Grouse Opener

it is a good subject to "air out". i, like most, probably worry more about them than I should, but we all hear the stories.

I think the best thing to do for us guys who are maybe a little leary of the wolves is to set up a Northern Wisconsin/Ultimate pheasant hunting.com Grouse hunting weekend....you know....so you guys can put our minds at ease :D
 
I thought the grouse hunters in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming would be worried about Wolves. Never thought I would read this thread in the Wisconsin forum....
 
Headed up to Phelps this Thursday - I dont worry about it as my two Goldens are close working dogs. I do hear them howling from time to time. Lots of Yotes too
 
wisturkeyhunter said:
What do you guys carry for pulling quills?
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I actually didn't think you were supposed to pull them, rather just get the dog to a vet to have them removed?

Very interested to see what the proper plan of attack is. I remember when I was younger our lab got into an argument with a porcupine. It wasn't pretty.
 
I pull them and continue hunting.

If any swelling occurs then we might be going to the vet later down the road.

Our French Brittany got to close to one and ended up with one in the tip of his nose and a couple in his front leg. No big deal we pulled them by hand but he thought it was. He won't have anything to do with them.

The drahthaar on the other hand has been quilled 3 or 4 times and everytime has been a mess. Quills in and around his mouth. So bad that without pulling them he couldn't close his mouth and he was gagging. The first time I thought he wasn't going to make it.
I've always pulled as many as possible in the woods with forceps, then tweezers back at the cabin or truck, then keep an eye on him for swelling.
 
wisturkeyhunter said:
I pull them and continue hunting.

If any swelling occurs then we might be going to the vet later down the road.

Our French Brittany got to close to one and ended up with one in the tip of his nose and a couple in his front leg. No big deal we pulled them by hand but he thought it was. He won't have anything to do with them.

The drahthaar on the other hand has been quilled 3 or 4 times and everytime has been a mess. Quills in and around his mouth. So bad that without pulling them he couldn't close his mouth and he was gagging. The first time I thought he wasn't going to make it.
I've always pulled as many as possible in the woods with forceps, then tweezers back at the cabin or truck, then keep an eye on him for swelling.
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Good info.
 
I do not go afield without my Gerber Multi tool. Whether its hiking, hunting or whatever. I dread the day we find a porky. I see them as road kill all the time in our area up North but have never found one in the woods ( I shouldnt have said that) Im headed up later this morning.
 
wisturkeyhunter said:
I pull them and continue hunting
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We did the same thing last fall when my buddies dog got into it with one up there. Dog was fine. No swelling or infection.

The funny thing was, the dog had a mouth full of quills but then went right back to the porcupine for a few more. Maybe he though he was going to get revenge on the porcupine. lol

Nick
 
Hellmo:

I also am not afraid to take my dog into the woods. Similar to you, he's in the woods with me a lot. I agree that most dogs attacked by wolves are bear hounds, but also know of a number of cases where family dogs and bird dogs have been attacked. In Vilas and Lincoln Counties. The DNR can say all they want in defense of wolves, but wolves are a real, existent threat to our bird dogs. In my opinion any claim otherwise is BS. It's not stopping me from hunting or exercising my dog, but I'm aware and alert to the possibility.
 
What I wrote was based on experience.

No surprise that a vet wants you to bring the dog to them for removal but that's not practical when you have a dog with a mouthful in the back country. Only ever had one abscess from a quill and the vet sliced it and the quill came out a day or 2 later.

Quills that break off do work in until they hit bone then they turn and follow the bone until they get to skin then they work their way out. Last quill I pulled out was right around 3 months after the quilling. I guess if a dog jumped on a porky and took some in the body you might have an issue but most dogs get quilled in the head and the quills just follow the bone under the skin.
 
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Just trying to let people know they can be dangerous if a bad sticking not a handful.
Now that I have English dogs instead of my German dogs they aren't quite as attacky, but do get skunked my setter has been skunked in the back yard several times.
 
Fenway said:
Just trying to let people know they can be dangerous if a bad sticking not a handful.
Now that I have English dogs instead of my German dogs they aren't quite as attacky, but do get skunked my setter has been skunked in the back yard several times.
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I agree about the quills being a big deal and that sometimes a vet is needed. Biggest thing is bring ready for it.

Do the English carry live skunks around like the Germans?
 
Well if anybody ventures out into the north woods, make sure to be prepared for ticks.

I made a quick trip to my land to get some things out of the shed, and my dog was covered in super small deer ticks. I didn't apply any tick preventative because it was sort of an unexpected trip, but I wish I had. Pulled a pretty engorged one off him last night that must have made the trip home with us.

This things were the smallest ticks I have ever seen. Such a headache.
 
I was out twice a day for four days straight and didnt find one tick. Northern Vilas County right on the UP border. Weird..
 
HolyMoses said:
Well if anybody ventures out into the north woods, make sure to be prepared for ticks.

I made a quick trip to my land to get some things out of the shed, and my dog was covered in super small deer ticks. I didn't apply any tick preventative because it was sort of an unexpected trip, but I wish I had. Pulled a pretty engorged one off him last night that must have made the trip home with us.

This things were the smallest ticks I have ever seen. Such a headache.
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Get these

http://www.lcsupply.com/Preventic-Tick-Collar-for-Dogs/productinfo/PTX/
 
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