Off season for the dogs

[AlBeartoe]

During the summer? Let’m get fat and chase sticks with the kids! Come hunting season? Yell at’m for the first two days of the season and then settle in to enjoy the rest of the season behind a dog with drive, instinct and maturity to get the job done. I pretty much quit training at 3 years old and he’s the best retriever I’ve ever had now at 8.

 

[KurtR]

During the summer? Let’m get fat and chase sticks with the kids! Come hunting season? Yell at’m for the first two days of the season and then settle in to enjoy the rest of the season behind a dog with drive, instinct and maturity to get the job done. I pretty much quit training at 3 years old and he’s the best retriever I’ve ever had now at 8.

That sounds like a horrible strategy.

 

[Jason Snyder]

That sounds like a horrible strategy.

Completely horrible. Sounds like a good way to end up with a dog on the injured reserve.

 

[johnnycake]

We're getting pretty sick and tired of this OFFul season nonsense. Thankfully we've only got another 11 days to suffer through until we don't just walk away after finding them.

 

[KurtR]

It’s going to get busy for me. A week from this Friday we start a double master get those two passes and have the master title next weekend a finished hrc test at my club the early goose starts that weekend to and going to be moving the kid to college in between all that.

 

[Cant hit em]

It’s going to get busy for me. A week from this Friday we start a double master get those two passes and have the master title next weekend a finished hrc test at my club the early goose starts that weekend to and going to be moving the kid to college in between all that.

Kids wrecking my plans to i got to drop her to college on archery opener

 

[KurtR]

Kids wrecking my plans to i got to drop her to college on archery opener

Haha ya good thing is he is moving to where i grew up so I know the hunting well and will be going over chasing birds there often its only 3 hours from here. He is going to get to hunt with grandpa a bunch to so thats cool

 

[Jason Snyder]

HZP test (fall natural ability) test on September 8th. We’re doing a practice run on Saturday to see where we still have holes in training.

Did some easy retrieving work with heavier game last night. Do the same tonight, do some pigeons on Thursday and hit the water on Friday.

 

[nm_nomad]

Quick weekend scouting trip in Southern NM

 

[Watrdawg]

A couple of months after duck season is over we go back into training and run Hunt Tests and Field Trials all the way until the end of October. Keeps my dogs on birds all year basically and we get to travel, train and stay in shape all year.

 

[ORHunter]

Do any of you upland guys work your young dogs on wild birds pre-season? If the pup is steady, flush the real birds, fire a shot, and toss a dead bird out of your bag?

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[Jason Snyder]

Do any of you upland guys work your young dogs on wild birds pre-season? If the pup is steady, flush the real birds, fire a shot, and toss a dead bird out of your bag?

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I don’t shoot with wild birds. Pigeons, yes. You can also use bumpers and blanks.

 

[Watrdawg]

Do any of you upland guys work your young dogs on wild birds pre-season? If the pup is steady, flush the real birds, fire a shot, and toss a dead bird out of your bag?

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Looks for some game farms that raise upland birds in your area and they will usually let you buy birds from them. Typically you can use pen raised birds for training purposes out of season. If you have an area to train in you may be able to plant your birds and then run your dogs. Even though we mostly duck hunt I also use my Labs for pheasant and as flushing dogs for quail. I'm in NC and we can use pen raised birds for training all year round.

 

[ORHunter]

Looks for some game farms that raise upland birds in your area and they will usually let you buy birds from them. Typically you can use pen raised birds for training purposes out of season. If you have an area to train in you may be able to plant your birds and then run your dogs. Even though we mostly duck hunt I also use my Labs for pheasant and as flushing dogs for quail. I'm in NC and we can use pen raised birds for training all year round.

I've done the planted birds, pigeons, etc. This just sounds like a better scenario that you don't have to worry about your pup catching anything.

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[jmez]

I get my dogs on as many wild birds as possible. Actually have enough wild birds around here I don't use many liberated birds. If Im going to shoot any out of season I just use pigeons. I really don't worry about shooting them birds. They get plenty of that during the season.

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[Watrdawg]

Sounds good. It was just a thought. We use pen raised birds out of season for most of our training sessions. A lot of people don't know that they are available.

 

[johnnycake]

Do any of you upland guys work your young dogs on wild birds pre-season? If the pup is steady, flush the real birds, fire a shot, and toss a dead bird out of your bag?

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Yes I've done lots of this over the years. I keep pretty plugged into when the hens start sitting on the nests and when the chicks are old enough to fly; that can vary significantly by species and location. For me that means I can train on ptarmigan through the end of May, and pick it back up by mid July for experienced dogs and the last week of July for pups.

As for using pen raised birds, I've used them in various training events and for some training. But oof do I hate them. Pigeons at least at decent, but pen raised quail, chukar, and pheasants never come close to a wild bird. Plus, add in the pricing at +$25/chukar up here in AK I'd rather spend that cash on gas to chase better quality wild birds and toss bumpers or dead pigeons if the pup needs a reward still.

 

[jmez]

I would also add,it you have a young pointer and they are steady on wild birds, you don't need to worry about shooting and tossing a dead bird.

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[jmez]

Cooler weather coming! Been hitting 80 by 8 am. Looking forward to it .

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[Jason Snyder]

Going to be a cooker here today.