Friday, April 5, 2013
Let's Go Outdoors
Here's a link to the radio interview I did with Michael Short on Let's Go Outdoors last week. Thanks again to Michael for allowing me to get the word out about pack dog use in Alberta. http://www.letsgooutdoors.ca/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=52:pack-dogs&Itemid=157
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Tavis Molnar's thoughts on Pack Dogs
For those of you who never got the opportunity to read Tavis' letter, I'll post it here again. I also shared it with the Minister and her staff this morning. Feel free to tell her how much you agree with this long-time pack dog user.
Hi TJ,
Paul Deuling had actually contacted me recently on this subject as well, I believe on your behalf.
We have used pack dogs routinely in the north Mackenzie Mo...untains, NWT for the past 20 years in the course of our backpack hunting operations. We've found a well trained dog to be invaluable for this type of hunting, as we do extended, self sufficient backpack trips of 10-16 days long, which involve many miles of travel. The use of pack dogs makes a big difference to many of our clients, who find carrying extremely heavy loads more than challenging. It also makes a big difference to our guides, as they put in a 90 day season, and often travel 500 miles or more on foot in that time. Particularly as you get older, reducing your pack load is imperative to preventing physical deterioration in the course of such an intense field season.
I truly believe that the use of pack dogs in many cases reduces the potential loss of game meat as well to scavengers, particularly on the larger animals (caribou, moose), as a large, strong dog can pack loads approaching 50 lbs of meat from a carcass, enabling the hunters to remove the edible meat from the site more expeditiously. As well, when the hunters are returning for subsequent loads of meat from the carcass, a dog is able to detect the presence of bears in the vicinity of the carcass, particularly in heavy bush where the hunters cannot see very far ahead of them. I have personally had my own pack dog warn me on several occasions when I have been about to stumble into a grizzly either on a carcass that I was purposefully approaching, or on bear kills that I was not aware of.
I have also had several cases where I have surprised or been surprised by a grizzly, and my dog has been able to run the bear off. In one case, myself, client and pack dog had stopped to rest in late afternoon near a riverbank after a long pack, and the hunter and I had dozed off in the shade. About 20 minutes later, my dog jumped up and started going nuts, and when I opened my eyes there was a large boar about 25m away. He had evidently either stumbled onto us, or had purposefully approached us while we slept. As soon as my dog charged the bear, he spun around and took off. It's difficult for me to say what would have happened had the dog not been there, but I'm sure that the bear would have ended up significantly closer before I would have detected him, and we may have either ended up in a serious way, or had to kill the bear to prevent possible injury.
Over the past 20 years, I have had to kill a number of grizzlies in self defense, and I can think of at least three of those that I'm sure could have been prevented had I had a pack dog with me at the time. It has in fact been pretty rare that any of our guides have had to kill a bear this way while using a dog, and I'm positive that there is a strong correlation, and not just coincidence. I know that personally ALL of my defense kills of bears came prior to my use of a pack dog, and that after I started using one I noticed my close and surprise encounters with bears declined sharply.
There also should be little concern with pack dogs harassing or chasing wildlife. Generally, anyone that I've known that uses a pack dog has invested a great deal of time in it's training, since it is not only a pet but a valuable working animal. They are usually selected for specific traits, including calm personalities, loyalty, and a desire to please. As well, even a young dog in the midst of his training finds that most of his desire to roam and/or chase wildlife goes right out of him when he's got a load on, or after a hard days pack. With all the various pack dogs we've had in our camp, of different ages and breeds, we've never encountered a problem with this.
Individual dogs also have their own unique abilities and traits that can provide additional safety benefits in the context of the close relationship between themselves and their owner, and which most owners of pack dogs would be able to relate. In my case, I can say that my dog is very good at detecting approaching thunderstorms (he's terrified of lightning). Over the years I've learned to listen to him when he's got that "lightning's coming, boss!" look on his face, and get myself and my client down from an exposed ridge or peak.
Anyone with young children that also uses a pack dog will also tell you that having the dog along improves your families ability to get out in the mountains greatly, not only for the weight that the dog will pack, but the peace of mind that comes knowing that the dog is looking out for the kids, and is always alert for bears. If I ever encountered a grizzly with my kids along, I'd feel good knowing that the bear will be distracted by the dog, and either think twice about the situation, or if nothing else be preoccupied long enough for me to insure my kid's safety.
