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Posts Tagged ‘Dave Carty’

Expedition One builds custom bumper/winch rig for the official Wingshooting USA vehicle

Posted in News, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 12, 2011| 2 Comments »

What you'll see if I'm driving right at ya.

Check out the preliminary construction drawings on the first-ever bumper/winch rig for a 2011 Dodge Ram pickup … designed via CAD-CAM by our newest partner, Expedition One.

These guys know dirt, ruts, and off-roading. For a bird hunter who loves getting off pavement, there is no better supplier of gear, so naturally when our truck build “general contractor” Columbia Overland needed a bumper for the Wingshooting USA rig, they went to Expedition One.

Get down in front of your truck. Look at your own bumper, how it’s mounted to the frame, and what’s expected of a real bumper … from bumps, to load-bearing, to functionality on the road. Imagine the design factors in building a brand-new one, and you can then appreciate the engineering expertise of Expedition One.

Your view as we streak by enroute to the chukar hills, or the nearest tavern.

Looking toward a September installation, just in time for prairie grouse in Montana and South Dakota! Watch for the Expedition One bumper, equipped with Warn winch and off-road lighting package next season on Wingshooting USA.

And then, check out my exclusive interview with Gun Dog columnist Dave Carty!

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Force fetch: here we go; wish us luck

Posted in News, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on May 6, 2011| 4 Comments »

More mature, physically and emotionally, that’s Manny at 13 months. So, time to get this over with.

Subject and object ... now, to combine appropriately

Avid trainers insist that force fetch training:

– Shows a dog who’s really “boss”

– Doesn’t have to be traumatic

– Ensures a reliable retrieve, of anything at any time

I agree, all are true – in theory. The first one may be the most useful in our case as Manny has learned enough about life to find ways around just about anything in the way of commands. A little bearing-down in the obedience department will be of value for our long-term relationship. And ultimately, that’s what force fetching is.

So, we’re off! And the first few days have been positive. Thanks to Dave Carty’s most recent column in Gun Dog magazine for a clear outline of the process that even I can understand, coupled with a sensitive ear on Manny, we are almost a week into the ordeal.

So far, so good ...

Manny is opening his mouth with little “motivation,” making the connection between obedience and absence of pain. I’m subtly pushing him forward a bit to encourage a move to the retrieving buck and he’s “getting it.” There is some, but not a lot, of fighting once it’s in his mouth but eventually he relents and simply holds it. The release, as you can imagine, pretty much takes care of itself once I give the command.

I’ll keep you posted.

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