Has anyone made their own bird launchers?

esetter1

esetter1

New member
I have been looking into buying a bird launcher, and kind of like the DT models, but if any of you have ever made your own I'm all ears. Any suggestions?
 
I don't want to throw cold water on your plan, but I can tell you that all the pointing dog trainers I know, quit using them a long time ago. Proved to be less efficient than dizzying and planting, some questions of scent interference, and artificial flushes with birds not flying after catapulting etc. I can see why it would work for retrievers, but for a pointing dog, I'd get good flying birds and learn to dizzy, plant and use a checkcord. A few fly off, a few won't flush well, but thats all part of hunting as well. Most will flush if the dog gets to close, offering a teaching opportunity for stop to flush, and re-enforcing pointing discipline. I've even had dogs catch a bird. Just praise and recover the bird and establish point with the dog at a respectable distance and go on with the lessons. Unless you just want one, I'd save my time and money. Now a remote dog backing silouhette I see a help for a short handed trainer without a broke, bulletproof dog.
 
oldandnew said:
I don't want to throw cold water on your plan, but I can tell you that all the pointing dog trainers I know, quit using them a long time ago. Proved to be less efficient than dizzying and planting, some questions of scent interference, and artificial flushes with birds not flying after catapulting etc. I can see why it would work for retrievers, but for a pointing dog, I'd get good flying birds and learn to dizzy, plant and use a checkcord. A few fly off, a few won't flush well, but thats all part of hunting as well. Most will flush if the dog gets to close, offering a teaching opportunity for stop to flush, and re-enforcing pointing discipline. I've even had dogs catch a bird. Just praise and recover the bird and establish point with the dog at a respectable distance and go on with the lessons. Unless you just want one, I'd save my time and money. Now a remote dog backing silouhette I see a help for a short handed trainer without a broke, bulletproof dog.
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Thanks for the advice. Thats basically what I have been doing so far is dizzying pigeons. I just thought it may make life easier when training by myself, but I have heard more than a few times that there can be problems like you have mentioned. He is doing well pointing the pigeons as is , so maybe I will just stick to that.
 
oldandnew said:
I don't want to throw cold water on your plan, but I can tell you that all the pointing dog trainers I know, quit using them a long time ago. Proved to be less efficient than dizzying and planting, some questions of scent interference, and artificial flushes with birds not flying after catapulting etc. I can see why it would work for retrievers, but for a pointing dog, I'd get good flying birds and learn to dizzy, plant and use a checkcord. A few fly off, a few won't flush well, but thats all part of hunting as well. Most will flush if the dog gets to close, offering a teaching opportunity for stop to flush, and re-enforcing pointing discipline. I've even had dogs catch a bird. Just praise and recover the bird and establish point with the dog at a respectable distance and go on with the lessons. Unless you just want one, I'd save my time and money. Now a remote dog backing silouhette I see a help for a short handed trainer without a broke, bulletproof dog.
Click to expand...


I agree I have a DT launcher and some home made ones. My dog will not point a bird in the launcher????
have no idea how he figured it out.
We should hook up before fall and run the dogs I will let you try it out. I went back to the dizzy birds.
 
For me using a launcher is the only way to go. A launcher will give you 100% control over the bird and assure you the bird will get up and will not be caught by a weak flyer. It also will help getting your dog to point at first sent and not creep, first step he take after scent the bird is realeased. They quickly learn to point at first sent to have any chance of having that bird in there mouth for the retrieve.. But that's just me and my tought. Everyone has there own way.. good luck:cheers:
 
For me I think you need to do both. The launcher is very good for younger dogs that creep. They don't stop, you launch the bird. Doesn't take long for them to realize that their movement is causing the bird to flush. I also know of no other good way to teach Stop to Flush. I also like to be able to put a couple of launcher together when working on Steady to wing and shot. I was amazed how quickly Ace began to understand that there could be more than one bird there, and he needs to stand until I release him. He was watching the first bird fly off, and we launched the 2nd bird. His intensity went way up as the bird was flying off, and stop moving after the flush, for the most part.

But once the dog is letting you go in and do the flushing, planting loose birds is the better way to go, as long as they are good flying. They have to learn how do deal with loose birds.
 
@ Oggie and Setternut

You guys sound like your getting the results I was hoping for with a bird launcher. My dog will not point a bird in the DT launcher. He will turn his head as he runs by that is it. My friend raises GSP's and he has 2 pups that won't point the birds in a launcher either. I have no Idea if the thing doesn't scent right or if they can smell the launcher? I use gloves and let the birds sit for 10 -15 min the dog likes the dizzy birds he must have figured the launcher is a set up. :mad:
 
POINTING dogs and launchers.

I saw this and thought that I would comment on this. I've tried just about everything, in training. Dizzied birds, Carded pigeons, birds put to sleep, hobbled birds, loose birds, launchers and releasers. I've used the remote launchers, the pull string launchers. I've found that they all have their place in training.
I use launchers and find them to be valuable. You can teach stop to flush with them. (In my opinion, a tremendous thing to teach your dog) Backing. When you are working by yourself, and you need that bird to be GONE, well, launchers are the way to do it. I know of quite a few pros that still use launchers. Two of which are the only two guys I'll send a dog to. Dizzied birds don't always go when you need them to. Carded pigeons can, but it's difficult when the dog decides to road in on the bird that you can ensure that the bird gets out of there. Especially when you have the dog on a check cord.
I've made a launcher and it was a great piece of equipment. My most reliable launcher, just didn't have the range that I would like.
One thing, is that you can change the springs on the launchers so that they aren't so tight, and your birds aren't flying out of the launcher naked! :)
I also use this.

http://www.higginsgundogs.com/USINGHIGGINSREMOTERELEASERS.htm

It has it's place too, I love it. But you need to have good flying birds though. But it's very natural.
Just my thoughts. I don't know much about anything when it comes to training flushing dogs though! :)
 
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