Traveling Pointing Dogs

When I can get some cool weather this time of year I like to get the dogs out. This helps get them in shape as well as shows me where I may be able to find quail. The temperature was in the low to mid twenties when I left the house. Perfect weather for during the season. There are more birds in season now than earlier. I have to be hunting to be on the walk-in properties. Now, turkey, prairie chicken and woodcock, seasons are open. I can pretend to be hunting 3 species now as I run dogs on the walk-in properties. And I have all of the appropriate licenses for each of these species.

Mann running an edge with a smile on his face.

Mann running into the wind.

Bodie working on the backing dog.

Tuesday, October 18, I drove about an hour and a half into Kansas to some places I’ve hunted in the past. The temperature was in the low to mid twenties when I left home about 6 am. The first place I went by had been worked on with a bull dozer. The nice weedy fence row was gone and the cover along side the creek that went through it had been pushed out. Not enough cover left to hold birds. A few years ago I had found 2 coveys regularly and once I found 4 in this little bit of cover surrounded by row crops. Now all gone.

I drove on down the road a short distance and saw an area that was pretty much unchanged. Several years ago they had pushed some of the cover here but they left most of it. There is a creek that runs all the way through this property and if they remove too much cover it will really start to erode. Years ago on this huge property there was some really nice cover with several coveys of birds near the center. That cover was pushed out a few years ago.

The wind was pretty strong out of the north when I turned the dogs, Sally, Abby, Bodie, Boss and Mann, out. In the past I’ve seen several coveys of quail plus some pheasants in this corn field along the creek. This morning there was no one home although Sally went a couple hundred yards into the property across the road and went on point. That wasn’t walk-in property so I waited for several minutes and when she started moving I called her to me.

I crossed the creek and went back down until I got near the truck and crossed back. I loaded the dogs and went exploring. We are way behind, 6 to 10 inches behind on rain, in this area. The grass is really crunchy to walk on. In some area when the dogs ran there was dust clouds, small dust clouds, but dust clouds behind them.

I drove by an area that I haven’t been able to hunt in several years because the farmer usually has it full of cattle. The gate was open and it didn’t look like they have had cows on it for a while. I pulled in off the black top and turned the dogs out. I had some good hunts on this place years ago. It was pretty much as I remembered it with a little less row crops than before. The front half that used to have row crops with big buffer zones was now all pasture or CRP. They had cut some hay in this area. The back half was in corn that was still standing and soy beans that had been harvested.

Mann in full stride.

We went toward the back through some good weedy cover. When I hit the fence line on the south we followed it to the east then to the north along a corn field. Then back down the north fence line, back to the truck, without seeing a thing. This habitat looks as it did several years ago when there were a lot of quail on this place. I loaded the dogs and we headed to another place.

I drove by several places before getting to a small bit of cover on a small place. This was an old pond that had filled in over the years but still held a little water. The farmer had let it grow up in weeds and trees and whatever seed got caught in the area. There was a bunch of cattails growing where the pond was. As we went up the edge the GPS vibrated and showed Boss on point. He was only 42 feet from me but I couldn’t see him. I tried to get into the cattails and a covey of quail flushed. I only saw 2 quail but a heard some more.

The field around this clump of cover was harvested soy beans. As I went on down the edge a quail came out about 30 yards ahead of me and flew back down the soy bean field past me. Would have been an easy shot if the season had been open. Then the GPS vibrated again and Boss was on point. When I got close a quail flushed from in front of him. As I went on down the edge more quail flushed.

Bodie pointing a chukar.

I got to the end of the cover and Sally was on point just inside. This place hasn’t had anything done to it over the years and it is thick. I started through some really thick weeds and young saplings. When I got close to her she was trailing. Sally made 3 or 4 points and each time when I got close she was moving. That was enough work on that covey and I loaded the dogs. It was warming up and the dogs aren’t in shape yet so it was a good place to quit.

The next morning was little colder, by a couple of degrees. I drove to another part of Kansas. This farm had two small, harvested, soy bean fields on one side and a larger field of thick CRP. I parked between the two soy bean fields and turned the dogs loose. The north fence line is a really good hedge row. Through the soybean field runs a grown up water way. As we started toward the hedge row I saw Mann well out in front, cross the water way. I saw 2 quail flush between the hedge row and water way.

I think there was a covey feeding in the soybeans and when Mann crossed the water way they saw him and flushed. I only saw the two birds. Boss was all over the soybean field in that area then moved into the hedge row and didn’t want to leave. He just knew there were quail close. We went on around the field.

Abby pointing a chukar.

There was a farm road that led to the next field. As I walked down the farm road I saw Sally running then she started looking off to the west and jumping as she ran. Then she started running as fast as she could run. I think a covey flushed off to her side out of the next field. I never saw a quail. We went on around this field.

