Traveling Pointing Dogs

Tur Bo

Blaze

Luke

We have had about 10 days of weather in the mid to upper 90’s with the morning temperatures in the 70’s. That’s too hot to train dogs no matter how early you get out. That’s even too hot for the pigeons. I’m still wanting to hunt all six kinds of quail, scaled, Gambols, Mearns, valley, mountain and bob white. Also, the hunts need to be on public hunting lands.

I’m still trying to get all the information I can. I have read a book written by Ben Williams and another by Tom Huggler about hunting all of the quails. I’ve, also, called Washington and Oregon’s Conservation departments to get what information I can. I’m also going to call some of the other western states about their quail hunting.

The 2 hardest quail to find will probably be the mountain and the Mearns. Only Arizona and New Mexico have seasons on the Mearns. Several states have seasons on the mountain quail and most of them have lots of public hunting.

If anyone has an area I should check out or any other information they would share with me they can contact me by e-mail at windypointsj1s@aol.com. I have hunted the Gambols and scaled quail in New Mexico and also the scaled quail in Texas but I have no experience with the valley, Mearns or mountain quail. I’m looking forward to hunting in some new areas and adding some new states.

Blaze

Blaze

This morning was warmer than what we have been having, in the upper 60’s. This is for cast to be the warmest week this year. I hid 3 pigeons in the cover on the training ground then came back and heeled Blaze out to the 4-wheeler. I started the 4-wheeler, put it in gear and waited about 15 seconds before saying okay to release her.

When I got to the first bird she was already on point. I walked in front of her kicking the cover and flushed the pigeon. She never moved. I shot the blank pistol, then shot it again, and she never moved. I wrote on the note pad then started the 4-wheeler, put it in gear and released her.

She hunted on through the cover and pointed the middle bird. I took pictures then kicked in front of her. I flushed the pigeon. She never moved but the pigeon lit, on a limb, right above my head. I took my hat off and waved it to flush the bird. When it flew the second time she took 3 or 4 steps then stopped. I set her back then walked in front of her and shot the blank pistol. She never moved even when I shot the blank pistol the second time. I started the 4-wheeler, put it in gear and released her.

When she pointed the last pigeon she was real close. I started to set her back but decided to see what she would do. I kicked the cover then flushed the pigeon. She took a step and stopped. I set her back and shot the blank pistol then shot again. She didn’t move. I started the 4-wheeler, put it in gear and released her. She hunted back to the kennel.

Luke waiting for me to say okay

Luke

I took a picture of Luke after I whoaed him next to the 4-wheeler. I hope the picture shows what I saw. He was tensed up waiting for me to say okay. When I saw him I had to reach in my pocket and get the camera. Then wait for it to come on, take a picture, turn it off and replace it in my pocket. While all of this was going on he never looked at me. His eyes was looking where he knew the birds were hid. All of these young dogs are ready to go when I say okay.

After releasing Luke, I rode past the first hidden bird and when I got close to the second pigeon he was on point. I walked in front of him kicking the cover after taking pictures. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I shot the blank pistol again and again he never moved. I started the 4-wheeler and released him to hunt.

He hunted to the back and pointed the farthest pigeon. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the weeds. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. I shot the blank pistol again and he never moved. I started the 4-wheeler and released him.

Luke rimmed the back of the field then started back through the grounds. He was on the other side of some brush when he went on point and I could see only his tail sticking up. I went in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover and shot the blank pistol again. He didn’t move. I started the 4-wheeler and released him. He hunted back to the kennel.

Tur Bo

Tur Bo

I released Tur Bo with the e-collars on his neck and flanks. When I got to the first bird he was on point. Just a few weeks ago he wouldn’t let me walk in front of him but now I’m sometimes getting in front and he’s steady to wing and shot. I took pictures then walked in front of him. I flushed the pigeon and he never moved. I shot the blank pistol then shot again. He didn’t move. I started the 4-wheeler and released him with an okay.

He went from the first bird to the back of the training ground to point the farthest pigeon. I took more pictures then walked in front of him. I flushed the pigeon. It came out low and right over his head. He turned completely around and watched it fly away. I turned him back around. I walked in front of him kicking the cover and shot the blank pistol. I shot the blank pistol again. He didn’t move. I started the 4-wheeler and released him to hunt.

He hunted back through the middle of the field. He was coming toward me when he hit the scent cone and slid to a point. I walked in front of him then flushed the pigeon. The pigeon hit some weeds on his way up and Tur Bo took a step then stopped. I set him back then kicked in front of him. I shot the blank pistol then shot again. He never moved. I started the 4-wheeler and released him. He hunted back to the kennel.

