Taking my duck dog upland hunting...

K

Kansan

Active member
Howdy everyone, the season is fast approaching. I'm no stranger to hunting, at all. But I will be as green to pheasant hunting as my year and a half old lab. We don't have any pheasants here in eastern Kansas, but I plan to head out west with my young dog this year. He performs excellent waterfowl hunting, and has a hell of a nose. I have little doubt he'll do great once he finds out what a pheasant is. On top of that, the quail population has really exploded here in southeast Kansas in recent years. So I intend on taking him quail hunting as well. I hear a good lab can go from duck hunting to upland hunting quite easily. How do you guys introduce your dogs to pheasant hunting? Specifically you guys with labs. Any tips for how to transition him from the duck blind to the pheasant fields are highly appreciated.
 
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Kansan said:
Howdy everyone, the season is fast approaching. I'm no stranger to hunting, at all. But I will be as green to pheasant hunting as my year and a half old lab. We don't have any pheasants here in eastern Kansas, but I plan to head out west with my young dog this year. He performs excellent waterfowl hunting, and has a hell of a nose. I have little doubt he'll do great once he finds out what a pheasant is. On top of that, the quail population has really exploded here in southeast Kansas in recent years. So I intend on taking him quail hunting as well. I hear a good lab can go from duck hunting to upland hunting quite easily. How do you guys introduce your dogs to pheasant hunting? Specifically you guys with labs. Any tips for how to transition him from the duck blind to the pheasant fields are highly appreciated.
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Teach the dog to quarter starting with 2 helpers with each having a handful of bumpers. You handle the dog. Flank the throwers about 5 yards to the front and about 20 yds on each side of you. Then one of the helpers will yell "hey hey hey" and as the dog is going to the helper the helper will toss the dummy. The dog will retrieve it to you. Then the other helper will do the same. As you are doing this everyone is walking very slowly maintaining proper spacing just like you are hunting. I would start on a mowed football field or something similar. Then progress to a hay meadow. You can then replace Hey Hey Hey with a gun. Then replace the bumpers with clipped winged pigeons. Eventually eliminate the helpers and place planted birds. After 30 days you will have a quarter dog. Never let the dog go behind you. I would advise hunting the dog by himself the first couple of trips and don't go hunting with an army of hunters. That is not hunting anyway. And get a copy of this DVD for reference. Teach the dog to quarter starting with 2 helpers with each having a handful of bumpers. You handle the dog. Flank the throwers about 5 yards to the front and about 20 yds on either side of you. The one of the helpers will yell "hey hey hey" and as the dog is going to the helper the helper will toss the dummy. The dog will retrieve it to you. Then the other helper will do the same. As you are doing this everyone is walking very slowly maintaining proper spacing just like you are hunting. I would start on a mowed football field or something similar. Then progress to a hay meadow. You can then replace Hey Hey Hey with a gun. Then replace the bumpers with clipped winged pigeons. Eventually eliminate the helpers and place planted birds. After 30 days you will have a quartering dog. Never let the dog go behind you. I would advise hunting the dog by himself the first couple of trips and don't go hunting with an army of hunters. That is not hunting anyway. And get a copy of this DVD for reference. http://www.gundogsupply.com/fowl-dogs-1-dvd.html

It is always hard to know just how to direct someone as everyone's definition of training a dog is different. So all we can do is take your word on the level your dog is at. Post a video of a basic obedience session and your dog running some short marks and we can tell you more. Take one with your phone and we can help you more. Not to be offensive but your dog would have been a puppy last duck season so I don't know how much transition he would be bringing to the upland. He is still a puppy at 1.5.
 
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westksbowhunter said:
Teach the dog to quarter starting with 2 helpers with each having a handful of bumpers. You handle the dog. Flank the throwers about 5 yards to the front and about 20 yds on each side of you. Then one of the helpers will yell "hey hey hey" and as the dog is going to the helper the helper will toss the dummy. The dog will retrieve it to you. Then the other helper will do the same. As you are doing this everyone is walking very slowly maintaining proper spacing just like you are hunting. I would start on a mowed football field or something similar. Then progress to a hay meadow. You can then replace Hey Hey Hey with a gun. Then replace the bumpers with clipped winged pigeons. Eventually eliminate the helpers and place planted birds. After 30 days you will have a quarter dog. Never let the dog go behind you. I would advise hunting the dog by himself the first couple of trips and don't go hunting with an army of hunters. That is not hunting anyway. And get a copy of this DVD for reference. Teach the dog to quarter starting with 2 helpers with each having a handful of bumpers. You handle the dog. Flank the throwers about 5 yards to the front and about 20 yds on either side of you. The one of the helpers will yell "hey hey hey" and as the dog is going to the helper the helper will toss the dummy. The dog will retrieve it to you. Then the other helper will do the same. As you are doing this everyone is walking very slowly maintaining proper spacing just like you are hunting. I would start on a mowed football field or something similar. Then progress to a hay meadow. You can then replace Hey Hey Hey with a gun. Then replace the bumpers with clipped winged pigeons. Eventually eliminate the helpers and place planted birds. After 30 days you will have a quartering dog. Never let the dog go behind you. I would advise hunting the dog by himself the first couple of trips and don't go hunting with an army of hunters. That is not hunting anyway. And get a copy of this DVD for reference. http://www.gundogsupply.com/fowl-dogs-1-dvd.html

It is always hard to know just how to direct someone as everyone's definition of training a dog is different. So all we can do is take your word on the level your dog is at. Post a video of a basic obedience session and your dog running some short marks and we can tell you more. Take one with your phone and we can help you more. Not to be offensive but your dog would have been a puppy last duck season so I don't know how much transition he would be bringing to the upland. He is still a puppy at 1.5.
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He's been professionally trained, learned the basics. Then he hunted with us all this duck season and spring snow goose (he got tons of retrieving during snow goose season). Now he's back at the trainers learning how to do blind retrieves, and has been doing hunt tests. So far he has done three and passed all of them. You're right that he's still a puppy, but he performs very well for his age. I will do the practice you suggested. Thanks for the tip.
 
Take him hunting. I have a friend from AR that brought his duck dog to SD a few years back. By end of 3 days of hunting with brits and pointers...he had a pretty good pointy lab. That being said he had a really nice dog to start with...all situations are different.
 
westksbowhunter said:
If I remember Kansans dog is from Floyd Haynes so genetically it doesn't get much better.
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Indeed. I recommend Double TT Kennels to anyone looking for a dog. Haynes Floyd is a pleasure to do business with. We just got another new pup from him a month ago and she is looking just as promising. 😁
 
Hey guys new here. I think the importan thing is to keep him in range and make sure her is quarting to your liking. After a couple of pheasents he will have it figured out. I agree with westksbowhunter on the training, it works great. If you do not have some buddys you do the same thing by jogging in a zig zag pattern. Doesen't take long for them to cach on. When i do it by myself after they have the basic idea you can plant frozen pigeons or bummpers to each side. Start small and work your way out.
 
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