Vince Dye and I took Abby and Boss to one of his private places to see if we could get them into some quail. One of the nice things about gong to the north is we get to stop by the Hungry Mule Cafe in Lathrop Missouri. They have a really good breakfast.
Abby pointing. Whatever it was ran out on her.
I took several pictures of the same point.
Boss pointing a pigeon.
It had started to rain before I picked Vince up. The forecasters said the rain was over but when we turned dogs loose it was still spitting rain. But it did quit before we got very wet.
Vince and I had found several coveys of quail on this place right at the end of the season. After that we had some really bad, snowy weather with extreme cold. We weren’t sure if the quail had survived the weather. He had seen some while he was coyote hunting on this place, though.
I put GPS collars and e-collars on both dogs, Abby and Boss, and turned them loose. We started down a hedge row that when we were hunting here we found a covey close to where we parked the truck. They weren’t home today. This hedge row was on the north property line. We took it to the end then turned south.
Just a short distance to the south Vince had found a covey of birds both times he had quail hunted this place. I had been with him one of the times.
The GPS collar I had on Boss wasn’t working right. It kept turning off like it wasn’t charged. Boss gets out farther than Abby so I called him in and traded collars.
There was a small draw running through the CRP where Vince had found a covey one time. Abby was headed toward it when she went on point. As I grabbed my camera I saw Boss honor Abby’s point. I stayed out to the side of Abby as I walked in front of her. I went about 10 yards in front of her and nothing happened. I went back and tapped her head and said, “okay”.
She moved up about 15 yards and went on point again. I took more pictures. Then walked ahead of her. I went about 10 yards in front of her and again nothing flushed. I went back and tapped her on the head. She moved up then started trailing. Boss came in and they were both really excited but we never came up with anything.
We went down a small creek to the south. There was a lot of CRP around a harvested milo field. There is a few pheasants in this area but any game bird that is still alive this late in the year knows how to evade predators.
We went on to the south then turned to the east and crossed the road. There was a nice draw that ran to the property line on the south. The farmer to the south had some half grown calves in the pasture just across the fence from us. Boss never knows what to think about cows.
Mann pointing a pigeon.
The first time he saw them in Kansas he honored them. I thought I wasn’t going to get him away from them. Today he honored for a few minutes then decided he should chase them. The calves had already started away from us and he went through the fence. I hit the tone on his e-collar and called him back. When I hit the tone he made a 180 and headed back to me.
I was pretty proud of him. When he got to the fence he turned and started after the calves again. This time when I hit the tone on the e-collar he didn’t even act like he heard it. The e-collar was on level two and I held the button down on 2 low. Boss made a 180 and came all the way to me. We went around the end of the draw and started back to the north.
Both of these pups think they can still catch these birds. We had seen several owls come off the ground. The owls fly slow and circle around. That gave both of these pups ample birds to chase. One time I saw Abby after an owl and Boss was in the other direction chasing two doves. This helps build desire, I think.
Boss pointing a pigeon.
Just when the pups were getting tired about 7 or 8 owls came off the ground right in front of them. They chased. It had been a good day for the pups. They never got to point anything that held for them but they got to chase a lot of birds and this helps teach them that they can’t catch wild birds.
We got back to the truck and Abby loaded right up. Boss hates to ride and he went across the road and laid down in some tall weeds beside the road. When I get close he doesn’t run away but all year I’ve walked across and led him back to the truck. Today, I kneeled down next to the truck and hit the tone on his e-collar. He got up and came to me. I loaded him in the truck.
That was Monday that we took the pups to northern Missouri. Today I worked Abby, Boss and Sally on the whoa post and then worked Abby, Boss and Mann on two pigeons each.
Abby pointing a pigeon.
I worked Mann first. I had the e-collars and my one bark collar on the other dogs so I just had a GPS collar on Mann. I had hidden two pigeons, in release traps, on my side. It’s too muddy to cross over to my neighbor’s side.
I led Mann out near the 4-wheeler, whoaed him, got on the 4-wheeler and before I could start it Mann took off. When I yelled whoa he stopped. I started the 4-wheeler and said, “okay”. He was gone.
When I crossed the creek he went on point. He had circled a large clump of brush then hit the scent cone. I got off the 4-wheeler and took some pictures. I walked to him and stroked his sides telling him what a good boy he is. As I walked in front of him he took a step then another. I set him back. He took a couple of steps real slow. I set him back and flushed the pigeon before he could move again. He didn’t move until I said, “okay”.
Mann pointing a pigeon.
I have never seen him move on wild birds. But if I let him move on these pigeons he will try on wild birds. He was going all out when he hit the scent cone on the second bird. He slid into a point. As I started to get off the 4-wheeler he took a step and I flushed the pigeon. He stopped. I said, “okay” and we went back to the kennel.
Mann doesn’t chase the birds so the only fun he gets is pointing the birds. He should quit moving if I flush the pigeon every time he tries to take a step. We will see.
Abby was next. I led her out near the 4-wheeler and said, “whoa”. She waited for me to start the 4-wheeler and say. “okay” before flying toward the back. She was on the wrong side of the field and missed the first bird but slammed into a point at the very back. I went to her and stroked her sides after taking pictures. I went in front of her kicking the cover then came back and stroked her sides again. I went back in front, kicked the cover and flushed the pigeon. She thought she would catch it but she didn’t.
Boss pointing a pigeon.
She circled the clump that held the next bird and when she hit the scent cone she pointed. I took pictures then went to her and stroked her sides. I kicked in front of her then stroked her sides again. I went back in front and flushed the pigeon. She chased but her chase is getting shorter. I took her back to the kennel.
When I put Boss on whoa and got on the 4-wheeler he decided to go hunting. I whoaed him. He stopped and looked at me for a second then took off again. I whoaed him then had to whoa him again before he waited for me to start the 4-wheeler and say, “okay”. At my okay he was gone.
He went on point for just a second then moved. I flushed the pigeon and he seemed surprised. He didn’t chase for a few seconds. We went on to the back but he didn’t want to hunt the very back. He would get within 50 yards of where the bird was hidden but then cross to the neighbor’s side or go back to the front. I waited.
Boss pointing a chukar.
I didn’t call him. I just sat on the 4-wheeler. After 3 or 4 minutes he came around the end of the training grounds, smelled the pigeon and went on point. The wind was strong and he was able to point with intensity from a long distance. I took pictures then stroked his sides. I kicked in front of him, went back and stroked his sides. I walked back in front kicking the cover and flushed the pigeon. He chased a short distance then went back to hunting.
I keep thinking that Mann is an old dog but he won’t be 3 years old until next month. He’s just performed in the field like an old dog. I’ve never seen him take a step on wild birds until I either say, “okay” or tap him on the head. Now he’s trying to see if he can move on the pigeons. I will just flush his birds every time I see him move. Even if he just has a foot raised and lowers it to the ground I will flush the pigeon. He will quit moving, soon.
Abby pointing a chukar.
Abby is doing real well on her birds. During the season she let me walk in front of her and flush the birds. When we ran the pups Monday she pointed and let me walk in front. When nothing flushed I went back, tapped her head and she moved and pointed again. Again she held until I tapped her head. She’s getting pretty steady. She still chases hard when the birds fly but not as far as she used to.
Boss is still trying to figure out what will work. Some days he points his birds great and some days he tries other things. On all 3 of these dogs I just need to be alert and flush their birds when they don’t do it correctly.