can a dog run "big" ....just for fun? ....hurt hunting?

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dottie

New member
I have a 2 year old male brittany. We walk/ exercise every am and pm.

He is a big runner. When we are not hunting ...just out walking. ....how do i handle the distance thing.

*Do I give him a little leaway....ie.let him range futher than *I would if we were actually hunting?

Or is that developing a habit i will not be able to control?




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For me I make sure that the dog will stand on point until I get there no matter how long that is.

Its a matter of personal preference as to how far you let them range. I generally do not pull mine back in. With quail it is not issue, but when its a point on pheasants at 250 yards, many of the pheasants will run out from under point, and have to be relocated.
 
Hmmm...the question here is:

Do I hunt alone? With other dogs? What kind?

What do I hunt? Quail? Pheasants? Grouse?

How will a dog that ranges an unlimited distance, affect the hunting? Will the dog bump birds?
 
I think it's alright to let them run big, as long as they will hunt close (70-90 yards) when need be. I use my gsp as a search tool and let her run until she contacts birds, then I reign her in and start hunting.
 
If a dog stands its birds, including pheasants, the range is not a bad thing. You can get to a dog faster that is closer working. But a bigger running dog will have more finds, but the dog will have to relocate them when you get there a lot of the time.

I find that having dogs at different ranges is a big help on pheasants. But you have to have all the dogs back at distance without command.

I have shot roosters pointed at this distance many times.

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240 yards...you're using a different gun that mine!

Letting your dog run anywhere (pheasants) in milo, corn field and cattails can be a problem, especially late season birds. Any sound from a wandering dog will certainly start the flock a flying!
 
Indy 240 yds. That gives me a thrill.

I believe one stands to sometimes lose the opportunity for a shot with a wide ranging dog but I enjoy finding a dog that is willing to hold point and allow the bird to be flushed. I receive enjoyment from the dog work and observing it at such distance adds to the pleasure. The Garmin showing the distance is a plus. N
 
Dottie it sounds like you don't want him to range, if thats the case I would encourage the behavior you want while on the walks.
I don't know much about pointing dogs, but IMO what you see on walks is the edge of your dogs natural range. If you want to shorten him up reward him for checking back.If not stretch him out, get him into that type of cover and work on the mechanics. Or manners, style or whatever you guys call it.:D
Anyway, there really is no right or wrong way, just your personal preference.
 
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jonnyB said:
240 yards...you're using a different gun that mine!

Letting your dog run anywhere (pheasants) in milo, corn field and cattails can be a problem, especially late season birds. Any sound from a wandering dog will certainly start the flock a flying!
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Ha! That was my first thought too in our part of the country... I WISH I could let my pooch run that big... different rules in different states clearly though. I just started hunting again this year after a 5 yr+ layoff. I used to run a Brittany I had every free day I had and rarely left her out to 75 yards. Most days she would run 30-50 yards but I also always huffed it pretty hard could to stay with her so I didn't need to pull her back. She locked down running birds all the time, but late season was always a whole different game. Iowa roosters don't always like to wait around to make sure you get a shot at them. ;) Of course it depends on type of cover and how big of area hunted. I was out yesterday and ran into a GPS breeder... I asked him that very question and he was talking 150-200ish yards (and possibly more). There's no way I could let mine run that far with the cover I hunt. But that tells me that I should try to leave my current pooch run a little further out which I did yesterday.

So after all that... I guess the OP didn't ask how far to run his dog. :) I would suggest that you don't do anything a whole lot different at any time. Whatever the rules are in the field for mine, are the same at home with whatever I do with our lapdog. Best wishes!!!
 
I think it boils down to your "realistic expectations". You have to train your dog to work for you on the birds and cover conditions you hunt. That means it needs to be steady on point and you need a way to control range. I teach my dogs to quarter to whistle, hand, and body language signals. I usually can restrict a dogs range using those controls silently if needed. Smart dogs can tell the difference between "fun time" and hunting. As long as you stay consistent in your training and requirements with the dog, you should be fine in the field.
 
Running Big

I think it boils down to your "realistic expectations". You have to train your dog to work for you on the birds and cover conditions you hunt.

What he said. I think control is the key. Can you recall or whoa the dog at the longer distance with distractions ? Is the dog checking in with you? Try to maintain consistent control as you extend the distance.
I tend to let my pointer run bigger in the off season and in late season pheasant hunting. To tell the truth, I dont know if it is the way to go for me as my dog has some self-hunting tendencies and it can be difficult to maintain control in thick cover.
 
murphya said:
Indy 240 yds. That gives me a thrill.

I believe one stands to sometimes lose the opportunity for a shot with a wide ranging dog but I enjoy finding a dog that is willing to hold point and allow the bird to be flushed. I receive enjoyment from the dog work and observing it at such distance adds to the pleasure. The Garmin showing the distance is a plus. N
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Indy is fun to hunt with, but you have to trust him to do his job.

There is no question that when you have a dog on point a few hundred yards away on pheasants that some of the birds will not be there when you get there. and sometimes the dog will not be able to relocate them. But I also know that he gets me on more birds than a dog at 30 yards.


My hunting style is likely different than some of yours. I am not shooting birds unless they are pointed. So it doesn't matter if the dog is 24 yards or 240+ yards, if I don't flush the bird from point, I don't shoot.

I hunt by myself or with a couple of friend / relatives. When we are hunting pheasants we like to turn the dog loose in big areas of grass. That is where speed, range and a big nose are at their best. He will shorten his range with respect to the cover, but he is still going to be out farther than many people are used to seeing a dog on pheasants.

But Quail hunting and prairie birds (Prairie Chicken, Sharptail, Sage
Grouse and Huns) where they are spread out and hold well is where range is at its most valuable.

Remember, it is easy to shorten a dog up, but nearly impossible to push them out.

As Troy says ------- Trust the Dog!


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For range I trained my brit with a check lead about 40' long with a spike collar, hand signals, and an ecollar.
 
SetterNut said:
Indy is fun to hunt with, but you have to trust him to do his job.

There is no question that when you have a dog on point a few hundred yards away on pheasants that some of the birds will not be there when you get there. and sometimes the dog will not be able to relocate them. But I also know that he gets me on more birds than a dog at 30 yards.


My hunting style is likely different than some of yours. I am not shooting birds unless they are pointed. So it doesn't matter if the dog is 24 yards or 240+ yards, if I don't flush the bird from point, I don't shoot.

I hunt by myself or with a couple of friend / relatives. When we are hunting pheasants we like to turn the dog loose in big areas of grass. That is where speed, range and a big nose are at their best. He will shorten his range with respect to the cover, but he is still going to be out farther than many people are used to seeing a dog on pheasants.

But Quail hunting and prairie birds (Prairie Chicken, Sharptail, Sage
Grouse and Huns) where they are spread out and hold well is where range is at its most valuable.

Remember, it is easy to shorten a dog up, but nearly impossible to push them out.

As Troy says ------- Trust the Dog!
Click to expand...

Beautiful pooch...
 
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