Had the family in Vermont over this past weekend and brought the young setter with me. I took him on 2 morning hunts while there but pushed only one grouse the entire time. Not what I had hoped for his first times off the training fields but I'm sure we both learned a few lessons along the way.
My post is to discuss his range. I've been trying hard to keep my mouth shut when training and during this hunt but I couldn't help but feel a little anxious when the pup would leave bell range. I've read enough to know that his range should adjust with more bird contacts but boy was it nerve wracking. Am I being overly cautious? If he was bumping birds that far out I had no idea since I couldn't see him or hear him. While I want him to go out and find birds I also don't want him running out of control. He was out of control this weekend. He seemes to just run straight ahead and didnt do much quartering. Will this get better with age and experience? Should I be working on anything in particular or should I just trust in his breeding and get him on birds? I just couldn't help but be a little nervous with him out that far.
He's been in the training field all spring and summer working in bird manners and always seemed to handle ok.
I guess I'm just looking to hear from some of you who have lived through this and understand what you found along the way.
Thanks in advance.
First Hunt...
Re: First Hunt...
I think what you'll find out is that with more bird contact he will be pulled to find birds. Bell range means nothing to him.
I pity the man that has never been loved by a dog!
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RayGubernat
- GDF Junkie
- Posts: 3309
- Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 11:47 am
- Location: Central DE
Re: First Hunt...
CTPaul -
One of the consequences of being the old fart that I am...is the fact that I actually lived though the period where there was no such thing as tracking technology, variable intensity e-collars, beepers and nobody I knew used bells. They were for sissies. You cut the dog loose and went and followed them as best you could.
As a result, you kinda got used to that sinking feeling when you saw the dog disappear from view. It became a knot in your gut which got smaller and smaller as you developed the understanding that the dog really actually wanted to hunt WITH you and would come back for you and stay in contact with you...well... most of the time anyway. If the dog did not come back into view after ten minutes or so, it was time to go looking for it, because it was probably standing a bird somewhere...waiting for you to show up and kill it. You would end up trusting the dog to find birds and hold them for you or swing back to find you...and the dog would develop a trust that you would, sooner or later... show up and shoot the bird it was pointing for you.
I know it is hard to believe, but most bird dogs will want to hunt with and for their hunters. It is usually the hunter that needs to develop the trust in the dog.
FWIW...Hunting the way I did, over some pretty big running dogs, I can only remember three time when we had to go home without a dog and all three times, the dog was in hand the next day. Twice it was because the dog ran deer and once it was because the dog was stolen. The deer runners were found the next morning, lying on the hunting coat that was left out for them near where we parked and the thieve's mother called me and force her son to return the dog. That is over a fifty plus year span. Yes there was some luck involved...but mostly the dogs actually wanted to be with us and be with me.
It is hard, it is uncomfortable , and it is out of character for us as humans to be "not in control", but the best of dogs, doing the best of jobs in the field, need to be doing it with independence. Without that freedom to operate, the dog cannot learn to hunt in the most effective manner. The dog is gonna bust birds, it is gonna make mistakes, it is gonna drive you nuts occasionally. It is all part of the process and the process takes time and shoeleather. If the dog likes you and respects you, it will want to hunt for you and it will want to come back for you. if it don't...it won't.
You gotta let go a little...and trust your training, trust your bonding and ...trust the dog. It is not an easy thing, but it does get easier as time goes by.
If it really bugs you too much...ditch the bell and get a Garmin Astro, or whatever it is they are selling these days. Just make sure to keep it charged up and remember to turn it on before you cut the dog loose.
RayG
One of the consequences of being the old fart that I am...is the fact that I actually lived though the period where there was no such thing as tracking technology, variable intensity e-collars, beepers and nobody I knew used bells. They were for sissies. You cut the dog loose and went and followed them as best you could.
As a result, you kinda got used to that sinking feeling when you saw the dog disappear from view. It became a knot in your gut which got smaller and smaller as you developed the understanding that the dog really actually wanted to hunt WITH you and would come back for you and stay in contact with you...well... most of the time anyway. If the dog did not come back into view after ten minutes or so, it was time to go looking for it, because it was probably standing a bird somewhere...waiting for you to show up and kill it. You would end up trusting the dog to find birds and hold them for you or swing back to find you...and the dog would develop a trust that you would, sooner or later... show up and shoot the bird it was pointing for you.
