Did a little more digging on the Petsbest and the only hangup I see is that for the “accident only” it would not cover an ACL surgery.

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Ended up ordering some from a local company in the north metro named Alclair. They have a office/shop that you can stop in at without an appointment and get the molds done for free. They have a passive plug that has a filter in it similar to the Westone’s. Price was competitive at $157 shipped to my door. I ordered them about two weeks ago so hopefully getting them any day now. They also make an electric style that are much more expensive, but it sounds like they run 30% off sales now and then.

Haha no need to bow. The name is derived from St. Louis County up in Arrowhead of Minnesota. We have always loved that area of the state and we were already leaning to Louie for a name.

We have been giving our older springer glucosamine since he was about 10. Definitely helped him the past few years. We were just giving him normal glucosamine/chondroitin for humnans from Costco since the vet said it was fine and way cheaper than the dog marketed stuff. I listened to this podcast last year and it has a bunch of pretty good info for older hunting dogs.

https://music.youtube.com/podcast/r4qXc7AROWQ

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Thanks for the input. Ya I have never had to get a prescription for flea and tick meds, but heartworm meds it seems you have to have a prescription and at our current vet they require an annual blood draw before you can get the prescription.

Just got a quote for accident only for my new pup that would be 10,000 annual max and $250 deductible through Pets Best. Looks like it would be $108 per year. Doesn’t seem too bad.

The new pup’s AKC registered name is going to be ” Willowbrook’s St. Louie of the Arrowhead”, but will go by Louie.

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Thanks guys. Still trying to decide on one. Have a couple in mind, but want to see which one fits the best after getting to know him a little better.

Well that happened faster than I thought. Picked up the newest addition to our family today. He is already 15 weeks old. Smaller breeder in centeral MN. Had good bloodlines so we pulled the trigger. WillowBrook Kennels

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Got out for the first time earlier this week. The two we got held really close (father in law shot the head off of the one) and we kicked up a handful of hens too. Pretty happy for only driving about an hour from the south metro.

Kind of bittersweet since my springer that is now blind was not in the field with me for the first time. Just not the same without your own dog out there. Time to get another pup.

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Just looked it up on the Westone website and the Mendota Heights location is listed as an option. The doc was trying to talk me out of getting them and said you probably don’t even need hearing protection for pheasant hunting. The whole appointment was just strange.

I had an appointment yesterday at the American Best Hearing in Mendota Heights and asked to get a set of the westone defenders ordered and the doc said he had never heard of them. He didn’t really seem to have a good grasp on the options. I left without getting anything ordered. He did give me a soundgear brochure and it looks like they make a similar passive plug to the westone. There is not as much info on the soundgear brand attenuation levels. I will probably end up going to a different place and getting the Westones ordered.

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Good looking pup Lindyrig!

I am looking to get another springer pup in the near future. The breeder I have used in the past is not scheduled to have a litter till spring of 2025. Does anyone know of any good breeders in Minnesota or surrounding states that might have a litter yet this year or early 2025?

I always have some carprofen on hand to either give my old dog before the hunt and to help after. You have to get it through the vet, but it is pretty much ibuprofen but for dogs. My 11 year old springer suddenly went blind this past spring so not sure he will do much hunting any more. He still has a great nose so might try to hunt some grassland early season with him. Definitely going to give him one last easy hunt at a game farm that very well could be his last hunt of his life…

I will be out of town this weekend so might try and get out the following. I was in SD last weekend duck hunting and we kicked up a fair number of pheasants and man did it get me excited for the season. Lot of corn coming off the fields on our way home in western MN so that is encouraging too. Best of luck to those that make it out.

Thanks, I will look them up. Did they give you a cost estimate prior to setting up an appointment?

Has anyone gone to an ENT in the south metro area that offers these passive shooter plugs that Gitchi recommended. I would like to get some ordered and if I can narrow down a vendor without having to call a bunch of them that would be nice.

Thanks for the input! Going to have to wait till later next week once I have a better idea of the weather to make the call on bringing the boat. Are there special regs for boating on lake superior in Wisconsin?

Bearcat89 wrote:

That gun used in the woods should be mastered in many applications. Just like shooting my hunting bow in a target league, just pushes one to be the best they can with the equipment they will use in the field.

I did a season of sporting clays a handful of years ago purely to get better at wing shooting. Even though I got made fun of, I would not shoulder my gun and yell pull, but have it down in the ready position by my hip so that I could learn the muscle memory of shouldering my gun as I swung to get on target. No idea what they teach kids in trap now adays, but I recall you would already have your gun shouldered prior to the clay flying.

I have an SX3 and it has been a great gun. It shoots everything from small trap loads to 3.5″ heavy loads. Would not hesitate to buy an SX4, and like you said they are easier on the wallet than a lot of the other autoloaders. It is a gas operated gun so should have less kick for a kid too vs inertia.

Is there a low pressure fuel pump that supplies the FSM that might not be functioning properly?

Ya we feed him pumpkin as well, he really likes it! We did a supper slow transition between foods, but there must just be something in the Kirkland brand that doesn’t agree with his stomach.

Thanks for all the recommendations guys. Happy to say his poop is finally back to normal after trying a few Kirkland brand foods without success. The purple Kirkland bag did not sit well with his stomach. We ended up going with Purina One.

Is there much difference between the Myakka and Cypress rods? Looks like the Myakka has micro guides. I could use a M power rod for pitching heavier jigs. Also, looks like they have a panfish series Aether UL that comes out to only $55 that I might have to pull the trigger on.

Just purchased mine this morning via a computer. Not sure if it shows up different via phone vs computer web browser.

The plastic boards are pretty expensive! This is just from Mcmaster-carr ,but $500+ shipping for a 4×8 board. This is Starboard or or Polyethylene (HDPE)

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What are some other materials you guys would suggest/have used as an alternative to wood? Looks like another wood option is MDO boards that are similar to marine grade and available at Menards.

Did you have the outboard in either forward or reverse before removing the foot? I had a similar vintage motor and had it in neutral when I pulled the lower unit and just by manually turning the prop it would shift out of neutral into gear on the lower only. Without knowing this when you reassemble it the power head thinks your still in neutral, but the lower is now in gear. I would try and determine if it slipped into gear on the lower and try and get the two back in sync if possible.

The gate was still sitting there, but moved to one side. I am not 100% sure if some one just moved it over or if it is technically open according to the city of St. Paul. There was not sign up saying that it was closed. 3Rivers is there a website that has this information or are you calling the city to get this info?