Blaze
Blaze
Another cool morning in July, God is good. I took Blaze, Tur Bo, Luke and only 6 pigeons to the county park near my home. Yesterday, I took 9 pigeons to the park and only 7 came home, so today, I only have enough pigeons for 2 for each dog. There was a really heavy dew this morning. By the time I had hid the first 2 pigeons I was wet to my waist.
I heeled Blaze out to the edge of the field and whoaed her. I walked a circle around her then tapped her head to release her. She was out of sight in the tall grass almost immediately. When I got to the first bird she was on point. I took some pictures then walked around kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She never moved. I went to her and stroked her sides then tapped her on the head to release her. When the dogs do everything right I’m going to release them quickly.
I started toward the next pigeon and I saw her come around close to where the release trap was hidden. She pointed then moved up a step or two. I whoaed her and when I got to her I saw she was right on top of the trap. I picked her up and set her back where she originally pointed. I spent a long time kicking the cover. If they don’t do it right they have to stay on point for a long time. I finally flushed the bird. She didn’t move. I walked around kicking the cover for quite awhile then started toward her to release her and she took a step. I picked her up and set her back then went back to kicking the cover. Finally, I tapped her on the head to release her. She hunted back to the stake out area.
Luke
Luke
I heeled Luke to the edge of the field and whoaed him. I walked straight away from him then circled around behind him, then back to tap him on the head to release him. At first I only saw the weeds moving then he came into an area of shorter grass and went on point. I took some pictures then walked in front of him kicking the grass. I flushed the bird and shot the blank pistol. He never moved. I went to him and tapped him on the head to release him.
He went from the first pigeon to the second like he was the one that put them out. I followed and saw him go on point. He looked so good I took some more pictures. I walked in front of him, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He never moved. I went to him and tapped him on the head. He went back to hunting and when I got back to the stake out area he was no where in sight. I called him but he didn’t come in. I changed the transmitter to the e-collar that was around his neck and held the button down on level 3. He immediately showed up on the trail and I released the button. He came to me and I staked him out.
Tur Bo
Tur Bo He’s hard to see but he’s in there.
I heeled Tur Bo to the edge of the bird field and whoaed him. I tell him whoa, drop the piggin’ string and keep walking straight ahead. He took a step to follow me but he looked like, “oh no, I screwed up.” He stopped, immediately. I held the button on the transmitter, to the e-collar on his flanks, down on level 2 and picked him up and set him back. I made him stand while I made 3 circles around him before I tapped his head to release him.
He went to hunting by checking every area where I had put birds before but I had walked farther than normal to hide these pigeons. He continued to work back and forth in front of me until he pointed the first bird. I took some pictures then walked in front of him. I came back to him to hold his collar and flushed the pigeon. He didn’t even pull against the collar. I stroked his sides then tapped his head to release him.
For some reason Tur Bo went to the east side of the field. There must have been some scent in that area (maybe some turkeys came through that area) because he stayed for a long time. At first I thought if I was real quiet he would come looking for me but he wasn’t leaving that area, so I called him. I was standing about 25 yards from the second bird but the cover was so thick that if I hadn’t been watching he would have been hard to find. I took some pictures and the second photo was in the thick cover. I walked to him, held his collar and flushed the bird. Again he didn’t pull against the collar. I stroked his sides then tapped his head to release him. He hunted back to the truck.
When I closed up my pigeons tonight 1 of the 2 that I lost was back. They are just learning to come back from a distance of 2 or 3 miles. Maybe the other one will show up tomorrow. After they learn to come back from short distances I can take them farther away and they will return. Without birds I can’t train my dogs.