Overall, my opinion is that it's completely nonsensical to disallow the use of pack dogs in the mountains, as there are numerous positive benefits to this activity, and to my mind no negative consequences.
Regards,
Tavis.
Hi TJ,
Paul Deuling had actually contacted me recently on this subject as well, I believe on your behalf.
We have used pack dogs routinely in the north Mackenzie Mo...untains, NWT for the past 20 years in the course of our backpack hunting operations. We've found a well trained dog to be invaluable for this type of hunting, as we do extended, self sufficient backpack trips of 10-16 days long, which involve many miles of travel. The use of pack dogs makes a big difference to many of our clients, who find carrying extremely heavy loads more than challenging. It also makes a big difference to our guides, as they put in a 90 day season, and often travel 500 miles or more on foot in that time. Particularly as you get older, reducing your pack load is imperative to preventing physical deterioration in the course of such an intense field season.
I truly believe that the use of pack dogs in many cases reduces the potential loss of game meat as well to scavengers, particularly on the larger animals (caribou, moose), as a large, strong dog can pack loads approaching 50 lbs of meat from a carcass, enabling the hunters to remove the edible meat from the site more expeditiously. As well, when the hunters are returning for subsequent loads of meat from the carcass, a dog is able to detect the presence of bears in the vicinity of the carcass, particularly in heavy bush where the hunters cannot see very far ahead of them. I have personally had my own pack dog warn me on several occasions when I have been about to stumble into a grizzly either on a carcass that I was purposefully approaching, or on bear kills that I was not aware of.
I have also had several cases where I have surprised or been surprised by a grizzly, and my dog has been able to run the bear off. In one case, myself, client and pack dog had stopped to rest in late afternoon near a riverbank after a long pack, and the hunter and I had dozed off in the shade. About 20 minutes later, my dog jumped up and started going nuts, and when I opened my eyes there was a large boar about 25m away. He had evidently either stumbled onto us, or had purposefully approached us while we slept. As soon as my dog charged the bear, he spun around and took off. It's difficult for me to say what would have happened had the dog not been there, but I'm sure that the bear would have ended up significantly closer before I would have detected him, and we may have either ended up in a serious way, or had to kill the bear to prevent possible injury.
Over the past 20 years, I have had to kill a number of grizzlies in self defense, and I can think of at least three of those that I'm sure could have been prevented had I had a pack dog with me at the time. It has in fact been pretty rare that any of our guides have had to kill a bear this way while using a dog, and I'm positive that there is a strong correlation, and not just coincidence. I know that personally ALL of my defense kills of bears came prior to my use of a pack dog, and that after I started using one I noticed my close and surprise encounters with bears declined sharply.
There also should be little concern with pack dogs harassing or chasing wildlife. Generally, anyone that I've known that uses a pack dog has invested a great deal of time in it's training, since it is not only a pet but a valuable working animal. They are usually selected for specific traits, including calm personalities, loyalty, and a desire to please. As well, even a young dog in the midst of his training finds that most of his desire to roam and/or chase wildlife goes right out of him when he's got a load on, or after a hard days pack. With all the various pack dogs we've had in our camp, of different ages and breeds, we've never encountered a problem with this.
Individual dogs also have their own unique abilities and traits that can provide additional safety benefits in the context of the close relationship between themselves and their owner, and which most owners of pack dogs would be able to relate. In my case, I can say that my dog is very good at detecting approaching thunderstorms (he's terrified of lightning). Over the years I've learned to listen to him when he's got that "lightning's coming, boss!" look on his face, and get myself and my client down from an exposed ridge or peak.
Anyone with young children that also uses a pack dog will also tell you that having the dog along improves your families ability to get out in the mountains greatly, not only for the weight that the dog will pack, but the peace of mind that comes knowing that the dog is looking out for the kids, and is always alert for bears. If I ever encountered a grizzly with my kids along, I'd feel good knowing that the bear will be distracted by the dog, and either think twice about the situation, or if nothing else be preoccupied long enough for me to insure my kid's safety.
