Running Pheasants

[WISCO_GSP]

I have a 1 year old GSP in her first season and my first season hunting upland extensively. I have been taking her pheasant, woodcock and grouse hunting up in Wisconsin. She has been doing very well finding birds and holding points until I get to her. Earlier in the year the birds (mainly pheasants) were holding tight. Now I don't know if the birds have been exposed to dogs and hunters and have gotten skiddesh but they have been running quicker than in the early season. The issue that I have been having the last couple times out is that my 1 yr old will get on those birds but when they start moving she will move with them, like she should, but she is getting to the point where they are flushing. Is there any training to help her give the bird more space? Is that something just getting more experience and having the birds flush on her will cure?

[Sharon]

Controlling pheasants for a shot is a skill even older dogs can have problems with. She's very young. Give it a couple seasons.

[nevermind]

Pheasants that survive beginning of the hunting season run and flush ahead of dogs in order to live...dang they just don't follow the game plan! My experience is the birds that run will keep running till they feel safe to take flight, so I don't believe a dog can hold a running bird by just giving them more space. Your hunting technic to try and pinch them to hold will probably get you into more cooperative birds.

[UglyD]

Pheasants that survive beginning of the hunting season run and flush ahead of dogs in order to live...dang they just don't follow the game plan! My experience is the birds that run will keep running till they feel safe to take flight, so I don't believe a dog can hold a running bird by just giving them more space. Your hunting technic to try and pinch them to hold will probably get you into more cooperative birds.

And there is good advise- I know where I am at the birds are track stars and at times you had better be also.

[hettmoe]

Controlling pheasants for a shot is a skill even older dogs can have problems with. She's very young. Give it a couple seasons.

She'll figure it out.

[Fran Seagren]

In my experience, wild roosters are the smartest upland bird there is. Don't know if "smart" is the best description, but it's the word I use. Each week from opening day on, they get better at outmaneuvering us and the dogs. If they haven't run out the end of the field before you even get out of your truck, they will double back around you and your dog, run out to the side and then hunker down, or not. They do everything they can to NOT flush. But, then, they really don't mind flushing either - out of gun range.

The weather also makes a difference. Early season when it's warm, lots of cover, and lots of food around, the birds don't have a reason to conserve their energy and hunker down and hold better. Last week we were hunting roosters for a day in eastern Wa and the temperature was in the 60s. The birds were definitely not holding. My setter, Robert, pointed two, but I couldn't get close enough for a shot before they flushed. My lab, Sarge, didn't even get close to any. But this week, the temps will be in the 30s, so I'm expecting to at least get some shots!

I've hunted pheasants with both flushers and pointing dogs . Over the years, some of our dogs have gotten really good at figuring them out. There is nothing more fun and exciting than hunting wild roosters. Enjoy the ride!

[brianb]

I know some guys won't shoot birds that aren't properly pointed. What are your thoughts when hunting pheasants? Do you shoot birds that flush on your pointing dog? When you're in the thick stuff it's really hard to tell what is happening at bird contact. Whether the bird is running circles around the dog or it's bumped.

[UglyD]

My dogs are hunters - they try their best to maintain what they have been trained to and genetics. But again the dogs and myself are hunters we do no trials if a bird isn't pointed well and I still do my part it's a dead bird period. You can say that teaches bad habits etc. If you would have watched those 2 work CRP and cattails for Pheasants Sat and then Sunday clean the side of the mountain grouse hunting those thoughts would never enter your mind.

[birddog1968]

Don't shoot flushed birds or your training her to put them up

If you want the dog to really learn to handle and pin phez why reward flushing birds.

[UglyD]

My reasoning is that every bird in Southern Idaho has a little of Bob Hayes in them- your dog tries to pin down every bird in that type of terrain you are not going to shoot many birds and you aren't getting that many opportunities to start with- but then also my dogs aren't out there a 100 yards or more when hunting pheasants before the track meet starts. Hunting Chukars it's a different story- and my older boy seems to know the difference.

[Neil]

Don't shoot flushed birds or your training her to put them up

.

Who told you that?

[Sharon]

I've always been told that too . Is it not true? Not that I listened to that advice as I wanted dinner.

[UglyD]

I have always heard that- not saying that it isn't correct if I need a trial dog or I get to see many many birds-
I don't see it happen much when grouse hunting but pheasant hunting where I am at I see it every so often- Dogs hunt way too well for me to worry about about a small percentage. Hunt way too hard for the few we get. I come home upset once in awhile but it's at myself never those dogs. I am 37 birds this year- that's not anything to boast about especially for what I have missed but it's a very good year for northern UT/southern ID and a 60 yr old geezer.

