Spring Training 2021 (not baseball)

NDPheasant

NDPheasant

Well-known member
I am blessed to live where I do and spend quality time with my dogs and wife. The ND weather has been good to us this winter. Almost too good! We could have used snow and must have moisture this spring.

I have been fortunate to hunt with friends who have different breeds. I love them all and what they offer. Growing up my dad had a re-homed Black Lab - Weimaraner that was a fantastic hunter and then he owned a two more pure bred labs. I went 30 years without ever owning my own hunting dog until four years ago. Ellie turned 4 on March 17 and is an amazing companion for our family so much so last June we picked up a second Viszla. I know we would have two labs, two gsp's, two goldens, etc if that is what we started with but I sure do enjoy these two. Ellie has been the valedictorian and is just an all around all-star for us. She is gentle, obedient, loves to hunt, a fetching machine on downed birds, will swim to the point of exhaustion if you let her and the list goes on. Willow is showing similar hunting potential. Now if we can make it through the garbage eating, shoe chewing, hole digging puppy stages. I do love her independence and spunk. She covers a tremendous amount of ground and has a motor that won't quit.

Long story short, I compiled a few clips of our winter/spring walks since Feb 27. Enjoy them if you are so moved. Click Here: Spring Training 2021
 
Good stuff. Looks like you've got some nice land to access. Keep us updated on the progress. Maybe even throw a GoPro on your head and share your hunts!!
 
Golden Hour said:
Good stuff. Looks like you've got some nice land to access. Keep us updated on the progress. Maybe even throw a GoPro on your head and share your hunts!!
Click to expand...
Sad part is I even have a GoPro 9 I bought this fall and have not used it like I should.
 
NDPheasant said:
Sad part is I even have a GoPro 9 I bought this fall and have not used it like I should.
Click to expand...

I found that the first few hunts, it was annoying to gear up and deal with the battery changes, etc., but after that, it was like any other piece of hunting equipment. And I can't express how valuable the footage is to me. If you search JCW Outdoors on YouTube, you can find my videos.
 
Speaking off-season training... what are some things people do this time of year?
When my lab was younger I was fortunate enough to live in central SD and had access to lots of land, so we went on walks and flushed wild birds year round. IMO, those 2 years set the foundation for the rest of his life and success on wild birds. Now I try to get out into "hunting cover" a few times a year in the off-season. Keep up on obedience, exercise year round. Hone it back in a bit more hunting specific with scent, retrieves, gun, check cords, etc. come the cooler temps in the evenings in August/September. He's a 9 year old, far from a finished retriever (waterfowl standards) but incredible as an upland dog.
 
jackrabbit said:
Speaking off-season training... what are some things people do this time of year?
When my lab was younger I was fortunate enough to live in central SD and had access to lots of land, so we went on walks and flushed wild birds year round. IMO, those 2 years set the foundation for the rest of his life and success on wild birds. Now I try to get out into "hunting cover" a few times a year in the off-season. Keep up on obedience, exercise year round. Hone it back in a bit more hunting specific with scent, retrieves, gun, check cords, etc. come the cooler temps in the evenings in August/September. He's a 9 year old, far from a finished retriever (waterfowl standards) but incredible as an upland dog.
Click to expand...
My puppy will be 7 in May and we go out almost every weekend after the season and search for pheasants on public land. I use this time to scout new places to check out during the season. We stop around the first of April to give the birds some leeway during nesting. Plus, the water is opened up and swimming becomes a great exercise.
 
jackrabbit said:
Speaking off-season training... what are some things people do this time of year?
When my lab was younger I was fortunate enough to live in central SD and had access to lots of land, so we went on walks and flushed wild birds year round. IMO, those 2 years set the foundation for the rest of his life and success on wild birds. Now I try to get out into "hunting cover" a few times a year in the off-season. Keep up on obedience, exercise year round. Hone it back in a bit more hunting specific with scent, retrieves, gun, check cords, etc. come the cooler temps in the evenings in August/September. He's a 9 year old, far from a finished retriever (waterfowl standards) but incredible as an upland dog.
Click to expand...
I'm hour at least, maybe two, from where I could expect to find wild birds. I'll make the trip once in a while in the off season, but more often than not I'm looking for closer stuff where I can exercise the dogs off leash in something that's kinda-sorta bird cover.

To the original poster: great video! I have a 3 year-old V and I'm set to pick up a new pup in about a month.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top