Gundog Nation
A show to bring together gundog enthusiasts, trainers, and handlers with discussion focused on all breeds and styles of gundogs.
Gundog Nation
Bob Owens - Lone Duck Outfitters: What Makes a Great Gundog
#41 The journey to build a stronger connection with your hunting dog goes far beyond basic commands and whistle blows. Bob Owens, founder of Lone Duck Outfitters and Kennels, takes us deep into what he calls "the unspoken bond" – that magical connection between handler and retriever that transforms good dogs into exceptional hunting partners.
Bob's path from college rugby player to respected professional trainer offers a masterclass in pursuing passion against the odds. Starting with just a yellow Lab named Buck and a dream to help others train their own dogs, he built a thriving community around the shared joy of working with retrievers. His candid stories of sleeping in tents at hunt tests while selling gear from his trailer reveal the grit behind building a reputation in the gundog world.
The conversation delivers practical wisdom for handlers at every level. Bob breaks down the differences between hunt test venues, offers a fascinating glimpse into the elite Super Retriever Series competitions, and shares what to look for when selecting your next retriever prospect. His philosophy of being "overprepared and underwhelmed" when entering competitions serves as a powerful mantra for success in both training and hunting scenarios.
What truly sets this episode apart is Bob's commitment to community building. Through his Patreon hunts, training seminars, and online courses, he's created spaces where gun dog enthusiasts form lasting friendships while improving their training skills. As he recounts stories of diverse groups from across the country bonding over shared passions, it becomes clear that the gundog world offers something increasingly rare – authentic connection through shared purpose.
Whether you're a seasoned competitor or just beginning your journey with your first retriever, this episode provides both practical training advice and a reminder of why we're drawn to working with these remarkable animals in the first place. Check out Bob's online force fetch course with code GDN20 for 20% off, and explore his community at patreon.com/loneduckoutfitters.
Gundog Nation is Proudly Sponsored by Waterstone Labradors.
Gundog Nation is Proudly Sponsored by:
I'm Kenneth Witt and welcome to Gun Dog Nation. Gun Dog Nation is much more than a podcast. It's a movement to build a community of people around the world that like to watch a well-trained dog do what it's bred to do. Also, we want to get our youth involved into the sport of gundogs, whether it be hunting, sport or competition. We want to build a community of people united to preserve our gundog heritage and to be better gundog owners. Tune in to each weekly episode and learn about training, dog health, wellness and nutrition. We will also offer tips for hunting with dogs and for competition, hunt tests, field trials and other dog sports that involve gun dogs. Please go to our website gundognationcom and subscribe to our email list. We will keep you up form weekly with podcasts that are coming out. We also will be providing newsletters with training tips and health tips for your dog. You can also go to Patreoncom forward, slash GundogNation and become a member. There's different levels of membership on there. Just go check that out.
Speaker 1:Also, we'd like to thank Sean Brock for providing the music for this show. The introduction and the outro is Sean Brock. He played everything on there except the banjo by Scott Vestal and the dobro by Jerry Douglas Sean is a neighbor of mine from over in Harlan, kentucky. I'm just crossing the mountain in Hyden Kentucky and he's a super talented guy. But most of all, I want you guys to check out the Creakers. They are also from Hyden Kentucky and this is an up-and-coming bluegrass and country band and these guys are hot. They're all over TikTok and YouTube. You will hear these guys because in a year or so they will be on the radio. They are very talented. Their videos are going viral on the net. These boys are family. Two of the lead singers one grew up with my daughters and the other one is my cousin's son, so he's family. But check them out. Check out the Creakers Also. Last but not least, if you want to buy a hat, koozie t-shirt or even gundog supplies, go to shop gundognationcom and you can purchase any of those items.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for listening. It's a privilege to have people that want to put up with me talking about dogs all the time. I actually enjoy what I do and I'm so glad to have this opportunity and thank you All right. Welcome back to gundog nations, kenneth, with today coming to you from Fort McAvitt, texas, at the ranch and man, I've been really, really wanting this guy on for a long time. I'm a huge fan of his, I listen to all his podcasts, but anyway, he doesn't need an introduction. But we're still going to do it. Bob Owens with Lone Duck Gun Dog Chronicles Introduce yourself, please, sir.
Speaker 2:What's up, man? Thank you so much for having me on. I appreciate it. Bob owens, I'm a professional retriever trainer hailing from the great state of new york, the good section.
Speaker 2:Um, we spent our summer, you know, spring, summer, fall, up here training dogs, running hunt tests and field trials, hunting, family time and then, and then we go down South South Carolina to train dogs in the wintertime. You know, last winter we had seven feet of snow, so can't do my job in that. You know, built a company around what we refer to as the unspoken bond. I mean it was years and years and years ago as a t-shirt and hat company, building a community about making memories with you and your dog, training the dog yourself, building the dog and going and hunting and all those memories you guys are going to make in that dog's life. That's the unspoken bond.
Speaker 2:Um, with that being said, it kind of spiraled into I guess I'm doing it for a living. You know, trained with a guy for a while and learned and grew and developed, and now I hang my shingle as a retriever trainer. But we still sell everything under the sun that you need to train your dog Online, force fetch course, youtube, instagram all ways to share what I've learned and built and trained and problems and solving, and share it with people so that they can do it themselves, so they can share the passion with their dog.
Speaker 1:You know, bob, something that you know, people that know. You know you're a genuine guy and a dog trainer and the real deal. You hunt, you do it all. And I may have listeners that haven't listened to you before, but I just want to say this man, I worked up in a. I I'm a land man. That's what I did after I got tired of being an attorney and I was working up in New York well, almost New York. I was working in Pennsylvania for Shell Oil and we were leasing all along the New York border there and just south of Elmira.
Speaker 1:And growing up in rural Southeast Kentucky, I just thought New York was New York, right, like New York City. Man, I had no idea how country rural redneck and I'm saying that in a polite way because I'm redneck but man, when I crossed the line, I was over in Elmira and some of those areas I mean and it's so funny because right when all that was going on, brantley Gilbert came out with a song called Country Must Be Countrywide. He was talking about being up north and realizing, hey, man, there's some country dudes here in New York State, but it's a beautiful state outside of the city and, man, it's just this country. I've got a buddy here in Midland that I'm not in Midland today, but that's in the oil and gas industry with me that I hunt with a lot, bird hunt with a lot, and he's from Buffalo and it's just amazing. No, people don't realize. Hey, man, new York's a lot more than New York City.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean it's called the Empire State, right, and it's not because of New York City, it's because everything you can find everything here, right. We've got the Great Lakes. We've got wonderful wine country in the Finger Lakes. The Finger Lakes region is phenomenal duck hunting, so all these birds from Ontario come down and the glaciers form the Finger Lakes, which ended up becoming amazing wine country. We've got the Adirondacks, which is a mountain range and a don't quote me on this, but it's like one of the biggest national parks or state parks or whatever it is. But you can hike mountains and be in like snow-capped mountains, like Colorado. I mean, it's gorgeous. It offers a lot to people. There's more corn and cows. It's gorgeous, it offers a lot to people. There's more corn and cows. It's fantastic. Great dog training, great hunting, cool place. Taxes suck and that's about it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the taxes is what. It's such a beautiful state. You know, and you know I was in the Army. You got the 10th Mountain Division up there. Man, those guys are hardcore. That's a real deal, yeah but no it's a beautiful state. I just think people, uh, if you've never been up that direction, man, I, I I'd advise it.
Speaker 2:It's really nice and beautiful in the fall yeah, oh yeah, yeah, absolutely prime duck, prime grouse, let's go well, bob, when I get guys like you on here.