I know it is hard to believe, but most bird dogs will want to hunt with and for their hunters. It is usually the hunter that needs to develop the trust in the dog.
FWIW...Hunting the way I did, over some pretty big running dogs, I can only remember three time when we had to go home without a dog and all three times, the dog was in hand the next day. Twice it was because the dog ran deer and once it was because the dog was stolen. The deer runners were found the next morning, lying on the hunting coat that was left out for them near where we parked and the thieve's mother called me and force her son to return the dog. That is over a fifty plus year span. Yes there was some luck involved...but mostly the dogs actually wanted to be with us and be with me.
It is hard, it is uncomfortable , and it is out of character for us as humans to be "not in control", but the best of dogs, doing the best of jobs in the field, need to be doing it with independence. Without that freedom to operate, the dog cannot learn to hunt in the most effective manner. The dog is gonna bust birds, it is gonna make mistakes, it is gonna drive you nuts occasionally. It is all part of the process and the process takes time and shoeleather. If the dog likes you and respects you, it will want to hunt for you and it will want to come back for you. if it don't...it won't.
You gotta let go a little...and trust your training, trust your bonding and ...trust the dog. It is not an easy thing, but it does get easier as time goes by.
If it really bugs you too much...ditch the bell and get a Garmin Astro, or whatever it is they are selling these days. Just make sure to keep it charged up and remember to turn it on before you cut the dog loose.
RayG
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jspring011
- Rank: Just A Pup
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2011 10:43 am
- Location: SE Iowa
Re: First Hunt...
I too get a little anxious and nervous when my dog is out of sight/bell range for an extended period of time. This post is very well said and helps put my mind at ease a little bit. Thank you for that.RayGubernat wrote:CTPaul -
One of the consequences of being the old fart that I am...is the fact that I actually lived though the period where there was no such thing as tracking technology, variable intensity e-collars, beepers and nobody I knew used bells. They were for sissies. You cut the dog loose and went and followed them as best you could.
As a result, you kinda got used to that sinking feeling when you saw the dog disappear from view. It became a knot in your gut which got smaller and smaller as you developed the understanding that the dog really actually wanted to hunt WITH you and would come back for you and stay in contact with you...well... most of the time anyway. If the dog did not come back into view after ten minutes or so, it was time to go looking for it, because it was probably standing a bird somewhere...waiting for you to show up and kill it. You would end up trusting the dog to find birds and hold them for you or swing back to find you...and the dog would develop a trust that you would, sooner or later... show up and shoot the bird it was pointing for you.
I know it is hard to believe, but most bird dogs will want to hunt with and for their hunters. It is usually the hunter that needs to develop the trust in the dog.
FWIW...Hunting the way I did, over some pretty big running dogs, I can only remember three time when we had to go home without a dog and all three times, the dog was in hand the next day. Twice it was because the dog ran deer and once it was because the dog was stolen. The deer runners were found the next morning, lying on the hunting coat that was left out for them near where we parked and the thieve's mother called me and force her son to return the dog. That is over a fifty plus year span. Yes there was some luck involved...but mostly the dogs actually wanted to be with us and be with me.
It is hard, it is uncomfortable , and it is out of character for us as humans to be "not in control", but the best of dogs, doing the best of jobs in the field, need to be doing it with independence. Without that freedom to operate, the dog cannot learn to hunt in the most effective manner. The dog is gonna bust birds, it is gonna make mistakes, it is gonna drive you nuts occasionally. It is all part of the process and the process takes time and shoeleather. If the dog likes you and respects you, it will want to hunt for you and it will want to come back for you. if it don't...it won't.
You gotta let go a little...and trust your training, trust your bonding and ...trust the dog. It is not an easy thing, but it does get easier as time goes by.
If it really bugs you too much...ditch the bell and get a Garmin Astro, or whatever it is they are selling these days. Just make sure to keep it charged up and remember to turn it on before you cut the dog loose.
RayG
Re: First Hunt...
Thanks Ray and Don. My first dog was a GSP that hunted close his entire life and never gave me concern. I bought my setter because I wanted a little extra speed and range but in application it has been a challenge getting accustomed. Connecticut opens up this Saturday so I'm certain I'll have him on some birds this weekend.