Traveling Pointing Dogs

Tur Bo

Tur Bo

Another cool morning but this morning a friend, Austen Farley, stopped by and we worked one of his dogs on some pigeons. He normally has pigeons but he was out right now and he was running his dog, named Cat, in a field trial this weekend. I hid the pigeons for my first dog about 9:00 am but it was still cool. I put the e-collars on Tur Bo’s neck and flanks and heeled him out of the kennel. I whoaed him near the 4-wheeler, got on the 4-wheeler, started it and released him with an okay.

He pointed the middle pigeon I had hidden. I took pictures then walked around him kicking the cover. I said whoa and flushed the pigeon. He took a step, so I set him back. I said whoa and shot the blank pistol and, again, he took a step. I set him back, got on the 4-wheeler, started it, put it in gear and said okay. He waited for me to say okay.

When I got to the farthest pigeon, he was already on point but he was right on top of the release trap. I think he had pointed farther back but moved up before I got there. I set him back about 10 yards from the bird. I kicked in front of him. There was a log lying close to the release trap and I kicked it really hard. When I kicked the log he ran back in to stand over the bird. I picked him up and set him back. I went back and kicked the log really hard and he ran in, again. I picked him up and set him back. I went back to the log and kicked it really hard. He ran in and stood over the release trap. This time I held the button, on the transmitter, down on the e-collar around his flanks, on level 4. While holding the button down I walked to him, picked him up and carried him back. I went back and kicked the log really hard and he ran in again. As he started to move I held the button down but I had turned the level to level 6. The e-collar stopped him before he got to the bird. I kept the button down while I picked him up and carried him back. I’m not sure how many times I put him back but finally he quit moving and I flushed the pigeon. He never moved until I shot the blank pistol, then he took a step. I picked him up and carried him back. I got on the 4-wheeler, wrote on the note pad, started the 4-wheeler and he took a step. I shut the 4-wheeler off, got off and carried him back. I got back on the 4-wheeler, started it, and finally said okay to release him.

He was about 10 yards from the last pigeon when he pointed the third time. I walked a big semi-circle in front of him kicking the cover. I said whoa and flushed the pigeon. He took a step. I picked him up and carried him back. I said whoa and shot the blank pistol. He took a step. I carried him back, got on the 4-wheeler, wrote on the note pad, started the 4-wheeler and put it in gear. He didn’t move. I released him with an okay and he hunted back to the kennel.

Blaze

Blaze

I put the e-collars on Blaze and heeled her out of the kennel. When we got close to the 4-wheeler I whoaed her. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and said okay to release her. She pointed the first pigeon and I took some pictures then kicked the cover in front of her. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol and she never moved. I continued to kick in front of her then got on the 4-wheeler, wrote on the note pad and started the 4-wheeler. She took 3 or 4 steps when I started the 4-wheeler. I got off the 4-wheeler and set her back. I got back on the 4-wheeler, started it, put it in gear and released her with an okay.

She went from the first bird to the very back to point the farther pigeon. This bird was close to a log and after taking pictures I kicked the log really hard. I flushed the pigeon and she took a step. I picked her up and carried her back. I kicked the log and shot the blank pistol. She never moved. I got on the 4-wheeler, wrote on the note pad, started it, put it in gear and released her with an okay.

Every once and awhile I like to flush a pigeon before the dogs can point them to teach them to stop to flush. This is what I did to Blaze and she stopped. I shot the blank pistol and she still didn’t move. I kicked in front of her then got on the 4-wheeler, wrote on the note pad and started the 4-wheeler and put it in gear and she took off. I held the button on the transmitter down, on level 4 but it didn’t slow her. She went on the other side of some brush and I thought she had stopped, so I let off the button. I rode the 4-wheeler around the brush and she wasn’t there. I went back near where the last pigeon had flushed from and waited on her. Pretty soon she came back by and I didn’t say anything but I had turned the e-collar on her flanks up to level 6 and this time when I held the button down she stopped. I picked her up and carried her back to where she had stopped before. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, wrote on the note pad, put it in gear then released her with an okay. She hunted back to the kennel.

Luke

Luke

I put the e-collars on Luke, heeled him out near the 4-wheeler and whoaed him. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, put it in gear and released him with an okay. Luke is always so fast that he’s on point before I get to the first bird. This morning was no exception. I walked around him taking pictures and kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He never moved. I got on the 4-wheeler, wrote on the note pad, started it, put it in gear, and he never moved until I released him with an okay.

He went all the way to the back and pointed the farthest pigeon. I took more pictures, then kicked the log really hard that was near this pigeon. I flushed the bird and shot the blank pistol. He never moved. Finally one of my young dogs doing what he has been trained to do. I got on the 4-wheeler, wrote on the note pad, started the 4-wheeler, put it in gear and he moved. He took 3 steps and stopped. I shut off the 4-wheeler and put him back. I got back on the 4-wheeler, wrote on the note pad, started the 4-wheeler, put it in gear and released him with an okay.

