Water in the field...

I’ve taught my dogs to drink out of a disposable squirt water bottle. The 16 or 20 oz size. When they get thirsty in the field they come up and I squirt it down their throats. No waste and off they go. I have water jugs and bowls at the truck but the squirt bottles keep them going for a long time.
 
I use to bring a got cooler. In the winter you would have to carry a hammer to spin the lid off when the threads froze up.
A lot of my Nalgenes came from thrift stores for 2 or 3 bucks. Some are collectibles like the one that started at a bible camp in Scott.😆20171115_161929.jpegIMG_3834.jpeg
 
If anyone needs to carry a lot of water for longer hikes, I highly recommend the bladder bottles like Hyrdapak or platypus. As you hunt through the day and hopefully gain birds, the bottle shrinks which gives better room. It took me awhile to trust the bladders but they have worked well. Much better than multiple hard bottles crushing the birds.
 
Been using this last 2 seasons and will continue to do so. Works very well, they drink from the scoop and barely waste any. Good quality. 25 ounces, was about $15 on Amazon in 2022. Easy to refill if you carry and extra plastic 16oz bottle or two on the really long hikes.

 

I use this around the truck. I put it down before the dogs are released and before we hunt almost every field. The 3.5 gallon size has been big enough to water 4 dogs for a day in most weather. Sometimes I'll skip the first field if it's cold enough to worry about the water freezing. My dogs expect it to be there; you can tell when they have decided they are done with the field and ready for a drink. I'm usually done with the field by then too. If I ever forget they give me the stink eye. Other dogs I had were reluctant to drink when everyone was milling around the truck after finishing a walk. Putting down the water before hunting solved that. Doing that gave them a couple minutes "by themselves" to drink before all the hunters got there. Other dogs didn't seem to matter as much as the people. They drink after almost every field.

During chicken season (it's still pretty hot then), or if I'm expecting a long time away from the truck, I'll carry a couple of 1-liter bottles and a collapsible bowl. Once I forgot the bowl and had to use my hat.
I just ordered one. I like everything I've read about it, only thing that concerns me is leaving it in the truck overnight, has anyone had any problems with it freezing?
 
I fill a gallon milk jug at the motel every morning and take a dog dish. More than enough but I have either left the dish on the ground or backed over it a few times. On the long walks I carry a water bottle in the water bottle pocket on my coat/vest. When Grouse hunting there is almost always standing water around and I can't stop them from imbibing.
 
4 Gatorade bottles on the vest for longer hikes. Chief vest allows you to put the bottle holders wherever you like on the vest.
 
Just thought I would share what I do. For many years, I struggled to find the best way to water my doggos while hunting. Several years ago, I picked up a 20 qt cooler that was in pretty good shape. A light bulb went off and I filled it with water. When the dogs get back to the truck, the cooler goes down and everybody gets a drink. I do carry a bottle and collapsible bowl with me if needed; however, the cooler drink station has been a game changer. Let me know what you think or do differently.
Plastic milk crate with a 2.5 gallon soft collapsible bladder at the truck, carry 2-8 (depending on number of dogs and situation) 20 oz soft plastic bottles in our vests.
 
I keep a 5 gallon water jug cooler with spigot in the truck. I carry 2 20 oz water bottles with squirter tops in the pack and I have a 3 liter reservoir in the pack for me to drink off or refill water bottles.
Try Kinetic Hydro30K for the dogs.....keeps them drinking, replaces energy and helps them recover.
 
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