Pup's first season coming up - need last training tips

c_d

c_d

New member
I've been working with the pup as often as possible. driving that recall with the whistle and remote sits. Her retrieve is now pretty solid, tho her delivery could use some polish. But I can live with that for this year.

I don't expect miracles to happen in the next two weeks, BUT, are there any MUSTs (on the training side) I should have down before we dive head first into the season? I can delay her first day out if need be.

She's not steady, and won't be this year. I'm fine with that. I want to have fun, and know that a dog not under control isn't much fun to hunt with. So I've been working on the control as much as possible. Not sure what to expect that first day out on roosters. I have to admit, I'm a little nervous. Excited as can be, but a bit nervous too. can't wait!
 
Good Luck, I hope have a good season with your new pup. Gunne is still in the cast so he will watching from home. Tony is ready to go anytime so I'll have a good time. But I do want to get that pup into birds this year........Bob
 
1st time afield hunting is full of surprises- for you and dog- make sure it's just you and dog- easy on the shooting- towards the end of the season- you might hunt with another- lay down some rules though

pointer or flusher?
 
Last edited:
Thanks Bob. Gunne will be raring to go before you know it I'm sure!

Fillmore's my first bird dog, so I'm excited to get her out there. just try to get her to work with me :thumbsup:
 
Shadow said:
1st time afield hunting is full of surprises- for you and dog- make sure it's just you and dog- easy on the shooting- towards the end of the season- you might hunt with another- lay down some rules though
Click to expand...

thanks. I bet it will be!
Actually going out with some friends on the first day. Planned it that way since my last solo training day was tough to handle, shoot, etc... I've laid some rules already, and they know the drill. My plan is to just be concentrating on the dog that first time out. no gun. After that first day, I'll be getting in some solo days just for those reasons you stated.
 
not me- 30 years- no way will I allow anyone else or another dog but mine to be with a pup it's first season- not untill that pup is confident and trusts you- will I ask another along

you're asking for problems
 
Shadow said:
not me- 30 years- no way will I allow anyone else or another dog but mine to be with a pup it's first season- not untill that pup is confident and trusts you- will I ask another along

you're asking for problems
Click to expand...

What kind of concerns do you have? Can you tell me why you feel this way? When it was just me, her and my wife recently for training I had a helluva a time handling/shooting at the same time.

She's been on planted birds in training. With different gunners and myself. If it means anything, we'll be out in flat lands with penned birds. preserve hunting is only way i can get her on lots of birds. our wild season is short and birds are scarce.
 
I'm in the same boat, this will be my pup's first season and has only been on liberated birds. We are going to SD and I've seen an incredible amount of birds in a relatively small area before. I'm sure he will be overwhelmed the first day and not sure what to expect. My pup isn't rock solid, but I bought a remote launcher and if he would creep just a bit, I would flush the bird and he has become consistently steady for a minute maybe, then its too much and he creeps. I'll be hunting with a group of 3 family members and mostly handling. I'm going in this season with the attitude that this will be a learning experience and a whole lot of fun for him. Wild birds will teach a dog a lot in one weekend. I will let him chase after the flush and let him get one season under his belt. Then its back home to a lot of hunting in search of a covey or occasional roooster. Next spring then, we will get serious on breaking bad habits. Lots of fruitful years ahead, don't rush it.
 
Cd, why not go after some quail for her first hunt? They are plentiful state wide and will give her some great wild bird interaction.

First season hunts are great fun and will teach you and pup some good lessons, like always trust the dog. Even first hunts they will find birds where you didn't expect and you better be ready to shoot a good find for her reward.

Do you hunt grizzly island and suisin marsh? I hear there is some decent rooster numbers out there.
 
quail hound said:
Cd, why not go after some quail for her first hunt? They are plentiful state wide and will give her some great wild bird interaction.

First season hunts are great fun and will teach you and pup some good lessons, like always trust the dog. Even first hunts they will find birds where you didn't expect and you better be ready to shoot a good find for her reward.

Do you hunt grizzly island and suisin marsh? I hear there is some decent rooster numbers out there.
Click to expand...

She found some quail when we were down in Big Sur a couple months ago. She didn't bring any back, but she did bring me my worst case of poison oak ever. ugh. The preserve is a short drive from us, too close to not go really. I am hoping to get her out on some quail soon also though. Just need to find some areas to hunt.

Haven't been out to either of those places yet. Hoping to expand the horizons a bit more this year though. Black Point is the closest to me, but suisun isn't too far either. I've trained with a group pretty near there. I'm not really sure what that area is all about though? All I've heard from some other folks is that it's a club similar to BP. is there public, free areas?
 
Suisin marsh is a class A nwr so a day pass is 16 dollars I believe. Grizzly island is a unit within the suisin nwr. Decent hunting for wild roosters I have heard. Look on the dfg website for a pdf on hunting quail on public land. Your in the bay area correct? I'll try to find some areas in your vicinity.
 
first hunt tips

WildPhez said:
Next spring then, we will get serious on breaking bad habits. Lots of fruitful years ahead, don't rush it.
Click to expand...

don't let the bad habits start!

buy some duct tape and place it over your mouth
DO NOT hunt with a group of "buddies", whether you have rules set or not
DO NOT shoot a bird unless the dog acts exactly how you want
make it fun!
keep the hunt short and sweet; end on a positive note

keep working the obedience until the day; then let the dog figure out the rest
 
I guess in my limited experience it was nice to have a shooter with me so I could handle the dog. I don't see how having just one person with me would cause problems especially if this person is fairly experienced and understands your goals for the day.

