I missed some really cool days in Nebraska because Mann started carrying a foot a few days before we were to leave. I took him to the vet and they couldn’t find any damage. Maybe, just a pulled muscle. After it warmed back up, and he finished the pills that were prescribed, Mann quit favoring the leg. As of this morning prairie chicken season in Kansas is open.
Josie pointing a pigeon.
Abby pointing a pigeon.
Boss pointing a pigeon.
I must confess, I really don’t want to shoot a prairie chicken. But to use the Walk-in properties in Kansas you must be hunting. They don’t allow you to just run dogs so I use the early prairie chicken season to run the dogs and to see where the quail are. I do carry a gun and look like I’m hunting.
Today, 9/15/20, was opening morning of prairie chicken season and I had an appointment with a dentist. I did pick up a Kansas Fall & Spring Hunting Atlas from Cabela’s. Tomorrow is supposed to be pretty warm but I’m going to try to go Thursday.
Now for the training of the young dogs. I took Mann to a road that is about a half mile from a shooting range to see if the shots bothered him. The closest we can get to the shooting is 800 yards. He didn’t even seem to hear the shots but before I turned him loose I whoaed him several times. He acted surprised that I expected him to whoa at a different place. After a few times he whoaed just fine but I decided I needed to work on this a lot more.
So Monday morning I put the e-collars around Mann’s neck and flanks. This time they were turned on. I heeled him out of the kennel, dragging a long check cord. I had put two pigeons in the release traps and hid them in a strip of tall grass. I had mowed a lane, about 8 feet wide, through the strip of grass to walk through. I put a release trap on each side of the lane.
I heeled Mann toward the front then across the front and back to the training grounds. I whoaed him every few feet and walked out in front of him. On this place he understands whoa real well. As we started to the back I started holding the e-collar button down on low 1 then saying, “whoa”. He never seemed to feel the e-collar so I moved to medium 1. As we got to the back he was slowing when I hit the e-collar but he never stopped before I could say, “whoa”.
As I heeled him through the lane in the grass strip he smelled the pigeons and pointed. The wind was out of the north east and he turned toward the pigeon on the north side. I placed a stake in the ground behind him and tied the check cord to it. He had a half hitch around his flanks from the check cord.
Mann after one of his pigeons has flown.
I whoaed him one time and walked in front kicking the cover. I went back and stroked his sides and told him what a good boy he is. I went back in front of him and flushed the pigeon that was south of him. He tried to chase but the check cord stopped him. I set him back. I waited for him to catch the scent of the bird that was still in front of him.
When he got rigid again, I walked back in front of him kicking the cover. The check cord had slack in it. I kicked for several seconds then flushed the bird he was pointing. He moved but not as much as before. I set him back then heeled him away. I let him happy time back to the kennel.
I put the e-collars on Abby and hooked the check cord to her collar with a half hitch around her flanks. She and Josie are farther along on whoa than Mann is. I just heeled her across the yard to a place board. Abby really thinks she is in charge and wants to lead instead of heel. I make a lot of u turns and a few left turns so she has to walk beside me.
I worked her on all 3 place boards then heeled her on to the back. As we went between the pigeons that were hidden in the tall grass she turned to the bird on the north side and pointed. She was too close to the stake so I pulled it out and placed it behind her. I tied the check cord to it and walked in front of her kicking the grass. In a few seconds I flushed the pigeon that was south of her. She whirled around to watch the pigeon fly away.
Abby watching a pigeon fly away.
I waited until she turned back to the pigeon on the north of her. When she got rigid I walked in front of her kicking the grass. After a few seconds I flushed the pigeon and it flew right over the top of her just a few feet high. She jumped as high as she could and just barely missed the bird. I set her back. I untied the check cord and heeled her away. I let her happy time back to the kennel.
Usually Josie is better at heeling than the other two but on this day she knew there were pigeons out and she wanted to get to them. I did several turns and some u turns. It took a little time but she finally let me be in control. I worked her on all 3 place boards then we went toward the back.
When we came between the two pigeons I saw her get some scent but she didn’t point. We walked on for a short distance then turned and went back. This time she turned to the pigeon on the north and pointed when she got the scent. Again I moved the stake and tied the check cord to it. I walked back and forth kicking the grass then flushed the pigeon south of her. She tried to chase but the check cord stopped her.
Josie pointing a pigeon.
I set her back and waited for her to figure out there was still a bird in front of her. When she got rigid I walked in front of her kicking the cover. After a few seconds I flushed the second pigeon. She tightened the check cord but didn’t try to chase real hard. I set her back then heeled her away. I let her run back to the kennel.
As a wild bird hunter I’m not interested in having them steady to wing and shot but if I get them steady on these pigeons I believe they will be steadier on wild birds. They will get used to me flushing the birds instead of them running them up, I hope.