What to do with dog in duck boat?

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horseshoe

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Ok guys, It's almost 2am, I'm tired of reading about the slidefire stocks, and I can't get an upcoming duck hunting trip out of my mind. However, I have yet to figure out a solution to a problem I had last year. Guru's, I need your advice.

My Dad and I hunt from this boat:
MINNOW.jpg


It's 13ft long for reference.

We drape camo netting all the way around it using the arches for framing. It works great! Excellent cover from incoming birds from all directions. Here's the problem:

My retriever ends up sitting in the bottom of the boat, and cannot EVER see where the birds are coming from, and where they fall from there. It gets frustrating for every retrieve to be a blind retrieve. She's young and still in training, so it gets frustrating for her too.

The marsh that we go to has several "channels" in it, each of which divided by reeds. But there is nothing solid to stand on anywhere so we can't get out of the boat. The reeds are in 3ft of water, and very thick. Usually we just ram the boat into the edge alongside of the reeds so it won't rock back and forth so much. I'd love to just get out and stand in the reeds, but not an option.

Any thoughts? I've thought about padding the bow for her to sit/lay on (it's slippery aluminum) and leaving only the water side of the bow uncoverd so she can see, but it would leave her fully exposed to decoying birds. Having only hunted with a dog a couple times, and each time she was hidden, I don't know if the birds would avoid coming into our spread or not. Also, I don't know how to get her a ladder/swim platfrom from up there. A gunwhale clamp-on style won't work there.

Thanks for reading all the way through anyway...(and yes, the seats are being either painted camo, or replaced with ones that aren't so "Hey, look at me...")
 
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I have a similar boat blind, except that I use tight straps that run from the stern, up to the back part of the blind on an angle, then straight across between the two "hoops", then down to the bow. On strap on each side of the boat. My blind material (camo netting with a mesh backing) hangs off of that. I have two slits cut in the netting for the dog, right in the middle of the boat between the two hunters. In my case, that slit lines up with the middle bench seat. I have a pad attached there for the dog to sit on so that it's not slippery when she launches out for a retrieve. She can stick her head out of the slit to watch the decoys and see some of the falls. Looking at your boat, I'm wondering if that might work? I use a gunnel-clamp-on boarding ladder for the dog and I put it on the opposite side of the boat from where she will launch from (lined up with the other slit, behind us) so that she won't hit on the ladder when she launches. Even if you put her on the bow you could maybe still do that - just train her to come to the ladder to come back in, and then she can go to her "place" on the bow where you put her padding. As far as whether or not ducks will flare from the dog, my experience is that they won't flare much if the dog is still, but if the dog is jumping up and down with excitement (like my bastard of a dog! lol!), they might, especially when they get educated. The head sticking out of the blind does not seem to be an issue, but the whole dog hopping around is.
So, my suggestion would be to put slits in the blind, or alternatively, stitch in some mesh camo netting panels for for her to see out of. I did that on another blind with some netting (just the same as window screening, but camo pattern). She loved it - she could see out and fidget to her heart's content. Except for the first time she saw a duck fall through the mesh she blew right through it before I could open the blind for her (see comment above about her being a bastard of a dog...).
Cheers,
-Dave
 
Leave an opening in the netting each side large enough for her head to stick out. Might be able to train her to respond to a quick snap of the fingers and point to the side of the boat where she will have a view and I get she sticks her head out to look.

Once she realizes she can see ducks if she puts her head through the opening, she will remember.
 
Weld up a platform w/ 2 hooks that hooks onto the stern? Then maybe you could make some kind of a box or drape netting overtop it to serve as a dog blind aswell. You can take it off for travel. That's what I'd do...
 
Our dogs have always sat or layed on the bow during our boat bound duck hunts, and they don't flare birds. Cabelas and bass pro carry neoprene matting that has an adhesive side that could provide a possible solution to your dilema. You will still need a way for your pup to enter the boat and complete their retrieves.
 
JamesM said:
Our dogs have always sat or layed on the bow during our boat bound duck hunts, and they don't flare birds. Cabelas and bass pro carry neoprene matting that has an adhesive side that could provide a possible solution to your dilema. You will still need a way for your pup to enter the boat and complete their retrieves.
Click to expand...

This. Steady up your dog and have him sit on the bow deck, it's a great location for him to mark falls, it keeps him out from under the muzzle blast, and it keeps him out from under foot. A steady dog shouldnt bother birds a bit.
 
I had the same situation and problem. I used to carry a small pail of golf ball sized rocks, and some where actually old golf balls. Anyways I would throw the rock where I wanted the dog to go, the dog then had a visual on where he was going. This worked like a charm for me as it got the dog in the close proximity to the bird then his nose would take over and everybody was generally happy. Saved alot of frustration for me and the dog.
 
Thanks for the suggestions guys. I think I might be able to make something work using a little of each of them.

I have ruled out using the bow for a place for her to sit. Unfortunatley, my golden is a bit of a chicken-sh1t, and I don't think there's a prayer she'll jump from there into the water.

I think I'm going to just make a couple upside down "U" frames to lift the camo netting at each side for her to stick her head out between the transom and the first thwart. Then make a platform off the stern for her to get in and out.
 
Thanks for the advice so far guys, but I have one more question...

I built a platform that I can hang from the transom for the dog to get in and out of the water with, which was one of my issues. She had a hard time jumping over the side and then I had to haul her wet ass back up...it is just a piece of plywood that will sit about 2 inches below the water line. I'll make a couple holes on the water side of the camo for her to see out of and then she'll have to go out the back of the boat. I hope that works.

Back to the question...In order for me to mount this platform, I need to make room at the back of the boat. The transom is not very wide. What kind of issues would I have if I moved the motor right over to one side of the transom? I'm not looking for serious perfomance. It's only a 6hp, and with 3 adult men, 1 dog, decoys, guns, gear etc, we aren't exactly a rocket now...

If I mount it all the way over to one side and distrubute the weight in the boat to keep it level...? It should still propel the boat ok, right?
 
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