Speaker 1:I'm an amateur trainer, you know. I've got experience just kind of a general experience in lots of different breeds, but I'm going to pick your brain, you know. I know you're a retriever guy and you're competitive in the retriever world. You hunt with retrievers but, bob, you train other breeds right also at your place.
Speaker 2:Well, years and years ago, I did.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:And and this is the you know, everybody who writes in and says I'm thinking of hanging a shingle and becoming a dog trainer, retriever trainer, duck dog, whatever you know, there were many, many years of eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches where I hadn't had a pot to piss in. And so back then, yes, if the check cleared, I trained. It was my saying Okay, what you got, you got a golden doodle you want to go pheasant hunt with. If the check clears, I'll train it. And so, all kidding aside, yeah, I mean, I own two English setters. I love to grouse and woodcock hunt with them. I've trained NAVDA dogs and got a couple prize one, utility dogs and the na prize one. Oh, wow, wow. I've done all that.
Speaker 2:But currently, at this stage of my career where I can be a little picky and choosy, you know we're looking for really good duck dogs and or people that want to run competitions and and stay for the long haul and build them bad to the bone dogs. So, master hunters, master national cues. I have ran a few opens but I've been unsuccessful. So I am not the guy to say, hey, if I want to have a run, an open, I'm not the guy. We've done all right in the queues and the master tests and you know, that's kind of more my wheelhouse, where I can speak to it and feel educated and good about it. The other stuff is like no, I'm still getting my teeth kicked in, so hang with me.
Speaker 1:Now, Bob, you run HRC also.
Speaker 2:Used to in the past, it's not super prevalent up north. Okay, and quite frankly, I'm already gone too much man, and people ask me all the time why don't I do both. It's because there's only 52 weekends in a year and if I'm gone 15, 20 of them, I don't feel like making a 30. So you know, and then I travel South for the winter, away from family and friends. Like it's just not not what I want to add to my plate. It's a great organization. One of my favorite things that HRC did was there. I don't even know if they still do it, but you know the tailgates right, the community hangs out at the tailgates after the ribbon ceremony and eats and kids, and that was my favorite part about HRC. So I do have love for it, appreciate it. It's a great game to play, but when I have to make a decision for both business and life, I just I'm going to stick to being an AKC hunt test guy and then go dabble in the queues when I have time.
Speaker 1:Now, Bob, do you do any SRS stuff?
Speaker 2:Funny that you asked that too. I had a decision to make and still am wavering. But I have one free weekend. All of July is booked, all of August is booked, but I have one weekend where I could take a weekend off and there's an SRS about two hours away, and so I've ran one. I've judged one, I've seen it, I've watched the crown year after year. It's an amazing sport, or part of our sport. It's cool. Anything in the kitchen sink can be thrown at you and your dog, and how you both handle it is a true Testament. Um, so I can speak to it a little bit, but no, I'm. I, would you know. Leave that to clark, leave that to carter, leave it to lyle, leave it to steven. Those guys just go there and hammer down on it. My buddy, michael demmer um, who else? But there's like six or seven Justin Herger, like those guys are the hammers.
Speaker 1:I'm the nail. Yeah, it's. You know I've watched those guys train for you know I know Rhodey does that, clark and Luke, and I know those guys pretty good and, man, it's above my knowledge level and training level by a long shot. I'm not saying that to you, I'm just saying for me, yeah.
Speaker 2:No, I feel you and I and there's a, there is a piece of me that feels the same way. It's like I'm not arrogant about it, right, like I'm very comfortable in saying guys like Clark taking a five time grand dog that's qualified all age, that has ran 12 SRSs and been in the top four, how am I going to take my two and a half year old with two master passes and chalk it up? No, he's going to suck, he's going to get dropped. Now my five and six year old dogs that are consistently placing in the top four at Q's or are QA2 with a master national plate. Now I feel like I got a fighting chance. I really do, and so it'd be fun to go test your mettle. That's the whole point of doing what we do. You and your dog step into the line. Everybody's equal. What is the judge going to set up? Let it rip. But I know when I judged it, we set some butt kickers up where I'm like good luck boys, have fun with it. Yeah, and you'd have one dog frog stomp it.
Speaker 2:You know, everybody else had a little tough time. But you know they rack up a normal score and then you'd have just a hammer. Come and just go. Look at that baby. I mean so it's cool, it's, it's an amazing. I think Ms Shannon Nardi, the woman in charge of the SRS, is a genius for building that sport. I would love to dabble in it more and again. It kind of comes down to how many weekends do I got and how far do I want to travel and who's here at the kennel at the time that's ready for something like that, you know, kind of pick jack of all trades or master of none, or do you want to be able to go to hammer down at a queue and hammer down at master tests? I don't know, but it is a blast, it's a cool, cool sport.
Speaker 1:Hello, this is Kenneth Witt with Gun Dog Nation. Many people quickly become frustrated and confused when training in a retriever. Cornerstone Gun Dog Academy's online courses eliminate all the guesswork by giving you a proven training system that will help you train a dog that anyone will be proud to have when they're blind. Learn where to start, what to do next and what to do when problems arise. Visit cornerstonegundogacademycom to learn how you can train your retriever. I have used this method myself. I have been through it a couple times with different dogs. I refer back to it lots of times when I'm trying to get dogs freshened back up for hunt test season. I highly recommend them. I have actually been a subscribed member of Cornerstone Gun Dog Academy since 2016. And I would suggest anyone use it. I highly recommend it. They have an app that you can get to on your phone. You can do it from your phone, your laptop. You can't get any more convenient than that. I've used it. It's proven and tried and I know literally hundreds of people that have done the same thing that I've talked to. Visit cornerstonegundogacademycom and learn how to train your own retriever. Hello, this is Kenneth Witt with Gun Dog Nation, and I've got to tell you guys about something that I've gotten hooked on lately it's Fauxlicious. These are gourmet instant faux and ramen bowls that actually taste like the real deal. When I'm out in the field all day and the last thing I want is to settle for bland camp food, fauxlicious is what I go to. It's authentic. The flavor, it's real ingredients. It's ready in just minutes. It's perfect for hunters, fishermen or anyone on the go, and you can get them over 1900 Walmarts nationwide, your local HEB here in Texas, or you can just go online at foliciouscom. Trust me, once you try it, you'll keep a few stocked in in your bag, in your backpack or for your next adventure.
Speaker 1:I just want to say this I want to add this to this commercial because I know the owners of this company. They've hunted on my ranch, joseph, he and I actually met in Colorado on a hunting trip. That was a real adventure. They are true hunters. They've hunted at the ranch, you know, and I've hunted with them. And Anna, she is just amazing. She is the one that came up with this idea. They were both on Shark Tank. They are amazing people. So I love seeing people like this have a business.
