I haven’t worked dogs for several days because of the weather. We have had a bunch of rain this year and some of the time it has been too warm. I watched the weather last night and the weather people said it would be 60 degrees this morning. I could hardly wait. When I got up this morning a little before 6 am it was 72 degrees. The cool front didn’t drop down as fast as they thought. Hopefully, it will be cooler in the morning. I worked dogs anyway.
Luke pointing a pigeon.
Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.
Sally pointing a pigeon.
I put 4 pigeons, in release traps, in the tall weeds on the training grounds. I had some frozen quail on the 4-wheeler. I have been working Sally and Tur Bo on retrieving the frozen quail after pointing the pigeons in the release traps. I have been only using two pigeons but this morning I used four birds.
I thought that Sally had been moving after establishing point. After hiding the pigeons I heeled Sally out of the kennel with an e-collar around her neck. I put a short check cord on her and whoaed her near the 4-wheeler. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and put it in gear. I sat for several seconds before saying, “okay”. At the “okay” Sally went fast but I was right behind her on the 4-wheeler.
She was going with the wind and as she came past the first pigeon she wheeled around and pointed. She took a step and I flushed the pigeon and yelled, “whoa”. I got off the 4-wheeler and set her back. I got back on the 4-wheeler and made her stand for a few seconds before saying, “okay”. She started hunting toward the back.
When she got close to the next pigeon she whirled around and pointed but took a step. I flushed the pigeon and yelled, “whoa”. I got off the 4-wheeler and set her back. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, put it in gear and said, “okay”. She went back to hunting.
We crossed to the neighbor’s side. I was right behind her when she hit the scent cone on the third pigeon. She slammed on the brakes and didn’t move. As I got off the 4-wheeler I took one of the frozen quail from the bag and dropped it on the ground. I walked in front of her, after taking pictures, kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move.
I heeled her a few feet then said, “hunt dead”. She found the frozen quail and brought it to me. I threw it 3 times and she retrieved it each time. She and Tur Bo both have been force broke to retrieve but I live in the city limits and can’t shoot here. I’m hoping this will make them understand that they should retrieve fresh shot birds. And they seem happy to retrieve these frozen quail. I released her to hunt.
One of the females.
When she came to the next pigeon she slammed into a point and didn’t move. After a few pictures I walked in front of her kicking the cover. I had dropped a frozen quail before getting in front of her. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I heeled her a few feet then said, “hunt dead, hunt dead”. She found the frozen quail and brought it to me. I threw it 3 times and she retrieved it each time. I took her back to the kennel.
When I had the traps reloaded I heeled Tur Bo out with an e-collar around his neck and he was pulling a short check cord. I whoaed him near the 4-wheeler. I got on the 4-wheeler, started it, put it in gear and after a few seconds said, “okay”. Tur Bo is fast and I had trouble keeping up. I had to slow to cross a little creek but I saw him go on point on the first pigeon. I think by the time he got stopped he couldn’t smell the pigeon. He took a step and I flushed the pigeon and yelled, “whoa”. He didn’t chase. I set him back.
I got on the 4-wheeler, started it and we didn’t move for several seconds. Finally, I said, “okay”. Tur Bo was gone with me following on the 4-wheeler. He hit the scent cone on the next pigeon and slid to a point but then took a step. I flushed the pigeon and yelled, “whoa”. He didn’t chase. I set him back. After several seconds I said, “okay”. He hunted my side then crossed to the neighbor’s side.
Tur Bo went toward the front of the neighbor’s side and I followed. He didn’t show up so I rode toward the back. He was on point when I saw him. I don’t know for sure whether he moved after going on point but since I didn’t see him move I took some pictures then walked in front of him. I kicked the cover, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. The pigeon hit a limb on it’s way out and Tur Bo had it.
Mann on point. His tail looks like a bottle brush.
He had not moved until the bird flew which is all I require of him when we are hunting. But when Tur Bo catches a bird he doesn’t take any prisoners. I stepped onto the check cord, knelt down and called him to me. He proudly came. I petted him while he held the pigeon then said, “give”. He dropped it into my hand. I had dropped a frozen quail before I walked in front of him. I heeled him a few feet then said, “hunt dead, hunt dead”.
He found the quail and brought it to me. I tossed it and he retrieved it. I threw the quail and he retrieved it, again. I tossed the just killed pigeon not knowing what to expect and Tur Bo retrieved it. I let him hold the bird for a few seconds as I petted him. When I said, “give” he dropped it in my hand. I heeled him a few feet then said, “okay”. He went back to hunting.
I saw him point the next pigeon. He stopped as soon as he hit the scent cone and didn’t move. After I dropped a frozen quail, I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He had just caught a pigeon and thought he would get another but this one flew away. He had moved a couple of body lengths but didn’t chase as the bird flew away. I set him back.
I let him stand for several seconds then heeled him a few feet. I said, “hunt dead, hunt dead”. He found the frozen quail and brought it to me. I threw it 3 times for him then took him back to the kennel.
Babe on point.
After reloading the release traps I heeled Luke out close to the 4 wheeler and whoaed him. He had an e-collar on but no check cord. I wasn’t going to make him retrieve a frozen bird, either. He’s old and kind of set in his ways. He will point birds and hunt dead but he doesn’t retrieve. I’m okay with that.
At almost ten years old he’s still as fast as any of my dogs. We were moving with what little wind we had as we came into the training grounds. He got a little of the first bird and started to point but went on toward the back. When he got close to the second bird he pointed. Once he points he doesn’t move unless the birds move. After a few pictures I walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I heeled him a few feet then released him to hunt.
He was going into the wind as we came back toward the front of the training grounds. He hit the scent cone on the next bird and pointed. I took more pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I petted him for several seconds before heeling him away. I released him to hunt. He went back to the kennel.
There were still pigeons in two release traps so I got two more and reloaded the two that he had pointed. The puppies enjoy walking the training grounds so I followed along. They were still a little way from the first pigeon when I flushed it. They all 3 had to smell the trap and they all were excited.
We continued on down the training grounds to the next pigeon. I was watching them for any sign that they smelled the pigeons. One of the females may have. I flushed the pigeon before they got real close. I don’t want to hit them with the release trap and make them trap shy. They got excited.
Mann on point with Vince getting ready.
We started back toward the front and the two girls went back to the kennel. The male pup and I went on to the back on the neighbor’s side. When he got close to the pigeon I flushed it. He chased for a few feet then came back.
We went on to the last bird and when he got close I flushed it. I haven’t done anything to get the puppies to point, yet. They are old enough that I will start working them one at a time, trying to get them to point.
I think that having Sally and Tur Bo retrieve the frozen quail will get them to retrieve fresh killed birds. They seem to enjoy retrieving when I throw the quail and Tur Bo caught the pigeon and brought it to me. I hope this works. I need some retrievers.
Sally on point.
My male puppy.
Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.