Tur Bo
Tur Bo
It’s been several days since I have worked these young dogs. It rained Thursday and I guided at Bird Fever in Richmond, Missouri on Friday and Saturday. They were really excited when I started getting the pigeons out.
I brought Tur Bo out with the e-collars on his neck and flanks. I whoaed him near the 4-wheeler, started it and released him with an okay. He wasn’t close to the first bird, when he came through the field, so we went on to the back. He pointed and I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon in the release trap and shot the blank pistol. He took a couple of steps then stopped. I picked him up and carried him back. I continued to kick the cover, dropped a pigeon from my hand and shot the blank pistol. He moved a couple of steps then stopped. I held the button on the e-collar down, on level 3 and carried him back. When I set him down I released the button. I kicked the cover then dropped another pigeon from my hand and shot the blank pistol. He took a couple of steps and stopped. I held the button on the flank collar down on level 3 and carried him back. I let off the button when his feet touched the ground. I went to the 4-wheeler and put 2 more pigeons in the bird bag. I went back in front of him kicking the cover, dropped a pigeon from my hand and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I went to him and stroked his sides telling him what a good boy he is. I started the 4-wheeler and released him to hunt.
He pointed the second pigeon and as I took pictures he took a leap, that put him real close to the bird, then stopped. I held the button on the flank collar down, on level 3 and set him back. I took more pictures, kicked in front of him, flushed the pigeon in the release trap and shot the blank pistol. He took a couple of steps then stopped. I held the button on the flank collar down, on level 3 and set him back. I continued to kick the tall weeds, dropped a pigeon from my hand and shot the blank pistol. He took a step and stopped. I held the button on the flank collar down on level 3 and set him back. I kicked the cover, dropped another pigeon from my hand and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I went to him and stroked his sides telling him what a good boy he is. I tapped his head to release him. I let him run for a while before returning to the kennel.
Blaze
Blaze
I put the e-collars on Blaze and heeled her out near the 4-wheeler. I started the 4-wheeler and released her with an okay. When I got near the first bird Blaze was already on point. I took pictures then walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon that was hidden in the release trap and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, dropped a pigeon from my hand and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I went to her, stroked her sides and told her what a good girl she is. I started the 4-wheeler and released her to hunt.
She circled the end of the field, started back to the front, hit the scent cone of the second bird and slid to a stop. I took more pictures then walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon hidden in the release trap and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, dropped a pigeon from my hand and shot the blank pistol then shot the pistol again. She still didn’t move. I went to her, stroked her sides and told her what a good girl she is. I tapped her on the head to release her. I let her run before going back to the kennel.
Luke
Luke
I brought Luke out with the e-collars on and whoaed him near the 4-wheeler. I started the 4-wheeler and released him with an okay. When I got to the first bird he was on point. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the tall weeds. I flushed the pigeon hidden in the release trap and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. There were 3 pigeons in the box on the 4-wheeler that I placed in the bird bag. I dropped a pigeon from my hand and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, dropped the second pigeon and shot the blank pistol. He still didn’t move. I went to him, stroked his sides and told him what a good boy he is. I started the 4-wheeler and released him with an okay.
He circled the end of the field and hunted back to the front without getting close to the bird hidden at the back. He turned and hunted his way to the back and went on point. I took more pictures then went in front of him kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon from the release trap and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover, dropped a pigeon from my hand and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I went to him, stroked his sides and told him what a good boy he is. I tapped his head to release him. I let him run before going back to the kennel.
This weekend,November 1, the season opens in Missouri and it opens in Kansas a week later so I will be able to hunt these dogs instead of training them on pigeons. Pigeons are fun but nothing can replace wild birds.