When hunting pheasants ?

Deer Hunter · Post by **Deer Hunter** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 11:40 pm

How far out should you train a dog to work when hunting pheasants ?

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:39 am

Depending on cover. When we hunt the tall grass I like her 100 yards when i thincker stuff like trees and cattails i like her closer. The dog should work to the cover it will take a bit for the dog to learn but he/she will catch on and adjust accordingly.

My setter when out for hunts is 250 but when she hunts for pheasants is closer. She seems to use the birds once she smells them the gets birdy and works slow so i can catch up. If she is on hunts she points far from the birds so she doesnt bustem. This allows me time to catch up with her.

Post by **Ayres** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 7:36 pm

The short answer is "however far you want."

This can be influenced by whether you want to enter the dog in hunt tests, field trials, nstra, etc.

I, personally, like a close-working hunting dog. If he goes on point, I want to be able to get up there without making him wait too long, and also without having to run. I also want to be able to see him work.

larue · Post by **larue** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 6:31 am

my best pheasant dog will range out to several hundred yards,
I do not keep any of my dogs in close for hunting.but then again
if a pheasant gets up out of gun range it is no big deal to me.
I live to lose the dog,to find him pointing far ahead.
I can tell you this about my best pheasant dog,he keeps his head high,at all times,even when tracking.This seems to be the key to not pushing wild birds up.

original mngsp · Post by **original mngsp** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 9:09 am

I never run after my dog on point. Sure when they are young they will mess some up, but it's a learning experience for them. They learn they better stand that bird until I get there if they want a retrieve.

Post by **ezzy333** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 10:17 am

Ayres,

No running in the field with a loaded gun. Justus won't mind waiting for min or two.

Ezzy

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 10:20 am

I can't run. But I do hurry up a little bit, kind of a power walk. It isn't the dog, sometimes those birds just won't wait forever.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 11:38 am

Wagonmaster wrote:I can't run. But I do hurry up a little bit, kind of a power walk. It isn't the dog, sometimes those birds just won't wait forever.

Nailed it right on the head there.

markj · Post by **markj** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 11:50 am

I can't run. But I do hurry up a little bit, kind of a power walk. It isn't the dog, sometimes those birds just won't wait forever.

I can still but do not ever with a loaded weapon. I sat and had a cigar one day when my ossie was on point, she held it for 1/2 hour at least, I picked up a rock and threw it over, they were on the other side of a wide creek, a hen poped up and flew away. We continued with our hunting.

I have planted a quail in my field and had 5 GSPs pointing it at the same time for about 10 min

my nephew asked me what was wrong with my dogs

he was a youngin then..

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 11:51 am

markj wrote:
I can't run. But I do hurry up a little bit, kind of a power walk. It isn't the dog, sometimes those birds just won't wait forever.
I can still but do not ever with a loaded weapon. I sat and had a cigar one day when my ossie was on point, she held it for 1/2 hour at least, I picked up a rock and threw it over, they were on the other side of a wide creek, a hen poped up and flew away. We continued with our hunting.

I have planted a quail in my field and had 5 GSPs pointing it at the same time for about 10 min my nephew asked me what was wrong with my dogs he was a youngin then..

That was lucky most pheasants especially roosters will run.

I hunt with a semi auto i just keep the chamber open then when the dog goes on point and i get there I it the button on the bottom and it slides close. When I shoot my single shot i just leave it open. it takes .5 second to flip it closed the bords wont be that far away by then.

markj · Post by **markj** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 11:57 am

That was lucky most pheasants especially roosters will run.

I often have a dog lock up a bird with his point, I have seen the rooster staring into the eyes of my dog, until I walk up and flush.

2 weekends ago I had 15 points, rock solid, every one a hen, cept the last one, he was a rooster and did get away. Let the pointing dogs get out a little, they will find and pin down a bird for you, nothing finer than this. IMHO

Last weekend? 1 point, 1 rooster, no hens, no other birds seen. weather was very warm and deer hunting was in full swing by the sounds of it. I heard one guy unload 5 shots of a large rifle. We headed home.

original mngsp · Post by **original mngsp** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 2:58 pm

I can't run. But I do hurry up a little bit, kind of a power walk. It isn't the dog, sometimes those birds just won't wait forever.
_________________
John Lunseth

Those impatient birds provide a little additional training. Seeing birds leave like that years ago would have driven me crazy, with the years has come a change in the perspective of my hunting.

Post by **Ayres** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 4:10 pm

Ok, I'll have to clarify. I don't run in the field with a loaded gun. Really, I don't run at all. Maybe a little power walk, like John said, but that's just what you get when you can pull off a 6-foot stride. But still, the power walk can get kind of tiring if I have to do it for 200 yards, so I'd rather not have to do it as much.

Also, I don't load my gun until I'm ready to shoot. If the dog performs correctly, I'll have time to pop in a couple shells. If not, then I'm not shooting anyway.

Ahumphers91 · Post by **Ahumphers91** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 2:18 pm

I personally like both of my shorthairs hunting close no matter what conditions. No more than 70 yds for me... I am an "on foot hunter", but both of my shorthairs can range out if given the signal

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 4:33 pm

really depends alot on the cover. we hunt quite a variety. smallest would be cattail sloughs, and when we are specifically hunting a particular slough, i would say 50 yards, but that would be because that is all the bigger the sloughs are and i want em in it. we usually go in there because we know there are birds.

more often, though, we hunt CRP and open prairie. there we don't mind em out to 300 or 400 yards, or sometimes even more. but they have to have good manners out there, stand their birds off not crowd, be able to hold point for quite awhile while we find them. last bird i killed this season was over a point established about 300 yards or so out in some CRP.

sandhill · Post by **sandhill** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 4:43 pm

Had my 7 mo old EP out today when she nailed one about 100 yds out, took my time gettin there, and she held just fine. This was on a power line with knee high growth and a wild bird. Gettin better everytime I take her out.

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 5:28 pm

really great feeling, huh?

sandhill · Post by **sandhill** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 6:31 pm

You bet it is Wagon, my huntin buddy has a ES and I have seen this dog hold point for 10 min waiting on us to get there so I say let the dog do its thing as long as it dosen't hit a straight line and head for the next county, Let the dog determine its own range thats the way i see it, be it right or wrong.

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