Serious bird hunters: how many minutes of your life have you spent pulling and cutting cockle-burrs out of your partner’s hair (I’m talking about your dog)?
As a Brittany fan, I can say I’ve spent my share of time getting my dogs back to Ground Zero after a day in the weeds. Angus is a great patient with great patience, but I had long wanted to reduce the post-hunting torture we both endured to get the burrs and cheat-grass and other snarly crap out of his curly coat. Enter the Cabela’s Ripstop Chest Protector for dogs.
Sure, when this vest is on him he looks like Jerry Lewis after being mobbed by a bunch of rabid housewives at a holiday clothing sale, but the damned thing works. He hates wearing it for a few minutes but then quickly forgets about it when he gets his first snoutfull of chukar scent. It takes about 20 seconds to put on with the quick-clip buckles, and the reflective strips are great during all those hours we spend hunting illegally after dark (I just love jacking chukar with my 10 million candle headlamp, especially since it’s so easy to navigate steep, lava-slide side-hills in the dark). Duh – just kidding.
Seriously, though, this vest allows me to see Angus much easier while he darts through the timber during a grouse hunt, and with the robust crops of cheat-grass, Medusa-head, and cockle-burrs in these parts this vest has made us both much happier campers. And, as I just checked the Cabela’s website it’s on sale as I write this for $14.99 (normally $40).
good protection for dogs.Have one myself saves pulling out burrs.Saw you have a water system for you or dog? How does it work?
Thanks for your comment. I use a hydration pack that fits in my Cabela’s Lite ‘N Load pack (review coming up), which allows me to drink and also keep my dog watered. It beats stopping, removing the pack and digging a bottle out to drink from. The drinking tube has a valve on it that prevents accidental leaking, and I can position it so it’s not in the way of shooting but easy to get to when I need it.