Overall, my opinion is that it's completely nonsensical to disallow the use of pack dogs in the mountains, as there are numerous positive benefits to this activity, and to my mind no negative consequences.
Regards,
Tavis.
Today's Letter to McQueen
Here's today's letter to Diana McQueen. Please keep the pressure on her to allow pack dog use in Alberta. Take a moment to read the letter from Mr. Serle below. This is a man that has been there and done that.....not some bureaucrat in an ivory tower in Edmonton.
Dear Honourable Diana McQueen:
Mr. Serle sent me this letter some time ago and I thought it was worth sharing with you. Mr. Serle is a... long time pack dog user in British Columbia both in his hunting and trapping activities. His modesty prevents him from talking about his own skill and experience too much but let’s just say that if a person was to find themselves in peril in the wilderness, you would definitely want Mr. Serle and his trusty canine companion at your side. I encourage you to read this letter as it will help you gain an appreciation of the value of a pack dog. When a man of Mr. Serle’s experience says that not allowing the use of pack dogs is foolish, I know I’d take his words seriously. Can is really be too much work for your staff to right this wrong in Alberta.?
Respectfully,
T.J. Schwanky
Hello TJ, hopefully you can find some assistance with what I've written here.
I've been using a packdog for some time now, both in multi-day backpack hunting/hiking trips, and on the trapline during the winter. Other than the obvious companionship that a dog brings, their ability to pack heavy loads over long distances is invaluable, especially for someone who hunts alone as I often do. Anyone who has packed meat out after harvesting their animal can appreciate the ability to lighten your own pack by 30 lbs or more, and potentially bring all your meat out in one trip which reduces the risk of spoiled meat should it need to be left overnight. As well, their footprint, or impact on the environment is very minimal compared to other pack animals used by hunters, such as horses. A few horses can graze off & destroy vegetation, and disturb the sod/soil especially in wet conditions. They can also introduce foreign plants into an area through their manure. Dogs on the other hand, will pack their own food & water, and pack out any garbage or waste that you might have which removes the need to burn your garbage in the backcountry. My dog also packs supplies, bait, traps, etc for my trapping activities in the winter. This keeps the cost of operating a snowmobile to a minimum and also reduces emissions produced from burning gasoline/oil required to run a snowmobile.
Another great asset of a packdog is their awareness of bears in the area. Having my dog along on hunts has kept me out of possible conflicts with bears on quite a few occasions. My dog is a Rottweiler/Bullmastiff cross, and an excellent guard dog. His keen sense of smell and hearing has warned me of bears in the vicinity many times, thus preventing a surprise encounter which in turn keeps me safe, and reduces the chance of a bear being put down in a self defence situation. One recent encounter that comes to mind was with a sow grizzly bear and cubs. I was gathering up some water bottles before heading down to a nearby creek, when my dog jumped up and gave a few low growls, and began sniffing the wind with his nose toward the creek. I peeked over the edge of the draw through the timber to see a very mature sow grizzly with cubs coming up the creek not 40 yards away. Had it not been for the dog, I would have walked square into that old sow without knowing until we were face to face. That is just one example of many - I've had bears come in while sitting and glassing, while taking a nap during the day, while in my tent at night, and also when caping/de-boning a downed animal getting ready to pack it out. My dog never fails to warn me of their presence long before I would be aware of it, which I feel is one of the most effective ways to reduce conflict with bears.
One issue that gets mentioned with regard to taking dogs in the backcountry is the potential to chase game animals. Packdogs should have strict training against chasing other animals. Hunters who hunt with packdogs have extremely well trained/well behaved dogs as we will spend countless hours training and keeping our dogs fit for packing. One does not simply throw a pack on the family dog and go for a 14 day hunt on a whim - it takes a lot of effort on the owners part, and the result is a dog that is trained and suitable to be in the backcountry.
