Hey All,
@R.K. you continued to stoke a fire in my belly. Serendipitously I met a bunch of guys from Pheasants Forever this week out hunting. This all led to “the talk.” My wife just green lit me to start researching a puppy for training this summer. We have two doodles I love dearly, but Leo...
I saw that outfit with all the dogs at Plentywood.
A different outfit near there ask
Me where to go where they wouldn't come across young pheasants, but would have Shaptails. His dogs caught some young pheasants.
I wish this dog training would be banned, at least in August and September.
Hello,
I’m scheduled for a 1/2 day pheasant hunt in a few weeks. It’s a “wildlife ranch”, so they’ll be planted farm pheasants. Accompanying me will be a friend/mentor who’s training his young lab, as well as a friend of his who has a pointer. The farm also has dogs & handler that I can hire...
It’s dated, but I have used the training method in “gun dog” and “water dog”. Super easy for me and it worked with all five of my Chocolate Labs. I started them early and the traning was fun and easy.
I have pics of a guy that was camped at the Plentywood fairgrounds for two straight months (August and September) with 57 dogs in a horse trailer. Training on public land sharpies because “they hold nice”.
The 10 day resident only opener is the same thing they do in ND. Seems like it is a...
Training plan is easy. Work on basic obedience and expose your pup to as many things as you can in the first 6-7 months. Collar condition at that point and then hunt the dog as much as you can. Do your force fetch after the first hunting season.
Edit: read up on marker or clicker training and...
I've gone back and forth for over 40 years. Seems like first couple years with new dog i get focused on training and polishing the dog. Then get some balance back. Still love big game but a dog only lives for a short time.
The new year is bringing a few big changes for me, and some things I've been waiting a long time for. Moving back to Montana, getting married, and most importantly- finally getting a pup! After entirely too much deliberation, I've settled on trying to get a female yellow lab to train as a fellow...
These guys are spot on. The biggest thing I had to learn was to relax and have fun. This is supposed to be fun for you and the dog. If you find yourself getting angry, stop and go do something else. If the dog associates anger with training/hunting you are setting both of you up for failure...
I have had a horseback field trial habit, going on for over twenty years now. In all of that time, no dog of mine has caught a young bird. I am sure it has happened, somewhere, at sometime. It is a training setback, whenever a dog does manage to catch a bird. It gives the dog the idea that...
If they are catching hatch-year pheasants, they are catching hatch-year sharptails. Hell, my dog has caught hatch-year sharpies on the opener. I struggle to see how they aren’t negatively impacting those public land birds at a vulnerable time.
It’s really easy to get frustrated with your dog and take it out on them, but remember, the dog may not understand because you aren’t communicating what you want very well. Always be willing to take a step back in training.
Thank you. I’ve been fortunate to test, train, and judge with some exceptional handlers and trainers, who have been kind enough to share their knowledge.
Tailgate has seen better days but this was just after a morning hunt with just me and my dog. S. Dakota is a long ways from Oklahoma. Been training my dog from a puppy, this is her first year.