Training on Wild Birds

SpringerDude · Post by **SpringerDude** » Sun Mar 03, 2013 8:05 am

Training a pup on wild birds really teaches a dog things that we can't simulate.

Yesterday, I went for a walk with Spud (9 yrs old) and Josie (10 mths old). In the first 45 min, we flushed 7 woodcock and had 12 flushes and also a covey of quail. Once we got into the woodcock, I heeled spud and let Josie work on her on. She really hunted hard and was finding the woodcock. These are springers which are flushing dogs. Josie was putting up the birds in shooting range but the cool part was she would bounce out a few strides after the bird but I could stop her with a whistle or voice command and then she would turn off the bird and we would go back hunting. I let her run as big as she wanted. She kept checking back in with me and we had a nice quiet walk. We we finished the walk, it was approx 2.5 hrs, we had seen close to a dozen woodcock and had over 20 flushes.

Can't wait to watch her mature and develop. She is going to be an awesome woodcock dog this Fall. I have three nice ones already and I can see where this one is headed.

Post by **Sharon** » Sun Mar 03, 2013 4:25 pm

location?
Sounds good. Do you not want your dog sitting on the flush?

SpringerDude · Post by **SpringerDude** » Sun Mar 03, 2013 8:30 pm

Sharon,

I am in Missouri.
Yes, I will eventually have her steady to flush. I don't necessarily want her to "sit" on the flush. Standing and not moving is fine with me. Josie is only 10 mths. She is learning to hunt and find birds. So we are just having fun and letting the birds teach her some things.

Took another walk this evening. 2 hrs. 15+ woodcock flushes on approx 12 different birds. 1 covey of quail and found 4 singles. Just a nice walk getting the pup into some birds.

Post by **Sharon** » Sun Mar 03, 2013 8:36 pm

Lucky man to have wild birds that abundant. I hear the woodcock are in PA so that means they will move along the lakes and cross at Niagara Falls soon. We'll be waiting for them .

( Up here a covey is two birds.)

SpringerDude · Post by **SpringerDude** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 9:21 pm

Sunday evening took Josie for a walk by herself. This little pup hunted hard and had over 15+ woodcock flushes.

Tonight I tried a place close to home. Only had 20 minutes before sunset so approx 30 min to walk. Josie flushed 4 woodcock and was steady to all flushes. She is really catching on to the steady. I think the biggest factor is that she isn't getting a retrieve right now. No anticipation of a falling bird. If I can get another 50 flushes from her in the next week, she will be a long way down the road with bird experience. I am really liking this little pup.

JIM K · Post by **JIM K** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 12:06 am

Sharon wrote:Lucky man to have wild birds that abundant. I hear the woodcock are in PA so that means they will move along the lakes and cross at Niagara Falls soon. We'll be waiting for them .
( Up here a covey is two birds.)

no woodcock so far here in northcentral pa.
usually its last 2 weeks of march/april if they come thru.

when you see robins you will see woodcock.
no robins yet in northcentral pa.

Post by **Sharon** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 12:29 am

I read this post so thought ...............

"Willie found 2 today in very south central PA. They are starting to filter into the north. Great time of year to run young pups and older dogs on wild birds."

JIM K · Post by **JIM K** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 8:55 am

Sharon wrote:I read this post so thought ...............

"Willie found 2 today in very south central PA. They are starting to filter into the north. Great time of year to run young pups and older dogs on wild birds."

i called woodcock group today and they said they are seeing some in lycoming county.
got me excited. i think i will take whiskers out in clinton county today.
will update when i get back tonight.

no woodcock yet in northcentral pa.

Deuce · Post by **Deuce** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 3:36 pm

springer - where in Missouri are you? I'd love to get my pup on some, but I have no idea where to look. I have no experience with woodcock.

SpringerDude · Post by **SpringerDude** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 9:27 pm

Deuce,

I am in SW Missouri, Springfield area.

If I were you, I would head out to Bush Wildlife area or Weldon Spring WMA. Look for young trees and lots of underbrush. Sumac patches, briars, buckbrush. From what I am seeing, you should be covered up in timberdoodles. Went out this evening for 25 min and my pup put 8 in the air. Great opportunity for young dogs to get wild bird contacts. My pup actually started staying steady on some of the flushes.

I am getting reports from several areas across Missouri.

Good luck!

