more hunting content, I'm talking Western, 345 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:20,320 Speaker 1: big game, white tails, whatever the meadeater dot com has 346 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 1: you covered. We literally drop new content every single day. 347 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 1: We have really cool stuff coming out as far as films, 348 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 1: we have a whole podcast network that is huge. Maybe 349 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 1: you're sick of listening to Me talk or cal Talk. 350 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:38,360 Speaker 1: You can head on over to the Bear Grease podcast 351 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 1: and listen to Clay teach you something about the history 352 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:44,040 Speaker 1: of the US as it relates to coon dogs or something. 353 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 1: Or you can check out Brent Reeves This Country Life podcast, 354 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 1: which is one of my fight favorites because I love 355 00:16:50,520 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 1: Brent and I could listen to that dude's tell stories 356 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 1: all day. Maybe you just need a recipe, maybe you 357 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:58,440 Speaker 1: need an article on something I don't know. I do 358 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:02,360 Speaker 1: know that there is a health of information over at 359 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:04,680 Speaker 1: the mediator dot com. Go check it out and thank 360 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:05,119 Speaker 1: you again. 361 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:20,159 Speaker 2: H m hm