Written by Scott Linden
The hunting dog lifestyle means covering a lot of ground. Frequently. The UBCO 2x2 is already earning its keep around the ranch and in the field. High-drive dogs need more exercise than most humans can provide on foot. Distance and speed are the variables. We can’t possibly run far enough or fast enough to get a canine athlete into the shape needed to hunt long and hard… but the UBCO 2x2 can. Mature dogs need 10-15 miles a day. Some of those miles are at, well, a “dog trot,” and cruising alongside the UBCO is ideal. Some miles are “roading” where a dog must pull against some weight – rigging the UBCO is simpler than saddling the horse and there is no feeding (or cleanup) required! Every day, the elation of running balls-out is to dogs what sex is to us. Why not give them more of it with a vehicle that never has bad knees or an energy-robbing late night? Dog training is a life-long process, rewarding in itself, more so with the right gear. The UBCO helps me plant training birds at a greater distance while the dog cools his heels in his crate. My young homing pigeons can be released at greater and greater distances as they mature, learning to return to their loft from miles away. On the road, if there is no field to run my dogs, a dirt road or two-track are controlled running destinations for a dog with pent-up energy looking for something to chew up. For a bird hunter and dog trainer, the UBCO 2x2 helps me get my dogs into Olympic-level condition so they can perform at their peak, day in and day out. We can’t possibly run far enough or fast enough to get a canine athlete into the shape needed to hunt long and hard… but the UBCO 2x2 can. The “electric aesthetic” also gives me the freedom to go the extra mile, literally, if my truck is too big, too heavy, or otherwise restricted from hunting grounds for fun and (hopefully) profit. Park the UBCO at a good spot, lock it, mark the waypoint on GPS, and return at the end of the hunt. Field trials – where we put canine athletes to the ultimate test – are another application. Horses are everywhere, but unfazed by the silent, stink-free UBCO when we plant birds, wrangle competitors, run the course for hazards or deliver water to judges on the far horizon. On a hunt, “town,” such as it is, can be miles away. Errands are a breeze on a quiet and easy-to-maneuver UBCO. Hauling gear on a conservation project without pissing off hikers and mountain bikers is a bonus (if they would only pitch in once in a while!). Managing habitat – from fence building to feeding wildlife – is quiet, quicker and an adventure now instead of a chore. Like any tool, UBCO use requires judgment, concern for other users, and in my case, serving as an example for hundreds of thousands of viewers on television. Used judiciously, UBCO can enhance a hunting experience while maintaining a careful balance of concern for the environment, respect for other outdoor users, and honoring the game we pursue.

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