Retrieving from Rivers in Full spate

[Dougy]

Hi all, we are picking up tomorrow and have had a message saying the the river is very high, what are your thoughts on retrieving from flooded rivers ? 

 

Personally i am not too happy and asked if the drive could be turned to flush away from the river and not shoot over the river. Am i being unreasonable ?

[JDog]

If you love your dog and the river looks dangerous don't sent it.

A pheasant worth 50p is simply not worth the risk.

[geordieh]

Your dog your choice'

[Dougy]

My choice is not to shoot over river, i have no intention of sending our dogs, but as much as i would like to think they are trained OK i dont want to test the stop whistle feet from a river in flood. I would rather go to work. 

I have just heard from the shoot and they are changing the drives, by doing that they have proved to me they are a bloody good bunch. 

 

 

[reggiegun]

3 minutes ago, Dougy said:

My choice is not to shoot over river, i have no intention of sending our dogs, but as much as i would like to think they are trained OK i dont want to test the stop whistle feet from a river in flood. I would rather go to work. 

I have just heard from the shoot and they are changing the drives, by doing that they have proved to me they are a bloody good bunch. 

 

 

Trouble with flooded rivers is you can’t see all the willow branches etc, I have had a dog stuck in these once, not a nice experience, I did mange to get the dog out, but then you put yourself at risk.

[Dougy]

15 minutes ago, reggiegun said:

Trouble with flooded rivers is you can’t see all the willow branches etc, I have had a dog stuck in these once, not a nice experience, I did mange to get the dog out, but then you put yourself at risk.

Your not wrong, it was only earlier this year a chap went in for his dog on the same stretch the dog was found down river OK the owner drowned. 

 

I would send them out all day in still water without any concerns as JDog posted it aint worth it for a number. 👍

[Dave at kelton]

Often have this with the river Nith and very simply don’t send the dog. It only needs to get caught up In a hanging branch and it’s dead. I have had two occasions when I thought I had lost a dog in a spate river and it is a horrible feeling not to be repeated. Any head keeper worth his salt will accept the situation and if he won’t I wouldn’t be going back.

[billytheghillie]

No, i wouldnt send my dogs in.  A good few years ago i pulled a black lab out from my beat on the river, i knew whose it was and informed them,  they were so grateful even though it was dead.

[12gauge82]

As above, some rivers in full spate are an absolute no, no. 

If you value your dog it's simply not worth the risk unless absolutely sure it's safe. 

[marmite]

I WOULD NOT MY DOG IS MY GOOD FRIEND NOT WORTH A GAME BIRD

#

 

[billytheghillie]

Or put another way, would you go swimming in a flooded river?  NO, didnt think so, so why send your companion in.

[Walker570]

1 hour ago, Dave at kelton said:

Often have this with the river Nith and very simply don’t send the dog. It only needs to get caught up In a hanging branch and it’s dead. I have had two occasions when I thought I had lost a dog in a spate river and it is a horrible feeling not to be repeated. Any head keeper worth his salt will accept the situation and if he won’t I wouldn’t be going back.

This.  I used to help picking up down at Glanusk Prk alongside the River Usk and that river can get a head on I can tell you and also within a half hour can go from normal to raging torrent. Been there sen that happen.   It is a powerful river at best of times and often my big lab would swim out retrieve but only make it to the bank 50-60yrds downstream and he could swim.

Don't risk your dog, don't do it.

[Dougy]

Thanks all, our minds had been made up really before we had the reply from the shoot. I was just wondering the general thoughts, yours are all the same as mine. 

[figgy]

I won't put my dog in a river like that, he once went in a small fast flowing river when young and fit taken over 100 yards down stream before managing to drag himself out.

Never again, my dog isn't ever out anywhere I wouldn't go, not saying I'd like to go where the dog goes but you get my drift.  

Your being told as it's dangerous, let them do the drive buy any in water or acrross it are lost.

[Lloyd90]

Beaters and pickers up hardly get paid their expenses on most shoots, so if they had put you in a position of putting your dog at risk you'd be well within rights to walk, I know I would. 

I was chatting to a trial judge just yesterday and he even said to me if he had to run his dogs day in and day out in some of the bramble that he has seen certain trials, he would pack the sport in and go do something else for fun. 

He said why anyone would want to put their mate (dog) into a position where it gets smashed up or injured boggles his mind.

 

I think the same as putting the dog into dangerous water. 

[gmm243]

Years ago I shot a teal which fell winged onto the bank of a fairly small but in full flood river.The teal ran for the river and my big lab went in for him totally ignoring my whistle and shouts.He managed to catch the bird in the river and turned back to me but the current dragged him into  and subsequently under a bush.All I could see was his head and shoulders and they were getting pushed under by the force of water.I really did not know what to do and felt so sick.This literally took seconds to happen and I thought he was gone.The dog was a great dog for marking birds so I fired a shot across the water hoping he would look to see what I had fired at,the last act of a desperate man and that is exactly what he did. He managed to turn round,the current caught him and pushed him around the bush.He made it out on my side of the river about 30m downstream still holding the teal but I really thought he was never going to make it out safely and I doubt I have ever felt so bad knowing the likely outcome. I couldn't imagine having to come home without him.

I can blame myself for allowing my rough shooting dogs to run in a bit but I would not send a dog for a retrieve near high flooded water again and if out shooting have avoided floods rivers ever since.