Speaker 1:And I just had to say that in addition to the commercial, because I really believe in the product and I believe in the people that made the product. Be sure and go to Foliciouscom or go to Walmart or HEB and try their product. I promise you you will like it. And you know, bob, I'm just learning more about the SRS, just cause it intrigues me. No, I'm, I'm, I'm obviously not there, but what I guess I just realized it was an eye opener and hanging around some of those guys is, man, it takes years to get dogs ready for that. I mean, you're not just going to run down there with a really good two-year-old Right. And I didn't realize really how much it took and how long.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. I mean I think if you were to look at the SRS and look at weekend week out and the crown and you were to add up all the top four finishers for both amateur and pro and you averaged. Add up all the top four finishers for both amateur and pro and you averaged their age they're probably average is probably six, you know seven. Okay, so they got some 10 year olds that are running, they got some four year olds that are running and you're gonna have that one outlier, two and a half, three and a half year old dog that, yeah, you just point them and shoot them and and they're compliant. Clark made a comment one time on our podcast. You know the dogs have to be comfortable being uncomfortable, you know. All right, I pointed you, jump over the canoe, jump the damn canoe in one shot, not five. You know no off of four birds in the hunt savvy section. No off of four birds splashing their face with three guys shooting guns and duck calling for 15 seconds. No off of them and run a blind and then pick them all up clean. For an example, when I judged it last year, I had a personal experience in Missouri. We took so on our podcast. We talk about Patreon, right. So there's a community of people that follow us and I coach them one on one and we offer hunts. So for a three day hunt, we'll hunt in the morning and we'll do a dog seminar in the afternoon. Well, we're in the pit, start time to start shooting and I look down and I don't have my whistle on me and I'm running a dog. Hey, you watch my dog, bud. I'm going to run to the truck, grab my whistle and come back and guess what happened while I was running to the truck. They killed three, three, four birds, right. So now somebody else has to run your dog and pick those birds up. And they got to pay attention and listen, right. So I couldn't. I couldn't do it perfectly like that scenario.
Speaker 2:But basically what we did is say you're going to come out of the holding blind, put the dog in a mutt hut you know a little ground blind. We had three dudes in a uh, a frame goose call for 30 seconds. Everybody take them and everybody unload their guns and birds are falling everywhere in their face. Once all the birds hit the ground, you can come out from hiding and you can come and grab your dog and run them because you lost your whistle and had to go back to the truck, right, and so a bunch of dogs were, you know, in the hut and owner would turn around and walk away, or trainer would turn around and walk away and they'd pop out and look at them. Five points, put it back in Right. So there was just like little ways that you could make it happen where, yeah, my dog wasn't allowed to leave the pit and follow me to the truck because they needed her.
Speaker 2:So we kind of added that into it and you just kind of think outside the box like what could happen. You know, a crippled bird. I was at one one time I think we were in Arkansas and I was like doing some social media for them, and they threw a bird out and on a fishing line, reeled it in across the dog's face out of a boat, just reeled it in. They see this little ATB swimming past them. And then you got to go pick your marks up right through that area. It's like how cool is that? And that dog's got to be cool, calm and collected, being comfortable in an uncomfortable situation, and nothing can shock them, nothing can phase them. They just got to go do their work when you point and shoot.
Speaker 1:Wow, that's that and that takes a lot of training, right, I mean.
Speaker 2:I don't have a single two and a half year old on my truck Now. They all passed the master test this weekend. Look beautiful.
Speaker 1:Not a single one would have been able to do that.
Speaker 2:They'd have been like what I'm a break.
Speaker 1:Now you brought up some and I want to talk about too. So I actually joined your as a patreon. Uh, on your program, thank you, and I did it with the intention of man I want to go hunting with on this hunt with y'all, because you seem like a fun guy and I think it'd be a fun trip.
Speaker 2:Well, I appreciate that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so tell everybody how it works and what they want to do if they're interested in going on this trip with you. Yeah, actually, I've got a buddy that's gone Kevin Wright, good friend of mine.
Speaker 2:Oh, he's an awesome dude yeah.
Speaker 1:He's been to both of them.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he's been to both of my my Patreon hunts and you know I've been lucky enough to be on the journey with him and mabel right, like I know the damn dog's name.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, I don't remember everybody's dog name, but I remember kevin's. Yeah, um, you know, it's just. It's a community, man I started lone duck to before I knew what I was doing. I would interview trainers and I would put out articles that other trainers that knew what they were doing would help people so that they could do it themselves. Yes and shoot. That was it's got to be close to 15 years ago. So, long story short, patreon is a place, it's a community, where people can buy me a beer If you ask me a question on Instagram.
Speaker 2:Hey, I want my dog to walk better on lead. Hey, my dog won't keeps dropping the bumper bird at the edge of the water. Hey, you know, makes noise in the blind. Hey, can't remember the double. Hey, you know how do I work on gun shyness? How do I, whatever it is. If me and you were sitting in a bar and you asked me a question and I sat there and took my time and answered it for you, you go, you know what, let me buy the next round it's. I would do it if I was asking somebody about working out or eating healthy or tax help or, you know, building a business or whatever. I'd be like hey, you know what, let me a business or whatever. I'd be like hey, let me get this around, bud, thank you. So that's kind of what we started it with and then it grew into. Now people can take videos of their dogs and say this is where I'm at on force fetch, this is where I'm at on T-pattern, this is where I'm at running blinds, this is where I'm at. And we've had some success stories where it was going through force fetch and now it's a master hunter.
Speaker 2:All because of the community we built on Patreon and just BS and coaching people through it. Every other month we do a Zoom meeting, so it'd be this on Riverside. But if we're on Zoom, you'd have 30 little squares or 50 little squares of heads around and they can chat in going dog broke at the senior test, Help me out. And when we get down the list, we answer that person's question. We can go one-on-one. Well, what happened? Well, that was the third dog it honored and we just coach, and so it's a cool way to give back to the community. It's a cool way to, in essence, enhance my business because it helps me. I help you, you help me. We have podcast equipment. I'm sitting in my podcast room and this stuff ain't free. You know that. And I'm not rolling dough, baby, I'm picking up dog poop and buying a pallet of dog food a month. So buying me a beer just helps me help more people in a cool way.
Speaker 2:So a couple years ago, if you were a Patreon member, we gave away a hunt which turns out to be illegal on Patreon, but we didn't know this at the time. They have some rules about like building your community. We didn't know it at the time, so we did like a big giveaway. So I don't know at the time, maybe a thousand people were on it or whatever. And we spin this giant wheel on the Zoom meeting and you're seeing like all these names up on there Boom dude, young guy from Georgia had a Boykin and he was like I'm going to just throw out a number he's probably 24.
Speaker 2:Army, you know, was in the army and he won. So we took him on a sea duck hunt in Maryland and, you know, put them at all, expenses paid, cool trip to Maryland and we got done with that trip. And my brother, kevin, who's the other podcast host and producer and, you know, kind of helps keep the ship pointing straight while I'm training dogs. We're sitting there afterwards reflecting on like dude, this one kid had a blast. How do we make 12 people have a blast, or 20 people have a blast?
Speaker 2:And so we found a guide in Missouri that had training grounds that we could use and I could. Each day I could hunt with each group. So you got to hunt with me or you got to hunt with Kevin, and then at noon we broke, had lunch and then trained dogs. So everybody from across the country, including Kevin Wright, gets to come and train from one o'clock till five o'clock and drink some beer and eat amazing food and shoot cool birds, and so that was cool. That was the first year. Second year, my dad goes. I really want to go. I'm like hell, yeah. So dad got to go on the second hunt, which was neat for him to experience because he'd never seen anything like it. He'd never even seen me do my you know, lone duck, bob crap you know or?
Speaker 2:yeah, be me in front of 20 people that are strangers across the country. So it was really neat to share that with my dad. It's really great to share it with my brother. And you know, we killed.
Speaker 2:This year was kind of slow. We didn't kill a ton of birds, but we we made the most of it. Everybody had a blast. And so prices went up, reached out to the community and said you know, we're going to have to put a lot down and so, long story short, we decided to take a year off. We're going to keep looking at other guides across the country that could house that number of people as well as dogs, as well as training grounds, like this. Last year it was really cool. We did a pit blind training day so, like all the dogs got to learn how to work out of a pit blind and jump out and shoot and bumpers and birds were going everywhere and you know, just kind of realistically train. And the day before we did, you know just kind of realistically trained, and the day before we did the blinds, we did the tee pattern, we did the marks in the field and worked them, and so it's cool, man. It's been a phenomenal group of people that I'm lucky to help and be a part of their and their dog's journey and you know we make memories Like I don't know.
