I've been working/training my GSP for the last year. Most of our bird work has been done with remote launchers. I'd like to take her on her first hunt this season. Unfortunately there aren't many wild quail in Louisiana, so I'm going to have to release some birds. I was just wonder the best way to do this to best simulate a real hunting situation. How many birds should I release? what is the best method of releasing the birds? should I dizzy them? Just let a few fly out periodically over so many acres? When should I release them? The night before? The morning of? Just looking for some suggestions.
Thanks,
Pre-release birds
Re: Pre-release birds
It depends on how much money you have to invest.
This late in the year, I would put out 5 groups of at least five birds the evening before in cardboard boxes with one end open, then spread a handful of milo near the area. Pick the release site with some canopy, but not heavily wooded or extremely thick, proper habitat for quail with regards to likely wind direction and shootable escapes routes.
Next year in early Fall you could use johnny houses and an electronic callers to anchor the birds to a suitable site in 12 - 15 sized covies. Or at the least the callers. With food plots or spread milo once a week.
Or you can throw a couple three birds down an hour before you hunt.
Check out the Ames Plantation Web site for how they do it. A Google search should give you even more ideas.
This late in the year, I would put out 5 groups of at least five birds the evening before in cardboard boxes with one end open, then spread a handful of milo near the area. Pick the release site with some canopy, but not heavily wooded or extremely thick, proper habitat for quail with regards to likely wind direction and shootable escapes routes.
Next year in early Fall you could use johnny houses and an electronic callers to anchor the birds to a suitable site in 12 - 15 sized covies. Or at the least the callers. With food plots or spread milo once a week.
Or you can throw a couple three birds down an hour before you hunt.
Check out the Ames Plantation Web site for how they do it. A Google search should give you even more ideas.
Re: Pre-release birds
I train on released birds because we have no local wild ones. How many are put out just depends on how many we have on hand, if we're expecting to get more soon, and how much training we're doing. Usually it's 3 or 4 and if they are quail, I expect only one training day on them. Expensive, but that's life. Once in a while I get lucky and get some to recall but never count on it. To recall, I reserve a male bird and keep him in a little portable recall/transport cage and set him out in my training area after we're finished.
To put out training birds, you can fly them out or set (plant) them out. To fly them, go to an area with likely cover and just empty your bag or box or whatever, and watch where they fly and land. Remember those spots. To plant, go on foot or on your quad and find likely cover ( hedgerow, clump of bushes, woods edge, cropfield edge, or whatever is good in your locality). Grab a bird (wear gloves) and gently shake it so its head wobbles a little, this is to dizzy it. Dizzy birds stay put better. Don't overdo it or you could kill it, or make it so dizzy it won't fly when you flush. Toss the bird on the very edge of the cover. It will most likely move into the cover as it recovers its senses. Tossing them on the edge leaves more scent for your dog. If you are bird-rich, you can put 2 or more in a spot. Remember each spot you plant. I like to place my birds in different areas each time, depending on what we are working on. If you plant the exact same spots every time, your dog might get sticky to that area, and wise to the idea that he's being set up for a training situation.
Then go back and get your dog, turn him loose, and hope for the best. Sometimes the birds seem to evaporate never to be seen again, sometimes they wind up in places where you didn't expect, but mostly they will be found where you left them.
I don't ever release too far in advance of training because we have too many predators around here, and it wastes my birds. Also, pen raised quail just look for a reason to die, and almost laways find it. Another waste. Working just-released birds has never posed a problem for us.
Good luck, have fun.
To put out training birds, you can fly them out or set (plant) them out. To fly them, go to an area with likely cover and just empty your bag or box or whatever, and watch where they fly and land. Remember those spots. To plant, go on foot or on your quad and find likely cover ( hedgerow, clump of bushes, woods edge, cropfield edge, or whatever is good in your locality). Grab a bird (wear gloves) and gently shake it so its head wobbles a little, this is to dizzy it. Dizzy birds stay put better. Don't overdo it or you could kill it, or make it so dizzy it won't fly when you flush. Toss the bird on the very edge of the cover. It will most likely move into the cover as it recovers its senses. Tossing them on the edge leaves more scent for your dog. If you are bird-rich, you can put 2 or more in a spot. Remember each spot you plant. I like to place my birds in different areas each time, depending on what we are working on. If you plant the exact same spots every time, your dog might get sticky to that area, and wise to the idea that he's being set up for a training situation.
Then go back and get your dog, turn him loose, and hope for the best. Sometimes the birds seem to evaporate never to be seen again, sometimes they wind up in places where you didn't expect, but mostly they will be found where you left them.
I don't ever release too far in advance of training because we have too many predators around here, and it wastes my birds. Also, pen raised quail just look for a reason to die, and almost laways find it. Another waste. Working just-released birds has never posed a problem for us.
Good luck, have fun.
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ruffbritt4
- Rank: Champion
- Posts: 347
- Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2013 7:21 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania
Re: Pre-release birds
Woodcock would provide your dog with great training, and they migrate to Louisiana.bmumph wrote:I've been working/training my GSP for the last year. Most of our bird work has been done with remote launchers. I'd like to take her on her first hunt this season. Unfortunately there aren't many wild quail in Louisiana, so I'm going to have to release some birds. I was just wonder the best way to do this to best simulate a real hunting situation. How many birds should I release? what is the best method of releasing the birds? should I dizzy them? Just let a few fly out periodically over so many acres? When should I release them? The night before? The morning of? Just looking for some suggestions.
Thanks,
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setterpoint
- Rank: 2X Champion
- Posts: 410
- Joined: Tue Sep 23, 2014 7:10 pm
- Location: jellico tn
Re: Pre-release birds
try and find a good preserve it will coast you more money but all you have to do is call ahead and then show up most have good flying birds a lot less trouble for you
Re: Pre-release birds
Great idea! Even if having to drive some.ruffbritt4 wrote:Woodcock would provide your dog with great training, and they migrate to Louisiana.bmumph wrote:I've been working/training my GSP for the last year. Most of our bird work has been done with remote launchers. I'd like to take her on her first hunt this season. Unfortunately there aren't many wild quail in Louisiana, so I'm going to have to release some birds. I was just wonder the best way to do this to best simulate a real hunting situation. How many birds should I release? what is the best method of releasing the birds? should I dizzy them? Just let a few fly out periodically over so many acres? When should I release them? The night before? The morning of? Just looking for some suggestions.
Thanks,