If you are comfortable with dogs and are an avid hunter, then getting a hunting dog would be the most natural course to take. Hunting dogs or gundogs as they are also known as, add dimension to a hunt, which makes the whole process much more fun.

These dogs are very popularly used in duck hunting, so here are 11 best duck hunting dogs that are widely used by hunters to enhance their hunting experience.

11 Best Duck Hunting Dogs

1. Labrador Retriever

Although Labrador retrievers are popular as house pets, they are extremely useful as duck hunting dogs as well. They come under the ‘retriever’ class of dogs which is self-explanatory. They are suitable for duck hunting due to their love for water, and of course, they love to retrieve stuff, with the right kind of training.

Being loyal and obedient helps a great deal, as your Labrador retriever will be at your side wherever you go, and will be responsive to your commands. This trait is especially useful when you are tracking down a duck in undergrowth but do not want to be detected. This breed is so successful in duck hunting that you can even enter your dog into duck hunting competitions.

2. English Cocker Spaniel

This breed has some natural hunting instincts. Commonly adopted as house pets due to their loyalty, good temperament, and love for children, English cocker spaniels will always be nosing around, even at home, so they are in their element when taken out on a hunt.

With the right training, these dogs will be perfect for fetching shot birds and will be able to dig them out from the most inaccessible of locations. These animals are extremely sure-footed and can negotiate their way through the most difficult terrain to reach the prey.

3. Beagle

The Beagle comes under the ‘hound’ category. They have an exceptionally sharp sense of smell, which makes them useful not only in tracking down game but also drugs and illegal substances, which makes them useful for anti-narcotic squads as sniffer dogs.

Related: Rabbit Hunting With Beagles: Successful Rabbit Hunting in 5 Steps

They are hardy dogs, so you don’t need to be too concerned about health issues which is a major consideration while selecting a particular breed of dog for home or professional/recreational purposes.

Although it is a small breed, a beagle is surprisingly fast and agile, which makes it an excellent choice for duck hunting.

4. Brittany Springer

These are commonly considered as ‘upland bird retrievers’ as they perform well out of the water. However, you will see that the Brittany Springer works quite well in the water as well, which makes this breed suitable for duck hunting. As they are from the spaniel class of dogs, they have most of the spaniel traits.

This breed is loyal and obedient, and they are quick learners and eager to please, which makes it a pleasure just training them. They have a good temperament, so will be good company for you on long waiting periods during a hunt. They are good swimmers as well, which is a useful qualification for a dog that is going to assist you in duck hunting.

5. Chesapeake Bay Retriever

This particular breed has abundant endurance and brains to match and is an active animal which you can rely on during duck hunting trips. Originally, the Chesapeake Bay retriever was used as a working dog. However, in time, it was realized that this dog made an excellent hunting dog and today it is among the best duck hunting dogs around.

The Chesapeake Bay retriever is a sturdily-built dog with stamina to match its size. With the tireless energy of these dogs, you can plan long, extended duck hunts without the risk of fatigue setting in with your dog. Strong, loyal and dependable are the words that come to mind while describing this dog. They also make good companions, so you will not be alone on your duck hunts.

6. Weimaraner

This hunting dog will appeal to you for its sheer patience and impressive retrieving capabilities. The Weimaraner is also fast and are versatile in retrieving different game. This breed has a history of over 1,000 years and sports the nickname of ‘gray ghost’ due to its slightly spooky appearance and silvery coat.

Despite its rather scary appearance, the Weimaraner is a loyal canine that will make a good companion for you. The main USP of this dog is its excellent running capabilities. It is inherently a runner and has been known to outrun judges on horseback during hunt tests. You can use them for some particularly long-range shooting, and they will just love the challenge.

7. Italian Spinone

Not a very well-known name in dog breeds, this is a breed of hunting dog that is as reliable as they get. Italian Spinones are distinctive in their structure and easily recognizable. They are a hardy breed and are extremely aligned to humans. These dogs were first bred in Italy and came to the UK in the 1980s, and a few years later they started to appear in the United States. They come under the category of large dogs.

Italian Spinones are excellent all-purpose gun dogs and are known more for stamina than speed, which is a useful trait for duck hunting. They love to swim and retrieve, which is, of course, much required in a duck hunting dog. Once you have trained an Italian Spinone, you have a trusted duck hunting buddy for life!

