Gun Dog Forum

Chocolate Head

Definitely keep your dog. Shoot me a PM and I'll give you some info. Woodcock is our staple upland bird, but there are some quail. There is a big WMA near you that is managed for quail. but you will have to work hard for them.

Chocolate Head

In my experience you are going to a good area. There is plenty of WIHA nearby, but be willing to drive and cover ground. As stated in other posts, most hotels are accomidate dogs. I have never set out to target bobs, although it was a goal to get them. I've easliy moved a covey a day without trying....

Chocolate Head

I'm getting myself and my Britt ready for our annual pilgramage to KS. This year I plan to loose the boots and do Tuf Foot. How do you apply it, with rag or just pour it on?

Chocolate Head

Take it from a veteran woodcocker, those birds play heck on a young dog. All I have down here is woodcock in late winter. My britt pointed pigeons, pen raised quail and wild quail with no problems. She even did it on first exposure. Her first few encounters with a woodcock were terrible. She barely ...

Chocolate Head

I'm already booked for the week before Christmas. Last year was my first trip to KS, or anywhere outside of Louisiana, to hunt. Needless to say it was awesome. We never took a limit of quail or pheasant, but the experience was excellent. We waterfowl hunted two days and limited both times. We didn't...

Chocolate Head

Check this out. Mine should be up and running by the end of the week. http://www.gundogforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=100&t=15397 and how to care for them http://www.gundogforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=100&t=12156 My understanding is that your dog will continue to check the coop, but they get use...

Chocolate Head

I made my first plains hunt in 08-09, in KS, and had an excellent time. I'm already starting to think about 09-10 and need some help. We stayed in WaKeeney and were very pleased with our experience. However, we feel that staying with locals may be better for us and the local economy. Does anyone kno...

Chocolate Head

Not sure about liquid bandage, but Tuff Pad works great as a preventative and with healing.

Chocolate Head

$9 for a hun. Down here in south Lousiana we pay $8 for a flight conditioned bob, $12 for a chukar, and $25 for a pheasant. That's why I usually train with pigeons, as I can get them for $5/each. I hope to start a coop for some homers soon.

Chocolate Head

I think a cap gun is a good first step, but it won't fully sound condition your dog. Obviously, the difference in percusion and sound is significantly different. With that being said, just be careful not to go directly from the cap gun to shooting a bird over your dog. As you will read, some dogs pr...

Chocolate Head

If you don't have ANY access to birds during the week, then I think you are doing the best you can. Although I can make a suggestion that can really help you depending on how close you live to a city or an area that has ferrell pigeons. Now if you have access to birds during the week, but cannot sho...

Chocolate Head

I think that if the problem is chasing birds after they are in flight, then more access to birds will be the better answer. It sounds like you want your dog fully broke (steady to wing, shot, fall, and released by you to retrieve). If that is the case you can get the info you need on this forum, but...

Chocolate Head

Chukarguy, you've got mail. I sent you a PM for some information and general guidance.

Chocolate Head

Our woodcock season is ends on 1/31 and it has been SLOOOWWW. Moisture is not our problem, or maybe it is. Prehaps there is enough moisture that they are spread out instead of concentrated in one area. Last year my normal hunts were about what you described. This year, my best hunt has been 6 birds ...

Chocolate Head

My buddy and I are heading to Kansas Saturday, with hopes of hunting our way to Wakeeny Sunday AM. We'll be hunting until Friday. We are just two guys from south Louisiana, with two Brittanys. I hope we don't run into these problems. We plan to hunt WIHA's all week. I was previously warned that the ...

Chocolate Head

I can't speak good or bad about the Dogtra. I can speak very highly of the Tritronics. I have a Pro 500 G3 and love it. The only reason I have a Pro 500 is b/c of the deal I got on it. The 100 or 200 will be fine. Go to collarclinic.com and see about a reconditioned unit. That's what I have and have...

Chocolate Head

IMHO no damage done. I let my dog catch, play with, and kill a pigeon, just to get her excited about birds. After that introduction, and noting that she had a strong prey drive without more bird intro, I did not allow her to catch anymore birds. Since you have access to wild coveys, stick with that....

Chocolate Head

I echo what has already been said. My Britt showed absolutely no interest in them, even after I shot one over my buddy's Britt, in the presence of my dog. I took the dead bird home and let her play with it in the back yard. Then I shot a few that I kicked up. It didn't take long and she firgure it o...

Chocolate Head

Summer heat and no wind can be brutal on any dog, ESPECIALLY a young one. Those are two horrible scenting conditions. He is obviously crazy about birds since he stalks them and catches them. I agree with a previous poster that you need to limit his access to catching birds. Plant several pigeons whe...

Chocolate Head

Good point Rick. My Britt pointed quail and pigeons with no problem. Her first few woodcock were a different story. She could care less about a woodcock, even after killing one over another dog in her presence. I took the dead bird and played fetch with her for a while. The next hunt she bumped a fe...

Chocolate Head

The only whistle command that I taught my Brittany is the most important of all commands, COME . I use two short whistle blasts, but it's really personal choice. If you hunt with other handlers, you may want something different so they don't inadvertently call your dog. It can get very confusing for...

