Peacock Deer Dogs

Off-season practice can sometimes provide tougher tracking conditions for the dogs.

When it gets hot & dry outside, the scent is harder for the dogs to pin down. It all comes down to those microscopic scent particles.

They can get burnt off if it's a nice sunny day & the track bakes in the heat. The scent also doesn't float in the air as well when there's no moisture for it to cling to, like the last couple of days here. This is a double-whammy if you're tracking over an area that's been mowed or is bare, since there's no vegetation for scent to stick to either.

Plus, the dogs work better when it's cool outside!

All of this is good to work the dog through. It's always a good idea to train for harder circumstances than you think you'll need - you never know how that Missouri weather is gonna go in the fall!

Icarus has kept us very busy these last couple of weeks! He was Winners dog three times: at the Belle City Classic on 3/4, and at the Heart of America Kennel Club on both 3/11 & 3/12.

He also went Reserve Winners Dog at the Dalmatian Specialty held by the Dalmatian Club of Greater St. Louis on 3/4.

He is such a fun dog!

Did you know that taking does during peak rut can improve your chances at getting a buck?

This is a great article on some of the myths that we commonly believe about deer!

8 Ways Deer Are the Opposite of What Many Hunters Think Folklore and science come into frequent conflict in deer hunting. Here are eight of the biggest surprises that many deer hunters find difficult to believe.