What Makes a Good Gundog Game Bag?

A good game bag is one of those pieces of kit that you might not give much thought to — until you're out in the field using a bad one!

Whether we're training dogs, picking-up, working a dog on a shoot or simply carrying dummies and other equipment around the training ground, we want a bag that's practical, comfortable and capable of standing up to proper outdoor use.

At Kugae Gundogs, we're quite particular about the equipment we use. It doesn't need to be complicated, but it does need to do its job properly.

So, what should you actually look for when choosing a gundog game bag?

It Needs to Be Made for the Countryside

This might sound obvious, but a game bag isn't going to have an easy life.

It can be dragged through hedges, brushed against trees, put down on wet ground and used in mud, rain and all sorts of British weather.

That's why the material matters.

We prefer a strong, rot-proof canvas that has the traditional appearance you'd expect from shooting equipment but is also practical enough for regular use.

A game bag should be something you're happy to use, not something you're constantly worried about getting dirty.

Plenty of Space – Without Being Too Bulky

There's a balance to be found with the size of a game bag.

You want enough room for everything you need, but you don't want a huge bag swinging around while you're walking through cover or handling a dog.

Our Kugae game bag measures approximately 44cm wide × 33cm high × 12cm deep, giving you plenty of useful carrying space without becoming unnecessarily cumbersome.

For training, that means room for a selection of dummies and other essentials.

In the shooting field, it gives you a practical bag for carrying the equipment you need throughout the day.

Separate Compartments Make a Big Difference

This is something you really appreciate once you start using a game bag regularly.

One enormous compartment sounds fine until everything ends up mixed together at the bottom.

Having separate compartments allows you to organise your kit much more effectively.

Our Kugae game bag has three nylon-lined compartments, which means you can separate different items rather than having everything thrown together.

For example, when training you might have different sizes or types of dummies in separate sections, while keeping other equipment away from wet or muddy items.

It's a simple feature, but a very useful one.

A Lining That's Easy to Deal With

If you're using a game bag properly, at some point it's going to get dirty.

That's why we wanted our compartments to be nylon lined.

Mud, wet training dummies and general field use are all part of working with gundogs, so practicality is far more important to us than having a bag that looks immaculate.

A good game bag should be designed around the reality of using it outdoors.

Strong Buckles and Fittings

The smaller details are often what separate a bag that lasts from one that doesn't.

If you're regularly carrying weight in a game bag, the buckles, clips and strap adjusters all take plenty of strain.

For that reason, we prefer metal fittings rather than relying heavily on plastic components.

Our bag uses metal buckles and clips along with a metal strap adjuster.

It's a small detail, but exactly the sort of thing we look at when choosing equipment we're going to use regularly ourselves.

An Adjustable Strap

Everyone carries a game bag slightly differently.

You might want it higher when you're training, lower when walking or adjusted depending on the clothing you're wearing.

During the shooting season, you're also likely to be wearing considerably more layers than you would during summer training.

An adjustable shoulder strap allows you to position the bag where it's comfortable and where you can easily reach what you need.

Again, it's not a particularly exciting feature — but you'll certainly notice if your bag doesn't have one!

Don't Forget Your Cartridges

For those using their bag in the shooting field, somewhere convenient to carry cartridges is another useful feature.

Our Kugae game bag incorporates a 12-cartridge holder, keeping cartridges organised and easily accessible rather than loose amongst everything else in the bag.

For us, a good game bag should be versatile enough to move between dog training and a day in the field.

What Do We Carry in a Game Bag for Gundog Training?

You certainly don't need to take every piece of equipment you own every time you train your dog.

What you carry will depend entirely on what you're planning to work on that day.

Typically, a training bag might contain things such as:

Different training dummies
A spare slip lead
Whistle and lanyard
Puppy or lightweight dummies when working youngsters
Bird-style dummies for more advanced retrieves
Any other small training equipment needed for that particular session

The important thing is to have a plan before you start training.

Don't fill a bag with ten different pieces of equipment and then randomly decide what you're going to do when you reach the field.

Know what you're trying to achieve with the dog first and take the equipment that helps you achieve it.

A Game Bag Isn't Just for Shooting

Despite the name, you certainly don't need to shoot to find a game bag useful.

For anyone regularly training a Labrador, spaniel or HPR outdoors, it's simply a very practical way of carrying your equipment.

Rather than trying to hold several dummies, a lead and everything else while handling your dog, you can keep your hands free and your equipment organised.

That's particularly useful when you're walking any distance between different training areas.

What We Look for at Kugae

For us, good gundog equipment should be practical, durable and straightforward.

We don't need unnecessary gadgets.

We want equipment that works when we're out training dogs in real conditions.

That's the thinking behind our own Kugae Gundogs Game Bag.

It features:

Rot-proof canvas construction
Three nylon-lined compartments
Metal buckles and clips
Metal strap adjuster
Adjustable shoulder strap
12-cartridge holder
Canvas piping
Approx. 44cm × 33cm × 12cm

It's designed as a practical game and training bag that can be used throughout the year, whether you're heading out for a training session or spending a day in the shooting field.

Buy Once and Look After It

Good shooting and gundog equipment shouldn't need replacing every season.

After a particularly wet or muddy day, empty your bag rather than leaving wet equipment sitting inside it.

Allow the bag and its contents to dry properly before putting everything away.

It's also worth checking your dummies before storing them. Putting soaking wet or dirty equipment straight back into your bag and leaving it there isn't going to do either the dummies or the bag any favours.

A little basic care can make good-quality equipment last considerably longer.

The Kugae Gundogs Game Bag

Our Kugae Gundogs Game Bag is available through our online shop and has been selected with the same approach we take to all of our training equipment — would we actually want to use it ourselves?

Whether you're training a young gundog, carrying equipment around the training field or preparing for the shooting season, a good game bag quickly becomes one of those pieces of kit you reach for every time you head out.

You can browse our game bag alongside our range of training dummies, leads, whistles, lanyards and other gundog training equipment on the Kugae Gundogs website.

https://www.kugaegundogs.uk/collections

And if you're unsure which equipment would be most suitable for your dog or the stage they're at in their training, get in touch with us at Kugae Gundogs and we'll be happy to advise.

📞 WhatsApp: 07505 014363 📧 Email: info@kugaegundogs.uk