To not allow the use of packdogs is foolish and unnecessary in my opinion, as the benefits far outweigh any negative aspects. My dog comes along on just about every hunting/hiking trip I do, and has kept me out of trouble many times. Not only with preventing bear conflict as I mentioned, but he's also packed an incredible amount of my own gear after I was injured during a stone's sheep hunt - all told around 30 extra lbs of food and gear that I would have left behind otherwise, as my injured knee could not support a full pack for the hike out. He has also led me down off of a mountain by following our backtrail in the dark when I got into a bad situation, which basically kept me from having to spend the night soaked in cold weather, with no light or ability to start a fire. Situations like that are what bring you to appreciate what a good dog can add to your outdoor adventures.
I plan on many more years of hunting & hiking with my dog packing alongside me, and hope that more outdoorsmen and women will find interest in it as well.
T. Serle
Fraser Lake, British Columbia
Dear Honourable Diana McQueen:
Mr. Serle sent me this letter some time ago and I thought it was worth sharing with you. Mr. Serle is a... long time pack dog user in British Columbia both in his hunting and trapping activities. His modesty prevents him from talking about his own skill and experience too much but let’s just say that if a person was to find themselves in peril in the wilderness, you would definitely want Mr. Serle and his trusty canine companion at your side. I encourage you to read this letter as it will help you gain an appreciation of the value of a pack dog. When a man of Mr. Serle’s experience says that not allowing the use of pack dogs is foolish, I know I’d take his words seriously. Can is really be too much work for your staff to right this wrong in Alberta.?
Respectfully,
T.J. Schwanky
Hello TJ, hopefully you can find some assistance with what I've written here.
I've been using a packdog for some time now, both in multi-day backpack hunting/hiking trips, and on the trapline during the winter. Other than the obvious companionship that a dog brings, their ability to pack heavy loads over long distances is invaluable, especially for someone who hunts alone as I often do. Anyone who has packed meat out after harvesting their animal can appreciate the ability to lighten your own pack by 30 lbs or more, and potentially bring all your meat out in one trip which reduces the risk of spoiled meat should it need to be left overnight. As well, their footprint, or impact on the environment is very minimal compared to other pack animals used by hunters, such as horses. A few horses can graze off & destroy vegetation, and disturb the sod/soil especially in wet conditions. They can also introduce foreign plants into an area through their manure. Dogs on the other hand, will pack their own food & water, and pack out any garbage or waste that you might have which removes the need to burn your garbage in the backcountry. My dog also packs supplies, bait, traps, etc for my trapping activities in the winter. This keeps the cost of operating a snowmobile to a minimum and also reduces emissions produced from burning gasoline/oil required to run a snowmobile.
Another great asset of a packdog is their awareness of bears in the area. Having my dog along on hunts has kept me out of possible conflicts with bears on quite a few occasions. My dog is a Rottweiler/Bullmastiff cross, and an excellent guard dog. His keen sense of smell and hearing has warned me of bears in the vicinity many times, thus preventing a surprise encounter which in turn keeps me safe, and reduces the chance of a bear being put down in a self defence situation. One recent encounter that comes to mind was with a sow grizzly bear and cubs. I was gathering up some water bottles before heading down to a nearby creek, when my dog jumped up and gave a few low growls, and began sniffing the wind with his nose toward the creek. I peeked over the edge of the draw through the timber to see a very mature sow grizzly with cubs coming up the creek not 40 yards away. Had it not been for the dog, I would have walked square into that old sow without knowing until we were face to face. That is just one example of many - I've had bears come in while sitting and glassing, while taking a nap during the day, while in my tent at night, and also when caping/de-boning a downed animal getting ready to pack it out. My dog never fails to warn me of their presence long before I would be aware of it, which I feel is one of the most effective ways to reduce conflict with bears.
One issue that gets mentioned with regard to taking dogs in the backcountry is the potential to chase game animals. Packdogs should have strict training against chasing other animals. Hunters who hunt with packdogs have extremely well trained/well behaved dogs as we will spend countless hours training and keeping our dogs fit for packing. One does not simply throw a pack on the family dog and go for a 14 day hunt on a whim - it takes a lot of effort on the owners part, and the result is a dog that is trained and suitable to be in the backcountry.
