For centuries, hunting has been male law and male privilege. Dangerous, requiring maximum effort, vital for the livelihood of a tribe, clan or family - this was it thousands of years ago. Today it is a hobby, entertainment and only occasionally work. Why was hunting instead of hard work an exciting adventure? The first is the use of firearms, the second is the breeding of special dog breeds, which greatly facilitate the work of the hunter.
Like hunting
Laika is one of the most versatile hunting breeds. She is hardy and strong, not afraid of water, even icy. Thick hair protects the dog from sharp branches and from the teeth of dangerous game - for example, hunting with a husky for marten is safer than with dogs of short-haired breeds. Some hunters blame the willfulness of these northern dogs - sometimes they refuse to carry the game to the owner or simply do not fully understand what is required of them. This is only partially true. Likes really require more attention, their training must begin at a very young age. But trained in a certain way, they do not allow themselves to be whims.
Who can I hunt with like
- To the bird. They are used for hunting both waterfowl and land. When training, special attention should be paid to the careful acceptance of shot game (grabbing the mouth), because puppies sometimes begin to rudely prey on their prey.
- On the bear. Bear likes require special training. Since bear hunting is perhaps the most dangerous in our country, the requirements for the quality of dogs are also the highest. The task of the four-legged helpers during such a hunt is not to bark the beast, and even more so not to tear it up, but to seat it, that is, grabbing it with its jaws and making it sit on the ground. This gives the hunter the opportunity to shoot unhindered.
- Moose hunting. In this case, the dog must be taught composure and patience - when they come out to the beast, huskies should not rush at him and bite. Their task is to bring the hunter to the beast with his bark or, if the moose "breaks", to accompany him at a safe distance, constantly giving voice and without losing sight of the animal.
There is one more kind of "catch" about which in this article we will tell in more detail. This is a hunt with a husky for a marten - an animal with very valuable fur. Despite the small size of the beast, such a trophy is considered serious and prestigious.
Where to find this beast?
In order to get the marten, you need to understand how to look for it. So where does the marten live? Most often, this small predator is located on the upper tier of the forest, extremely reluctantly going down, and it does descend to the ground just for hunting.
Despite the modest size of the marten, it is a bloodthirsty, ferocious, fast and skillful predator. Capercaillie, black grouse, hares, as well as almost everyone who is smaller in size become its victims. In the absence of other game, she hunts even vole mice! An interesting fact is that the marten is a big "sweet tooth", and just like a bear, it "takes" honey from bees.
The dwelling of a human marten also does not pass by. It is mainly attracted to chicken coops and cages with rabbits. If the owners did not properly protect their outbuildings, then by morning they would definitely not count a pair of hens or a rabbit.
The correct methods of prey for this predator
Hunting with a like for a marten is good in that this breed of dog is genetically adapted to chasing and barking a fur-bearing animal. The season of hunting for a small predator begins in October - it was at this time that the animal has the most beautiful and thick fur.
You need to leave early in the morning. Well, if a little snow fell before the hunt, then it will be easier for the like to find the track. After the dog has taken the track, she walks along it until it finds a beast. As we recall, most often the animal is located on the upper tier of trees, and there is just the right place for an excellent flair for this breed, which allows you to find the animal even in the thickest thickets.
After the marten is discovered, the husky calls the hunter with his voice. Most often, small predators do not wait for the shooter to approach, but begin to move away from the dogs barking at them through the trees. Here begins the most difficult task - not to miss the rapidly moving animal. Additional hindering factors are the small size of the animal, its mobility and cunning, it can dramatically change the direction of movement and hide in the dense crown of the tree. As we see, hunting with a husky on a marten is not an easy task.
The most unpleasant option is when the animal is hiding in someone’s hollow or in another place inaccessible to direct gaze. In this case, it is necessary to gently push the animal from its shelter by tapping or scratching the trunk. The main thing in this matter is not to overdo it, since a too-frightened marten will fly away into the distance with lightning speed, and everything will have to start all over again.
