Photo: Dogs Manage a Running Pheasant

[Higgins]

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Three dogs left alone to manage the bird for the gun. A pretty exciting scene to walk up on.

No e-collars, no voice commands, no hand signals. This is an example of group cooperation and bird management. Now they're just waiting for me to step in and kill it for them. A great example of teamwork.

The only way to make a dog trustworthy is to get out of his way, and trust him.

Brad Higgins
HigginsGundogs.com
___________________________
Higgins Gundogs hunting etiquette
Dogs: Stay in touch and handle well. Always honor another dog's point, be steady when necessary and manage the birds for the gun.
Handlers: Be silent in the hunt. Allow the dog the freedom to do his work. Nurture the natural retrieve.

[nhachman]

Great photo. It took me a while to find the third dog.

[ezzy333]

My dogs manage a running pheasant quite well too. Instead of stealing point they will back the dog that found the bird and is pointing it. Our running pheasants actually run and don't stand between two or three dogs though and once the pointing dog breaks point they all will move with the bird till one of them gets close enough to point it and the other two would back again. Wasn't always the case but it normally would take a bit for them to get the bird to hold, but it also wasn't unusual for the bird to flush if it thought it could get away. Not sure what your reference to collars and commands is about since most people don't use any of those things while a dog is trying to pin down a runner but as we all know many a pheasant doesn't play well at our games. But it sure is fun like you say and I think most would agree,

Ezzy

[bonasa]

A picture is worth a thousand words, ain't it Ezzy?

[gonehuntin']

Pheasant?

[hettmoe]

Pheasant?

+1

[Higgins]

I don't know why but the photo is larger than the frame. On a smartphone, tap on it and you can move it around. On a computer you can drag it around in the frame.

[Brazosvalleyvizslas]

Looks like the High Desert? Cali?

[Tooling]

I see it on my computer - appears to be a hen in the middle with two choices - by the looks of it the dogs know how to handle it and would close the door if she chose to run.

That is just awesome.




I have a confession to make..sometimes I root for the bird

[Tooling]

..make that 3 choices

[DonF]

That is a training bird in a training situation. I suspect all the dog's are sight pointing it, not co-operating with one another. Do a video of the same situation but with the bird out of sight. Then you will most likely have two dog's out of the scent cone backing one dog in the scent cone. I suspect the dog to the left, red collar, pointed the bird, maybe sight pointed, that's alright. The light color dog appear's to see the bird and the third dog is probably backing the light dog.

[Higgins]

Don, you are incorrect. Dogs do have this kind of talent if we show them what works then step out of the way.

If you ever make it out here to Northern Nevada, I hope you'll stop by. I'd like to invite you to join us on a hunt. It's a kick.


Brad Higgins
HigginsGundogs
___________________________
Higgins Gundogs hunting etiquette

Dogs: Stay in touch and handle well. Always honor another dog's point, be steady when necessary and manage the birds for the gun.
Handlers: Be silent in the hunt. Allow the dog the freedom to do his work. Nurture the natural retrieve.

[nevermind]

I would of thought the same as Don F. This looks like a training set up based just on my experience hunting wild pheasants. I've never witnessed a wild pheasant standing in the open like that with dogs on it. The terrain is interesting... different than the country I've hunted pheasant on looks more like the ground I would find quail in, anyway nice dog work.

[gundogguy]

I would of thought the same as Don F. This looks like a training set up based just on my experience hunting wild pheasants. I've never witnessed a wild pheasant standing in the open like that with dogs on it. The terrain is interesting... different than the country I've hunted pheasant on looks more like the ground I would find quail in, anyway nice dog work.

Have to agree. It must be a pointy dog thing.