Gun Dog Forum

I'm looking at getting some pigeons for training and i read some were that you can tie a piece of garden hose to a string and then to the pigeon so it can only fly so far and then you can get it back to use again. I was wondering if anyone has tried this and how big was the piece of garden house you used.

thanks

Search carded pigeons.

Some attached square pieces of cardboard, other garden hose. Better to start too big and reduce the weight.

I don't use carded pigeons.....too many trees.

Garden hose works great. Start out with a piece about 3-1/2 feet long!

thanks guys

SC about how far can the ussually fly with a piece that long?

Anywhere between 50 to 75 yards as a rule! I have also seen a 4 to 5 foot long stick used.(Ferrell Miller video)

thanks very much

I tried carded pigeons for my nine mo gsp and it didn't work to well. The birds didn't fly too far and my pup kept chasing them, with me being dragged behind clutching the checkcord to keep her from catching the birds. the card I was using was much smaller than what I had read to use, the pigeons were from a breeder so they probley weren't the strongest fliers. from now on I think I'll just try to dizzy them up and not bother with the card, too big of a chance of her catching the bird.

SCkennel, You must be raising super pigeons. I use the hose method and I use only about 12-20" of 3/4"garden hose and about a 12" tether. I train where I have some room, so the birds fly from 150 to 200 yds the first time they are flushed and then they start to get tired after the 3rd or 4th flush and I can grab them and replace the bird. I start with a longer hose and work my way down to a shorter one if they aren't flying as far as I want. I attach the hose piece with a fishing swivel so I can change lengths quickly and it works pretty well. I usually catch fresh pigeons with the net and flashlight method the night before training but I also keep 4-6 for training purposes if I'm not lucky on a nighttime netting.

fishvik wrote:SCkennel, You must be raising super pigeons. I use the hose method and I use only about 12-20" of 3/4"garden hose and about a 12" tether. I train where I have some room, so the birds fly from 150 to 200 yds the first time they are flushed and then they start to get tired after the 3rd or 4th flush and I can grab them and replace the bird. I start with a longer hose and work my way down to a shorter one if they aren't flying as far as I want. I attach the hose piece with a fishing swivel so I can change lengths quickly and it works pretty well. I usually catch fresh pigeons with the net and flashlight method the night before training but I also keep 4-6 for training purposes if I'm not lucky on a nighttime netting.

Sounds like you have a system that works pretty well. Do you 'dizzy' the pigeons the first time you place them, or just toss them out and let them land wherever? Ever have a problem where the pigeon would NOT flush?

Another idea other than the cardboard is a pigeon pole. Make a pole out of pvc with a swivel at the top. Put a T post in the ground and slip the pole over the top. Tie a string to the swivel and the pigeon to the other end of the string. Have two poles spaced 20 to 30 yards apart and you can take the dog in on a checkcord or with a collar. You can work one pigeon pole and move to the next pole. This stops having to go get the pigeon that flew away and start over or try to get them untangled from a tree. This works great when working many dogs, you can keep bringing dogs in until the pigeon gets tired and you have to change them out for a fresh flyer.

the pigeon poll sounds like a good idea, how long or a line do you put on the pigeon from the poll and how tall is the poll you use.

thanks

I have been using a piece of hose for a long time. I have pieces from 12" to around 18" that I use depending on how strong a flyer the bird is. Try to plant birds in big fields where there is no trees. If your dogs are very smart they will figure the pigeon pole out real quick so I would not go that route. I try to go to launchers as quick as I can. I usually only use the hose for the first couple of outings and then go to the launcher.
Birddog 307

Carded pigeons worked great for me but I am in wide open country. I have launchers and homers now but the carded pigeons are a cheap and effective alternative.

Azhusker, I just throw them out, usually two at a time and then drive down wind of them and work the dog into the wind. I have never had a problem with them not flushing unless they have gotten hung up in sagebrush, then I just have the helper, hold the dog while I unhook it and let it fly. I'm lucky in that I live in an area with alot of public land that has good variety of grass and brush to train in, and a kid that likes to help train the dogs.

fishvik wrote:Azhusker, I just throw them out, usually two at a time and then drive down wind of them and work the dog into the wind. I have never had a problem with them not flushing unless they have gotten hung up in sagebrush, then I just have the helper, hold the dog while I unhook it and let it fly. I'm lucky in that I live in an area with alot of public land that has good variety of grass and brush to train in, and a kid that likes to help train the dogs.

OK - two man job, dog always on check cord, sounds like.

I was reading the other day - some trainer said that every time a dog catches a bird before it flushes, it sets training back some %. So if a dog catches several birds, his training is fubarred for awhile. I like the card option, but it is one with some risk for a single dog trainer. Two folks - not so much.

It sounds like homers may be the safest way to go if a person will be doing much training alone. How do you set out a homer in a way to ensure that it will fly when necessary? Is a launcher the only sure way?