Speaker 2:That's the unspoken bond. I'm not perfect. There's parts of it that I think we could do better at. But when I look at it, as when I was 24 or 23 with my first dog boy, I wish I had Chris Aiken on a Zoom meeting once a month that I could ask him questions on. Or Mike Lardy and I'm not putting myself in that category, I'm just saying I bought their DVDs, I read their books and I didn't have access to them. Now you get access to guys like Clark Kennington with the Hunt Test Guide. You got access to my force fetch course. You got access to me via Patreon and if you have a question and a problem I'm going to help you. It's going to cost you the price of a beer, but what the heck?
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, I love that. When you guys would do that. Bob, what was the numbers that you tried to shoot for? That was on the trip.
Speaker 2:So we didn't. We had no idea, right Like we're putting this whole thing together, I got no clue how many people we might get. One person say, yes, I want to go. So the first year I think we did a dozen Wow Patreoners. And then it was me, my brother, my buddy Dave, who was in the Army and I get to see once a year, and then my brother's buddy Eric. So what is that? 12 and four, 16 people. The next year we added I think we were at 20. And so it was a pit. I think we did pits of six or eight give or take, whatever the numbers work out and so I got to hunt with everybody at least once, and then we did like a random drawing of it, and it was really cool because we kept the groups together.
Speaker 2:So this last year we had too many people you know air quotes too many people where everybody just stayed in the same group, and then I bounced around and kevin bounced around, and so the group two, that was kevin wright's group, group two, and they'd be. We'd be drinking afterwards and they'd be the group two, that was Kevin Wright's group, group two, and they'd be, we'd be drinking afterwards and they'd be like group two. You know, over there Someone go group two, you know, and they're just, they're they. They became their own little community of you know, shooting and hooting and hollering and who killed what birds, and pumping each other up, and then what that fed into was pumping their dogs up and getting to know each other's dogs and it's just, yeah, again, it's community. It's bringing people together from minnesota to, uh, california to tennessee.
Speaker 2:I mean, there were people from all over, all different walks of life, men and women, and yeah, we built a pretty cool, cool little community and so, and I'm proud of them, like in a weird way, like a dad way, where you're like I'm proud of these people, like their dogs are coming back this year. Better, they're bringing new men, like the new people who had never been to it, cause Kevin came twice, right, and so another guy named Jeff, kevin and Jeff are like the older men, if you will, and they've got a couple of young women in their group and they're like freaking amazing to them and just, it's what you want. If I were to go on something like this, I'd want to feel community. I want to feel like brought in and not an outcast, and one dude from Michigan. He'd never even duck hunted before he got to experience it and be like brought in and like dude. You come on this way.
Speaker 1:Like that's awesome. Oh wow, First time.
Speaker 2:First time or ever pulling a trigger on a duck.
Speaker 1:He's hunted other things. I just got to tell you I'm crushed. I was looking forward to doing this this year. I was going to go well, next year.
Speaker 2:We're already in the works of putting it together for next year. It's just we looked at numbers, we looked at the cost for these, you know, because we also don't want to. We're not raking anybody over the coals- right you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:And so when we looked at it, we're like, dude, that I couldn't afford that. You know if, if, if I wasn't going because that's for work, I'd say you know what? It's just a lot. So we didn't want to do that. We got it and they were great people like the. The guides were amazing, the food was amazing, the lodging there was nothing wrong with anything. It's just price hiked and I get it. Now we've got to kind of just shimmy and shake it so that people can do it. I don't want to put somebody in the hole to go kill ducks. I want it to be special for them. So, yeah, we got to just play the game and we'll make it happen again.
Speaker 1:You know what, too. I've already seen that this year. You know there's some hunts that I do every year and I'm already seeing some pretty significant price increases on the same hunts I've been doing for the last few years.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean it's life. I mean I really believe that it's just going to be life. Groceries are up, gas is up. You know, leasing land probably went up. I mean, everything under the sun went up, and so I don't want to be the next one that says it's up. I'd rather say, hey, let's keep it relatively affordable for everybody. Still lodging, still all the meals included. Shoot some ducks, train some dogs. I just don't want to. There's something about me that I'm not afraid to charge a good bit of money. But I want you to walk away going. Good Lord, that was the best weekend of my life. Yes, yes, hell, yeah, I'll do it again next year. I don't want to go. Yeah, we had fun. That's the worst.
Speaker 1:Don't do that no, I, I agree, and that's that's if I were doing the hosting that I would feel the same way. You know, I do. I've got a high fence hunting ranch here and and I, I do hunts and charge for hunts and man, I bend over backwards I and I try to cook well and cook good and you know, because these people are paying to come here and they're paying me for an experience and I want them to leave thinking, man, that's some of the best food I've ever eaten and we got to see some awesome animals and we got to shoot what we want, you know, and anyway I get it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think that puts pressure on us too, because my that was one comment my dad made is like from the minute bot me bob wakes up, you know I'm get my cup of coffee and I'm being asked a training question, and the minute I go to bed, or drinking, having fun, but answering training questions, so my brain is on from 5 AM till 11 PM and then all day the next day, and he's like that's gotta be exhausting. I'm like, yeah, but dad, these people came from all over to to have this and if I'm not on, if I'm not being the best version of myself and giving them 120%, then I shouldn't do it.
Speaker 1:Well, I think it's a heck of an idea and I'm looking forward to your next one, because I love stuff like that. And you know, bob, you know this all too well Some of the best friends I've made in Kentucky I'm a Kentuckian but I've been in Texas 13 years and I've hunted everywhere. I've hunted Canada and some of the best friends I've got I'm a Kentuckian but I've been in Texas 13 years and I've hunted everywhere. I've hunted Canada. Some of the best friends I've got I met hunting.
Speaker 2:Oh, absolutely, I know those people. Yeah, I guarantee you, if you ask Kevin Wright right now the names of the people in group two, he'd be able to rattle all of them off and they'd still communicate. That's badass.
Speaker 1:He's a huge fan of yours, he told me all be able to rattle all of them off and they still communicate Like that's bad ass. He's a huge fan of yours. He told me all about that. He's the one that got me wanting to do it, because I didn't know that you did that. And then you know Kevin's actually from. His folks are from Southeast Kentucky. Right, I'm from Hyden and the only thing that separates my county from Kevin's is Hazard, kentucky. He's from Wattsburg, of course, he's in Tennessee and I'm getting ready to move back to Middle Tennessee. We have a lot in common. And then we both go to the Cornerstone weekends together. He's a great guy, but he just went on and on about that hunt man. He's a big fan of yours, a huge supporter, and he spreads the gospel.
Speaker 2:I appreciate it. I'm a big fan of him.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's a good dude, he is. I actually text. I think we've texted one day this week. But yeah, he talks to me about you. Anyway, it speaks to your character, man, I'm a pretty good judge of character, I think, like I said, I got hooked on you listening to your podcast. Thank you, actually. Maybe people like you encourage me to get into podcasts, and I'm not good at anything but talking, so I have to find something.
Speaker 1:But no man, I enjoy this. And for people that's out here maybe just getting into gundogs and they're listening to Bob's podcast or listening to mine, listen. This is a community that you'll love and you'll find so much support from guys like Bob and friends like we're talking about, kevin Wright, and there's so many nice people, good people in this industry. Clark Hinkton that guy I can text him and he'll text me back in a second and I know he's busy. I hate to bother him. I hate to bother him. I hate to bother you. I know how busy you are. I hate to text you, but you always do and that's what it's all about.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, no doubt about it, man. I slept on Clark Cunnington's couch when I was selling gear.
