Refresher for Molly

Thrasher

Member
On Saturday I took Molly out to a game farm to put her on a few birds. With the numbers we found last year (her second season) being so low, I wanted to see how she did and get her some preseason training work.
I planted a bird for her and hunted her towards that area. We had drug a bird around to make a trail and she did worked it just fine. I picked up the bird instead of flushing it, took Molly back to the truck, and planted it again, without leaving a bird scent trail. She worked the wind and went on point 20 feet from where I had planted the bird. I went to where I had planted it with plans to flush and shoot it for her to retrieve. No bird. I walked up to Molly and she had the bird pinned about 5 feet in front of her. Flushed and shoot with a good retrieve.
My dad was with us, and he planted one more bird. She quickly found and pointed it. It flushed as I walked up and she retrieved that one as well. My dad then drove a few hundred yards up the trail to plant another bird for her. As he pulled a bird from the box, another bird escaped. I saw if fly and marked the general area of where it landed. I hunted Molly over that way and in 15 minutes she found and pointed it as well. We then hunted over towards the planted bird and she scented it. As she went on point, the bird flushed. Another great retrieve.
The last four birds we just tossed up in the air and let Molly find them. The birds would fly a few hundred yards and run. Molly did well. She crept up on one bird that she could see after pointing, and flushed it. I need to figure out how to stop her from doing that. The last bird was pointed, flushed, and re-found three times before I decided that it was time to head home.
I think we had something like 11 points and 1 flush. If we can't find birds this year I will take her back to the farm every few weeks for the experience.
 
Sounds like a fun trip and your dog sounds like she is ready for Fall.

If you don't mind sharing, what was the name of the game farm you used?
 
McNeil. Out of Clay Center.
 
I hear you! I like his setup and the birds fly well. Most flew 20-30 feet up and headed out. They did not fly real long distances, but moved out a couple of hundred yards before hitting the ground running.

I used a place just north of Topeka year before last. Same driving distance, and a little more expensive.
 
I have driven by that place a bunch of time.

So the birds flew pretty well? I would like to get some good flying birds to work Indy on. I would like to have him fully broke, and its tough when the birds only fly 15 ft.
 
They are not wild birds, but we flushed the last one a number of times and it flew a few hundred yards each time. Far enough for us to hunt it again. I had my dad release a few by tossing them into the air. I would mark the general area and get the pup out of the truck and take off. Each one flew quite a ways. We did have one that we planted. It woke up and started eating. It watched Molly approach and went back to eating. It did flush when pushed and flew well enough.
 
Thanks,
I might try a couple, but that is wrong direction from Manhattan, to work dogs at my place. :(
 
They do fly well. Straight up to gain altitude, and then they level off and fly plenty far. That's been my experience anyway.

They flew awesome at the other place I went last year too, but I can't remember the dang name... I'll try to find the hat they gave me...

If anything, I think maybe about 1 in 5 don't seem to have much fear of humans and they'll stand there and stare at you until you almost step on them... But even those ones fly well when they get up.
 
You guys wanting somewhere closer to manhattan might try Tallgrass lodge. The birds are from Ty and they do a great job. Although all that being said Ty is probably cheaper even after you factor in the price of gas. Just some food for thought. Oh and they have quail too.
 
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