need some help

ouachita · Post by **ouachita** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 3:18 pm

I am buying a quail launcher. How do you recover quail after using them? I read of using string and card. How long is string and how large is card? Thanks for any help.

Toyman · Post by **Toyman** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 7:03 pm

What are you going to do with the launcher and the quail? Most "card" pigeons because they are a hardier bird than quail. It might be possible to use a launcher and tie (?) the quail to it somehow or it might be possible to "card" the quail. Most use the launchers with homer pigeons. They just card them if they are wild pigeons and the area (no trees,etc) allow this. Please expand on what you are trying to to get done.

Toyman

Casper · Post by **Casper** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 7:08 pm

I dont know if you can card a quail but this is what I found out on how to do pigeons
http://www.gundogforum.com/forum/viewto ... ng+pigeons

Johnny houses. This is supposed to work best for getting quail to come back to reuse
http://www.gundogforum.com/forum/viewto ... ng+pigeons

search the forum there might be more to read up on

ouachita · Post by **ouachita** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 8:21 pm

Well Toyman i was planning on launching that quail with that launcher. Maybe a stupid question but i'm not a pro at this and i am just a pup (but i see your just a pup also) but I'm a 65 year old pup and was wanting a way to recover the birds cause i don't
think i can run one down hardy or not.

ouachita · Post by **ouachita** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 8:24 pm

Casper thanks for info. Sounds like good advice

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 9:27 pm

I have a johnny house, but have a poor recovery rate. Not exactly sure why, but I do have fox and hawk around. Before I started using the johnny house, we used a small wire mesh callback pen (which you can buy through Lion Country). We would release only hens or only males, so they would not be tempted to set up housekeeping. That seemed to work well. But a little more difficult with the johnny house.

I have taken to tying a piece of heavy thread about two feet long, to one leg of each bird before I put it in the launcher. Pen raised birds do not fly that far, and then they squat in the grass. They can be hard to find. But with the thread trailing, they are easier to find. I use a landing net to catch them and put them back in the johnny house for reuse.

Would not try to card a pen raised quail. They often do not fly far anyway.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 10:02 pm

You can recall quail as well. I have pen instruction here if you need them.

TAK · Post by **TAK** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 12:37 am

Best way to do what you are trying would to tie some colored yarn or tape on them. Not to stop them from flying but to see them in the bush that they go to! Pick your cover as best you can. Stay with some short stuff with a few bigger objeectives that the bird my go to. Get a big fish net and try to get it done. Lots of times pen Quail have one or two good flushes in them and then much easier to catch. plus most try to run away rather than fly.
To sold the problem get your dog broke to the point you need to be with pigions and then the quail you will start shooting.

Toyman · Post by **Toyman** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 5:21 am

Most pen raised birds (even most johnny house) have very little ability to fly. If you do not want your dog to catch these birds I would suggest doing it another way. I used pen raised birds, did not know what I was doing and my dog caught them and now thinks that is what she is supposed to do. You can launch them out of launchers but it has been my experience that I can get them to go farther by shooting them out of a pea shooter. (Just kidding). I would suggest pigeons until you get the results you want and then hope you can find some wild birds. (What are they?!). Again, quail are not very hardy and will not take a lot of flushes, launches, before they are not able to do anything. Pigeons may be the way to go.

Post by **Greg Jennings** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 6:08 am

It's like a 3-step process:

1. Quail to get bird crazy.

2. Pigeons in launchers or wild birds to learn to be staunch.

3. Back to quail to learn that they've got to do it on them too.

Keep in mind that I'm talking about dogs that will be run on pen quail in tests or trials.

Best regards,

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 7:51 am

I would have to disagree guys. If you have a pen full of quail and you let them out every day and recall them I find that they fly just as good as the wild ones. Eventually you will be able to let them go 2 or 3 times a day. This would be with daily workings of the birds with dogs so the birds have to fly.

ouachita · Post by **ouachita** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:46 am

What a great Forum. People on here are not only nice but seem more than willing to help an old pup get started.

Duane M · Post by **Duane M** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 11:52 am

Much agreed Ryan I have been using pen quail for training for years with little to no problems ever. To be honest till 5 years ago I never used a pigeon at all it was all quail either wild or pen. The key is to use the right breeder for your birds not the cheapest breeder.

Britmandogs · Post by **Britmandogs** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 12:29 pm

The best way I have found to recover quail while using a launcher is to use a old fishing reel and pole. I take a piece of yarn loop it on the birds leg then attached it to the fishing line. I break the rod off so it is only about 2 feet long (hides better) I also use a rod holder. Put the bird in the launcher and set the reel so it is free. I have had good luck using this method and the birds fly well.

Just make sure you are in control of your dog via a checkcord or else they will end up catching the bird.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 12:50 pm

Or you could watch where the bird lands and hunt your dog in that area. When the dog points grab a big net and catch the bird. Needs to be shorter grass though. Like the fishing pole Idead but the Recall pen is still my fav because of the less stress on the birds. A good trained covey can be worked 3 or 4 times in a day.

Britmandogs · Post by **Britmandogs** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 12:58 pm

Recall pens work great unless you don't have an area to set them up. This is the next best thing that I have found.

I wouldn't recomend trying to catch a quail while working a dog unless that dog is dead broke. That is a recipe for disaster.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 1:02 pm

good call.

Duane M · Post by **Duane M** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 2:59 pm

On the business of a dog catching an already flushed libby I have to ask what is the big problem? If the dog has handled the point up to the flush well why the concern about them then catching the bird, especially since retreiving seems to be a common problem for some folks. Now if the dog has not handled the find well it should not even be chasing the flush should it not.

Well handled finds I at least blank over the dog every time and have for many years, the dog then associates the good performance, the flush and the shot with a bird to be retreived. Thats how I have a kennel full of those non retreiving Pointers that lose very few birds every year.

That was taught to me by my first mentor who in his life trained well over 2000 gundogs with very minimal pressure and never even used an ecollar. Simple but effective.

TAK · Post by **TAK** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 7:53 pm

"On the business of a dog catching an already flushed libby I have to ask what is the big problem? If the dog has handled the point up to the flush well why the concern about them then catching the bird, especially since retreiving seems to be a common problem for some folks. Now if the dog has not handled the find well it should not even be chasing the flush should it not."

Well said!

Toyman · Post by **Toyman** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 4:39 am

It has been my experience over the years that sorry libbys cost as much as good libbys. Some hunters just have better bird raisers to buy from than others...not cheaper. If you release a bird...do not know exactly where he is located and your dog points and then catches the bird he is not fetching he is catching the bird..or did I misunderstand waht you guys are saying.

Toyman

Duane M · Post by **Duane M** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:40 am

do not know exactly where he is located and your dog points and then catches the bird he is not fetching

Toyman notice I said after a well handled bird in my post along with that if the point was not handled well the dog should not be chasing anyways. As to the dog catching a bird that can happen to a carded pigeon, hobbled pheasant or any other training bird. Some folks even say their young dogs have caught wild birds in training but I find that a tough pill to swallow. Launchers be they remote or just kick cages help keep that bird in place if thats a fear though. Besides remember that a caught bird aint ALWAYS a bad thing especially when dealing with young dogs.