Speaker 2:Like you know, we're lucky You's a for me and clark, I would say we live a tough life, like there's part of my job his job that is glamorous via the social media or glamorous via the podcast, and, oh, he gets to go hunt. Yeah, oh yeah. Well, there's parts of it that from january or july 1st till september 1st, I don't have a weekend off. There's parts of it. And then I got two podcasts a night, boy, I could take a nap.
Speaker 2:There's things about it that I don't want to paint the picture of perfection, and we could equate that to dog training. You see a badass thing on YouTube, tiktok, instagram, of this dog smacking it. Well, it took a long time to get him to smack it, or the mark before that he couldn't find it in a paper bag. So it's a tough life. It's a good life. It's like being a farmer You're always on, you're always working, you're always worrying. Yes, so it's cool, though, but to your point, the community we stick together. You know, there's been plenty of example of somebody's trucks dead on the road and within a two-hour radius of somebody who can come with their trailer, hook it up and get those dogs safe and get that person back on their feet, like countless times it's happened to me and it's happened vice versa, where I got to help that you know somebody else like sleeping on couches and training and do that it's.
Speaker 1:It's a great community to be involved in well, you said something else too that just struck me as a. You know, I spent a few days with clark, from daylight to dark on his job and just you know, he's kind of training me. I was just watching and learning, really, but he was doing his thing right. You know he's kind of training me. I was just watching and learning really, but he was doing his thing right, you know, training his X number of dogs that day, each day, and it was 98 and humid as heck. It was actually hotter there in Missouri where he's at, than here in Texas a few weeks ago. And you guys, man, I mean it's no easy. You're out in all weather conditions rain, sleet or snow and and uh, it's not an easy job being a pro trainer.
Speaker 2:You guys earn your money yeah for sure, dude, yeah for sure. And it's a hard business to like. You know your business person's hard business to scale. Right like you, you can train a boatload of dogs and you make an okay living once you get to that point. But it's hard to scale. It's hard to, uh, get above the grain or whatever you want to call it. But you just have to keep plugging away. And you don't do it because of the money, you do it because you enjoy it and if you're doing it for the money, yeah, it's probably not gonna work out. You might get real good at it, your dogs might be good, but you got to do it because you enjoy going out every day and monkeying with dogs and getting them better and dealing with the frustration, dealing with dogs that get sick, dealing with things that break, dealing with clients. That text you at 11 pm on a sunday. You know, know all that stuff, but it's a good, it's good.
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Speaker 1:Be sure to use Purina ProPlan dog food. The reputation speaks for itself. There's a reason that Purina has been around for such a long time. We suggest that you use it and we are so proud to be sponsored by Purina dog food. Hello, this is Kenneth Witt, and Gun Dog Nation is proud to have one of their sponsors as Retriever Training Supply. Based in Alabama, retriever Training Supply offers fast shipping on quality gear. Your dog will love it. Visit RetrieverTrainingSupplycom to purchase gear to help you train your retriever. Listen, they have some of the best leashes I've ever found. It's stuff's made in America. Their leashes are, and they source them locally. They have anything you want fast, friendly service, fast shipping, just good people. Retriever Training Supply. Now, bob, you touched on this earlier when we first started, but I always think it's really neat. I love everyone's story how they got into this and you dabbled on it. But tell the listeners you have a really neat story in how you got into the dog business and got to where you are Sure.
Speaker 2:So long story short, I played college rugby and during college, even as a youngster, I mean I've read every book, every DVD that I could get my hands on on training a duck dog, and so you know shows. If you're in my age bracket, you remember DU's Waterdog TV with Justin Tackett and Yella. You remember Mike Stewart on DU TV with Drake and Deke. You remember the dogs and the people and the relationships that they had, the memories, the retrieves, the cool stuff with dogs, and so that's how I grew up. I mean, I read every book and I don't read, by the way folks, I don't remember the last book I read but I read dog books. I read dog training books, retriever training books. I read Cesar Millan's books. I read everything under the sun on how to make a dog great and the DVDds that came out, the lardies, the evan grahams, the everything. And so before I even had a dog, I was a college meathead playing rugby and went over to ireland and you know I was like I, I loved playing rugby, but you get hurt and you get sent home. So I got a job and I was selling copiers and it sucked. So I'm playing high level. I can't imagine that, bob. It was miserable, right, elite rugby bad to the bone. You're kind of 22 year old, shit don't stink. And then you come home and you're slinging Xerox Like man. This sucks. But my first paycheck I bought a yellow Labrador named Buck and Priorities, yeah, hell yeah. Priorities, student loans, they can wait, yeah.
Speaker 2:So I was living at home, called my mom on Mother's Day. I'll never forget it. Mother's Day, she and my dad are on a vacation. She's on the beach. I go hey, mom, you love me. She's like, yeah, I love you so much. She's on the beach. I go hey, ma, you love me. She's like, yeah, I love you so much. Yeah, I love you too. Listen, listen, there's a puppy.
Speaker 2:And, and you know, the first piece of advice I tell people is don't buy dogs out of the newspaper, right, don't buy them off Craigslist. You know, do your research. But I know my research. I mean I was well versed in the world research, but I had, I know my research. I mean I was well-versed in the world. But in the dang Syracuse post standard is GR. You know, four time or seven time GRHRCH, mh by MH. And I'm like for real, like in the paper. So I call them up and their names are Greg and Nancy Mills and they they train. You know, if anybody knows anybody, right, it's all name drop for a second but Mandy Selinsky and, uh, alan I can't remember Alan's name off the top of my head, but they're a Gator point retrievers down in Mississippi. I think Greg and Nancy are best friends with them. Um know, these people know what they're doing. And so now that I'm here in New York doing my thing, greg and Nancy are in their late 70s, still running master tests, still got dogs, like they become part of my family.
Speaker 2:But I call this lady up and she's like oh, yeah, honey, yep, the dad's a seven time grand hunting retriever champion and you know the puppies go home mother's day. I'm like hell, yeah, you got some boys available. Yup, I got two boys available or three, who knows what the number was. So I call my mom. I'm like, listen, I know you're on vacation, I know I live at home. Do you love me, can I go and get them? She's like yeah, honey, go and get the dog. So my sister and I drove up about two hours north of me and we go get this little puppy named Buck and, honest to God, the rest was history. I basically made life choices that have helped and hurt me because of Buck and the memories we made.
Speaker 2:And from copiers, I sold insurance and during the insurance timeframe I got to meet some entrepreneurs and I always thought, being a business owner, you had to be a genius. You know, I had them on a pedestal. I'm a knuckle dragon rugby player who barely got by in college and did it because my parents wanted me to graduate college. So I'm thinking all these people who own their businesses, like they're gotta be smart. And then you meet them and they have teams around them and they have great stories of like sleeping on couches and, you know, eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and all of a sudden their roofing company took off or their trucking company took off or their painting bit oh, you name it. They just you, you, you sit with them long enough. You're like, damn, you're just like me.
Speaker 2:So I asked a few of them like what would you give me advice on? They'd say well, what? What do you want to do? I'm like I want to be in the outdoor industry, I want to be the justin tackett's ands. I want to be not important to people, but I want to be special. I want to have goals and achieve them, like I did in rugby. I don't have that slinging insurance, and so they're like well, figure it out, bud.