It sounds like you are on track as far as having the obedience down. I know it's been said before but that first time out is going to present plenty of surprises so minimizing those with good obedience goes a long ways.

Lastly, enjoy the experience not matter what disasters may occur because it will be an experience you will remember forever... good or bad! I still remember my first time out with my first pup Gus. He decided he would chase a killdeer about a quarter mile.... needless to say that he wasn't plenty tuckered out the rest of the time and did great and he has turned into a great birddog!!! I'll never forget that day!
 
You mention how it was difficult to handle and shoot at the same time. For the dog's first season in particular, I wouldn't worry too much about handling the dog when you're out hunting. She needs to learn how to read the wind, hunt objectives, figure out where birds are likely to be hiding, etc. and not be trying to figure out what the hell all that whistling and hand waving by you is all about. Don't worry about her pattern, if you can simply keep her hunting within a range you're happy with (I hunt over a flushing dog, so my desired range = gun range), you'll have a great hunt and the dog will get some great experience.

A friend of mine had a brittany that he used to hunt over. For the first couple seasons, he was always handling the dog, directing him, showing him places to look, etc. While he did fine that way, on one day, he decided to just put his whistle in his pocket and just follow the dog. Needless to say, he ended up getting a bunch more birds that way, and he enjoyed the hunt a lot more without having to whistle, yell, etc.
 
Enjoying a hunt with out whistling and yelling?? ;)

That's a whole different level isn't it? I've had people look quizzically at me when I tell them I don't hunt the bird I hunt the dog.

Keeping it fun is good for both of you. Last year when training my pup I would plant 2 or 3 birds 100 yards or so away from the truck. We then would walk in the other direction and hunt native quail making a big loop getting back to the truck in about an hour and a half. Of course we had to hunt thru the planted area and Trap would then find the planted birds. Bottom line is I would go home with a happy and excited dog- ending our hunt on a high note.

I can't say for sure if it made a difference but he's a hunting machine now.
 
Thanks everyone for the tips. My goal is for it to be fun for sure. For me and her. It'll probably be a rather short outing anyhow since our weather is pretty warm right now, and I noticed that she needs to build up her stamina anyhow. We've been roading a bit to work on that.

QH - thanks for the notes on those places. I'll be checking them out for sure this fall.

just over a week to go... :)
 
MJinMN said:
You mention how it was difficult to handle and shoot at the same time. For the dog's first season in particular, I wouldn't worry too much about handling the dog when you're out hunting. She needs to learn how to read the wind, hunt objectives, figure out where birds are likely to be hiding, etc. and not be trying to figure out what the hell all that whistling and hand waving by you is all about. Don't worry about her pattern, if you can simply keep her hunting within a range you're happy with (I hunt over a flushing dog, so my desired range = gun range), you'll have a great hunt and the dog will get some great experience.
Click to expand...

I know what you mean. I'm not trying to create robo dog here :rolleyes: but my last training outing was telling. I can only do a few things at one time. (it's usually ONE thing at a time) shooting at bird. missing. trying to whistle and call off dog while she's off to the races, etc...was tough as it was. I do believe like a lot of you do, that the dog will teach me, and I realize that each time we've been out training on live birds. But personally, there are too many things I'm trying to pay attention to. I'd rather pay attention to the dog and what she's doing versus worrying about hitting or missing that bird.

Mine's a flusher too, so keeping her in gun range is my focus too!
 
beaker said:
don't let the bad habits start!

buy some duct tape and place it over your mouth
DO NOT hunt with a group of "buddies", whether you have rules set or not
DO NOT shoot a bird unless the dog acts exactly how you want
make it fun!
keep the hunt short and sweet; end on a positive note

keep working the obedience until the day; then let the dog figure out the rest
Click to expand...

Thanks beaker. I have noticed that most people are pretty tactful on this website, you excluded. My pup is 10 months old, and isn't going to be steady to wing and shot this season, and that is fine with me. I've never had a finished dog at 10 months, although I'm sure you have. Again, I will be handling and my wife and bro-in-law, who have as much invested as me, will be shooting for the most part, not my "buddies". It will be a fun and positive experience this season all the way through, not just at the end of the hunt. He isn't done learning and the expectations can and will be raised next spring.
 
Here We go again.....Part 2

Yep...about to go on Pup's 1st hunt for the 5th time.

Let me clarify. New Pup, this is the 5th dog that I have broken in.

Best method I know is after an extensive year of training, whistle sit, come, casting, sit to shot.......all down by myself. Introduce the hunt with buddies, they all know the drill and the rules.

The 1st actual hunt, I will case my gun and just work on the dog while I let my buddies take the birds. It is so important to carry on the discipline that was established on one-to one drills with the 1st couple of hunts with other gunners. On a 2-3 day hunt, I may actually do the shooting 25-30% of the time.
By sacrificing this initial period, it pays huge dividends over future seasons.
 
PBF - I ended up doing about the same. I just kept my eyes on the pup and let others do the shooting. I know some folks here don't agree, but it let me focus total attention on her. Helped me learn when she's getting birdy, chasing too far, what's she doing just after the flush, etc... I didn't miss my gun one bit. Sure, I'd love to hunt solo with her next time out, but it was a learning experience for both of us.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top