Deuce · Post by **Deuce** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 9:37 pm

Thats what I was thinking. Going to try and get her out in the next few days. I'll report back if I find any

Trekmoor · Post by **Trekmoor** » Wed Mar 06, 2013 8:22 am

I like this time of year when bringing on pups or young dogs. The vizsla I'm training found about a dozen pheasants yesterday within one hour of hunting through woodlands. My 4 months old brittany "hunted" along behind her for about half that time and didn't find any birds but she saw them jump up and fly off and she became bolder and bolder in the woodland cover. She also crossed the small shallow river 3 or 4 times while following the vizzie until she jumped into a deep bit and had to swim for the first time. She didn't seem terribly bothered about that but I dried her off and put her back in the car anyway. Next time I go I'll take a few Party Poppers with me and begin to get the brit pup used to "bangs" while she is excited and having fun.

One of the vizsla's points.

Bill T.

mrtyde · Post by **mrtyde** » Wed Mar 06, 2013 6:43 pm

Not many woodcock in southeastern Ohio yet. I was out with a friend last Friday and Saturday with 4 dogs down at a time we only found 3-4 each day.

Deuce · Post by **Deuce** » Thu Mar 07, 2013 8:38 pm

Springer - I had some errands to run out by Busch today and decided to drive through and see if I could fine good cover to run my pup in tomorrow afternoon. I have 0 experience with woodcock and was looking for habitat from what I've read here and at other sites. Sure enough I get out and decide to go for a walk through likely cover. Lo and behold I flushed at least one if not two. Going to bring the pup out tomorrow and run her there and a few other spots hoping to get her some wild bird experience.

Winchey · Post by **Winchey** » Thu Mar 07, 2013 8:42 pm

I don't know what your terrain is like but I have always had good luck in alder swells up here. Regenerated farmland, and mature maple and oak in the river valleys where the alders are coming up as understory.

SpringerDude · Post by **SpringerDude** » Thu Mar 07, 2013 9:37 pm

Deuce wrote:Springer - I had some errands to run out by Busch today and decided to drive through and see if I could fine good cover to run my pup in tomorrow afternoon. I have 0 experience with woodcock and was looking for habitat from what I've read here and at other sites. Sure enough I get out and decide to go for a walk through likely cover. Lo and behold I flushed at least one if not two. Going to bring the pup out tomorrow and run her there and a few other spots hoping to get her some wild bird experience.

Now that is Awesome! Woodcock are great for teaching dogs where to find wild birds. I take folks with dogs that have never hunted woodcock and the dogs don't know what to do to find them. After the dogs figure out what is going on, then they really start hunting birds. You might be able to watch the birds land and get your pup on that bird again. Multiple contacts on the same bird is quite common. I call it "recycling" the birds. Let us know how you do. Looking forward to hearing the report.

CDN_Cocker · Post by **CDN_Cocker** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 5:50 am

I've never even hunted woodcock as I've never seen one. I'm a grouse nut so I'm sure woodcock is just as awesome. Maybe once I get myself a dog I'll have to give it a go in the fall.

Deuce · Post by **Deuce** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 7:39 pm

Got my pup on some woodcock toward the end of last week, she didn't point a single one of them. Probably had 4-5 contacts and she smelled around the hot spots a good bit. Is this an something that calls for shooting one over her then It'll click? Any other ideas?

SpringerDude · Post by **SpringerDude** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 8:04 pm

Possibly. However, experience of just getting on them helps. My guess is to take her a couple more times and see how your pup reacts. But this Fall, shoot one for her. If she isn't pointing them, shoot one anyway and see if she starts pointing them.

Glad you got out and seen some. Almost like hunting and gives one something to look forward to after the hunting season.

tbosc · Post by **tbosc** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 1:12 pm

We had our first woodcock contact of the spring today up in MA. One of the ladies looked good and stood thru wing, the other broke and needs to shake some rust off...

Rod W · Post by **Rod W** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 4:52 pm

Yes, I can't wait for the 1 1/2 feet of snow to melt and have it warm up, -20 degrees this am again, here in N Wis, I called a friend up In the UP(Mi) who bands woodcock and I will be going with him this spring when the time comes. He said the woodcock (males) arrive the same time as the Robbins with the females, following 2 weeks later. This will be great for my 14 month old GWP, as stated Just like hunting, only now no gun, complete attention on the PUP !! ROD

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