Yellow lab owners that duck hunt...

[311Hemi]

Do you use a camo vest for your dog when your out duck hunting, and if so is it for the camo or the weather?

...or both....do you take it off if it's warm out?

[Bondo]

I use a vest when it's colder out for my y lab. If I'm hunting out of the boat, I will use it to help protect her belly when she is being pulled in the boat. I just purchased a ladder for her this year, we'll see how that works out.

[bigdog]

I use the vest for the weather, not too worried about hiding the dog.

[browndog]

Having the dog be steady and not moving around is more important then camo

[AlexRM]

I haven't ever used a vest.

[Bushwacker]

I bought a uninsulated vest and my female cooks in that thing during warm weather. I tried it a few warm hunts and she would pant all the time. Now I just use it when it gets colder out and it doesn't bother her at all. As far as camo goes, I really don't think a yellow lab scares ducks. We have had ducks land when a dog is swimming on another retrieve and when a dog is running back and forth on the shore. It almost seems like they come in close to see what is going on. So I am not worried about camoing the dogs at all.

[LABS4ME]

You're not hunting muddy enough water if you need a camo vest for your yellow! hehehe

I agree a steady dog is more important than a vest... a lab should never need a vest till maybe the end of the season... it is easy to over heat them with it on...

Good Luck!

Ken

[shae1986]

HAHA this reminds me that i have a vest for my yellow lab and a couple of summers i put it on her for her to practice in and she wouldnt move. She wouldn't move a step, she just sat there and shook. So my lab doesn't wear a vest, i tried, but she was too scared.

A. Shae

[Ufatz]

Bushwhacker: You mention that the ducks almost come in because they see the dog moving around. Here's tonights duck hunting history lesson. In the old days (everything was black and white) when market hunters needed all sorts of tricks, they developed a technique called Tolling. And they even bred some dogs to do nothing but toll ducks. This consisted of dashing back and forth on the beach, into and out of the water, simply running around. Huge flocks of divers, like Cans Redheads, Bluebills etc. for some reason find that activity strange and the cannot resist swimming in to see what the Tolling dog is doing. At that point the old timers stand up with an unplugged '97 Winchester or maybe even a punt gun and blast away. Lotsa ducks on the water and then on the way to market.

Okay.Lesson over. No test.

[311Hemi]

Thanks for the replys!!

I guess one last question...maybe I am taking this to far, but do you worry about shiney collars and/or the chrome buckels (that comes with the e-collars)?

[Kodiak]

i wondered the same thing about the shiny buckle, i just bought some camo cloth tape and taped them up..

i use the hodgmans floation vest with the black "extreme" coating on the bottom for late season when there is sharp ice and if they are getting a lot of retrieves in cold water the extra floatation helps and they swim alot faster with the floatation too.

[ChuckN]

Here's my yellow's duck attire on a cold day. Buckles don't concern me. I love the neoprene vests though...keeps the dog much warmer and drier for the cold hunts. I use the vests all the time, unless it's excessively warm.

[stretch]

my yellow lab wears her vest when it gets towards the end of the season. and as for the shiny buckels on the collars. i haven't had any problems with that and i don't think you need to worry about that.

[LABS4ME]

I don't let my dog wear a collar when hunting over water... Twice I've heard of guys losing dogs to drowning because they were hung up. They do make camo collars with a flat black buckle as opposed to chrome if you're gonna use one.

Good Luck!

Ken

[Kodiak]

what do they get hung up on?

[LABS4ME]

One was in the river bottoms and it was a submerged branch sticking up from a dead tree... it was just below the surface, slid between the collar and neck... pulled him under...

The second one was in the dakotas back in the mid-90's, it was a submerged fence, I believe barb wire, was not strung post to post anymore, but just a big loop off one post sticking up, they figured it got hung up around the collar, the dog panicked, got twisted up in it good and went under...

I wasn't there for either event, but I guess it happens quick and by the time you know what's going on and take action it can be to late...

Young dogs that i'm working with still have their shock collar on, but I make sure it's tight and try to 'know' my water so I don't have to experience this. Once I know they are steady it's no collar time.

Good Luck!

Ken

[2 DA GILLS]

I have a question about vests as well. I purchase a Cabela's vest that could be cut to fit. Even after trimming the vest (no returning it now), it still does not fit that well. My dog is a Griffon and his body shape does not allow a good fit in some areas. I had to go with an XL because of the depth of his chest and it is large around the neck and waist area.

What are some opinions about concerns with there being a gap or cup in the vest under his chin / front of chest. Is this going to hinder him from swimming or be a cause for concern about safety? It is a vest with floation, so that will help. I do want to find a vest for late season, cool water conditions.

[311Hemi]

I am facing the same dilema with my lab and a vest. I went a Mad Dog veg by Stearns (got it at Joes) and decided to go with a medium vs a large for that reason. It feels a little tight when trying to zip it up, but once it's on I can slide my hand in under the vest and it does not seem to tight around the chest. I can still pinch some of the vest.

I measured 29" or so around his chest and the vest had options of medium at 28" or under and large 30" or under. I chose the med and it seems to fit snug but not tight. The 30" was a bit loose.

[2 DA GILLS]

My dogs chest is so deep, but narrow (if that makes sense) the XL in this Cabela's vest barely goes aroung his chest behind his front legs. However his neck and front of his chest are too small.

I will be at my parent's lake home on Friday, we will have to test it out and see how it goes.