8. Golden Retriever

Here is a real all-rounder breed which is just as good in the house as out on a duck hunt. Golden retrievers are excellent house dogs and are superb with children. But out on a hunt, the dog practically changes its avatar and becomes a ruthless tracker which loves what it does.

Golden retrievers are good at all sorts of retrieving and are equally good in field trials and similar competitions. This breed is built for both stamina and speed, and despite their size, these dogs have surprisingly soft mouths when it comes to retrieving a bird. These dogs also love to swim and are really in their element on a hunt. Golden retrievers are unanimously among the best duck hunting dogs around.

9. German Shorthaired Pointer

Although popularly used for hunting inland game, the German shorthaired pointer makes and excellent duck hunting dog as well. Check out the smooth, efficient retrieving skills of his German shorthaired pointer in this neat video. As you can see, this is a powerful breed, with lots of stamina and a strong swimmer as well which the qualities you look for are in a good duck hunting dog.

There is a downside, however, because due to their thin coats, these dogs have the tendency to get cold after extended exposure to the water, so are not recommended for long duck hunts.

10. Poodle

The fact that this breed of dogs is suitable for duck hunting might come as a surprise to many, but they make excellent gundogs and have a talent for water retrieving. Poodles are very smart and are easy to train. They make good companions as well.

Despite being a small breed, the standard poodle is considerably larger and exhibits high energy levels. These dogs are very enthusiastic about retrieving and eager to please which makes a good combination for a good duck hunting dog, contrary to the belief that poodles are only fit for the sitting-room couch, dog shows or a circus.

11. Deutsch Drahthaar

Here is another breed that is not known to many. The Deutsch Drahthaar, often confused with German wirehairs are ideal for duck hunting. These dogs are highly robust and have been described as a breed that “points like an English setter and retrieves like a Labrador.” These dogs are tireless and capable of swimming a mile in freezing water with minimal effort.

The Drahthaar has a thick waterproof coat which gives it an advantage while in the water and makes it possible to swim in freezing water. They are also very loyal and make excellent companions.

Quest for the Best Duck Hunting Dogs

Suitable hunting dogs are something that we all look for if we are into duck hunting using gun dogs. If you look at each of these breeds, you will see that they all vary slightly from one breed to the other. Further, if you start using dogs for duck hunting, you will notice that even within the same breed, there will be a slight variance in the temperament of the dogs from one to another.

We can safely conclude that there are no actual “best duck hunting dogs.” A best duck hunting dog is an ideal scenario, which can only remain hypothetical. It is a standard that you can aim for in an attempt to make a suitable choice for an excellent gundog. This way, you will have some idea of what you are looking for and are likely to end up with a duck hunting dog which will work well for you.

We hope you have found this article informative. Please feel free to send in your comments, feedback, and queries to which we will be glad to respond.

Whether you’re just trying to improve your accuracy that comes along with this polarizing hobby or you’re only joining the bandwagon because there are no available animals to shoot in the wild, prairie dog hunting is just about any hunting today — it has certain parameters for you to follow to become efficient.

These requirements will either spell success or doom on your hunting aspirations. This article should serve as your quick guide to prairie dog hunting with that prowess that you richly deserve.

Related: Where To Shoot A Hog? (The Answers Will Make You Amazed!)

In our discussion, we’ll tackle some of the only tips that you need to make your hunting experience an efficient one. But right before we head into them, let’s briefly cover first what prairie dogs are, their known habitat and the behavior they’ll usually exhibit.

Getting Acquainted

Dubbed as “keystone” species, prairie dogs have colonies that develop habitats that benefit roughly 150 other species. They also serve as a food source for other animals which include coyotes, eagles, badgers, and the endangered black-footed ferrets. These dogs are likewise known to allow a greater diversity of plants to endure and thrive.

The population of prairie dogs once accumulated to over a billion — a figure that also catapulted most hunters to term them as varmints. Some of the fraction of the population can be found most in North America alone. Over the years, their numbers have thinned out by over 95 percent. At this point, the numbered prairie dogs are around 10 to 20 million.

The black-tailed type of prairie dogs eat grasses, sedges, forbs or the flowering plants, and the roots and seeds. Meanwhile, prairie dogs are also noted for eating insects.

Prairie Dogs’ Known Behavior

Observed as very social animals, prairie dogs live closely in family groups that are known as “coteries.” These comprise of an adult male, one or more adult females and the young offspring of course. They are mostly grouped together in “wards” (neighborhoods). When wards expand, they’ll make up a colony or town.

