wild bird`s

[Hattrick]

For the not so lucky easterners who don`t have the luxury a of local wild pheasant population to train with , how many people head out west in the off season to get there dogs some training on wild birds?.. An where do go? They say a week on wild birds is better than a year with pen birds..

[Ruffshooter]

don't need pheasants, got Ruff Grouse.

[Hattrick]

not here, just ducks an geese

[Prairie Hunter]

Personally, I like training puppies on pen raised birds. I can put them in launchers so I can control when they flush. IMO it’s the best way to teach staunchness, steadiness & backing. Once they understand their job, I put them on wild birds so they can learn to actually hunt and handle wild birds.

[texscala]

Out here in Utah we have a lot of species to run dogs on. I have never chased wild pheasants to train (not many out here) but do use a healthy dose of Chukar, Huns, Sharptail, Sage grouse, Blue Grouse, Ruffed grouse, and Quial (these are all over our public parks but hard to find where you can shoot). I try to leave them alone during the breeding seasons but the dog sure likes to work them and it is the best time to get pics and videos. If we can get a find or two an outing we are pretty happy.

[Ruffshooter]

Hattrick, where are you? There are usually flights of Wood cock or snipe spring and fall, rails, etc. can be found on the coast.

I too use quail, chuckars in launchers etc for the formal training. You have more control. The wild birds will teach you dog a lot but you can jump start it all with the launchers and set ups and good timing.

[birddog1968]

Hattrick, where are you? There are usually flights of Wood cock or snipe spring and fall, rails, etc. can be found on the coast.

I too use quail, chuckars in launchers etc for the formal training. You have more control. The wild birds will teach you dog a lot but you can jump start it all with the launchers and set ups and good timing.

+1

Snipe are great birds to train on.....teach a dog manners quick if the dogs got any smarts.

This is a long range point on some snipe (maryland), you just have to find them and use them when they are there, spring return migration is a great time.

[Hattrick]

I`m in Westminster no birds here except pen raised, i do have a deer hunting lease in Salisbury i sometimes jump some kind a game birds in the swamps never new what they were i guess snipe or woodcock.. We do alot training with launchers an pen birds i think by May i`ll be ready for the next step she will be 13mths old.. It should not take long for me to steady her up she holds point along time now she picks things real fast an has a great nose..I would like hear more on snipe an woodcock......Ruffshooter are you from down that way?

[birddog1968]

Im on the shore, Not sure about the woodcock flyways up there but they go thru somewhere up
that way....maybe Fredrick or washington county.

Snipe hang out in wet areas, shallow water around ponds, edges of wet pine woods....again I can find them on the
shore just not sure if they use areas where you are.

[Hattrick]

the area we hunt in Salisbury is wet an swampy with pines, so i bet those birds i`m jumping are snipe

[birddog1968]

probably so, Ive always found them along the edges of the pines.....they creak when the get up.

Google em so you have a better idea......they dont tolerate much pressure. The seem to hold better
along the pines than they do in short cover around ponds......great bird to teach a dog manners with.

I moved that ep into a bunch and when they flushed (to his surprise) I whoa'd him(actually he stopped to flush) but i whoa'd him as well.....after that it was game on.

[Hattrick]

I goggled them yep its snipe, is there any good puplic land than holds good population of them down there? we cant hunt em on the lease its deer an turkey only

[birddog1968]

plenty of state land down that way.....check dorchester county wma's.

I would try to see if you could get permission to work those birds on your lease.....

[Neil]

Nearly all of the top pros and many of the amateurs head to the Dakotas (a few with long term contacts return to Canada), some to WY and MT. It is pretty easy to get access in the summer, there are a number of old ranch houses for rent through out the area.

I think it might take a bit more than a week, but there is nothing to replace a summer on the prairies for a young dog. They learn to run and hunt, find birds, and it gets the chase out of the smart ones.

If you can't afford the time and money, think about sending your young dogs with a pro, you can make a dog for less than a $1,000 with the right pro.

Neil