Speaker 2:And so, just like anybody with a hundred bucks in their pocket, I made hats and t-shirts and I learned that it's really difficult to make a living slinging hats and t-shirts. So then I get hooked up with e-collar companies and winger companies and made American made leather leashes that were amazing and, you know, whatever you needed we sold. And then that at that point Facebook became more, you know, like advertising and companies using it versus college kids. And I got lucky. I made a gun dog of the month deal. So you sent me a picture of your dog with, like dog's name, your name, where you're from picture, and I went on Facebook and I would have hundreds of people submitting it and then what they would do is hey, you know, buck is on lone ducks gun dog of the month. So they'd share it and all their family and friends would share it and every, every hunting buddy would share it. So all of a sudden, facebook took off and I would make a little bit of money and I'd send them a hat and you'd have your website and, you know I'd sell some gear.
Speaker 2:So that's when I bought, like you start making a baby bit of money so you reinvest in your business.
Speaker 2:So I buy a POS trailer, enclosed trailer, and I start loading it with gear and I start driving. And a great guy in Georgia, my buddy Joe, come on down, bub, we're going to be in Alabama at an HRC test. You can set your gear up there, all right. So I drove from New York to Alabama, slept on the side of the road in a tent and sold gear that weekend made like 600 bucks but people were starting to hear about Lone Duck and from there it went all the way up and down the East Coast and Midwest and take a week vacation. And I would sell gear Saturday and Sunday to hunt, test, sleep on somebody's couch and train with them during the week, sell Saturday, sunday and then drive all night home and go to work slinging whatever the heck I was selling on Monday. And that's how it started and that's when I got the opportunity I think 12 or 13 years ago to quit my job, sell gear and train dogs full time. So I did it and haven't looked back.
Speaker 1:Impressive. I like that. Yeah, now that gun dog of the month. You didn't get that off the playmate of the month thing, did you?
Speaker 2:Oh man, I wish I did I love that.
Speaker 1:That's genius. Well, I'm glad you came to where you are. It's well-deserved success.
Speaker 2:I appreciate it. Honestly, I think it's just being young and dumb. If somebody asked me now I'd be like Dad, dude, you ain't going to make crap off of selling hats, you're going to make $4 a hat, $8 a hat. You know how many hats you got to sell to pay rent.
Speaker 1:A lot of hats. You know, bob, I had a guy on here, another person I respect a lot, a trainer out of England, Ben Randall, and he was a rugby player in England. Hell yeah, have you heard of him?
Speaker 2:No, but now I want to be his best friend.
Speaker 1:You need to reach out. He's actually got a. Really. He's actually got an app called gun dog and he has training stuff. Uh, he has a book. I actually got it here behind this backdrop on my table. Uh, it's. It's some neat hunting methods. Anyway, yeah, check him out. And when he did a podcast with me on here, it was one of the top downloads. People were messaging me wanting that book and stuff, but you and him had headed off. His sons play rugby now, I think, in college. That's awesome, so I'll put you two together. And then I got to tell everybody because you brought this up. But, man, I really, really enjoyed and I sent you a screenshot that podcast with Mike Stewart. Thank you, that was excellent.
Speaker 2:I don't know that I've ever heard him on a podcast before. You know, this is to be fair. Like I do this eat, sleep and breathe it, wake up every morning thinking about dog training. So you know, the only podcast in our world that I listen to is jimmy and adam's dog house, and that's maybe once in a great while, because I'd rather, if I'm listening to a podcast, I'd rather zone out, listen to joe rogan with his buddies laughing like. So I don't know if he has, but I can tell you every, everything in sincerity, mike's a gentleman and and those were the days I, if you, if you remember the conversation, I made a comment to him of like we have met before you allowed me to come to wild rose and interview you, a 25 or 6 year old knucklehead which all my equipment didn't work. I didn't know what I was doing, and he sat with me and was patient and gave me a tour. And it's like dude, if a kid asked me right now, I'd be like man, I don't have time, like I'm drowning in my own stuff, and I get it. But he was drowning in his stuff, I'm sure, but he said yes and I'll never forget it and he was the most kind and I think when people listen, I'm gonna, I'll be biting with everybody.
Speaker 2:Mike's a phenomenal businessman and he's a marketing genius and their dogs are great dogs, but they're no better than anybody else's dogs. They're great dogs, but, but there's great dogs everywhere, whether they're British, american, english, cocker, spaniels, you name it. They're all good, yeah, but he was able to transcend it and I respect the hell out of it and he's humble and he's kind and a lot of his methods are. You know, they're shortcomings, like american training versus british training, their shortcomings to both. None is right and none is wrong, or neither is right, neither is wrong.
Speaker 2:I, what I respect is he's a great dude. Yeah, that's what it's all about. Like I, I just thoroughly enjoyed spending time with him in that hour and or whatever it was of, just but a cool guy, you know, retired cop, my dad was a cop, you know, just, he had everything that hit the metal of. Like I like this guy and I support him in everything he does. And whether you think british labs or bs or not, I don't really give a crap what your opinion is. He's a good dude, or I force fetch, they don't. That doesn't make him your opinion is he's a good dude or I forfeits, they don't. That doesn't make him wrong and me right he's a good dude.
Speaker 1:See, I'm like, I have British American dogs and I'm like you, bob, I don't get into the this versus that and all that stuff. Whatever works for you, whatever works for your dog, go for it. That's right. I'll tell you something I respect about him too. He obviously must be humble because he never mentioned it on your podcast, but the man was on the cover of Forbes magazine twice. The first time was during a recession in the United States, when no one was making money.
Speaker 2:You know more about that than me. I'm not on the cover of Forbes. You know what I mean. He's smart and he's good and you shouldn't dislike him because he was successful. And I think people that would give him gripe is because they're jealous of his success and you could.
Speaker 2:I won't say any more names, but, like there are other people in our industry that have reached a certain level of success that people crap on and, at the end of the day, is it because you don't have it? Is it because your dogs aren't that good? Is it because what is it that you have a gripe with someone you don't even know? You never sat down and had a beer with, you never sat down and had an hour conversation with and I've been at fault of that too where you think Jimmy well, I shouldn't say Jimmy because Jimmy Rogers, but Tim the tool man, taylor over here, the dog trainer you're jealous of and think he's a jerk Well, buy him a beer and tell me after an hour if you still think he is, because if he is fine, write it off, but don't think he is because he's been successful. Or you see him on social media and you're jealous because that's crap. Sit down and talk with him and learn about his life and things that he's dealt with with his family and overcome. And and then all of a sudden you can go. You know what? That dude's no different than me and you putting our pants on two times, you know, one foot at a time I agree with with that, bob.
Speaker 1:The older I get, the more I'm even more forgiving in that sense and not trying to be judgmental off the bat, which I've been guilty of in my younger years, especially To me, seeing a guy that's how many people that's been on the covers of Forbes magazine can we relate to? None, probably Not me. I've been a business guy. People on the that's been on the covers of Forbes magazine can we relate to? None? Probably, right, not me, and I've been a business guy. But you know, I just think it's awesome that a guy in the gundog world and the hunting world was on the cover, something like that. And again, there's other folks that have reached that level, I guess in some sense. I don't know their finances, just none of my business, and I've even had some folks like that on this podcast and they get criticized so hard and we need to all just listen, man.
Speaker 2:We're not against each other, we're together.
Speaker 1:That's right. We're the few and the proud and we need to stick together. And if you look at countries outside the United States, you know I was in politics for years back home and I don't like to talk about politics on this show. But, however, if you don't think that it can happen here, that you know e-callers are banned, hunting dogs are banned, hunting on puppies, I mean whatever that might be you look at these other countries and see the rules and how strict and what's been taken away. Don't think it can't happen here. And if we don't stick together and support each other, who's going to?
Speaker 2:That's right. That would be my only gripe. And I've had the debates and I've talked with the Bartons and Jeremy Moores and love those dudes, love them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, me too.