Chocolate Head

I know someone who taught his dog steady to wing and shot in his front yard garden, but that isn't saying much. The dog won't learn to hunt b/c, as you already pointed out, the bird is in the same spot everytime. If you are a foot hunter and don't compete, I say go for it. It will lay the foundation...

Chocolate Head

Sounds like a job for a full time pro, but you could try a few things. Definitely no gun fire. Take a pigeon and put it in a small cage and let the dog check it out, even if it bangs the cage around a bit. This may excite him. After a while you can leave the door latch unlocked so that the door will...

Chocolate Head

Greg took the words out of my mouth. Cap gun is a great way to reintroduce gun fire, AFTER you have backed up and given her some time. I used it on my Britt while playing fetch in the back yard, but she was really excited about playing fetch. Maybe try playing fetch with a frozen bird. After a week ...

Chocolate Head

In a nut shell, yes. Your expectations don't have to be too low and chances are you will add a new hobby of training to your list. Your description of yourself and situation sound a lot like me. If you enjoy obedience then teaching your dog to come to you when called should be fairly easy. You shoul...

Chocolate Head

Even if you don't have birds planted, keep taking them out for runs. They will build confidence and may venture out further. Walk slow and move toward them, until the figure out what is expected of them. Lastly, don't over command them. Let them explore. My understaning is that you really can't make...

Chocolate Head

PA Hunter, I see your point. I guess the type of hunting he is doing is good information to have before giving advice. In my area our staple wild bird is woodcock, which I'm sure you have too, and they rarely hang in groups down here. I have had several in a 50 yard area, but our dogs seem to have a...

Chocolate Head

If you are not competing, why do you need your dog steady to wing and shot? It's not NECESSARY for a hunting dog, especially if it's as timid as you described. Steady to wing and shot is going against the dog's instinct and may be too much pressure if it's soft. Sounds like you already have a fine g...

Chocolate Head

I fit your description to a T. The way I do it is a combination of what was said. I do conditioning and yard work during the week at the house/the park. On weekends or during daylight savings time I'm able to work Lucy on birds. Pigeons were my best solution b/c quail are hard to come by in my area,...

Chocolate Head

nygspmom, welcome. I'm new to the pointer and ecollar world. Initially, I had it in my head that I was not going to use an ecollar b/c my last experience with them was many years ago when they were SHOCK collars and only had one setting. I am now using an ecollar with great results. I overlayed with...

Chocolate Head

You don't NEED them, but they are great for training. They are pretty easy to get as opposed to strong flying pen raised quail, pheasant, or chukar. They are usually cheaper to buy, very strong flyers, and are much easier to raise at your house. You'll find that quail have a very high mortality rate...

Chocolate Head

I certainly disagree with some of Wolters methods and time lines, but it sure helped me realize I can train my dog in my back yard with a few minutes twice per day. I can't say any method is perfect, but I can say I learned something from each of the books I read. I'm sure you can draw something fro...

Chocolate Head

That's what I do, sometimes a little less, and so far it's working fine. I mix in a run about twice per week and about once per week pigeon work. I incorportated basic commands (obedience) on my morning walks. Now I'm using the walks to overlay the ecollar. I introduced gun fire starting with a cap ...

Chocolate Head

I read the book and it's worth reading. Being an older book it doesn't include things like use of an ecollar and some other more modern techniques. I absolutely encourage you to read it, but also read a few others. Of course, Gun Dog by Richard Wolters is a must read. Another great and more modern b...

Chocolate Head

Having just done the research, I would go with the TT Pro 100 or 500. It gives you up to one mile range, which is half of that in cover. Also, you get three levels of correction at each setting. Being a new ecollar user, three levels at each setting gave me an opportunity to find the BEST level for ...

Chocolate Head

We used the head under the wing this past weekend. We dizzied them first, then put the head under a wing and pulled the legs straight back. Wait a minute and viola. Gently put the bird in brush so that the head stays under the wing. This past weekend was my first time training on a sleeping pigeon. ...

Chocolate Head

I've come around to the idea of the ecollar and am saving to get what will suit my needs best. It seems that the TT Pro 100 is perfect, but would take a 500 for the right price. I was recently turned on to collar clinic and now realize I can afford a collar sooner than I thought (reconditioned). My ...

Gun Dog Forum

Search found 37 matches

Re: Hunting in Louisiana

Re: Kansas hunting questions

Tuf Foot

Re: PLEASE HELP - spooky Woodcock

Re: Start planning... Kansas upland dates for '09

Re: Bird enclosures

Kansas

Re: Sore Pad - Liquid Bandage

Re: Birds that re-call

Re: gun training

Re: Steadiness Question

Re: Steadiness Question

Re: The other Az quail

Re: Woodcock Results

Re: KANSAS

Re: Help, its between these two.

Re: First encounter with a quail.

Re: Tips to increase interest in woodcock?

Re: Help with CC and pigeons......

Re: How can they tell the difference?

Re: Whistle Commands

Re: Pigeon planting question, Good or Bad idea?

Re: new GSP just not interested

Re: Trying to pinpoint what's wrong

Re: Some basic bird dog questions

Re: Tips to get close working dog out farther?

Re: STEADY TO SHOT

Re: STEADY TO SHOT

E-collar advice