Dogs

We have a few clients that wanna work dogs like I’m doing right now, exercising my dog on wild birds, which is the only way to make a really good dog is to put them on wild birds, all the all the kettle training, all the pet birds or raised bird training that helps a little bit. But what makes a dog really good is to get it on wild birds. So anybody that has dogs, which is everybody you know, that has a pet bird dog or an actual dog hunting, you know, client.

They have to get their dogs on wild birds if they ever want it to be any good. So some years, when the hunting’s not spectacular, like, there’s just not quail everywhere that’ll satisfy guys that are hoping to see a bunch so they can shoot a bunch of quail while they’re here. Yeah, I still bring in parties to work with their dogs. Those people will only shoot pointed birds, you know. We’ll just shoot a few, but it’s all about their dogs and anybody that owns good bird dogs. That’s how it always is. It’s about their dogs. They want to get their dogs on wild birds. So almost every year I’m out. Some years like this we get a lot of birds, and that’s exciting.

Being a dog handler, you know, if I had my druthers or my preference, I just about would only hunt with people with dogs, you know, because it’s so. It’s such a pleasure to watch people and their dogs work, and when their dog gets it that’s a double success. If you know what I mean, the hunter just doesn’t get lucky and get successful. The hunter and his dog and people that travel here with dogs really like to have their dogs with them. You know.

I’ve always recruited people with dogs, but there’s way more people that want to go quail hunting than people with their own bird dog. That’s for sure. You need both. This will be my thirtieth year. 

Type of Dogs

All the pointer species,  German short hairs, poodle pointers drop ours all the the retrieving species. You know Britney’s field dogs, Springers, Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers are all great dogs for quail hunting.

Those are some of the most popular other than a French bulldog these days. Those have always been the most popular pets in America, and a lot of people that own those our hunters also, and they want to get their dogs out into the field and hunt most of them don’t spend enough time hunting, or they don’t live somewhere where there’s wild birds to hunt, but they do do a little bit of hunting with their dogs, you know, and that that’s that’s where we fill a niche always that I encourage those people to bring their dogs. People always say, Oh, I don’t, you know if if well, motorcycles come by, if a if if a person can travel with their dog is one thing, and that that’s not so easy to do all right, but if they know they can travel with their dog and come here with their dog.

I always encourage them to come, regardless if they say, Oh, you know I don’t want my dog to ruin the hunt or chase the birds away, or something like that, and I always correct them that the hunting is all about the dogs. My dogs can do most of the work. Your dog can do the work when it’s really sweet, and it’s going to be easy.

Let’s get your dog on birds. That’s why you have it. And then and than once things, you know, most people don’t own a dog. They they do know this, but once they experience it, it always they, they always know it. It’s just way more fun to to get a bird with your dog.

I always tell people straight out. If I had a dog I wouldn’t even consider going hunting without it, even if it’s not going to be very useful. That’s why I have the dog. I would still want to bring the dog and give it a chance.

It’s actually rare for customers that ask about it.  That’s kind of a rare thing. Most outfitters work in small properties. All right. That’s the key word: small properties, and you don’t dare let a client’s dog chase all the birds off your property and mess it up.

We’re hunting this huge wild expanse for wild birds over gigantic, you know, down here, in this, in this, in in this, in the single area where we’re hunting right now. It’s about 280,000 acres.

So there’s no such thing as chasing off all the birds. Sure, they fly over there this time. Next time we try a little better we come around this side of them. But there we’re just covered up with all the opportunity as far as landscapes go. There, there’s sure to be this one moment right here, just like my dog just went the wrong way around the bush. But you know what. There’s another bush right over there, short ways away. It has more birds under it, you know. It just doesn’t matter.

Other outfitters don’t want your dogs ruining the hunt by charging in.  There’s not enough hours in a day to hunt here to wear out all the dogs we have. Everybody needs a dog, and then you can work it during the best times.  

It’s unlimited here, you know. If we blew this spot. Well, let’s go buy another one, you know. That’s a real luxury.

Call or Email Bob King

bob@SantaFeGuidingCo.com

(505) 690-2847