Actually, I had a guy (not a hunter, a poacher and lowlife) tell me that's how he trains his bird dogs.
I made the mistake of hunting with him once, and he saw my sweet little 60 pound setter (awesome dog) in the field and decided he'd steal her (kept offering to buy her and I told him she was NOT for sale, any price, and I wouldn't sell him a dog anyway).
Finally, I put her in the house, I worried so much about this asswipe with my dog. One day, I let her out in the front yard (had a picket fence) and was watching when he drove by, slammed on his brakes, and pulled over in my yard.
Just as he was headed for my fence, I stepped outside and told him "That dog is NEVER outside without my watching her. She lives in my house, and the only way you'll get her is to come into my house, and I WILL shoot your ass when you do."
And I meant it.
Yep, I know exactly. Come September each year, my Brittany got locked up or was never out of our sight. My DH was absolutely paranoid about it, but I hadn't experienced having a hunting dog stolen before, so I wasn't quite as hyper as he was.
It made him mad because I took her everywhere in the car with me, then would leave her in it when I ran inside to pick up whatever (not on hot days, not for very long, always with a window cracked) -- he was certain she was being stalked by those with an eye for "bird dog quality" and that I was just inviting unwanted attention. It was like she was a little beauty pageant winner!
She was never stolen, BTW. If she had been, I think the dognappers would've been sorry--she would've lit into them pretty fiercely, I think
Is she back from the breeder yet? Will she be a happy mother made?
There's a special place in perdition for low-life garfish types who'll steal a hunting dog.
Unfortunately, my little retriever girl is so friendly, she'll go with ANYbody and work for ANYbody. She's the meet-and-greet dog at any hunt test day. I can loan her out to people at agility training, and she'll run the course with enthusiasm and watch them like a hawk. And of course she'll pick up anybody's birds if given half a chance.
I never leave her in the yard unattended, she's really a house dog that also works . . .