Mckelvie National Forrest Trip Advice

I guess I’ll have to do my research on the boots to find something decent. Staying at a little cabin outside of Mckelvie. Prob gonna look into hunting Merritt too.
 
Elhew Top Gun said:
I guess I’ll have to do my research on the boots to find something decent. Staying at a little cabin outside of Mckelvie. Prob gonna look into hunting Merritt too.
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What weekend you going? I might see you out there, I'm debating on making another trip up that way this year.
 
We didn't have any luck at all in the evening. If I go back I plan on hunting hard early for a few hours, fishing at the camp for a bit and hitting the doves at the waterholes in the evenings.
 
Alot of good advice so far, one thing i would add is walk with the wind when hiking the hills, birds are often on the leeward side just below the peak of the hill. Goes against everything you think you should do but gives you a good chance at these birds, otherwise they see you and flush well out of range. They will glide a country mile once they flush. Take a good compass or GPS device so you can find your way back, your truck may not look that far -a-way but guarantee it will be. Valentine Refuge would be good area as well. Been a long time since I hunted the sandhills but it was a great challenge.
 
Hutcho said:
We ran duct tape "boots" when we went. They didn't work worth a damn. Dogs chewed most of them off before we got to the first spot. What brand are you guys using? I would like to find something that goes on quick. My shorthair doesn't like to sit still for anything, especially when he knows it's go time!
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I have not tried these, but I have a buddy in nd that swears by them.
Made out of motorcycle inner tube. Best thing is every time you get a pup, start them out on boots when young
 
Elhew Top Gun said:
Looking to do my first sharptail trip to Mcelvie during the opener. I will be tent camping.
1. Should I use the campground or camp in a more remote location where I'm hunting? I'm told that your vehicle has to be 300ft off the roadway and you can camp about anywhere.
2. How close are grocery stores?
3. I have Verizon cell service, how is the service as a whole?
4. Any other suggestions N, E, S, or W you would recommend for what I'm trying to do?
5. How close is the nearest vet (just in case!)

Thanks
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Valentine is the closest town big enough for a vet, supplies etc. I only had luck high. The hills are big I found birds high up in depressions. Valentine was about 25 miles. You can get some stuff at the reservoir. I had AT&T spotty service. I can’t imagine anything will work consistently Everywhere up there. If you’re a golfer there is a world class golf course , very weirdly in the middle of nowhere. Beautiful big country.
 
I use the 1000 Denier boots from dogbooties.com. They are cheap, around $3.50 per boot and really last. I buy the fluorescent orange or pink so I can see at a distance if the dog still has them on and you might be able to find them if you are hunting the same area again. They stay on amazingly well with that stretch Velcro and I’ve never had them wear holes in the dogs skin like some of the others I have tried. I’ve used the same set on my GSP for a week before they came off and were lost.
 
Start getting the dog used to them now. Just a few minutes at a time. Baby socks work well just to train with. Put them on all four feet , then let the dog high step around the yard. They will get used to them. A friend of mine uses vet wrap. Literally runs it for each hunt then replaces it. Watch the tops of the boots , they will rub down to the meat on their shins if fit isn't good.
 
airmedic1 said:
I use the 1000 Denier boots from dogbooties.com. They are cheap, around $3.50 per boot and really last. I buy the fluorescent orange or pink so I can see at a distance if the dog still has them on and you might be able to find them if you are hunting the same area again. They stay on amazingly well with that stretch Velcro and I’ve never had them wear holes in the dogs skin like some of the others I have tried. I’ve used the same set on my GSP for a week before they came off and were lost. your gap and what size do you use
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What does your gsp weigh and what size do you run?
 
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Over the years I have used them on all five of our female GSPs and have always used the medium size, 2 3/4” across the widest part of the paw. They have ranged in weight from 35-65 pounds. The lighter ones probably could have used a small but I don’t thing being a little big hurt anything and I didn’t want to have to figure out what size I had so I only bought the medium. Like everything else, these have gone up in price over time, I think I bought the first ones for about $2 each. Too bad we couldn’t find several guys to take advantage of the economy of scale and purchase a big lot of 250.
 
airmedic1 said:
Over the years I have used them on all five of our female GSPs and have always used the medium size, 2 3/4” across the widest part of the paw. They have ranged in weight from 35-65 pounds. The lighter ones probably could have used a small but I don’t thing being a little big hurt anything and I didn’t want to have to figure out what size I had so I only bought the medium. Like everything else, these have gone up in price over time, I think I bought the first ones for about $2 each. Too bad we couldn’t find several guys to take advantage of the economy of scale and purchase a big lot of 250.
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Thanks that's good to know. I think I'm going to run boots on my boykin mainly for snow, can't keep it from balling up. Burrs don't bother her or my chesapeake much. Funny what got them last year was some small august sprouted tumbleweeds. Must have really cut them up, the second day they were walking the ditches and the burrs to stay out them. The boykin has the same size feet as my peake, sounds like I need mediums. Appreciate it.
 
So far, this has been a great summer. We have had plenty of rain and the Sandhills are green. I was by Hyannis, Whitman and N of Mullen yesterday and the hills looked great with plenty of growth. Hopefully there will be grouse around. We do have two weeks of 100+ days with no rain in the forecast which will dry things out but I don’t see it being anywhere as dry as it was each year.
 
Thank you for the update! I was gonna post again next month for an update before I leave. We are staying in Valentine so we might hunt Valentine National quite a bit. I’ll get in touch with you before I come get the scoop.
 
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