Prairie dogs also possess a sophisticated system of communication. It includes a variety of pitched warning barks that mean different types of predators. If you’ve ever wondered how prairie dogs got their moniker, this is because of the earlier settlers who traveled across the plains who happened to think that the warning calls these animals evoked were sounding like dogs which are barking.

Watch this video to see on how prairie dogs behave.

Prairie Dog Hunting – Key Things To Consider When Hunting Prairie Dogs

1. Find The Best Locations To Go Hunting

One of the considerations you need to keep in mind when hunting for prairie dogs is location. No matter how expert a hunter you are or how accurate your shooting prowess is, if your area doesn’t produce these animals, all your bets are off.

Related:  The Best Shooting Rest Reviews For A Perfect Hunting – Top Rated Shooting Rest

Inarguably, the best times to hunt prairie dogs are during late spring and early summer. Once this heat hits these critters, they’d prefer to lurk in their holes to protect themselves from the intense heat. Meanwhile, shooting them can still be available throughout the year. And if you’re gunning for more prairie dogs, it’s believed that mid-May is the best time for this hunt. It is when new pups begin to emerge.

On the other hand, the shooting is deemed to be slower in the heat of the day at the end of June to early July. It is also when these dogs are more alert and cunning at the same time.

2.) Choosing The Right Gun

As prairie dogs aren’t stationary targets, your ideal shot on them rests on a limited window of time. As such, the best rifle for this experience is said to be the flat-shooting guns. These guns should work whether you want to target the longer shots or would only go for the closer dogs as flat trajectories implement.

I’d advise that the ideal rig for this shooting is to arm yourself with two rifles along with a rimfire 17 for your close shots. Also, go for an accurate centerfire to accommodate the long-range bragging shots.

Related:  What Is The Main Difference Between Centerfire And Rimfire Ammunition

3.) Your Knowledge On Zero And Ammo

Before heading with your friends to go hunting, ensure that you come with a solid zero. It is always a safe and a smart idea to check that zero once you arrive in your location. Even if you’re already seasoned, some best rifles can still experience a change of zero, especially in extended trips. Remember that it’s difficult to zero a rifle using a dust signature even for the best shooters out there.

Another thing to consider in this section is your ability to shoot in the wind. If you have a limited experience with this, it is best that you equip yourself first with some education. As the wind isn’t quiet on flat plains, you are most likely to shoot in full value winds that go beyond 15 miles per hour. You can better your skill by making use of wind gauges and applying your knowledge of reading mirage.

4.) A Great Pair Of Binoculars Should Make A Huge Difference

Settling for an inexpensive and vaguely functioning optics during your hunting is a miserable way to live your experience in this respect. Always go with a reliable pair of binoculars and spotting scope to better your aim. As prairie dogs are smaller targets, ensure that you check your parallax adjustments especially when you go from close to distant shots. A good range finder is likewise crucial in leveling up your shooting average.

5.) Wear A Hat!

As the sun will most likely be unforgiving on the high plains, it’s a must that you wear something above your head. Also, an application of sunblock wouldn’t hurt! For your upper and lower garments, go for the new, sweat-wicking pants and shirt. Both should make you more comfortable in the long run.

6.) A Quiet Rifle Is A Silent Prairie Killer

Most seasoned hunters are suggesting to equip yourself with a suppressed rifle. This kind of gun should benefit you as prairie dogs are hypersensitive to sound. The more noise your gun makes, the more time they may lurk in their holes. Moreover, owning and using a suppressor means that you won’t be needing an ear protection and that itself is a bonus.

Final thoughts

Hunting prairie dogs are just about any other hunting activities. It involves similar firearms and equipment that you may, in fact, also use to some of your other hunting hobbies. With just a little modification on your gear and attitude altogether, your experience should be quick in no time.

The tips that I’ve outlined for you should guide you enough in this specific journey. Meanwhile, feel free to sound in the comment section below if you feel like I’ve missed on something crucial. Until then, happy hunting!

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Whatever weapon you may be choosing when you’re hunting, it’s quite easy to alternate these firearms as their form and build are almost if not technically the same. On the other hand, the same couldn’t be said when it comes to targeting animals in the wild.