Speaker 2:But that's my debate. You can want it or not, you can like it or not like it. Don't push the pedal down too hard that now we don't have it, yeah right, like whether you agree or don't agree on gun rights. Don't push the pedal too hard or we won't have them, don't you know whatever it is, just I don't know. Anywho, let's you want to get into a little dog training stuff? Yes, sirs, yes, let's do it. I'm giddy, up and go All right Now you do seminars.
Speaker 1:I think you do seminars a lot with Standing Stone. Let's talk about that, bob. And if someone wants to come to your seminars, what do they do?
Speaker 2:Yeah, again, I feel like it's one of those things where we build an experience, because it's not just about learning about dogs, it's it's the entire day, from sun up to sundown. So ethan and cat, from standing stone kennels are german short hair folks out of kansas and they become great friends of mine. So so we I think we're on the. This last year was maybe the fourth one, I don't know fourth or fifth, but we've done a seminar once a year, one at their house in Kansas, one at my house here in New York, and it's it's about the versatility, right. So for the German short hair crew that are doing NAVDA, they also need to be really good at retrieving, and that's where I come in, and there's some things that retrievers can learn from what they're learning from or teaching. So we mold it together and we create a really fun time around it. So all the foods included, we cook bad ass meals and or lately we've been taking people to like hot spots that are local to here, that are close, where we'll grab drinks, we'll grab appetizers, and then the you know, on a saturday night it's bonfire and beers and food and tons of fun. Again, you're building a community. You're making it more than just about the dogs and you're talking about everything and you're answering questions, but, um, realistically, all we're trying to do is help people with their dogs, and so we do that every year. This next year so 2026, we'll be here in New York. We call it the Lone Stone Seminar, and so it's Friday night, we'll get together for a happy hour and get to know everybody. Saturday morning crack of dawn, we're rolling out training dogs. Saturday night is bonfire at my house and we're having beers and having fun, playing games, winning prizes from sponsors and stuff like that. And then Sunday is all day, let it rip, keep training.
Speaker 2:I get asked to do seminars for other retriever clubs, and so this year we did Idaho, new Jersey. I did a local one here in New York. Oh, I think I did one more, but I don't remember anymore. And so you know I get to do a weekend away where I just focus on helping people. And it's cool, because you don't, I don't know all the answers. But I also don't know all the answers if I don't get to sit there and look at the dog and look at you and slow you down, speed you up. You know, ease back, push in. You know, whatever it is what the feel is of the moment, that's what I can coach on, and so it's. It's pretty cool.
Speaker 2:It's a neat experience to coach people, and I usually leave. I usually lead up to the seminar going good Lord, I don't have time to do this and I leave the seminar going good Lord. I'm so glad I did it because it's reinvigorating to be around people that love their dogs and are busting their hump trying to make them better and are sponges and and just want to be there and be around you and learn, and so it's. It's a really cool thing. You know, next year I don't know how many I'll do, but I would say, if you want to, you follow Lone Duck on the Instagrams and join the Patreon page, and that's where we announce all our stuff to be up to date on helping people out. That's kind of all it is.
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Speaker 2:It was a blast. Yeah, that was a bucket list thing that I never thought I'd be able to be lucky enough to go and do. That I never thought I'd be able to be lucky enough to go and do. And you know, I raised my hand at the right slash, wrong time during a bid to help my buddy who was running the event. Try and draw numbers up and, lo and behold, I won, slash, lost, and I'm sitting across the table from Ethan and I'm like, well, you're going and my brother's going, and me and Ethan's mutual friend, slash client of mine, peter, like he's gone.
Speaker 2:Well, then it expanded to wives and actually Ethan's uncle who, uncle rich, is the man ton of fun, great dude. So we all went down to Argentina. I think the thing you know. We did a two part podcast with Ethan, kat, kevin and me and the first part was like telling great stories about the hunt and the second part was actually like breaking down logistics, like, do you and your buds want to go on an Argentina hunt? And my biggest takeaway is it's actually affordable. So, like I put it on this pedestal of I'll never get to go to Argentina because I'm not rich, all the people I know that go to Argentina are rich.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the ones I know Really, but in the grand scheme of life Now, I guess if you're making $12 an hour, yeah it might be a stretch, but if you're a normal human in that middle class and you prioritize it over maybe a two year span, it's ridiculously affordable. I paid, I don't care, I paid three grand for the hunt at quail forever. It's normally. I want to say $2,900 per person to go. So these numbers will change and whatever, but if you're tuning in, so I got four spots to hunt for three grand. Now let's say me, you and two other people are sitting at that same banquet and go, let's go in at four ways. Now it's 750 a guy. That's doable, that's so doable. So boom, throw it down, raise your hand. Raise your hand, then our flights weren't terrible. I want to say like eight, 900 bucks a person. So okay, now if you really did it for seven, 50, a person plus 800, you're in it. I'm not a math guy, but about 1500 bucks. Then I want to say maybe 300 a person for like transportation. So you know that person is going to stand there with the sign and he's going to take you where you are safely belonging. 300 bucks divided by four dudes Not bad Then tips. I think we paid 400 bucks in tips. Okay, realistically, it's under four grand per person. If you get lucky to hit it like this, four grand in two years of planning is doable. Maybe not for everybody, but it just to me.
Speaker 2:I had on the pedestal of like I'll never get to afford a $7,000 hunt for three days. That just seems like ridiculous. No, it's not. It's not that much.
Speaker 2:And we went to a place where we had five-star meals, as much wine and beer as you wanted, as much appetizers, as much fun and shooting everything under the sun you wanted to do and experience. We got to do it and we never skimped on anything and everybody walked away going boy, that wasn't that bad financially, it really wasn't, and I think it's something that again I'll say it for the third time I had it on a pedestal. I had it that I'll never get to go to Argentina because only rich people get to go. Well, I can tell you right now I'm not rich and over a two year span of me bidding on it and us going, we were able to block it off and save for it and block it off and save for it to where? At the end of the hunt. It was like I don't even feel it when if I had to slap a credit card down and do it today for the whole shot, you'd be like, ah, I'll pass, that's a lot.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, plan it right, take your time, save your pennies and you and your four buddies go do it. It's ridiculous.
Speaker 1:Well, I want to and I do, like you, I budget for hunts. When I go, I'll budget, you know, a couple of years advanced, especially if something expensive, and well, I don't do crazy expensive anyway. But now let me ask you this, because I got a lot of buddies that go from here to Argentina and hunt, especially in the oil business, all these guys that do that and tell me about it the ammo cost. Yeah, Some of them like say, your hunt cost $2,300, you'll spend like a thousand in ammo or something. Is that accurate?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's accurate. So we it was kevin, my brother and I shot 28 gauge over-unders, which was smart decision, because you're not going right, it's just boom or boom, boom reload. So that was part of what helped us. Plus, I just I always shoot an over and under, so that's just me, right, but it's. It was 23 bucks a box, so twice as much what we would maybe pay here, um, and I think it was sixteen hundred dollars in ammo for me and Kevin. Okay, I think, which is a ton of money. I get it, yeah, but when you really break it down in the entire experience and you have saved for it, I don't want to stop after 100 rounds because you'd be done in 30 minutes. But I also knew that Kevin and I like there was a time uh, my brother's calling me right now, but any who, um.
Speaker 2:So, speaking of the devil, we did say you know, we don't need to be like everybody else. You know, depending on what they want to do, we don't have to be like everybody else, just have be in your comfort zone. So one morning we were laying them down, I mean mowing them, and it's like 11 am and man 1030, we kind of both looked at each other. It's like you shoot, then I shoot, then you shoot, then I shoot, and we had more fun in that hour of just like taking turns and busting chops and, you know, doing trick shots where one handed. You know, yeah, that was more fun, slowing down and doing it that way, than just boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, and so you can make it as expensive as you want with that regard, or you can be medium responsible and walk away with uh, not too bad of a bill okay, do you feel like that it improved your shooting after shooting that much?
