As Advertised
A few things that really work.

written by Butch Goodwin
       of                     

Northern Flight Retrievers  

You have no idea how ballistic I go when stuff doesn't work like it is advertised. Well, this month I'm going to tell you about a couple of things that do work, and I hope you find them as useful as I do. And I'm also going to pass along a training tip I "rediscovered" a couple of months back when I was chukar hunting near the Oregon/Nevada border. I am not trying to sell you anything. I don't work for these companies, nor do I get free stuff from any of them. I'm just passing along info for you to consider if you think it would help. 

First, I find it hard to believe that, by now, everyone doesn't own a GPS unit. There are many good brands and different models available, and each has special features. What I want to focus on are the advantages of using a hand­held GPS unit along with a computer­mapping program to take yourhunting to the next level. 

I assume that everyone is familiar with the DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer books of topographic maps that show recreation areas, hunting units, public lands, and lots of other information for each state. For years, as I hunted and ran my boat on the river, I would mark "waypoints" (notes marking access to public property, good spots for hunting birds, locations where I could cross swampy areas, shallow spots to avoid in the river, etc.) in my handheld GPS and then, when I returned home, I would write notes on the maps and in the margins of my DeLorme Atlas, with arrows pointing to important spots. I also had "sticky notes" with GPS co-ordinates and other significant information attached to the pages. 

A couple of years back, DeLorme released their Topo USA computer- mapping program, which is similar to but doesn't have some of the information contained in the printed Atlas. But instead of being limited to only one state, the computer program covers the entire nation. The most significant features of the computer program are that you have the ability to zoom in and out, make notes right on the maps, and print maps as needed. And you can easily exchange waypoints, tracks, and information not only between DeLorme's handheld unit and the Topo USA program, but most other brands of handheld GPS units are also compatible with the Topo USA program - so in all probability, you can continue to use the handheld GPS that you already own. 

The Nomad power washer is strong enough to hose off kennels and mats, but also gentle enough for boots and even filling water bowls.

I have been using this program for a couple of years, and there are some things I have discovered that I'd like to pass along. First, I always carry my handheld GPS with me when I go hunting; scouting for places to hunt; or exploring, whether on foot, on the river in my boat, or in my truck. I use the handheld like an electronic note­pad. It is always recording my track everywhere I go in the field - giving me "boots on the ground" location and directional information - so that I can retrace my path in the future. I mark waypoints of things that I consider important and make quick notes in the unit, reminding me what each waypoint represents. 

When I get home, I transfer all of the tracks and waypoints to the Topo USA program in my laptop. After I transfer the information, I use the program feature that allows me to make "map notes" (like using my sticky notes in the past) about things that I consider significant, and I replace the waypoints with a "flag" icon and give them a name so they are easier to find and zoom in on when I want to refer to them in more detail in the future. 

When I travel, I always try to buy a DeLorme Atlas of the state I'll be visiting. The Atlas gives me a broad overview of the state and shows public lands, hunting areas, and access points that might not be shown in the computer program. I think that using the Atlas in correlation with the Topo USA program gives me a better overall look at the area that I am heading for and shows me other places I might want to take the time to check out. 

Also when I travel, I always place my handheld GPS in a holder on my dashboard to record a track of my trip and use it for marking waypoints and notes along the route. (Note: Don't use the GPS handheld attached to the computer to record your track because I found the hard way that if the computer shuts down, any tracks or way­points that you haven't saved as a file are lost.) Along the road, I record way­points and make notes on the hand­held unit about rest areas and places where I can let my dogs out and places to avoid (I almost always travel with six or more dogs). I also note information about where I have hunted and where I can park my travel trailer and stay overnight without any hassles. By doing this and transferring it to the map program and then expanding my notes to include contacts with people I have met, I have this information saved for future trips. Right now, I have tracks, notes, and information saved that covers 14 states - I couldn't possibly remember all of that. 

This really is a complete program for recording detailed information and locations in the field or when traveling, which can be zoomed-in on for a closer look and flagged with map notes for future reference. I don't have room to tell you about all of the things you can do with Topo USA or similar programs, but if you think it would help you, start by going to Delorme and read about the' Topo USA program. 

For many years, when traveling with a truck full of dogs and a hose wasn't available, I have always wished for a way to clean up a mess that a dog might make in his kennel or to wash dog dishes. Well, about a year ago I followed some links around on the Internet and discovered that a company called Nomad makes a couple of models of portable, battery powered pressure washers. I didn't waste any time ordering one. 

I got their 18-volt model, and it does a pretty impressive job. It doesn't deliver the water pressure that a home pressure washer does, but it is portable - about the size of a gas can - and that fits my needs perfectly when I am traveling. And less water pressure means I can also spray off a dog with­out hurting him. 

Actually, Nomad makes both a smaller 12-volt model as well as the 18-volt model. The 12-volt model must be plugged into the power plug in your truck, but the 18-volt model works on a rechargeable battery ­ similar to a battery that powers a cordless drill. A 110 volt charger is included and also a vehicle power cord for running it plugged into your truck. The 3 1/2-gallon water tank is removable for filling and has a cloth filter under the cap so it can be dipped into a stream or lake without allowing debris to clog the mechanism. The sprayer head has an adjustable nozzle and a 20-foot hose. 

Besides cleaning up dog messes, this thing works great for cleaning mud off your boots or a four-wheeler before loading up to head home - and I have even used it to fill the dog bowls and give everyone a drink when I had no other nearby source of water. 

I bought my washer from Nomad but was recently told that Cabela's is now selling them. Take a look at Nomad's website, and see if you think it's something that might work for you, too.

A little observational learing: the young student learning to expand her range by following the old veteran.

Lastly, I promised to pass along a dog-training tip that I rediscovered when I was hunting a few months back. 

One of my male Chesapeakes is a very talented upland dog. He just seems to understand finding pheasants and pushing them toward me for a flush and a shot - and he stays above me in the hills when I am chukar hunting, realizing that if he flushes them downhill, I'll have a chance for a shot. He simply has the birds that we hunt figured out. 

I have a young female pup that's about six months old. She is proficient at both on and off leash obedience and has developed an intense desire to retrieve - but I wanted to teach her to get out and hunt for birds. On a recent hunting trip, I got her out and encouraged her to hunt, but all she would do is walk along at heel. I turned left and she turned left. I stopped and she stopped and sat beside me. She had really learned her obedience lessons well, and I hadn't had an opportunity to put her on planted live birds because we were traveling. As I scratched my head and encouraged her to "hunt 'em up," my hunting buddy made a suggestion that I had totally missed: "Why don't you let her hunt along with your male dog and see if she catches on?" 

Why hadn't I thought of observational learning? Having an older dog teach a younger one was a standard procedure, and it often works quite well. It's uncanny, but younger dogs seem to pick things up from an older, more experienced dog - things that we can't teach them. Of course, you have to be careful that the older dog isn't possessive of the birds or won't jump the younger one just to dominate the pup; but in this case, my male dog had always been one of my best "babysitters" when I had puppies around. 

I wish I could tell you that she had picked up everything he knows, but this was only the first time I hunted them together. They found and flushed some birds - none of which were in shooting range. He stopped, as he always does, when the birds flushed, and she wanted to chase them into the next county - but that's okay because I saw the light come on. And her time will come .