Do you have any resources or tricks?

[Stoneface]

Thought it would be neat if anyone had any resources, secrets, or tricks they use.

I don't usually buy anything if it's something I can make. Pigeon traps, check cords, leads, collars, harnesses, etc are all made in-house. I'm always stopping at thrift shops, looking for cheap stuff to tinker with and most thrift shops have a big tub of different kinds of bags. Some are real great bird bags. I've got a big carrying bag, about 18" x 12" that I tore the inner lining out of and removed the velcro and it holds more than ten pigeons comfortably. Also, instead of buying stake outs and hauling them around with a hammer, I just attached chains to the side of the pickup, so when I'm training or whatever it's ready to go.

I don't make my own dog boxes yet, but anyone looking or a dog box should check into searchtempest.com. This site searches all the Craig's List listings, not just by the city. If you check often, especially during the summer, you'll find some great deals. Back in September I got a smallish two-hold box for $50 from a guy just down the road. He made it years ago out of sheet metal and it is an awesome summer box. I can carry it around the yard myself, it's real drafty and totally white. I've turned the dogs out on hot days and felt inside and it's actually been cool. He had it along with another, three-hole hoss of a box listed for $75, but some retriever folks beat me to that one. Then , just a couple days ago I got a big ol' insulated two-hold box with top storage. You could fit three dogs in one hold if you needed to. It's a little worn, but still has years of use ahead of it.

One last reasource is dog sales. It's not what it sounds like. It's basically a swap meet for anything having to do with dogs, it's not like a big dog auction. They have one about ten minutes from the house and when I went in April met guys that are coming all the way here to southwest Missouri from Minnesota for years just for this sale. Turns out they're all over the place. Some guys got to talking and named probably seven withing an hour's drive. I guess it's a real common thing with hound folks and something us birddoggers could capitalize on, especially with summer coming up I imagine it would be a good time to make some slick deals.

[Mountaineer]

Paracord for shoelaces and double knot.

Cartouches go in shell loops brass down.

Carry a cap advertising seed corn.

Cowboy Magic for burrs.

Believe 32% of what you read on Internet message boards re birddogs, et al.

A briar pipe, tamped well and warm in the hand, makes a drive out of the darkening grouse woods just a bit better.

[Big bloc]

I know this sound funny but I make what is called the wash machine dog box. All you do is gut it out and add a front,back,bottom. I made 1 about 12 years ago and still use it today. You can line it with foam insulation. I am building another one this weekend I will try to post pics. Another thing is here in my area we have what is called FREECYCLE. Its a great place to find stuff free. Nothing can be sold or bought. I found a lot of stuff there. Fencing,creates,etc. Good luck

[Stoneface]

That's pretty slick, man. Pretty practical.

We have frecycle around here too, but with the exception of some pigeons once I haven't been able to find anything on our local freecycle that I could use with my dogs. I have gotten rid of a few things throught them, though. For those that don't know, Freecycle is a national network, like Craig's List, where you can post stuff for free instead of throwing it away. You'll see everything from junk to big screens on there. It's a neat site.

[tommyboy72]

Here I built a couple of these bird transport cages with some spare OSB/fiberboard, some construction glue, hinges and some fresh vegetable delivery trays I got off the cooks at the jail where I work.

[gotpointers]

Tom i have been eyeballing those same type crates. I was thinking it would be good for decking on a "scott" type kennel for the pups. I just haven't came across any free ones yet.

[ACooper]

Here I built a couple of these bird transport cages with some spare OSB/fiberboard, some construction glue, hinges and some fresh vegetable delivery trays I got off the cooks at the jail where I work.

Looks like it would work, you might also try overlapping rubber inner tube as a door instead of your hinged door, you can just run your hand between the tubes and dont have to worry about birds slipping out.

[Greg Jennings]

acooper wrote

Looks like it would work, you might also try overlapping rubber inner tube as a door instead of your hinged door, you can just run your hand between the tubes and dont have to worry about birds slipping out.

+1. The overlapping flaps work out much better in practice.