When he got close to the middle I bird I flushed it and he stopped to flush. I got off the 4-wheeler and kicked close to where the pigeon had flushed from and shot the blank pistol. He never moved. I got on the 4-wheeler, wrote on the note pad, started it, and put it in gear. He never moved so I released him with an okay. He hunted back to the kennel.

These young dogs have been doing real well until this morning. I don’t know what was different today. I do know, if you lose your temper put that dog up or quit training. When I was putting Tur Bo back, over and over, I kept telling my self that he is only 14 months old. I didn’t get upset, I just kept putting him back.

This morning I added another thing for them to wait on. I have been getting on the 4-wheeler, writing on the note pad, starting it the releasing them with an okay. But today after starting the 4-wheeler I put it in gear. My 4-wheeler has no clutch so when you put it in gear it jumps. The young dogs think I’m going to ride off so they self release. I’m hoping that all of this will make them more steady.

Luke

Luke

Luke is in there somewhere.

It was cool this morning, temperature in the upper 50’s, with very little wind. I would rather have a little breeze for the scent to be dispersed farther but the cool weather is nice. I hid 3 pigeons, in release traps, on my neighbors side of the training grounds. It’s getting harder and harder to find new places to hide the birds.

I put the e-collars on Luke’s neck and flanks then heeled him near the 4-wheeler. I whoaed him, got on the 4-wheeler, started it and said okay to release him. By the time I got to the first pigeon he was on point. I walked in front of him kicking the cover, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He never moved. I continued to kick the cover then got back on the 4-wheeler. I started the 4-wheeler, wrote on my note pad, then said okay to release him.

Luke went straight to the next pigeon without much hunting. I walked in front of him kicking the cover, took some pictures then flushed the pigeon. I watched him closely but he never moved so I shot the blank pistol. He never moved. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, wrote on my note pad, then released him with an okay.

On his third pigeon, I looked for him but couldn’t find him. I rode around the grounds, close to where the last bird was hid, without seeing him. Finally, I got off the 4-wheeler and walked near the last hidden bird. The e-collar around his neck had a blaze orange collar and I saw it buried in the weeds. He was on point, hidden by the weedy cover. I walked around the outside kicking the cover, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He never moved. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and he started moving. I whoaed him and he stopped. The cover was too thick to put him back so I made him stand for a while then released him with an okay. He hunted back to the kennel.

Blaze

Blaze

I put the e-collars on Blaze, one around her neck and one around her flanks, heeled her out near the 4-wheeler and whoaed her. I got on the 4 wheeler, started it and released her with an okay. She went past the first pigeon and pointed the second one. I took some pictures, then kicked around in front of her trying to flush the pigeon. The release trap wasn’t working so I bent over and released the bird by hand. It’s hard for a young dog to stay on point when you are handling the birds. They want to help. She took a couple of steps so I set her back. The whole thing was my fault, I had the transmitter on the first trap and she was pointing the second. I had flushed a pigeon that she wasn’t pointing as well as the one I flushed by hand. She only had one left. She stayed on point while I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and wrote on my note pad. I released her with an okay.

My neighbor had mowed an area that normally was brush so we had some edge that we had never hid birds in before. That was where I had hidden the third pigeon. She made her normal round but never came close to the pigeon so I waved her into the new area and she pointed. I walked in front of her, taking pictures and kicking the cover. When I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol she never moved. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, wrote on the note pad then released her with an okay. She hunted back to the kennel.

Tur Bo

Tur Bo

I put the e-collars on Tur Bo and heeled him out of the kennel. I whoaed him near the 4-wheeler. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and released him with an okay. He ran, all out, to the back before he even thought about hunting. When he pointed he was 25 yards from the pigeon but he was in the scent cone. His mouth was opening and closing like he was chewing the smell. I took some pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I whoaed him then flushed the pigeon and he never moved so I whoaed him and shot the blank pistol. He took one step at the shot and stopped. I set him back and kicked in front of him again then got on the 4-wheeler. I started it, wrote on the note pad, then released him with an okay.

He was still wound up and went back to the other end of the training grounds to point the first bird in the field. He looked good so I took more pictures then walked all around him kicking the cover. I whoaed him then flushed the bird. The pigeon came right over his head and when I shot the blank pistol he turned sideways. I set him back. When he went back on point I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and said okay. He waited for me to say okay before he moved.

When he pointed the next pigeon he was right on top of it. I walked to him and kicked in front of him. This is just the second day that Tur Bo has not been held by his collar on the birds. He was so close to this one that I tried to get between him and the pigeon. I didn’t hold his collar I just stood beside him. I flushed the pigeon and it fluttered a little then flew straight up. Tur Bo jumped at the pigeon, snapping his teeth, and got higher than my head. I grabbed his collar before he hit the ground and stopped him. I held him until he went back on point then got on the 4-wheeler. I started the 4-wheeler, wrote on the note pad but this time I let him stand for about a minute before I said okay to release him. He hunted back to the kennel.

