# Safe Hunting Temperature?



## TexasBirdDog (Aug 30, 2017)

I'm training my boy for upland and waterfowl and was wondering about safe hunting temps. I'm less concerned with upland because he'll stay pretty dry and cold water won't be an issue. Plus, I'm in Texas where it doesn't really get cold and when it does, it's not for long at all.

However, I'm curious how cold you've hunted your dog for waterfowl when the water temps can get a bit cooler. With the water temp a bit colder than the air temp and then sitting after getting wet.

What is too cold, in your opinion? Air temp and water temp?

Thanks for the feedback.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I've never found it to be to cold in Texas.
Put a vest on him, and only let him in the water to retrieve. I take a spare jacket to throw over them.
I hunted Cash when ice was covering the pond, and when if you got your sleeve wet, it turned to ice.


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## TexasBirdDog (Aug 30, 2017)

texasred said:


> I've never found it to be to cold in Texas.
> Put a vest on him, and only let him in the water to retrieve. I take a spare jacket to throw over them.
> I hunted Cash when ice was covering the pond, and when if you got your sleeve wet, it turned to ice.


Thanks texasred! I don’t know that it’s been that cold in North TX in a long while. At least not during hunting season. 

It’s good to have the opinion of someone more experienced than myself. I’ll be sure to take a towel to dry him off and a jacket or blanket to wrap him with between retrieves.


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## jbk (Sep 27, 2017)

I’m in southern Ca. I have hunted mine down around 30 degrees in the mountain retieving bandtails. I get more worried about the heat of upland. I usually don’t take him to the 1st season dove opener it’s usually really hot. Plus I was always told by his trainer to remember it’s hottet closer to the ground were they are. When we start pheasant in Mexico it’s still usually hot but we hunt in a group and rotate dogs, lots of water and give them time to lay in the water in ditches to cool off. I am lucky my wife has been vet tech for 20 years, so I have been told how to notice overheating and how to cool them down quick


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## MikoMN (Nov 29, 2016)

I've hunted mine in -5 F, snowy conditions. Add a wind chill to that. I put a vest on him and he doesn't even notice the cold as long as he is moving. The biggest thing I have to do for him in those conditions is Mushers secret on the testicles. Otherwise he gets a little frost bite. He has fallen through ice, the whole works.

Really though, we haven't been above 15 F for almost a month now and it doesn't slow him down a bit. 



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