In exceptional cases, the animal can go down to the ground, hiding under a fallen trunk, in a pile of brushwood or other ground shelter. This is the most difficult case for the hunter. Here he can only rely on the instincts of his four-legged assistant - if he is well trained, then most likely he will find a place.
A little more difficult than usual is the marten hunting with a husky at night. For the dog, the main "search engine" is the scent, so the main difficulties the darkness gives the hunter.
How to train a dog in this type of hunting
As for every hunting "specialization", a husk must be brought up for the marten rut. Preparation should start from 2-3 months of age. The puppy needs to be taken to the forest, it is better not to be in the thick - it will be easier to observe its actions. In the forest you need to let him go from the leash and let him walk independently, explore the surroundings. Starting from 15-20 minutes, the walk time gradually increases to 3 or more hours. After the first adaptation is completed, the puppy is taught to search.
They start with the simplest - the hunter walks curved, and the puppy must follow him, not lagging behind. Gradually, the speed of movement and change of direction increases, complicating the task of the dog. Then the hunter begins to hide from a four-legged friend, giving him the opportunity to find him. The basic rules in these exercises are that the dog should always achieve a positive result, and each success should be encouraged with an affectionate word, ironing, a piece of goodies. If this is done continuously, the dog will do its job much more efficiently. Hunting a marten with a gun along with a husky is a joint effort, and its success depends on the coordinated efforts of both miners, both bipedal and four-legged.
When the dog is strong enough and mature, they begin to train it more seriously - they allow it to chase the beast or bird, bark them. After some time, you can start shooting “from under the dog,” but you need to be careful here, as a young husky can be very scared of a close shot, which will subsequently affect her hunting talents. It is best to start firing in the distance so that the four-legged assistant is used to the sound of firearms.
The final stage of preparation is the marten hunting in winter. At this point, the dog should know the basic commands, be accustomed to the sounds of a shot, accustomed to barking and chasing the beast. Having tracked and shot the beast, it is necessary to carefully monitor that the dog does not rattle the prey, and this happens all the time in young and temperamental huskies. At the command "no," she must give up prey. After this, the dog must be praised and awarded a treat.
How to achieve the best result in preparation
The young dog does not yet know all the intricacies of his craft, the tricks and tricks of animals. Therefore, for better training of the "teenager", you can take it with you to hunt along with experienced likes. Watching them, he will master the correct behavior. But such a training should not last longer than a season, otherwise the dog will not learn independence and determination.
Laika is best trained in the same region where it is supposed to track the game with her. Hunting in Siberia and hunting in the Leningrad region are two different things. The presence of other animals, the density of the undergrowth and snow cover - all this is of no small importance.
Marten habitat
Where can I find this predatory animal? Almost throughout the European part of Russia. Hunting in Siberia is also possible, although not in all regions. Depending on the region, subspecies of this animal are distinguished: Murmansk, Kuban, northern, western, central and Ural martens.
What you need to know for a successful marten hunt
Not only the dog must be trained to "catch" a certain beast, but also its owner. Hunting a marten with a gun is not an easy task. Therefore, it is necessary to study the theoretical part - read literature, watch videos, chat with experienced hunters. In the practical part, it would be useful to go hunting as an observer or just a shooter.
For the dog, the owner’s confidence is very important - if he guides it with a firm hand, is consistent in his decisions, then the dog will be calmer and better fulfill its task.
How else can you hunt a marten?
There are many ways to get the beast without the help of four-legged friends. One of these methods involves the use of snares - traps of various designs. Hunting for the marten with traps involves the use of traps - they can be placed both at the places of the animal’s passage, and at the nesting place. Traps must be placed above the ground so that the animal could not reach it with its paws, otherwise the failed prey will simply run away. For successful fishing with a trap, you need to know where the marten lives, as well as where it usually feeds.
Now you know how the marten hunt happens.