I crossed into the CRP and all of the dogs went ahead of me. I was going to walk about a hundred yards into the CRP then circle back to the truck. As we went through the GPS vibrated and Mann was on point about another 150 yards into the CRP. When I got close there was a huge plum thicket and he was on the other side. I started around the thicket and heard a quail flush. Then, according to the GPS Mann was moving.

Sally pointed just a few yards from me but before I could see her she was moving. Then in this huge plum thicket, Boss pointed. Again, I got close and heard a quail flush. I still hadn’t seen, nor did I ever see, a quail out of this bunch. As the dogs worked their way through the plum thicket and went back to searching for quail we headed back to the truck.

Boss running the country.

It’s really dry in this area and the dogs drank a lot of water when we got back. Bodie was still going when we got back. I had to call him in. He was 200 yards out and going away from me but he turned and came right in. He, too, was happy to find a pan of water. I drove past a few places before deciding to make one more run.

That CRP had tired Bodie out so I left him in the truck. This was the second day in a row and all of the dogs were tired but we made a circle around an 80 acre harvested soybean field. I had brought my bigger camera and as Mann ran the edge of the soybean field along a draw I took several pictures. The bigger camera cycles fast so if I can stay on him I can take a bunch of pictures and hope a few turn out.

Boss pointing a pigeon.

The dogs ran the edges well and were out of sight in the draw part of the time but we didn’t see anything. When we got back to the truck I loaded dogs and headed home. Two days in a row with dogs that aren’t in great shape was enough. Their owner isn’t in great shape either. But we still had a good time. I will check some different areas next week.

Vince Dye and I had bought 20 chukars to work our young dogs on and it got too warm to use them all. I took 6 home with me and since Vince had to work near where we hid the birds, we met at the farm where we had shot the other chukars. We did stop for a good breakfast on the way. Sometimes the breakfasts are the best part of the day.

Bodie pointing a chukar.

Bodie pointing a chukar.

Abby pointing a chukar.

Since Vince had to work he had not brought any dogs with him. With the 6 chukars I had 2 birds for each of the 3 dogs, Abby, Bodie and Boss. The two older dogs didn’t need the work near as much as Bodie did. Or so I thought. Vince and I hid 2 birds and I turned Bodie loose. I had shot 2 of the 3 birds we had put out for him the day before. When he flushed the first one I didn’t shoot. He held until I kicked the grass in front him on the next 2. I shot them and he played keep away for a while.

The wind was blowing pretty hard and as he ran through a scent cone he spun around and pointed. I took some pictures as I approached him. I walked way around him so I could come into his face. This pens the bird between us if it’s going to run. But young dogs are more apt to hold, in my opinion, if you walk toward them to flush rather than by their side. Bodie held until I lifted the bird with my toe. It dropped at my shot. He pounced on it when it hit the ground. When he grabbed the bird I ran away from him. Well, I walked pretty fast. He followed and dropped the bird near me but when I started to pick it up he ran with it again. I caught him and petted him for a long time before blowing in his ear to get him to drop it.

He was a long way from the next bird when he smelled it and followed the scent cone. He was still 20 feet from the bird when he locked up. I went well out front of him and started toward him. He held until I could kick the cover. He played his game of keep away but not for long. He wanted to find another bird. When we got back near the truck we watered him and put him in the truck.

This was a large field and we were able to put two more birds out without moving the truck. I turned Abby out next. Abby usually does a good job and this morning was no exception. She is solid on her birds but when possible I still walk way around and come in toward her. I kicked 2 or 3 times before the bird flushed. Abby, too, played keep away from me. But she doesn’t go very long because she wants to find another bird.

She pointed her next bird and when I kicked in front of her the chukar started running. When it ran Abby went after it and it knew that running wasn’t going to work, so it flushed. That didn’t work either. When I shot it dropped right in front of Abby. She pounced on it. She went away from me then turned back. I knelt down. She got close to me and I grabbed her collar. I petted her for a while then blew in her ear. She dropped the chukar and went back to hunting. When we got close to the truck we watered her and put her in the box.

The second session with the backing dog.

We pulled farther into the field and hid 2 more chukars. I turned Boss out and we went into a stiff wind. Boss is really fast and he was a good hundred yards ahead of us when he went on point. Usually, I don’t say anything when the dogs point but he took a step. I said, “whoa”. He took another step and I yelled, “whoa”. He took another step or two then jumped in grabbing the bird with me yelling, “whoa”. When I got to him he was lying on his belly, holding the chukar with his feet and scooting it along the ground with his nose. When I tried to get the bird he picked it up and moved away. That is the first bird he’s ever picked up. I grabbed him and took the bird.

