Gun Dog Forum

How far out do u guys let your dogs work? How do u know when they are on point in a thicket if u cannot see them?

I let and expect my dogs to hunt the cover. If the cover is 10 yards off the logging road or 100 yards on top of the ridge doesn't matter to me as long as they are in the cover. A dog that stays close is useless if it's not in the cover. We hunt where the bird numbers is slim to none so you must have a dog that will hunt all day without bird contacts. There's not many dogs that will hunt 5 or 6 hours without bird contacts. I use a beeper collar set on point mode to keep track of them. 90% of the time they are in beeper range and they will always keep up with me. I do not call my dogs unless I want to water them or leave.


Brian

I thank you, my dog seems to run big, I just wonder what guys did before beeper collars to locate dogs on point in thick stuff when they could not see the dog? I will get a beeper collar someday when budget allows! By the way my dog will hunt day light to dark with or without bird contacts, he never gives up, I just got lucky with my first dog! I often wonder how great he would have been with a more experienced dog man then me?

Beecher wrote:How far out do u guys let your dogs work? How do u know when they are on point in a thicket if u cannot see them?

One lets them do what is necessary on any day or in any cover... or one lets them do what each person is comfortable with.
Some days will be more successful than others.
Can't see expecting it any other way.

Bell and point-only beeper works well.
Astro has pretty much replaced the beeper, for me....not the immediate contact of the bell tho.
I will always use a bell in the grouse woods.

Somehow, folks got along with only a bell at one time.
I expect that we still could.

"Big" is relative...as is good or "all day."

If he will will hold his point until you get there, and not crowd the bird, doesn't much matter to me how far out he is. I use a beeper for grouse/woodcock hunting.


............edited spelling

i just let my dog hunt, doesn't matter. Sometimes he has been out of sight and out of bell sound for a while and sometimes he is easily within sight.

I am very confident in him holding his birds and if he moves the bird is either moved on or he pointed old scent. I think that it all depends on the dogs training level.

brandon

Get yourself a good bell or a bell. Having a bell helps you pay attention to the dog. You will also learn to read the bell on occassion, in certain instances. When you do not hear it, it is because of one of a few reasons. The dog went on point so the bell stops all of a sudden. Another is a bell that stops and kind of makes intermitant sounds, that dog maybe having a kennel point. Another is a bell that starts and stops, that dog may be tracking a bird or other animal. Another is a bell that is going good and steady, stops for just a moment that tears off clanging away, that dog just bumped or busted a bird. The other is the bell is getting faint and disappears. That dog is out of ear shot and you give em a couple of toots of the whistle to come back around.

One thing to remember, some times we think our dog is really out there but in reality the cover is thick and he is not out as far as we think.

I have a beeper for two of my dogs because they genuinely run big, for grouse woods. But I do find my self surprised as to their location at times because I do not pay that much attention to them, tll I Need to. That is if for some reason I do not attache the bell also

Personally, I like the bell just because it adds to the hunt for me.

If you have a good honest dog and good ears, either works, Cabelas has a very good and durable bell that is a pointing and traveling beeper. It is not a trainer. I have two of those. They work well and easy to use.

I use a Garmin; it beeps on me and not in the birds face. Woodcock seem to care less about the beep of the collar but I think the beep scares the grouse off. A Garmin tells me the distance and when he is on point.

Get a beeper, it's the best $120.00 you'll ever spend on your pointer.

As far out as it takes him or her to find a bird.

I guess I am old school and don't want to give myself and excuse for getting lazy. I run bells on my dogs and haven't let the temptation of a tracker or Garmin win me over yet. I train the pups to handle back to where I can hear the bell most of the time but I have friends that walk around looking at their Garmin screen while they loose their dogs and say they know right where the dog is two miles away.

OhioVizsla wrote:Get a beeper, it's the best $120.00 you'll ever spend on your pointer.

good advice...let the dog range how it will naturally and get some electronics to locate the dog on point. this will allow the dog to hunt to its full potential.

Grouse Dog Guy wrote: I can hear the bell most of the time but I have friends that walk around looking at their Garmin screen while they loose their dogs and say they know right where the dog is two miles away.

This is exactly why I do not get the Garmin or a tracker. Why be looking at screen instead of the dog or the scenery?
Maybe a misperseption on my part but so be it. I find this when I use a garmin for my hunting and finding certain deer spots. Spend more time looking at it than I should, also your compass skills and map reading skills don;t get tuned up using the GPS.

