Even though it was still warm I have been taking care of some quail and I’m getting tired of it. Austin Farley and I needed to work some dogs on retrieving so I caught ten quail, loaded the release traps, Sally and Tur Bo and headed over to Austin’s place. His place is in the country and he can shoot there.
Austin’s setter Joker pointing a quail.
Austin and Joker.
Sally pointing a quail.
Austin is running Joker in a field trial where the dogs must retrieve. Joker is a natural retriever that doesn’t like wet birds. Since their run is early in the morning we need to work Joker to get him past the problem of wet birds.
Sally and Tur Bo have been worked on the retrieving bench to the point they will retrieve about anything I throw. They should retrieve birds that I have shot but they haven’t made that connection. I couldn’t take them to the end of the force retrieving because I can’t shoot birds here. I live in the city limits.
I have been having Sally and Tur Bo retrieve a frozen quail after they point a pigeon I have hidden in a release trap. I toss the quail down near the release trap and have them hunt dead. After they find the frozen quail and bring it to me I throw it a few times for them. They seem to enjoy retrieving.
Since Austin and Joker were in a field trial, we needed to work Joker quite a few times. I hid a quail in each of the two release traps I had brought, in the tall, green grass. The hay on this field had been cut once but was about ready for a second cutting.
There was an old abandoned fence row running through the field and Joker started down it as a good wild bird dog should. I had hidden the birds out in the hay field because that’s probably what they would be hunting in the field trial. Austin called him in and when he got in front of us he stretched out with a high tail, in a real pretty point.
Austin went in front of Joker kicking the tall grass. I flushed the quail and it dropped when he shot. Joker ran to it, picked it up and dropped it. Austin kept telling him to fetch and he picked the bird up and brought it to him. Austin threw the quail and Joker ran to it and brought it back. He threw the bird 3 times and Joker retrieved it quickly each time.
He released Joker to hunt. Joker moved on through the tall grass to the next bird and pointed. In his field trial Joker won’t get any points for style but if he did he would get a lot. Every time he looks really good. When Austin signaled as he was kicking the grass in front of Joker I flushed the quail. The bird didn’t get very high so Austin shot in the air. The quail flew to the abandoned fence row where the grass was extremely tall. Joker went to the right spot but couldn’t come up with the bird.
Luke pointing a pigeon.
Austin and I walked to the area of the quail, as if this would help. Joker knew the bird was close. He saw it go down. He kept looking in the tall grass. After a few minutes he came up with the bird and brought it to Austin. Austin threw it a couple of times for him and then put him on a chain.
We reloaded the traps and I brought Sally out. I had an e-collar on her and a check cord in case I had to pull her to me. When I turned her loose she ran down the abandoned fence row. I called her into the field. When she got close to the first quail she went on point. I walked in front of her kicking the grass. I flushed the quail and it dropped when Austin shot.
Sally ran to the quail and put her nose on it but didn’t grab it. After nosing it around she picked it up but dropped it. I kept telling her to fetch. Finally, she picked the bird up and I called her to me. She brought the quail and I petted her for several seconds before taking the bird. I threw it 3 times for her. She understands that. She retrieved it each time.
We went on toward the next bird and she pointed it. I flushed it after walking in front of her kicking the cover. This bird went down in real tall grass and she had trouble finding it. We went close to where the bird had fallen. I was close when she found the bird so she only turned toward me with the bird in her mouth. I took it from her after petting her for a few seconds. I threw it 3 times for her then put her in the box on the truck.
Mann on point.
We moved the traps and reloaded them. We brought Joker out again. The quail weren’t flying real well. They are old enough but it may of been because of the wet grass. Joker pointed. As Austin walked in front of him kicking the grass I flushed the bird. It dropped into the tall grass when Austin shot. Joker ran right to the area of the fall but the bird had run.
We waited for a while then walked over to keep him in the area. About the time we got there he found it. He took it to Austin. Austin threw it several times and he retrieved it each time. We went on toward the next bird.
Joker pointed. He always looks good on his points. As Austin walked in front of him I flushed the quail. It dropped at Austin’s shot. Joker ran out, found the bird and came right back. He dropped it at Austin’s feet. Austin threw it several times and Joker retrieved it each time. I think he’s loosing his aversion to the wet quail. Austin put him on the chain.
We reloaded the release traps and I got Tur Bo out. He too went down the abandoned fence line. That’s the only break in the hay field. The dogs know where the birds should be. I called him out into the field. He got a little of the scent and went toward the bird. He was going pretty fast then slammed on the brakes. I walked in front of him and flushed the quail. It dropped when I shot and Tur Bo ran to it, picked it up and came back to me as I called him. The bird was still alive but it looked like he was really chomping it. When he dropped it in my hand it was still alive. I threw it for him 3 times and he retrieved it to me each time. After the second time the bird was no longer alive.
Another picture of Mann pointing a pigeon.
We went on toward the next bird. When he got close he pointed. I walked in front of him kicking the cover then flushed the quail. The bird only flew a few feet. I shot into the air and it flew on toward the barn where the rest of the dogs were. I couldn’t shoot so we let it go. I put Tur Bo back in the dog box.
We reloaded the traps and worked Joker one more time. I let Austin shoot my side by side. When Joker pointed he walked in front kicking the cover. I flushed the wrong trap and we lost the other bird. When I flushed the quail that Joker was pointing it didn’t fly very far and Austin shot into the air. Joker ran to the spot the quail had flown to. The bird had run a short distance and he found it and brought it to Austin. Austin threw it several times for him.
We went into the area of the other trap but we didn’t find the bird I had mistakenly released. Neither Austin or I had seen where it went. In the tall green grass it’s hard to find them when you see them go down. We took him back to the truck.
I think this helped Joker get over his problem with wet birds. I hope so anyway. For the field trial they are going to it’s 100% chance of rain. The birds will be wet.
Tur Bo’s daughter at 8 weeks old. Pointing by scent.
The female with the two black ears. Still for sale.
My male setter on the stake out. Still for sale.