PLANTING LIVE BIRDS #2

In my previous article I discussed how to plant live chuckers for training. The next step is to move forward to pheasants.

I start with hen pheasants, they are a little smaller than roosters and not as aggressive if wounded.

Go back to the hunting preserve and have the staff show you how to plant the pheasants. the process is different.( It involves tucking the head of the bird under the wing and putting the bird to sleep briefly)

You should start with flagged birds about 50 yards out in front of the dog. just as you did before. attach a long rope on the dog and put him on the ground to hunt for the bird. flush and shoot each bird one at a time . making sure he can retrieve the bigger bird. When the dog has accomplished this lesson with a dozen birds or so. then you can move up to the roosters.

Keep this lesson short and possitive. your still building on the confidence concept of his training.

As I have said before, this training is not about a perfect retrieve or absolute obedience. this training is all about searching for and flushing live birds.

This level of training from the partridge to the hen pheasant, and then to the rooster pheasant should take 3 to 4 weeks or more.

If you have done your training correctly your dog should be able to hunt for flush and retrieve upland birds by the time he is 7 months old.

Some factors to consider.

Live birds will not stay where they were planted, and may flush wild. A cool , damp, and windy day is much easier for the dog to find birds. Warm, dry, and no wind can be very difficult for the dog so plan your field days accordingly.

Roger Hess