To not allow the use of packdogs is foolish and unnecessary in my opinion, as the benefits far outweigh any negative aspects. My dog comes along on just about every hunting/hiking trip I do, and has kept me out of trouble many times. Not only with preventing bear conflict as I mentioned, but he's also packed an incredible amount of my own gear after I was injured during a stone's sheep hunt - all told around 30 extra lbs of food and gear that I would have left behind otherwise, as my injured knee could not support a full pack for the hike out. He has also led me down off of a mountain by following our backtrail in the dark when I got into a bad situation, which basically kept me from having to spend the night soaked in cold weather, with no light or ability to start a fire. Situations like that are what bring you to appreciate what a good dog can add to your outdoor adventures.
I plan on many more years of hunting & hiking with my dog packing alongside me, and hope that more outdoorsmen and women will find interest in it as well.
T. Serle
Fraser Lake, British Columbia
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Paul and Molly
I was digging through some of my old files regarding pack dog use in Alberta and I found this letter from Paul Deuling. Paul lives in the Yukon Territiory is without question one of, if not North America’s top sheep hunting guide. In 2010 h...e received the Wild Sheep Foundation’s prestigious G.C.F. Dalziel Outstanding Guide Award and that same year he received Boone and Crockett’s highest honour, the Sagamore Hill Award. He is a true man of the mountains and person from whose experience all hunters could benefit. I’ve had the honour of spending time in the mountains with Paul and Molly and it is their working relationship that really exemplifies why we need pack dogs legalized in Alberta.
Please keep emailing Diana McQueen and tell her it's time responsible pack dogs were allowed in Alberta.
ESRD.Minister@gov.ab.ca
The Value of dogs while hunting
I have been a hunter and guide in British Columbia and Yukon for the past 40 years. The last 15 years I have used a pack dog and regret not discovering their benefits much earlier.
The added companionship while on a 12 day hunt is most welcome as my dog is always upbeat and happy to be around me. Outdoor life is an experience most large dogs love as there is plenty of country to move around in and experience the various sites and smells. My dog not only carries a pack, sharing my backpack load, but also serves as a “warmer” by sleeping on my wet, cold socks and boot liners overnight. If socks are wet only from perspiration, they are dry by morning. If soaked from walking through creeks, they are at least warm when put on.
However, the most important reason I keep a dog with me while hunting is due to the unwelcome meeting of bears. Bears and dogs are natural enemies and don’t like each other’s company. While working for Arctic Red River Outfitters (in the N.W.T.), I experienced many encounters with grizzlies and each time a possible nasty experience was averted due to the sensitive nose of my pack dog. Grizzly hunting is not permitted in the Mackenzie Mountains, hence these critters are not shy about making themselves at home in your camp. Four grizzlies were killed in self-defense that year, all by guides without pack dogs. One bear, killed by Tavis Molnar (an experienced guide and present operator of Arctic Red River Outfitters), was shot from inside the tent through the tent’s wall. While writing this note, Tavis informed me he killed about 6 grizzlies in self-defense while guiding in that area. Once he started taking along a pack dog he had never had to kill a bear.
Another time after a successful sheep hunt, my golden retriever was fast asleep in the afternoon sun at our makeshift camp in the timber, when she woke up and quickly got to her feet, growling. A grizzly sow with two cubs approached our camp and despite shouts accompanied with pots banging, refused to leave. Only after my dog ran stiff legged and barking towards the bears did they decide they weren’t welcome.
While guiding for my son in the Yukon I had another encounter, again warned by my dog that a bear was approaching. This time we could see the bear a long distance away in the alpine. The large boar kept coming towards camp and only moved off after several shots were directed at his feet from my hunter’s rifle. He left with his head swinging and not at a fast pace. This had me worried as I thought that he would return later that night. He did. Molly my golden retriever, started growling at 2 a.m. so my hunter and I (with rifles at the ready) quickly got out of the tent and persuaded the curious fellow to leave.
There are many other instances during hikes in the mountains when my dogs would begin growling and alert us to a bear’s presence. And each time this occurred, I would thank God I had my trusted warning companion with me.
Paul Deuling.
Please keep emailing Diana McQueen and tell her it's time responsible pack dogs were allowed in Alberta.
ESRD.Minister@gov.ab.ca
The Value of dogs while hunting
I have been a hunter and guide in British Columbia and Yukon for the past 40 years. The last 15 years I have used a pack dog and regret not discovering their benefits much earlier.