Around here all the old timers would say, "It will make sombody a nice grouse dog" when they wash it out for not having what it takes to make a top notch quail dog. My point being dogs that are "boot lickers" or dont range out far enough were what grouse hunters looked for before beepers and GPS.

Ruffshooter wrote:...This is exactly why I do not get the Garmin or a tracker. Why be looking at screen instead of the dog or the scenery?...

Whether it be the U.P., the Apps., Kansas, Iowa, wherever....The Astro has yet to detract me from either a sunrise, sunset or anything else that tugs the eye.
95+% of the time it is in my pant's pocket.
I can see that some will be infatuated with a new toy or new technology and that may lead to a stumble in a badger hole or or fallen log but really...that fear is a non-starter.
Not necessary re pointed birds and the appeal of the unit is far broader than one application of it's technology.
But....some have the TV on all the time.

Georgia Boy wrote:Around here all the old timers would say, "It will make sombody a nice grouse dog" when they wash it out for not having what it takes to make a top notch quail dog. My point being dogs that are "boot lickers" or dont range out far enough were what grouse hunters looked for before beepers and GPS.

Most of the good cover dogs can run and win horse back shooting dog stakes, maybe that's not enough for top notch quail dogs

Mountaineer wrote: ...that fear is a non-starter.
.

Not for me. I don't like to carry much, I don't like gadgets for the most part, I like ole school mostly but sometimes one does need to use new tech, but if I can help it I don't and won't. So using one is a non starter for me. To each their own. Just saying.

Grouse Dog Guy wrote:

Georgia Boy wrote:Around here all the old timers would say, "It will make sombody a nice grouse dog" when they wash it out for not having what it takes to make a top notch quail dog. My point being dogs that are "boot lickers" or dont range out far enough were what grouse hunters looked for before beepers and GPS.

Most of the good cover dogs can run and win horse back shooting dog stakes, maybe that's not enough for top notch quail dogs

Hey Grouse Dog Guy, don't get your panties in a wad I was not talking about cover dogs I was talking about the average Grouse hunter that hunts in the Appalachian mountains like we have to here.

Georgia Boy wrote:

Grouse Dog Guy wrote:

Georgia Boy wrote:Around here all the old timers would say, "It will make sombody a nice grouse dog" when they wash it out for not having what it takes to make a top notch quail dog. My point being dogs that are "boot lickers" or dont range out far enough were what grouse hunters looked for before beepers and GPS.

Most of the good cover dogs can run and win horse back shooting dog stakes, maybe that's not enough for top notch quail dogs

Hey Grouse Dog Guy, don't get your panties in a wad I was not talking about cover dogs I was talking about the average Grouse hunter that hunts in the Appalachian mountains like we have to here.

I never get my panties in a wad over dogs, I live about 20 min from the highest point in Pa and someone told me onetime that it's in the Appalachian mountains. Maybe I didn't hear him right I do consider myself and average grouse hunter but I keep trying to get better

I let my dog hunt the cover he is in...if there are birds then he is closer working, but if we go for awhile with no contacts..then he starts ranging more. I have a beeper collar and I use a bell.

Try out what everyone said on the thread..You'll find something that suits you and the dog..I use a garmin, beeper, and bell all together..I like all and never had any problems..Just becareful where theres lots of wolves..They (wolves) tend to track the bell because they believe theres easy food access at the noise of a bell.

I use a bell and my Garmin Astro. Actually I mostly just use the bell. I have two bells and one I can hear out to about 300 yards and the other is closer to 200 yards. I used to hate the bell and swore that once I got an Astro I would get rid of the bell except when in a trial. However after using the bell for a while I've learned to not necessarily like the sound, but certainly appreciate it . There is a lot of information I can gather about my dog by the sound.

I find that about the only time I use the Astro is help me figure out my dog's range by the volume of the bell. I've still got some learning to do. I'll also use it to tell how far away my dog is when she goes on point. I've have multiple productive points that approach 300 yards. I generally don't need to use it to help me find the dog unless were out running in August when you can't see 20 feet in front with the heavy foilage.

According to my Astro my setter's typical range is 100-200 yards. It used to be 80-150, but as she got older and bolder it extended to what it is now. I much prefer a wider ranging dog for grouse as long as the dog is honest with its birds.

ridgerunner wrote:I let my dog hunt the cover he is in...if there are birds then he is closer working, but if we go for awhile with no contacts..then he starts ranging more. I have a beeper collar and I use a bell.

yep thats the way I roll, cut the dogs loose and follow bell or what for beeper to go off. I have had both freeze on me in late season hunt several times not fun looking for a dog on point in heavy cover.