It’s just a week until the Missouri quail season opener. Some of the close states open this coming Saturday but I will wait for Missouri’s opener. Kansas opens on the second Saturday of November each year. I have done the opener in both states, Missouri and Kansas, for a lot of years. It’s still hard for me to sleep the night before each of them. I hope it, my excitement, never changes.
Bodie pointing a pigeon.
Bodie on another pigeon.
Boss pointing a pigeon.
Monday morning there was a good breeze from the south west and when I hid 4 pigeons for Bodie he worked the wind really well. I had staked him out while I cleaned kennels then took him to the chain gang by the training grounds. I hid the 4 pigeons then turned him loose. He pointed the first bird but didn’t hold very long. At his first movement I flushed the pigeon. We went on toward the back. When we got to the back he was 40 yards or more ahead of me when he pointed.
He was behind a tree and to get a decent picture I had to walk closer. I still didn’t get his tail in the picture. As soon as I could see him good I stopped and waited on him to move. He was on point for over a minute. He did slowly cut his eyes to me as you can see in the picture. As soon as he moved I flushed the pigeon. He ran to the trap. (He doesn’t chase the bird much.) I went to the tree he was beside, when he pointed, and stepped it off to the release trap. It was 19 large strides. Pretty good for 16 weeks.
Just when you’re feeling good about a puppy they will screw up. On the next bird he smelled it, turned and went right for it. I flushed the pigeon. I try to make these pigeons act just like a wild bird will do. If you get too close it will flush. If you move after establishing point the bird will fly. I want that puppy to think that any movement on his part and the bird will fly.
When we got to the last pigeon I thought he was on the wrong side but he pointed. This time he held the point for a long time. I could see him through the edge of a cedar tree and just watched until he moved. I flushed the pigeon. He went to the trap.
Bodie is afraid of the 4-wheeler and I always try to get him to either run in front or follow behind when I pick up the traps. On the way back to the 4-wheeler he was still hunting, as he should be. He went by the trap that held the first bird. I wanted to see if he would point an empty trap but he never acted like he even knew it was there. I’m convinced that a dog with a good nose knows when there is a bird in the trap and when there isn’t.
When Mann was young and I was training him he did the same thing. Sometimes I would flush a bird from the trap without knowing it. He would pass the trap without even acknowledging it. I would work him by it two or three times before I would notice the bird was already gone. I didn’t know but Mann knew. I think Bodie has the same kind of smarts and the same kind of nose.
Abby pointing a pigeon.
I have been heeling Abby and Boss around the yard whoaing them pretty often. Some of the times I put a pigeon to sleep right in front of them and make them stay on whoa as I wake the pigeon and watch it fly away. The last post Abby chased both times when I flushed birds from the release traps.
This time I put two pigeons between the raised bed gardens and heeled Abby close. I put her on whoa, put a pigeon to sleep in front of her and kicked the grass. I stroked her sides then walked back in front. I kicked the grass some more then held the end of the piggin’ string. I flushed one of the pigeons in the release trap. Abby didn’t move. I walked back in front kicking the cover. I stroked her sides then held the piggin’ string and flushed the second pigeon. Again she stayed.
I made a big deal out of this stroking her sides and telling her what a good girl she is. The pigeon was still asleep in the grass in front of her. I walked in front then held the piggin’ string while I woke the pigeon. It stood in front of her for several seconds before flying away. Abby didn’t move but she whined as the bird stood in front of her. I heeled her away and let her run.
Feathers where a hawk caught one of my pigeons.
I worked Boss on the same exercise. In some ways he’s more steady than she is but not always. I put the pigeon to sleep in front of him, walked in front kicking the grass and flushed one of the pigeons in the release traps. He didn’t move. I stroked his sides then went back in front kicking the cover. I flushed the second bird from the release trap. He took a half step. Actually just moved his front feet. I moved him back and stroked his sides. I woke the pigeon in the grass and he watched it fly away. I stroked his sides then released him to run.
All of these exercises are great for giving the dogs the right idea but soon I need to turn them loose and let them go. So after working Bodie, the next day, I put all 4 release traps in one spot on the very back of my neighbor’s side. There was 10 or 15 yards between each trap.
I turned Boss out first. These dogs are amazing. I had driven the 4-wheeler to the back on my side and to the back on the neighbor’s side, trying to make the dogs hunt for the birds. Although Boss was first and he went part of the way to the back on my side. When I got to the back on the neighbor’s side Boss was on point.
Abby pointing a pigeon.
He was about 10 yards from the bird he was pointing. I stroked his side then went in front of him. I flushed the pigeon that was farthest away. He turned his head and watched it fly away. I kicked in front of him. I flushed a bird that was closer and he took a couple of steps. I grabbed the piggin’ string and stopped him. I set him back.
One of the first two pigeons took this time to fly out of a tree close. He tried to see it. After several seconds he acted like he was smelling the pigeon he originally pointed. I stroked his sides then walked in front of him. I flushed another pigeon leaving only the pigeon he was pointing. I stroked his sides then held the piggin’ string. When I flushed the pigeon he was pointing he didn’t move. I stroked his sides then heeled him away. I let him run in front of the 4-wheeler back to the kennel.
I reloaded the release traps and brought Abby out. I was riding the 4-wheeler but by the time I got to my side of the training grounds she had already headed to the neighbor’s side. When I got to the back she was on point. I don’t know whether she had moved up or that was her original point but she was closer than Boss had been. I stroked her sides.
Mann on point with Goofy honoring.
I held the piggin’ string as I flushed the first pigeon. She turned her head then right back to the bird she was pointing. I stroked her sides then walked in front of her. I held the piggin’ string and flushed a closer pigeon. Again she just turned her head then right back to her bird. I stroked her sides telling her what a good girl she is.
The first two birds had been to her left. The next bird was to her right. Again, she just moved her head to watch the pigeon fly away then right back to her bird. I stroked her sides then flushed the bird she was pointing. She wanted to chase but I held her with the piggin’ string. I heeled her a short distance then released her to run.
All of my dogs like to run in front of the 4-wheeler except for Bodie. He’s getting faster to the birds I hide for him and pretty soon I will need to be on the 4-wheeler. I’m hoping that he will be okay with me riding the 4-wheeler behind him. Time will tell.