I enjoy working these young dogs on the pigeons. The more we work on these birds the more experience they get. The pigeons don’t fly as well as wild quail do. The dogs get to have birds fly over their head or get tangled in weeds or limbs. Hopefully, this will make them steadier on wild birds.

Blaze

Blaze

Another beautiful morning. Cool, in the low 60’s. When I was hiding the pigeons I tried to hide them where the dogs would have the wind in their favor. Most times the wind changes after I hide the birds or like this morning there is no wind. I worry about this but the dogs always find the birds.

I heeled Blaze out near the 4-wheeler with the e-collars on her neck and flanks. I started the 4-wheeler, put it in gear and let her stand for about 15 seconds before I released her to hunt. She was on point when I got near the first bird. I took pictures then walked in front of her kicking the cover. When I kicked a little bush she took a step so I picked her up and set her back. I kicked the cover, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover and shot the blank pistol again. She still didn’t move. I started the 4-wheeler, put it in gear and released her to hunt.

She went to the back of the training grounds and pointed. I took pictures then walked in front of her kicking the weeds. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She never moved. I continued to kick the cover and shot the blank pistol again. She didn’t move. I started the 4-wheeler, put it in gear and released her.

I didn’t give her a chance to point the middle bird. When she got close I flushed it. She stopped to
flush. I walked in front of her and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I walked to her and stroked her sides then tapped her on the head to release her. She hunted back to the kennel.

Luke

Luke

I heeled Luke out near the 4-wheeler with e-collars on his neck and flanks. I started the 4-wheeler, put it in gear and released him to hunt. He went all the way to the back and pointed the farthest bird. I took pictures, then walked in front of him, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I started the 4-wheeler, put it in gear and released him.

He was really going when he hit the scent on the middle bird and slid to a point. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He never moved. I was sitting on the 4-wheeler writing on the note pad and looked up and Luke was eating grass. No big deal. I went back to writing then looked up again and he was wandering around. He wasn’t hunting he was just looking for some better grass. I hit the button on the e-collar on his flanks then picked him up and set him back. I went back to writing then started the 4-wheeler and released him to hunt.

When Luke got close to the middle bird I flushed it. He stopped to flush. I took more pictures then walked in front of him and shot the blank pistol. He never moved. I went to him and stroked his sides then tapped him on the head to release him. He hunted back to the kennel.

Tur Bo

Tur Bo

I brought Tur Bo out with e-collars on his neck and flanks and whoaed him near the 4-wheeler. I started the 4-wheeler, put it in gear and waited about 15 seconds before I released him. On his way through the training grounds he pointed the middle bird. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and he didn’t move so I shot the blank pistol. He still didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover. I shot the blank pistol again and he took a couple of steps. I held the button on the transmitter down on, level 4, picked him up and set him back. I let off the button when his feet touched the ground. I kicked the cover some more and shot the blank pistol again. He didn’t move. I started the 4-wheeler, put it in gear and released him.

He went on to the back and pointed. I took pictures then walked in front of him and flushed the pigeon. He took a couple of steps and stopped. I held the button on the flank e-collar down on level 4, picked him up and set him back. I kicked the cover and shot the blank pistol. He moved and I stopped him with the e-collar on his flanks. I held the button down until I carried him back then let off. I kicked the cover and shot the blank pistol. He moved again and I held the button down on the flank e-collar. I held the button down until I carried him back. I kicked in front of him and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I started the 4-wheeler, put it in gear and released him to hunt.

He hunted to the front and pointed. I walked in front of him and flushed the pigeon. He was steady on the flush but moved on the shot. I stopped him with the e-collar and put him back. I walked in front again kicking the cover. I shot the blank pistol and he didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover and shot the blank pistol once more. He still didn’t move. I went to him and stroked his sides telling him he was a good boy. I tapped him on the head to release him. He hunted back to the kennel.

Each day I work these young dogs they get better. Just a few weeks ago I couldn’t walk in front of Tur Bo and now I’m expecting him to be steady to wing and shot. On about one out of the three pigeons I put out for him he’s steady. The more repetitions we do the better he will get. Luke doesn’t even blink on the flush or shot on the training grounds. I need to see how he will do with real birds. At this time Blaze will not be steady to fall. She is steady to wing and shot more often than not but she has caught birds twice in the last couple of weeks. She is always looking for a chance to do it again. They all are getting better.