[ckirsch]

If my dogs intentionally ripped a bird, I wouldn't shoot it, but wild flushes are a different story. If you're only shooting wild roosters that sit for a point, you're not going to enjoy much pheasant chili.

[Neil]

I've always been told that too . Is it not true? Not that I listened to that advice as I wanted dinner.

It is not true.

[Neil]

If my dogs intentionally ripped a bird, I wouldn't shoot it, but wild flushes are a different story. If you're only shooting wild roosters that sit for a point, you're not going to enjoy much pheasant chili.

I agree. Since my dogs are steady to wing, I will shoot on a stop to flush, so sometimes it might be a stop to bump, and I will still shoot. It is only a problem shooting unpointed birds if you quit training. Keep training and keep shooting.

[birddog1968]

Don't shoot flushed birds or your training her to put them up

.

Who told you that?

Experience and its worked very well, wild birds or otherwise.......

[nevermind]

How much training do you have to put into the dog before they start putting them up? My 10yr old isn't putting them up nor has my previous pointing dogs that lived into their teens. I'm not going to say your wrong...maybe it's a individual dog thing or I've been lucky.

[Pepper]

I have a 1 year old GSP in her first season and my first season hunting upland extensively. I have been taking her pheasant, woodcock and grouse hunting up in Wisconsin. She has been doing very well finding birds and holding points until I get to her. Earlier in the year the birds (mainly pheasants) were holding tight. Now I don't know if the birds have been exposed to dogs and hunters and have gotten skiddesh but they have been running quicker than in the early season. The issue that I have been having the last couple times out is that my 1 yr old will get on those birds but when they start moving she will move with them, like she should, but she is getting to the point where they are flushing. Is there any training to help her give the bird more space? Is that something just getting more experience and having the birds flush on her will cure?

When you watch a dog in action and then starts to go straight instead of doing the normal action to again scent, then you got an runner. How good are your legs in keeping up or maybe do you decide to call it off when dog is on full run to keep up with the scent?

[ezzy333]

Birds don't run as fast as dogs and they normally don't run long unless they are pushed. Let the dog work them and just try to keep quite while you follow. Many dogs will learn to circle and get in front of the bird so it can pin it between you and the dog. Pheasants are hard to pin down sometimes but it is just part of the game. Enjoy and watch the dog work. It is amazing how good some of them get if you give them the chance.

[Jere]

If your dog likes to get feathers in his mouth and you kill flushed birds (not birds pointed and flushed by you) for the dog, then;
If over time more and more birds are flushed which might have been pointed then you are training the dog to flush birds by rewarding whatever behavior results in the flushes.
If over time more and more birds are being pinned/pointed and fewer flushed, then the dog is learning how to behave on birds so as not to flush them.

Jere

[UglyD]

Must have read this incorrectly- my dogs go on point- bird moves- dogs move and go back on point- bird is now running thru the cat tails full bore- dogs do this over and over again for a few hundred yards back and forth across this canal- I am doing my best to keep up- cattail ditch takes a turn to the left for 10 yards and then back to the right- dog is in pursuit- bird gets up on the bend from just getting tired of running because he can't lose the dogs- I shoot ( this exact scenario happened on 10/02/14 ) I was suppose to let it go ?- I think not- incredible work on a bird that pushed all to the max. I wish I could have had it on video because it was a whole lot more than I just explained.
Dogs never come back with feathers in their mouth unless it's from a retrieve.

[nevermind]

I that makes two of us UglyD that read this incorrectly. I've had many pheasants flush in front of my dogs on point before I had a chance to get in front of the dog and make the flush. Never had a pointing dog turn into a flusher, because I killed a bird I didn't physical kick up. IMO dogs should be trained before taking them hunting, if they start flushing birds I think I'd start over in the training field.

[jetjockey]

If my dogs intentionally ripped a bird, I wouldn't shoot it, but wild flushes are a different story. If you're only shooting wild roosters that sit for a point, you're not going to enjoy much pheasant chili.

I agree. Since my dogs are steady to wing, I will shoot on a stop to flush, so sometimes it might be a stop to bump, and I will still shoot. It is only a problem shooting unpointed birds if you quit training. Keep training and keep shooting.

X2. The difference is knowing the difference. I will shoot a stop to flush over a fully trained broke dog. I will not do it over a young dog who is just figuring it out. As long as the bird work is honest, I reward the dog. Purposely bumped birds don't get killed, but luckily that doeent often happen over a properly trained dog.