Help on hunting close

Luke's Guide · Post by **Luke's Guide** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 5:52 pm

I just got back from 5 days in Iowa with my 4 year old GSP. What a great time. Went out with 3 other guys that this is their 16th year in a row in IA. Plenty of productive land to hunt. I plan on making this the first annual trip to Iowa.

I need to brag on my pup so here goes. Then I'll ask my question.

She did not bump one bird and held all of her points (almost to a fault). No creeping at all. This was her first time on true wild birds except for a very few grouse here in Virginia.

By holding her points to a fault I mean that she would hold her point and not relocate after a covey flushed a few times. It payed off once also. A hen flushed but she pointed up again almost immediatley.I thought she was pointed the scent from the hen and released her but she did not move. Wish I had the camera. When I walked towards her, to release her with a tap, a rooster jumped up. Needless to say I really layed on the praise for that.

The one thing that I need help with is getting her to hunt closer in cover. We were working some pretty heavy cover frequently and she always wanted to range out 50 yards or more. I had a 50 foot check cord on her and that helped but I don't want to be constantly hacking on her to hunt closer in heavy cover.

She has always ranged out a bit but it has not been a real problem 'til now.

What do you guys think?[/u]

Boomer · Post by **Boomer** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 6:44 pm

50 yards out, too far?.. A pointing dog that is holding ther points 50yrds is nothing. If you want to hunt with a dog closer then that use a flusher. If your concerend with the fact that sometimes you loose sight of your dog get a beeper. Most dogs will range to what the cover is. Heavy bruch-dog will work closer, wide open terrian=the dog will streach out...
Boomer

Post by **ezzy333** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 7:08 pm

I agree with Boomer. Sounds like she is doing an excellent job and I sure would hate to see you ru9in that by wanting her under foot. Get a beeper and I think you will be happy.

Al

Margaret · Post by **Margaret** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 1:43 am

50 yards in heavy cover is far enough. Is it heavy cover?

You will have to get your dog to turn on a whistle, but if you are truly in heavy cover you won't see the dog often to know when to turn it.
A beeper collar sounds like it may help you.

Seems like your dog is ranging enough to find birds for you.
Isn't that what we all want?

In very heavy cover sticky dog is not so good, need them to flush on command.

Luke's Guide · Post by **Luke's Guide** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 2:31 pm

Ok. Sounds like I'm adding a beeper collar to my Christmas list.

Some of the cover was really heavy. I would lose sight of her after 20 yards or less. I know its not the best terrain for a pointer but that was where the birds were.

It was cold, rainy and windy and then cold, snowy and windy. The birds were holding tight and looking for shelter.

Thanks for the input.

Margaret · Post by **Margaret** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 3:07 pm

Maybe not perfect terrain for a Pointer, but no problem for GSP and you found birds and had fun, so everything working well.

Luke's Guide · Post by **Luke's Guide** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 3:15 pm

Yup. Had a blast. I could've used another 5 days, no problem.

Birdhunter1 · Post by **Birdhunter1** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 11:47 pm

I think over time your dog will learn it's range.
It doesn't sound like it's too bad now but I know what you mean by saying 50 yards is too far in THICK cover, a few places I hunt I wait until we've had a bunch of snow before I hunt them so I can actually see the dog when it is 15 yards away.

Casper · Post by **Casper** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 12:08 am

I am just curios why you need to see your dog? If your dog knows where you are and is staying in front of you wouldnt that be enough regardless of its range? I dont hunt anything dense enough to know any better so I thougth I would ask.

Luke's Guide · Post by **Luke's Guide** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 10:12 am

I had a blaze collar on my dog but no bell. I don't own a beeper collar...yet. I was the new guy with this bunch and nobody else had a bell on their dog so I went along with the crowd.

In some of the cover I could've easily walked right past her on a few occasions. We had 4 labs a 2 pointers. The other pointer would range out to the point of being useless (in my opinion) in the heavy cover. She may have been holding a point but by the time we worked up to her the bird would flush out of range.

This is my first GSP so I don't have a lifetime of experience with pointers. I just thought if I could get her to work a little closer in heavy cover it would've been better.

Birdhunter1 · Post by **Birdhunter1** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 12:26 am

Rocket was on point one time in so thick of cover tat while we were looking for him after we hadn't seen him for 15 minutes we flushed a covery of birds ourselves and when we shot on he busted out of the brush where he was only about 20' away from us. Never knew he was there till he busted out for a retrieve.

Then one other time he came out, looked at me, pointed back to where he was and then crept in. After the 4th time he had doen this and me wondering what the heck he was doing he finally just put a rooset pheasant in the air as if to say "dumbass I'm trying to tell you there is a bird in here!"

Hifive · Post by **Hifive** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 6:56 am

I hunt grouse in some heavy cover. I use bells. The bigger the runner the louder the bell. I feel that finding the dog in heavy cover is part of the fun in hunting pointing breeds.

Birdhunter1 · Post by **Birdhunter1** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 12:35 am

Hifive wrote:I hunt grouse in some heavy cover. I use bells. The bigger the runner the louder the bell. I feel that finding the dog in heavy cover is part of the fun in hunting pointing breeds.

OH YEAH!
When a dog has been gone for 5 minutes or more and you don't even hear bruch being moved around you know what's going on and then you get birdy!

Ric Lindsey · Post by **Ric Lindsey** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 9:30 pm

Yes it can get scary when hunting in heavy cover,We hunt grouse from Ga to WI,mountainous to rolling terain,and very very thick,Once you learn to trust your dog,the getting out of site part in'nt a problem...I use the Sportdog DSL-400 beeper colar,set to "hawk screech" mode,as one of the other guys said,searching for the dog on point is part of the fun,When I hear that Hawk scream...the ole ticker gets to pumping,and the hunt is On...Hope you got a beeper for Christmas?

Yawallac · Post by **Yawallac** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 10:58 am

One of the GREAT things about a beeper collar is that all of my dogs have learned what the steady beep means. It means BIRDS!! They all come running to find the dog on point and if all goes well... they honor.

I couldn't imagine hunting w/o beeper collars, especially in cover. I usually hunt 2 at a time but occassionally I turn all 4 loose and adjust the collars to different sounds and patterns. All that beeping may bother the purists, but with wide-ranging pointers it really makes it easier.

Luke's Guide · Post by **Luke's Guide** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 9:11 am

Well, I didn't get a beeper collar for Christmas but for a good reason. My 11 month old son got all the goodies, as it should be.

But I have been working slow and steady with my GSP and she is really coming around. Like BirdHunter1 said she has found her range and works accordingly.

Iowa was a first for both of us. Biiiig country.