The added companionship while on a 12 day hunt is most welcome as my dog is always upbeat and happy to be around me. Outdoor life is an experience most large dogs love as there is plenty of country to move around in and experience the various sites and smells. My dog not only carries a pack, sharing my backpack load, but also serves as a “warmer” by sleeping on my wet, cold socks and boot liners overnight. If socks are wet only from perspiration, they are dry by morning. If soaked from walking through creeks, they are at least warm when put on.
However, the most important reason I keep a dog with me while hunting is due to the unwelcome meeting of bears. Bears and dogs are natural enemies and don’t like each other’s company. While working for Arctic Red River Outfitters (in the N.W.T.), I experienced many encounters with grizzlies and each time a possible nasty experience was averted due to the sensitive nose of my pack dog. Grizzly hunting is not permitted in the Mackenzie Mountains, hence these critters are not shy about making themselves at home in your camp. Four grizzlies were killed in self-defense that year, all by guides without pack dogs. One bear, killed by Tavis Molnar (an experienced guide and present operator of Arctic Red River Outfitters), was shot from inside the tent through the tent’s wall. While writing this note, Tavis informed me he killed about 6 grizzlies in self-defense while guiding in that area. Once he started taking along a pack dog he had never had to kill a bear.
Another time after a successful sheep hunt, my golden retriever was fast asleep in the afternoon sun at our makeshift camp in the timber, when she woke up and quickly got to her feet, growling. A grizzly sow with two cubs approached our camp and despite shouts accompanied with pots banging, refused to leave. Only after my dog ran stiff legged and barking towards the bears did they decide they weren’t welcome.
While guiding for my son in the Yukon I had another encounter, again warned by my dog that a bear was approaching. This time we could see the bear a long distance away in the alpine. The large boar kept coming towards camp and only moved off after several shots were directed at his feet from my hunter’s rifle. He left with his head swinging and not at a fast pace. This had me worried as I thought that he would return later that night. He did. Molly my golden retriever, started growling at 2 a.m. so my hunter and I (with rifles at the ready) quickly got out of the tent and persuaded the curious fellow to leave.
There are many other instances during hikes in the mountains when my dogs would begin growling and alert us to a bear’s presence. And each time this occurred, I would thank God I had my trusted warning companion with me.
Paul Deuling.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Frans on Pack Dogs
See what pack dog user Frans Diestraten has to say about dogs in grizzly country.
Pack dogs in grizzly bear country make a lot of sense. Here's a photo of my trail buddy. Not only does he provide an early warning system, with his senses that are a lot sharper than mine, he also is a great deterrent when an encounter with a bear occurs. Bears don't like dogs. Experiences from other provinces and territories, by people who live in grizzly country for a large part of the year, have demonstrated this. These dogs are generally good-natured, well-behaved and thoroughly trained. A dog that runs off, chases game, and otherwise makes a nuisance of itself would be counterproductive for a hunter. Yet having a packdog with you during hunting season is illegal in Alberta.
Please write to our Minister of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Diane McQueen (ESRD.Minister@gov.ab.ca) if you agree with me that packdogs should be allowed in Alberta.
Please write to our Minister of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Diane McQueen (ESRD.Minister@gov.ab.ca) if you agree with me that packdogs should be allowed in Alberta.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Silver Willow Taxidermy
We just got this note from Curtis Fischer of Silver Willow Taxidermy. We here at Outdoor Quest TV are all very proud of him.
Hey all,
I just got back from the Montana Competition this past weekend. I got a third place ribbon in Masters as well as Taxidermist Choice Best of Show White-tail and Montana Outfitters Association Choice Award. This is my own deer from this past fall.
Thanks,
Curtis
Hey all,
I just got back from the Montana Competition this past weekend. I got a third place ribbon in Masters as well as Taxidermist Choice Best of Show White-tail and Montana Outfitters Association Choice Award. This is my own deer from this past fall.
Thanks,
Curtis
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Let's Go Outdoors
Just did an interview with Michael Short regarding pack dogs in Alberta. I want to thank Michael for this opportunity to share my message and encourage everyone to catch Let's Go Outdoors this weekend and to keep the pressure on McQueen to end this injustice!
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