Blind Retrieve

[AKSkeeter]

My labs routinely do 300 yard blind retrieves in competition.
My most memorable blind hunting was less than 5 yards.
Shot a pair of huns on a cut bank. The first fell in the stream and
drifted lodged 30 yards below my feet by the current on a cliff cutbank.
Lab marked and easily retrieved the second of the pair.
For the first bird, had to send the lab downstream to cross, then handle
the lab upstream then a come-in whistle to cross the stream and
get the hun lodged against the cutbank.


If the lab can hear me, I often handle using a lip-based whistle instead of a mechanical whistle while hunting:

 

[LC Smith]

Skeeter,

I would have loved to have seen that retrieve in action.

This past fall, while in SD, Whisky got to do a legit blind on a pheasant. We were walking a strip of milo that was flanked by winter wheat. I was about 10yds in the wheat and sent Whisky on a retrieve into the milo. At that same time a rooster blew out over me and I dropped it on a passing left-to-right and it landed about 60 yds out in the green wheat. When Whisky came back to me with the first bird, I lined him up and cast him on the one I dropped. He ran a beautiful line straight out. The bird looked just like a clump of dirt from my perspective, but when he got about 20' from it he realized what it was and hit another gear to retrieve it. It was his first blind on a bird outside of a hunt test/training scenario.

It is really great to actually use the skills they have trained so hard to do. I use a whistle, with a horn, in training and hunting. He responds well to it and is a very valuable tool, especially in the wind.

 

[AKSkeeter]

My pup's first hunting blind retrieve last October on a hun hunt in Montana. . .
she recovered the mallard after about 10 minutes of swimming.

 

[LC Smith]

My pup's first hunting blind retrieve last October on a hun hunt in Montana. . .
she recovered the mallard after about 10 minutes of swimming.

I love watching these dogs work a duck that keeps ducking and diving.

 

[Glock]

Pretty impressive for a breed of dog that others suggested were best suited as house pets! Great job on your training !

 

[AKSkeeter]

Labs may be the easiest of all breeds to train.
All I need is 2 bumpers and I can get a lot accomplished.

 

[Wind River]

Right on Skeeter, they have a built in motor to please. ATV of the dog world. Prey drive generally good and easy to exercise. Genetics and get what you need in the breed.