Be careful this weekend.

[setterguy]

With pheasant opener this weekend, and temps expected to be near 70, I want to remind eveyone to be very dilligent in not letting your dogs overheat. Every year we hear about dogs dying in the field. It doesn't take long, and remember that a dog is in the grass, out of the wind and right near the ground which is always a little warmer, even if you aren't getting hot doesn't mean the dog isn't. Hunt early and in short runs with plenty of water and rest, we all know they won't stop until we do....here is to a safe and productive opener for everyone and thier dogs.

[lawdog]

GOOD POST SETTERGUY!

I was just telling a buddy we wouldn't be hunting too long in the morning as my boys will not be out running in those temps...

Take care and good luck to all.

[Norsky]

I guess it's probably a good thing I'll miss the opener this weekend for a wedding. It will be too hot anyway, and way to many people probably, everybody's a pheasant hunter when the birds numbers are up.

[Billjr]

I just bought one of the vests that has an internal water bladder-I carry a ziplock baggie which I use for a portable water container for the dog-works great just came back from a prairie chicken /sharptail hunt in western south dakota1 week ago and it was warm-still need to use common sense

[fivebucks]

I was out Sunday afternoon and was glad there was plenty of water in the WPA and WMA's I hit. I made sure my dog was always wet. P.S. Only 1 bird flushed and I bird retrieved.

[Blaze]

82 degrees yesterday in SD where we were hunting, but it wasn't the heat that was the concern...barbed-wire fencing was. Pup's first pheasant hunting trip and he did pretty good til he ended up busting after a hen and ran 20 yds wide open and nailed the BW that he never saw. He's at the vet getting cleaned up right now - about a 3" wide cut on his from shoulder/left leg. Fortunately, I had a first aid kit with antiseptic, non-stick pads, and gauze to clean him up with and put a MN Wild t-shirt on him to keep from licking. He'll be just fine, but it sure got my attention.

If at all possible, I'd recommend any serious pheasant hunter with a dog(s) learn to due basic First Aid and learn to care for wounds, and possibly learn to do stitches. This is the 3rd time in 6 years I've had a dog get cut by BW fence.

[Ole #1]

Here's a good tip if your dog does get injured from something like barbed wire.

EMT gel works great. You can get it at sporting good stores like Gander or Sportsmans. It will seal the wound very well.

[BLACKJACK]

Blaze, what did your trip to the vet cost? My pup got a 2 inch cut, by the time I got to the vet on Sunday I ended up with a $201 bill!!! And he didn't even kiss me first!!!

[Blaze]

BJack -

Gas to drive to from NW Mpls to Central SD: $50

Vet bill for 16 stitches (barbed wire fence): $230

Making the front page of Eureka, SD newspaper with a pile of pheasants: Priceless

The vet trip Monday morning was $230, with a lovely $35 add on this weekend after Jake popped 4 stitches. He now has an additional 5 staples and a "lampshade" to keep him from licking. I hate that thing as much as he does - he runs into everything and makes a ruckus everwhere he goes.

On a lighter note, my neighbor that I went to SD with brought over the "hometown newspaper" and there was our picture on the front page with a pile of birds. Pretty funny.