Before sunrise, while most of the world is still asleep, one team is already gearing up for what they do best: working the fields in search of pheasants.
Chestnut, a four-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer owned by Amy and Kyle Filicky in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, spends his days doing exactly what a versatile sporting dog loves most: exploring, hunting, and spending time with his family.
During on-trail adventures, days pointing in the field, and even accompanying his owner on the job as a botanist, the right gear is important for Chestnut’s safety and comfortability; that’s why he gears up in Rex Specs.
Early Mornings and Pre-Hunt Rituals
For Kyle and Chestnut, hunting mornings start early and always require three things: food for fuel, water for hydration, and music to get their heads in the game.
“Before every hunt, Chestnut eats his go-to meal, Purina Pro Plan and hydrates with a lot of water. On the ride to the Gamelands, he typically listens to Eminem to get in the zone,” shares Kyle.
Chestnut puts his game face on, and Kyle says “he knows we are going pheasant hunting when we are about 2 minutes away from his favorite gamelands. Once the sun comes up, and it is legal shooting time, we begin hunting!”
Protection in the Field
Just after sunrise, when legal shooting hours begin, Kyle and Chestnut gear up and take to the field. Chestnut’s must have gear? His Orange Rex Specs V2 Goggles, orange MoMarsh Neoprene Safety Vest, Garmin T5 E-Collar paired with the Alpha 300 handheld tracker, a water bottle and bowl, and of course some dog treats.
On a typical outing, the pair might hike anywhere from two to six miles through fields and brush. “The most we ever walked was ten miles in a single outing,” says Kyle. “In Pennsylvania, you can be in a variety of different habitats ranging from the Appalachian Mountains, rolling hills, and open herbaceous meadows… Many gamelands have altered habitats such as grasslands and scrub-shrub areas to support pheasants and increase their survivability. Also, in some portions of the state, you may encounter bears, rattlesnakes, and ticks.”
Even down to his goggles, each piece of Chestnut’s gear was meticulously thought through. “We always wear safety orange to be visible to other hunters within the area,” Kyle shares.
Because of the varying terrain, having the right protection can be the difference between leaving with pheasants in tow, or leaving with a hefty vet bill.
Chestnut’s Role on the Hunt
Chestnut’s primary job during hunting outings is to locate and point on pheasants, and he excels at it. His natural ability and intelligence make him a great bird dog and partner for Kyle in the fields.
“Chestnut hunts close to me, by not getting any further than 50-feet from during the hunt. When we encounter a pheasant, Chestnut will track the scent and get within 3 to 5-feet before pointing. This allows me and other hunters to get close for a great shot opportunity. If a pheasant is downed, Chestnut will find the pheasant and stand next to it.”
In Pennsylvania, hunters are limited to hunting two pheasants per day. “ Sometimes you find them within 15 minutes and sometimes you don’t find them at all,” Kyle shares. “Either way, it is always great to get out with Chestnut! I am confident that both of our favorite potions of the hunt are when Chestnut is tracking a pheasant and pointing. It is truly amazing to see and experience.”
After miles of walking and hours of tracking, Chestnut heads home ready for a well-earned rest. He’ll usually nap for an hour or two before bouncing back with plenty of energy for a walk, a game of fetch, or time with the family.
Why Chestnut Hunts in Goggles
Two years ago, after a successful opening day of pheasant hunting season, Kyle noticed that something wasn’t quite right with Chestnut.
“After we filled our limit of two pheasants, I noticed Chestnut squinting and blinking his eyes very quickly. Plant material including seeds, sticks, and leaf material was stuck in each eye.”
Kyle made the quick decision to take Chestnut to his veterinarian, where his eyes were analyzed, flushed, and it was determined that he had scratched both of his corneas.
Thankfully, after a few weeks of eye drops, Chestnut’s eyes were fully healed - but Kyle remembered seeing a dog wearing goggles while sandhill crane hunting, and took to the web. “After doing some research, I found Rex Specs goggles and ordered a pair of the V2 goggles that night.
“When the goggles arrived, they were easy to set up, including snapping the lens into the goggles and adjusting them to fit Chestnut's head. As we put the goggles on Chestnut’s head, he immediately tried to get them off. We proceeded to give him some cheese and took him in the backyard to continuously fetch. After 10 to 15 minutes, Chestnut could care less that they were on,” says Kyle.
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Built for More than the Hunt
When the duo isn’t tracking and pointing at birds, you can often find Chestnut sleeping until mid-day, getting the zoomies around the house with his favorite ball, playing fetch outside, going on walks with his family, and hitting up hiking trails.
“Chestnut wears his goggles anytime we go on a hike on or off the trail. In the winter, when it is snowing or very windy, he will also wear his goggles,” says Kyle. Safety is paramount when having fun and on the job.
As a botanist for Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc, Kyle regularly travels to see rare, threatened, and endangered plant species. “Chestnut is my main botany buddy and has probably observed more endangered plant species than most dogs and humans,” he says.
You can follow along with Chestnut’s hunting adventures on YouTube at Flick Fowl - YouTube, where you can see Chestnut’s point-of-view while pheasant hunting: DOG POV Pheasant Hunt | Mountain View Acres | Windber, Pennsylvania.