Winged bird

Yes, nothing beats experience in the field. Some of the old houndsman I learned from used to say you've got to take your dog to school. Watching a beagle run a rabbit when you can watch the rabbit on a snow background is a great learning experience to how a dog follows scent. A running rabbit makes a sudden turn and a dog running the track too fast will overrun it and then have trouble going back and finding that spot if their speed takes them too far away from the spot where he lost it. In the beagle world, they call it line control. The better beagles have a good nose but better line control. They figure out quickly they over run that spot where the rabbit turns and come right back to that spot and keep scenting until they figure out the direction the rabbit turned. I've believe same holds true for a bird dog tracking a wounded bird. Great line control comes from experience but also breeding some beagles never have it after hundreds of hunts and some figure it out quick. That's why you see guys run beagles in packs. some dogs have great line control aand find a sudden turn in the track fast , some dogs are great jump dogs and some have great nose and can take a cold track until it heats up.
 
Some of these guys say to bring the dog to a game farm or drag around a bumper with a pheasant wing attached in grass to train a dog new to hunting. I'm sure this training helps. On the other hand, nothing can really compare to the real thing for learning can it?
 
As I stated on another thread, I am not a professional dog trainer.

But here is a fun training activity that probably pays off in the field.

I often play a version of "Hide and Seek" with my dog. I sit the dog in the living room and show her a training bumper or dog toy.

I make the dog stay and go down the hall to hide the bumper/toy in one of the bedrooms or laundry room. The dog cannot see which room the toy is hidden in.

I then send her to find and retrieve. She is forced to use her nose and eyes to find the toy.

The dog enjoys this game and my granddaughters really enjoy playing it with the dog. It is fun to watch a two year old child hide the toy, come back to the living room, and command the dog: "back!".

I love watching the child cheer when the dog returns with the toy.
 
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Bob Peters said:
Some of these guys say to bring the dog to a game farm or drag around a bumper with a pheasant wing attached in grass to train a dog new to hunting. I'm sure this training helps. On the other hand, nothing can really compare to the real thing for learning can i
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I lost one today in very thick cover.looked hard.
 
I had a few times where if I would have run,maybe I get a 50+ yard shot. I really enjoyed my January hunt.Didnt get very many easy shots,and had to really work hard for them usually.
 
Goosemaster said:
He's paying 50 dollars a box,I'm paying 12
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I shoot all non-toxic. Early season here in Wisconsin I shoot 3" Kent Faststeel #6 out of both barrels. Skeet Choke on the bottom, Improved Choke on the top. As the season progresses, I will shoot #6 bottom, #4 top....same chokes. Then #4 both same chokes.
For SD trips, I switch out chokes to Improved in the bottom then Improved-Modified in the top.
This last trip, with the expectation of some more fat on the birds and longer shots, I shot Kent 3" #4 Faststeel out of the bottom barrel with Improved choke and Hevi Shot 3" #3 Heavy Hammer out of the top barrel with Modified Choke.
Only 1 bird that I needed the top barrel for.....shoot quality and know what your chokes do.....you won't be crippling birds as the norm, it will be the exception. Then throw in the trained dog, the recovery will happen on the few cripples too.
Increase your odds doesn't mean shoot more shells and hit more birds....
 
Lost one in the kak today.shooting old steel.3 inch steel 2's,some 2 3/4 steel 2's.Bird went down at 10 yards.Cant believe he disappeared.damm
 
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