OandN do the dogs learn to deal with the sand burs fairly well? Or is it always a battle? Boots be an option?
Yes and No. I suppose there should be a "Sand Hills" dog. Most dogs will tolerate sand burrs by learning to avoid areas where they are, they are pretty obvious, light brown, almost always near a windmill, ( doves eat them), blow outs are the real reason they are at windmills, those are wallowed out by cattle, along the road edges too! Anywhere there is soil disruption, trampling, grading. Dogs will get down and pull them out, they get sores from them, so will you! you'll never walk around without shoes, no froo froo sandals here! Dogs who do best, have real hard feet, have a paw which is compact, doesn't spread easy, light on their feet, after a while it's just part of the drill. Prickly pear cactus is just as bad, it will get swept up by a tail in bed it's self along the flanks, dogs will pull that out too, but may get it stuck in the mouth. I used setters, seemed better able to shed cactus, but had sand burrs along the feathered hair on the legs. Be careful about excercising a dog, flat gravel driveways or roadside rest areas are chock full of burrs. Actually getting into the hills, and it might be a walk from where you parked, Like Valentine National Wildlife Area, there are small avoidable areas of sand burrs, sand burrs need disturbance, very little of that on the grassy slopes. Getting water out of a windmill is a sure trap for sandhillers, man and dog. There is water everywhere, but no up top where you need it! Down there a 2 mile walk up and down to get there, water, pigweed, sand burrs too! I have made way in the expedition to carry camel backs of water, and a crushable water proof hat. I don't need a bunch of shells, I would sacrifice all items which are expendible on the foot safari. You won't need a heavy shirt, even though it's cold in the morning, light cotton faced pants, to deflect burrs, lightweight broken in boots,( I have two in camp) they get dew soaked and need to dry early. A heavy tee-shirt, light manuverable, and ability to stay up there hunting. You see you might be out there 5 minutes and shoot 3 birds....or you could be several hours up there, see wild flushing birds, or no birds, till viola! you stumble into an easy triple, or maybe 1 every hour or so. I rest in the heat of the day, If I need to, I go up the hills as they get shady in the evening. Be aware of where you are! Getting lost is common place, coming out a mile or so from the car routine, If you have to walk to a road, it's a long way, with very little traffic. If you have a medical emergency, you or the dog, Valentine, or North Platte, Hyannis, west, back east Broken Bow. At least 35 miles, cell phones ????? where you are. I use a satellite phone at camp. A little more involved than a quail hunt! But worth the sweat, and labor. As far as dogs and snakes, I have preached about that before, porks, well I never had a problem, but I saw dogs who will not lay off them! leatherman! The pricklies will not kill you, but are problem. By the way don't camp near the cottonwoods near one of the lakes! While inviting in the afternoon, they are wicked with mosquito's at night...all night! I should have said, I never had good luck with boots on dogs. Some people do. the inner tube home made which I have never used look promising, but you have to acclimate the dogs to use them in advance, and they look like prickly pear attractants!