I picked him up and carried him to where he should have stayed when he was on point. When I set him down I said, “whoa”. He took a couple of steps. I set him back and said, “whoa”. He moved again. I grabbed his collar and lead him back to the truck. I put him in his box.

More from the second session.

I got Bodie out and by the time I got back close to where Vince was we had forgotten where we had hid the last chukar. We hunted two or three likely looking spots without success. We gave up and started back to the truck and Vince saw another spot. I called Bodie and when he got close but was still quite away from Vince he pointed. Vince said, “I don’t think so”. But I saw a chukar hunkered down about 10 yards in front of Bodie. He let me kick it up and he pounced on it when it hit the ground. I caught his collar and petted him for a while before he dropped the bird.

I had been carrying the bird that Boss had caught. We had thrown the bird up, after we had taken it from Boss, but it didn’t even try to fly. When I reached into my game bag to get the dead birds out that chukar flew out and was still going as far as we could see. It was the smartest of the bunch. Not that it will live long with all of the predators.

Boss pointing a pigeon.

Since I got Bodie back I’m trying to work him on things he needs to know for the coming season. He’s been with a pro for a couple of months and I’m not sure what he needs exposure on. Don Hansen and I went on a short prairie chicken hunt. Don had 2 dogs and I took all 5 of mine. We hunted a big ranch that was mainly pasture. We haven’t found many game birds but it’s a really neat place to run dogs.

In an area where a couple of years ago Mann had pointed a covey of quail, Sally pointed. We had most of our dogs backing but Bodie had no clue what he was supposed to do. He ran by Abby, who was honoring, and licked her in the face. He went close to Sally and circled around. That wasn’t hard to figure out. He needed to be worked on backing.

I am still working the other dogs on retrieving. After I did all 4 I put a pigeon in a release trap in front of the backing dog. I hid it behind a brush pile where when we came around the edge he would suddenly see a dog on point. I heeled Bodie out with the Wonder lead. I don’t really know how whoa broke he is but I heeled him a short distance and said, “whoa”. I know when I had him before I had heeled and whoaed him. He really wants to lead rather than heel. I do a lot of 180 degree turns. When I say whoa he will let me walk out in front of him or to either side. So the pro either worked him some on whoa or he remembers from when I had him before.

Abby pointing a chukar.

I heeled him past the brush pile and when he saw the backing dog he perked up. I said whoa and he stopped. I flushed the pigeon and laid the backing dog down. He chased the pigeon. When he came back I led him to a tree a short distance away and tied him. I reloaded the release trap and stood the dog back up.

I heeled him back around the brush pile and this time he was looking for the dog. As soon as he saw it I said, “whoa” and he stopped. I let him stand for a few seconds then flushed the pigeon and laid the backing dog down. I held the check cord he was dragging but he didn’t try to chase. I retied him to a tree.

On the fourth and fifth birds he stopped but I said, “whoa”, each time. I want him to anticipate the whoa. On the last birds he was getting a little style but not much. A couple of days later I worked him again with the backing dog.

Abby, Bodie’s mom.

I moved the backing dog to a new place behind a clump of bushes. I heeled and whoaed Bodie around for a while before we got to the area where the backing dog was hidden. As soon as Bodie saw it he stopped. He was getting more rigid each time. I stroked his sides then walked around him. This time I went in front a short distance taking pictures as I went. I stood on the check cord when I flushed the pigeon and laid the backing dog down. As soon as the pigeon was gone I stepped off the check cord and Bodie followed the pigeon.

On the second and third pigeons he looked good. He was starting to understand what he was doing. I let him run in front of the 4-wheeler for a while before I put him up.

I have a stump near the kennel that I like to sit on a pet the dogs before putting them in their kennel. My neighbor has a pond that is almost dry except for the mud. Bodie found it and was totally covered with mud by the time we got back to the kennel. Needless to say I didn’t sit on the stump and pet him. He went straight to the kennel.

Boss pointing a pigeon.

I’m going to have a couple more sessions with the backing dog before I go to a live dog. I usually use Sally because she’s steady and no matter what the young dog does, with in reason, doesn’t bother her. But I really need to get him backing before the season opens. I still have a lot of time running dogs before the season opens. All I need now is to find some wild birds. Wild birds fix most problems in dogs.

Usually, I start these prairie chicken posts with the disclaimer; I wouldn’t shoot one if I got the chance. I don’t like to eat them and I’ve shot several so I won’t shoot anymore, maybe. Sometimes reflexes kick in and the shot is made or if a young dog needs a bird shot for it’s point, it might happen. But for the most part prairie chicken hunting for me is a scouting trip and getting the dogs in better shape.