Take for example the anatomies of a deer and a hog. These animals differ in a way that you should be aware where to shoot them. For the latter animal however, it’s infamous for being quite tenacious to hunt and for that you must be equipped with the right knowledge as to where to shoot a hog

Related: Where To Shoot A Deer – Top 5 Best Places To Shoot A Deer

This entire article is dedicated to a single purpose — that is to know exactly where you can shoot a hog. These hog-hunting spots should also provide you reasons as to why these locations should give you a vantage point when taking down these wild hogs.

Where To Shoot A Hog? Shooting And The Hog Anatomy

Before we head right into these desired spots, it’s important to note that wild hogs are not deers and that whenever you’d shoot a hog with an aim you’d usually target a dear, chances are you’d end up with a gut shot — ultimately missing your chance on claiming the critter! Anatomically, the heart and lungs of a hog are situated forward and a bit lower than that of a deer. This is critical whenever you’d like to make a distinction between the two.

https://www.americanhunter.org/

#1 The Spinal Cord, Brain Stem, And The Neck Shot

If you’re aiming for an immediate incapacitation or an instantaneous death on your target, aim for the hog’s spinal cord and brain stem. Meanwhile, a neck shot should offer you a larger target area as opposed to aiming for the animal’s brain only. The hog’s spine runs from the base of its skull all the way to its midpoint where its neck right above its shoulders is situated.

I’d highly suggest that you aim right below and to the rear of the ear of the hog. This is known to be a good shot and should bring any hog down that swiftly.

#2 The Front Shoulder, Low-Into-The-Chest Shot

Some hunters would always go for the lung/heart shot. If you’re one of them, target a broadwide shot that aims for the forward section of the front shoulder and low in the chest. If penetrated sufficiently, this should give the hog a double lung and heart shot that is proven to be just fatal.

If you’re shooting from a quarter away, go for the exit in a way that your aim is for a spot that should cause the bullet to go through directly right in between of the front shoulders and in the lower part of the center of the hog’s chest. This strategy is especially notorious as it should give you a clean, lung and heart shot. Meanwhile, aim for the animal’s center of the chest whenever you’re wanting a head-on shot.

Realted: The Definitive Guide On How To Bait Wild Hogs ( #1 Tip Is Important)

#3 The Ear Holes Shot

Most hunters who don’t dilly-dally when it comes to aiming for the sure kill spot go an “ear-holes” shot. Deemed as the easiest target, the hog’s ear holes present a solid target that once you hit it, your target’s neck should break and effect a quick death.

On the other hand, hogs are known to be considerably mobile that moves their heads to varying directions. In this regard, targeting for ear holes can be quite a challenge. To weather this, observe a hog which stops for a long amount of time. When you happen to notice this, go right for the ear holes. And if these holes are just too difficult to target on, settle for the other vital organs that were mentioned above.

You can watch this video clip  to check on how it looks like to shoot a hog via its ear holes.

Some More Winning Tips

•  If you choose to go for a heart or a lung shot. You have to keep in mind that most smaller caliber weapons have some difficulty in penetrating. This is due as it should go through a combination of bone, muscle mass and scar tissue in the shoulder of larger targets. If this arises, you can always go for a head shot.
• The other benefit you can get from doing a neck shot is that it won’t be able to destroy the hog’s head. This should allow a taxidermist to repair the damage whenever you decide to have this hog mounted.
• Ensure that you don’t make a bad shot as this could lead to what we call a “gut shot hog” in which could give you an extended tracking experience. Meanwhile, this type of shot can also go arduously and at times, there will not be much of a blood trail left for you. However, when you’re able to shoot an even “farther back” shot and hit a back leg instead, this can still immobilize the hog and should give you another chance for a follow-up shot.
• In the event that you come across with a wounded hog, observe utmost precautions as they could be quite dangerous to deal with. In just a matter of second, you could end up being seriously injured or even dead. As such, make sure that you exterminate your target first even before you get near to it.

In this same respect, be very careful when you shoot the offspring of a sow. Any sane mother in this world can charge at you maddeningly if she sees you trying to hurt or toy with her brood.

Final thoughts

Animals have varying anatomies and as a hunter you must be equipped and knowledgeable enough to know these information as this could determine the success of your hunt. The same logic applies to shooting hogs.

As their anatomy differs from deers, it should be your responsibility to know which parts to shoot. Any lack of this information thereof could derail your goal or worse, injure you in the process. Ultimately, arm yourself with the outlined tips above and remember that the most important thing in hog hunting is that you should kill it quickly and be safe!