It will not be long now until we find ourselves loading up our dogs and gear into our vehicles and setting off into the horizon with our destination being the uplands.
Upland hunting experiences begin opening up early as September when the temperature is nearly as high as our eagerness to get back out on the hunt with our dogs. Seasons will last all the way to the end of the year and into the next, in most states, giving hunters plenty of time to load up and hunt some new country and new species. New country and species usually comes with logging some serious hours and miles behind the wheel and our dogs being in a dog box or crate which can be very taxing on them, if it is a very long haul.
If you find yourself planning a road trip for a hunting experience this year, here are some tips to insure your companions are in hunting shape when you arrive at your destination.
Have a List!
This is one of the most important components in traveling with hounds. You will have to have all the normal gear on your average hunt but this time you will also need to pack your household items as well such as all the dog bowls, chargers for collars and tie-outs just for example. They say that traveling with kids is as bad as moving but I would say that kids have nothing in comparison to traveling with hunting dogs! Having a list will make sure you and your dogs will have all its needs while gone.
Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!
While at home, our dogs should have a handy water source at the ready any time that they get thirsty. While travelling they will have to wait for stops in our journey to quench their thirst. Leading up to the journey I start giving my dogs supplements like HydrADE to insure their hydration levels are high long before their first hunt in new territory. A dehydrated dog will not be ready to perform the first day of the hunt after a long road trip.
Plan Your Route
It is very easy for us hunters to look at your destination, punch in an address in Google Maps and head out on the quickest route. Most of the time the quickest route will be along interstates, DOGS AND INTERSTATES DO NOT MIX! You will find roadside truck stops and restrooms and while those are good for a lap dog on a leash they are not friendly for a large, high energy hunting dogs. Our dogs need some room and time to stretch their legs and run to expel some of that energy. You would think that being in a crate would be "restful" for a dog but it is more exhausting than anything. They will come out of the box more lethargic than eager to hunt if crated for longer periods which can be very aggravating to the eager hunter. So when planning your route, look for tracts of public land or bigger places to let your dogs run and air out. Put on their tracking system or a long check cord lead for safety yet still giving them room to run, play fetch and let them enjoy the journey and new smells as well. When traveling with dogs, the last thing on your mind should be the arrival time. Take your time while on the road, take plenty of lengthy breaks for your dogs and it will pay dividends when it’s game time.
Have Your Gear Handy
When you come to each of your stops, the last thing you want to do is destroy a well packed vehicle just because you accidentally placed your leads or tie outs under a mountain of luggage or totes of gear. Be sure that you place water, water bowls, leads and tie-outs in a convenient and easy to access location because these are the items that you reach for the most while on the road.
Hound Friendly Hotels are a Houndsmen's friend too!
When overnighting on a hunting trip you will want a place that allows your dogs to be there as well, obviously. So whether you are camping, staying in a hotel or a rental “Airbnb” be sure that they allow pets. I opt to camp when possible so I can have my dogs on tie-outs but that isn’t always an option. Most hotels will not allow several dogs in a room but I do take each dog in the room, one at a time to give them some time to refuel, stretch out and lay down comfortably and give them a break from the confines of a crate or box as well as post hunt inspections for injuries.
Out of state hunts are something I strongly suggest every hunter should go on. There is nothing quite like venturing off into new country, watching a bird dog go on point or hearing a hound on a tree in the distance. Every trip I have taken, I have learned better ways to pack and travel but one thing remains the same; caring and paying attention to your dogs while on the road. It is the most important aspect and the reason why the trip is happening in the first place. A dog that is well cared for while on the road will perform in any place you may go, no matter how long the journey.
