Tur Bo
Tur Bo
This morning was the first time in a long time that I have worn a coat. The temperature was in the mid 50’s this morning and riding the 4-wheeler would have been a little too cool without a light jacket. We have had about 3 weeks of above average temperatures and I didn’t work the young dogs very often. When the temperature is in the upper 60’s or above I will not work the dogs.
I put the e-collars on Tur Bo and heeled him out near the 4-wheeler. I whoaed him then started the 4-wheeler and released him with an okay. I have only worked these young dogs a few times in the last three weeks and Tur Bo was ready. The cooler weather helped, also. He ran past the first bird without getting close and pointed the second pigeon at the back of the training grounds. There was almost no wind and he still pointed 19 steps from the pigeon. I took pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I shot the blank pistol and said whoa. He moved up a step. I set him back then kicked the cover again. I flushed the pigeon and said whoa. He didn’t move until I shot the blank pistol. He took 2 steps then stopped. I set him back. I kicked the cover then shot the blank pistol and this time he didn’t move. I started the 4-wheeler and released him with an okay.
He was still wound up and he was moving fast but he was hunting. He was within 10 yards of the next bird when he went on point. I took more pictures then walked in front of him kicking the cover. I shot the blank pistol and said whoa. He took a step. I put him back but this time I held the button on the e-collar on his flanks down, on level 4. When his feet touched the ground I let off the button. I walked in front of him kicking the cover, flushed the pigeon and said whoa. He took a couple of steps. I held the button on the e-collar down again and set him back. I let off the button when his feet touched the ground. I walked in front of him kicking the cover and shot the blank pistol. He didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover then shot the blank pistol, again, and he never moved. I walked to him and stroked his sides and told him what a good boy he was. I tapped him on the head and said okay. I let him run for a while before taking him back to the kennel.
Blaze
Blaze
I brought Blaze out with the e-collars on her neck and flanks. I started the 4-wheeler and released her with an okay. She, too, was ready to run on this cool morning after being cooped up in the kennel most mornings for the last 3 weeks. Blaze sometimes wants to get too close to her birds before she points. I have been flushing some of them when I can tell she smells them but wants to get just a little closer. She got close to the first bird and started to make a circle around it and I flushed the pigeon. She stopped to flush. I got off the 4-wheeler and kicked the cover near where the pigeon had flushed from. I shot the blank pistol and she never moved. I continued to kick the weeds and shot the blank pistol again. She didn’t move. I started the 4-wheeler and released her to hunt.
When I got close to the next bird she was already on point. She wasn’t as far from it as Tur Bo had been but she didn’t try to move up either. She was about 12 yards from this bird. I walked in front of her and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I continued to kick the cover then flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She still didn’t move. I kicked the cover and shot the blank pistol, again. She didn’t move. I went to her and stroked her sides telling her what a good girl she is. I tapped her on the head to release her. I let her run before returning to the kennel.
I have some quail in one of my pigeon coops and they can escape when I leave the coop open for the pigeons to return. The quail are small enough to go between the bobs that hang down so that the pigeons can go in the coop but can’t get out. I need to make something for the quail but right now I’m helping my son, Ryan, work on his house and I don’t have time. With one of my pigeon coops out of service I can only work 2 young dogs and they only get 2 birds each. Maybe after this next week I will have time. That would make Luke happy.