Boss

Mann

Boss

I got up really early, I left the house at 5:00 am, and drove about 2 hours west, into Kansas. I was hunting a big ranch where you can see the dogs for a long way. I’ve hunted this ranch before but I’ve never found much. Out of the 5 or 6 times I’ve run here I have found exactly 1 covey of quail. And that was before quail season opened but it’s a really pretty place to run dogs.

We haven’t had any rain or very little the whole month of September. I took a 20 ounce bottle of water for each dog, my big camera strapped to my chest, wore the hunting vest to hold all of the stuff I carry and carried my 20 gauge Webley and Scott that weighs under 6 pounds. Because I wasn’t going to shoot, but have to be hunting to be on walk-in property, I only carried 5 shells.

I had turned all 4 dogs loose. Abby, Boss, Mann and Sally were all enjoying the open fields. They all had e-collars and GPS collars. It was so open I didn’t have to even check the GPS until I was about a half a mile in. All of the dogs were in front of me at various distances except Sally. Her GPS had not mated with the handheld.

I started calling her and in just a few minutes she showed up and I had to turn her collar off and back on a couple of times to get it to working. I did have an extra in the truck but if I hadn’t got it working the hunt would have been over.

Sally was all wet when she came in and I discovered that there was plenty of water in all of the low spots in these pastures. I should have dumped the water in the bottles but I didn’t. When I crossed a low spot then went up the hill on the other side I was really huffing and puffing. When I got home I donned all of the equipment. The vest, camera and holding the gun I weighed. Then I pulled it all off and checked the weight. All of that was over 22 pounds. No wonder I was breathing so hard.

Some of the yearlings that came to visit.

We went on around and occasionally I would try to get a picture of the dogs as they ran. When they are from 200 to 500 yards away and moving fast it’s hard to get them in the view finder. Finally, when I saw Boss stop to poop I put the view finder on him and waited for him to go back to running. I was able to take several pictures and some of them were pretty good.

The morning was cool and the dogs were really enjoying themselves. There were cows in this pasture and Abby made herself smell really good by rolling in some cow manure. Either she or Sally do this almost every time. Sometimes her e-collar and GPS collar are covered but she just got some on her shoulder and back this time. Thank God for all favors.

We started up out of a low spot and there were about 15, looked like yearling calves, came running toward us. They got about 10 yards from us before they stopped. They were just curious. Probably don’t see a lot of people on foot. I took their picture.

Abby

A lot of years ago I was putting plywood on a roof and slipped on a piece of plywood that wasn’t nailed down. I hit the ground and turned an ankle. That ankle has bothered me over the years. As I walked along the edge of a hill with that foot on the downhill side I rolled my ankle. It didn’t turn but it must have stretched some ligaments or something because it kept trying to roll to the side.

I was about 3/4 of a mile from the truck and knew I should head back. So I got the dogs going in the right direction and headed for the truck. When I had driven in I saw a truck I thought was Don Hansen’s. When I got close to the road I saw it coming down the road. I have traded trucks since last year so Don doesn’t know my new one but he told Linda he bet that was mine. I waved my hat at him and he stopped.

When I got to the fence we talked for a little while. He wanted to make another circle into the pasture but I was afraid my ankle might get really bad. So I went on to my truck which was a little over a quarter of a mile away. As I walked along the fence, in a flat cow trail, my ankle didn’t give me any trouble at all.

Boss

I drove around to check some more walk-in properties out before returning home. I was only able to run the dogs about an hour and a half but that’s better than nothing.

I’ve decided that I just need to walk more on level ground. I have started an early morning walk on a track that is close to the house. Even the GPS on my watch tells me I’m not walking as much this year as last. Maybe with enough walking, on flat surfaces, for a while will build that ankle up. If not I may have to wear a brace. What ever it takes to keep going.

I’m still working the dogs most days at home on retrieving. Abby’s tennis ball is about the same color as the grass and a few mornings ago I threw the ball and she was near where it hit the ground. She lunged for the ball and it hit her on the chest and bounced another 10 feet without her seeing it. Retrievers will stay after whatever they are to retrieve until they find it. In my experience English setters don’t. But Abby kept making short circles until she smelled the ball. She scooped it up and brought it to me.

Another shot of Boss.

The very next throw was almost the same. She hit it with her nose and it went down the hill a short distance. She made several circles until she caught the scent of the tennis ball. She grabbed it and came to me. I don’t know which of us was the most excited. As much as she loves birds a few hard to find ones to find may make her the retriever I’ve been needing.

Between the ankle and getting the new truck ready for the hunting season, I haven’t been scouting as often as I should have but hopefully next week things will change. Instead of walking a track I need to be scouting and getting the dogs in shape.