Speaker 1:Um, I guess we'll see this duck season and grouse season, but I've heard people say that that they felt like when they left there they were a better shooter.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think. Just you know, listen, I'm from New York. We're not allowed to shoot doves. So when I do get to go dove hunting there's always that little bit of you know reading the situation Are they in range or not? You know that doves dip and dive and duck and and then once you get like, ah, that one was too far or they're not, and you just straight up missed, like you start feeling them out and I would say it took me and kevin the first night we shot a lot of missing. Second day, way way better, birds were working better. And so, yeah, we did, we did well and and I think it helps.
Speaker 2:But I also think you just need to shoot doves, like if you're a killer dove hunter from north carolina, south carolina, georgia, alabama, te, whatever you're going to go there and mow them down. But for a New Yorker like my brother's never even shot at a dove, how do you tell 60 yards and 40 yards? There's such a little target and they move at a speed that's like deceiving. And then when you move, they move and it takes some getting used to, no matter who you are, they move and it takes them getting used to, no matter who you are. And yeah, second day hammer time. Third day hammer time.
Speaker 1:I mean it was fun, bob, as a trainer, as somebody that's young, maybe an up and coming in the, in the gundog world, and maybe even thinking about doing hunt tests. What is your number one piece of advice that you would give to a newcomer to the business, to the sport?
Speaker 2:Number one piece of advice Be overprepared and underwhelmed. That's my biggest piece of advice. Overprepared and underwhelmed, that's my biggest piece of advice. I mean there's 20 others. But biggest piece of advice is have your dog be overprepared and underwhelmed at the event. So if you're running started or junior, be overprepared, underwhelmed.
Speaker 2:You don't want your first dog at a junior test to find its first live flyer that didn't get shot and it's walking around. You don't want its first time at a test where it sees decoys. You don't want it to find its first tall cover and longer mark at 70 yards to be at a junior test. I think the second portion of that is patience. Way too many people run their dog too much and run their dog too young and therefore they get really crappy habits and get away with murder and learn the difference between training and testing. So if you're at a master test, that sucker better smack more than just oh, it's a triple in a blind. Well, it better be able to do long triples and tough blinds and really concepts on water that are difficult, intermixed with the marks and and not be phased. And then you go to the master test and go Holy cow, that wasn't too bad. So that's my biggest piece of advice. I love that. Patience is probably the you know patience.
Speaker 2:Don't I love that going to be your next rock star. What kind of breeding paperwork background? What do you look at? Yeah, yeah, no, that's a great question. I want to see dogs that I'd want to own, right, and that's kind of a question that you already asked, right, but it's dogs that I'd want to own. They're great with other dogs, they're friendly, they're fun to train, meaning you open the box up and they're ready to go, not waking them up saying let's do this.
Speaker 2:So they have work, ethic, determination, grit, guts, a brain in between the ears, team player looks, coat, health. So, on paper, I'm looking at health clearances parents and grandparents what do they have? Paper, I'm looking at health clearances parents and grandparents what do they have? I'm looking at accomplishments that the parents have. So maybe somebody listening to this podcast goes well, I don't want to run hunt tests, but I just want a badass hunting dog. Well, guess what still need to do this research? Because you might buy that AKC registered lab whose parents and grandparents haven't touched water in two generations. They're couch potatoes, but they're AKC registered.
Speaker 2:So I want to do a deeper dive on health, on personality, on looks and intelligence and capability. So if they're Grand Hunter, retriever Champions, if they're Master Hunters, master National Hunters, if they're qualified all age on up to fca, fcs for field trials for the average person. I'm not saying you don't need an fc in there, right, but I think some of the dogs that get bred that hot are real hot and hot to handle. And then some of the grand interview champions and master hunters are hot and hot to handle. And then some of the grand honor, pure champions of master runners are hot and hot to handle. But if you, if you go too low in the caliber of like oh it's so mild mannered, well now it's mild mannered when it's 20 degrees out in central New York and I'm trying to go get an old squad in Lake Ontario and rolling three footers and it won't go. So you got to have that happy medium. Yeah, won't go. So you got to have that happy medium. But health, clearances, intelligence, parents and grandparents that have accomplished something and not just a junior hunter, it's a great accomplishment, it's not to be belittled, but that is the bare minimum. So I want to see parents and grandparents that have achieved some level of success at the high levels and, you know, ask questions.
Speaker 2:You know, when I go and find a stud dog. What's he like in the airing yard? Well, you know he doesn't ever start fights, but he's not afraid of getting into it. Check that one off. I don't want that dog. I don't want him being your neighborhood dog, where other dogs can't come in the yard. I want a normal Labrador that's happy to meet everybody, that wants to play with the kids, go swimming when it's time to swim and then, when it's hammer time, let's go to work. That's what I want.
Speaker 1:Yes, is there a title that you prefer to see on a dog in that breeding?
Speaker 2:Yeah. So I'm looking at a bare minimum for me Master Hunter, grand Hunter, retriever, champion, qualified All-Age those are the three that if they have all three, hell yeah. If they got one of the three, good. But being at a Grand Hunter, retriever, champion, Master Hunter and Qualified All-Age to me kind of encompasses this ability to be grand level steadiness, grand level manners, master, national, like that stuff is extremely difficult, very difficult concepts. And then qualified all age. That means on that day you were the best and baddest mofo in the group. So out of 30 to 60 dogs you are numero uno.
Speaker 1:I like that. I think that's good advice. All right, bob Owens, everybody check him out. Go to his website. He's got training videos. He's on YouTube. He has a great podcast following. Bob, tell everybody where to find you one last time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man, first off, if you've listened this far, I want to just say thank you for tuning in and listening to us. Jibber, jabber, I'm going to do a solid to the gundog nation crew, so I have an online course for force fetch with other courses coming soon, but for right now I'm going to hook up anybody who tuned into this and they want to learn force fetch themselves. It's you can find it on my website the force fetch course. But if you use the code GDN20, it'll be 20% off. So cheers to you and it'll help me, help you or help you, me help you, whatever the case may be, get your dog force fetch so you can take them to the next level.
Speaker 2:Patreoncom forward slash, loneone Duck Outfitters you know, again, it's that community that helps me help you train your dog and we have fun doing it. And then, if you're on Instagram, it's at Lone Duck YouTube videos. Couple hundred YouTube videos so that you can teach your dog. That's my goal. You know, all these little platforms, and even the Patreon, where you buy me a beer All these platforms are here for the listener. They're here. The podcast is all here so that we can help each other get better, expand our sport, meet new people and have fun doing it. So, dude, I appreciate you having me on. It was a ton of fun, and so to everybody listening.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much, bob. Thank you so much and thank you for giving these listeners a discount. Man, I truly appreciate that. You have no idea. All right, hey, we'll be on again. This won't be our last one. Let's do it. Talk to you later. Hello, this is Kenneth Witt with Gun Dog Nation. I'd like to encourage all you listeners and viewers on our YouTube channel to check out patreoncom forward slash Gun Dog Nation. I'd like to encourage all you listeners and viewers on our YouTube channel to check out patreoncom forward slash gundognation. For $10 a month, you can become a member of our community and we'll have access to lots of stuff. Mainly, we'll do a monthly forum, an open forum, where you can ask me anything gundog related and we'll learn from each other in the community. Should be a lot of fun each month. We will do that, so check it out. Patreoncom forward slash gundognation.