These three young dogs have been working on holding, on whoa, as long as I want them to hold. This may carry over to the field. It will, at least, teach them not to run in when the birds flush, I hope.

Blaze

Blaze

It was really cool this morning for July, about 60 degrees and it’s supposed to be even cooler in the morning. I hid 3 pigeons on the training grounds. I decided, this morning, to make Blaze, Luke and Tur Bo stay on point after I flush the pigeon, shoot the blank pistol, get back on the 4-wheeler,start the 4-wheeler and write on my note pad. Then I will say okay for their release. If they move on the flush of the pigeon I won’t shoot the blank pistol. This will teach them to stand for a longer period after the flush and shot.

I brought Blaze out with the e-collars on, one on her neck and one on her flanks. I heeled her out near the 4-wheeler and said whoa. I got on the 4-wheeler and started it and she stayed until I said okay. She went all the way to the back and pointed the farthest pigeon I had hidden. I walked in front of her kicking the cover then flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She never moved. I got on the 4-wheeler and started it then got my note book out and wrote some notes on her first bird then said okay. She waited for me to say okay.

She pointed her second bird and I walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She was steady to the flush but took a step at the shot. I picked her up and set her back. I walked in front of her then got on the 4-wheeler and started it. She moved a step when I started it so I turned the key off, picked her up and set her back. I got back on the 4-wheeler,started it, wrote in my note pad and said okay to release her. She stood until I said okay.

She pointed her third bird and I walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and she took a step so I didn’t shoot the blank pistol. I picked her up and set her back then kicked in front of her. I got back on the 4-wheeler, started it then started writing on my note pad and she turned her body to watch me while my eyes were down. I shut the 4-wheeler off, picked her up and set her back. I got on the 4-wheeler,started it and wrote on the note pad. Finally, I said okay to release her. She hunted back to the kennel.

Tur Bo

Tur Bo

I heeled Tur Bo out with the e-collars on his neck and flanks. I whoaed him near the 4-wheeler. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it then said okay. He waited on me to say okay before he moved. The first bird he pointed, he was pretty close to but the wind was at his rear. I don’t know how they can smell a bird like this but it happens. I have been holding his collar when I flush the birds but this morning I decided that sooner or later I was going to have to be in front of him. I kicked the cover in front of him, said whoa and flushed the pigeon. He didn’t move and I said whoa and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move so I went to him, stroked his sides and told him what a good boy he is. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, wrote on my note pad then said okay to release him. He waited for me to say okay before he moved.

He pointed his second bird and I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I said whoa, flushed the pigeon, said whoa and shot the blank pistol. He was steady at the flush but he took a couple of steps at the shot. I picked him up and set him back. When he went back on point I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, wrote on my note pad and said okay. He waited for my okay before he moved.

This morning he was going from one bird to the next like he had hid the pigeons. He pointed the third bird and I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and it hung up on a weed or limb for just a second but when it fluttered a little he started moving. I didn’t shoot the blank pistol. He only moved about 10 or 15 feet before he stopped. I picked him up and carried him back. When he went back on point I walked in front of him kicking the cover then got on the 4-wheeler. I started it, wrote on my note pad, then said okay. He waited on my okay before he moved. He hadn’t got to run much so I ran him to the back on both sides before going back to the kennel.

Luke

Luke

I heeled Luke out, with the e-collars on his neck and flanks. I whoaed him near the 4-wheeler, got on, started it and said okay. He waited for my okay before moving. He pointed his first pigeon and I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He never moved. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, wrote on my note pad and said okay. He waited for the okay.

He pointed his second bird and I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and he was steady but when I shot the blank pistol he took a step. I saw his front feet move. I’m not sure that his back feet moved. I set him back then went in front of him kicking the cover. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, wrote on my note pad then said okay. He went to hunting at my okay.

He went on the wrong side of the third bird a couple of times before he finally pointed. I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He never moved. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, wrote on my note pad then released him with an okay. I let him run for a while before returning to the kennel.

When I’m working Blaze and Luke I seldom whoa them. They are older and know what they are supposed to do. I whoa Tur Bo so he will start to anticipate a whoa when a bird flushes or at a gun shot. Just last week, Blaze and Tur Bo, wouldn’t stand for me to get on the 4-wheeler and start it. Now they are standing for the break away and most times standing in the field for me to get on and start it. This morning I added to the time that they must stand by making them stay while I write on the note pad. That’s the way dogs learn. Delmar Smith in his book “Best Way To Train A Birddog” says it’s like adding lengths in a chain. You teach one thing then add to it.

