Gun Dog Forum

I have 3-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer. I've sent him to be trained to hunt and the trainer said he's perfect. But I have a problem with myself. I just can't kill a bird. I love taking my dog in the field to walk him and he'll find and point birds. Then, as the trainer said, I release him to flush the birds and then call him back to tell him to start searching the field. Is this an option for me? Will I ruin his training in this way?

No you will not,a dog does not have to have a bird killed for it
to have fun,in fact I myself enjoy the search much more than the shot,I am often found useing a blank gun while hunting out west,instead of a shotgun.To me it is the dog work,not the kill
that is the reason I am out there.
So enjoy your dog,he will have a blast even if you never kill a bird for him.

I agree...just enjoy the work of your dog. You'll both have fun

You could shoot with a camera.

Shooting with a digital camera is great. You will be able to concentrate on the dog, and shoot pics of him/her/them.

If your dog is working steady and reliable...try finding a pheasant preserve near you if you don't want to shoot birds
the only birds I really shoot for my dogs any more is in trials but they get loads of pheasant and chukar shot over them and when I get to go wild bird hunting i shoot there also

Thank you everybody for the replies, especially for the idea of shooting with a camera! I'll read some books on how to take good pictures and then I'll start taking the camera with me when I go to the field with Lucky.

yea shoot some pics of them

then post tham on here