Luke went on the wrong side of one of his birds several times. Hiding these pigeons, for the dogs, shows me how easy it is to miss birds in the field. If the dog goes on the wrong side of the bird, most times, he can’t smell it. A lot of years ago, Dennis Garrison and I watched one of his dogs, Nick an English setter, run by a quail that was sitting in a corn field, out in the open, several times. Nick was a good dog but when he was on the wrong side he couldn’t smell the quail.

Blaze

It was warmer this morning but the dogs didn’t care. I hid the pigeons on my neighbors side of the training grounds. His side has more cover right now because I mowed my side. I also mow part of his side but he lets me leave some places to hide pigeons.

I heeled Blaze out with the e-collars on her neck and flanks. I put her on whoa, walked to the 4-wheeler and got on. I started it and she took off. I didn’t say anything, I just held the button on the transmitter down on, level 3, until she stopped. I started to her on the 4-wheeler and she started moving again. I had the transmitter in my hand so she didn’t go very far before she stopped. I picked her up, got back on the 4-wheeler and slowly road a big circle back to the starting point. This time when I set her up on whoa she stayed until I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and said okay.

She went all the way to the back before she hit the scent cone of a pigeon. She pointed and while she was on point she pooped without ever losing any rigidity. I walked in front of her taking pictures as I went. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She never moved. I got on the 4-wheeler and when I started it she took a step. I yelled whoa and she stopped. I carried her back to where she was originally on point. It was easy to find because of her poop. This time she let me start the 4-wheeler and say okay before she moved.

She reminded me of a time that Don Bowlen and I were in Kansas on a quail hunt. We got to the place we were going to hunt pretty early and turned the dogs out and were getting our guns, vests, and shells together when Don said, “is that dog pooping or on point.” I looked and Lucky, Blaze’s dad, had started to poop when he smelled a covey of quail and went on point. I said, “both” and we grabbed our guns. He wasn’t 15 yards from the truck.

She pointed her second bird and I walked in front of her kicking the cover then flushed the pigeon. When it came out of the release trap it got tangled in the weeds. That was too much for Blaze and she started moving. I whoaed her and she stopped. I carried her back to the original spot and stroked her sides telling her what a good girl she was. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and told her okay.

She was on the wrong side of her third bird when she got a little smell. She pointed then started moving so I flushed the pigeon. She stopped to flush, as she should. I didn’t even get off the 4-wheeler. I restarted it and told her okay. She hunted back to the kennel.

Tur Bo

Tur Bo

Yesterday, Tur Bo got the slow ride on the 4-wheeler but today he didn’t move until I said okay. He went all the way to the back and pointed the farthest bird. He whirled in with his front end lower than his rear. Usually, his points look the same but this one was different. I took pictures then kicked in front of him. I went to him, held his collar and flushed the pigeon. If I hadn’t held him he would have chased. When he went back on point I got on the 4-wheeler and when I started it he moved. I whoaed him and he stopped. I set him back, got on the 4-wheeler and started it. I let him stand for a few seconds before saying okay.

He pointed the second bird from about 15 yards. I took some pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I walked back to him and held his collar and flushed the bird. He didn’t move. I got on the 4-wheeler after he went back on point, started it and he didn’t move until I said okay.

He went straight to his third bird without much hunting. He pointed and I walked in front of him kicking the cover. Then I went back to him and held his collar and flushed the pigeon. He never moved. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and said okay. Since he hadn’t ran much I took him all the way to the back and then to the kennel.

Luke

Luke

Luke has been doing real well on these exercises but he’s older and has been through a lot of training. I heeled him out near the 4-wheeler and said whoa. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and said okay. By the time I got to the first pigeon he was on point.

I got off the 4-wheeler and walked in front of him taking pictures. I kicked the cover then flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He never moved. I continued to kick the cover then got on the 4-wheeler, started it and said okay.

He pointed the second pigeon from about 15 yards. The wind was blowing right in his face. He was opening and closing his mouth as though he was chewing the scent. I walked in front of him kicking the cover then flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He never moved. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and he moved. He’s been perfect but today he moved and I whoaed him. He stopped and I set him back to the original spot. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and let him stand for a few seconds before saying okay.

The wind was blowing a little harder the longer we stayed out here and it helped Luke. He pointed the third pigeon and the wind was blowing right in his face. I walked in front of him, kicking the cover, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He never moved. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and let him stand for a few seconds before saying okay. He hunted back to the kennel.

I like working these young dogs off the 4-wheeler. Making them stand while I get back on the 4-wheeler, starting it and wait for me to say okay will give them the patience to be steady to wing and shot, I hope. Some of my friends use a tennis ball, by throwing the ball and making the young dog stay on whoa until commanded to go after it. The dogs learn that whoa means, don’t move your feet until you get another command.