I have been training retrievers as an amature for about 10 years. Both for field trial and gun dogs. I have two labs at present. Have had others that were trained and sold.

Labs from certain breeds (I should say line not breed) will point. It isn't new but some folks who have dogs that follow this characteristic are trying to get them recognized as a true line. One of my labs points on occasion when hunting pheasants. But I feel that is just an individual characteristic of that particular dog. Most of the time she blows right through the bird trying to eat it. If it can't fly or climb a tree, it will get caught.

I always start my dogs off early with pigeons. Around 6-7 weeks old. I start obediance training at 4 months and bird dog training at 6 months.


Important factors for training bird dogs is teaching the dog to hunt for a bird that has been knocked down. This drill, in my opinion is the single most important skill a dog can learn. And it can be done in the back yard.

We started our regular waterfowl season here last Sat. We have an early goose season that started 1 Sep. We slayed 'em. I should post up some pictures of the 'ol Duck Dog with his real duck dogs.


I'm actually guiding a pheasant hunt in Iowa this year. Around Mason City. I've never hunted there, so I'm really excited about it.
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Bow season for Deer just started here in KS too yesterday and I was in my treestand right after I got off of work. I didnt sit there five minutes and two does came by me into the milo field...they lingered out of range for about 10 minutes and then came back by me, but this time they came within my shooting lane and...WHAMMO...good shot. I waited 30mins before I got down out of my stand, found he arrow and commenced to trailing her, knowing that I had a good shot on her I fully expected to go over the next hill and drag her out, but NO, she slowly walked and walked, crossed a river (with just enough water to come over the top of my boots), up a 12 foot bank, through more junk, down into a muddy creek bed....then we lost the trail after tracking her for 3 hours! I went back this morning, found last blood and began tracking again...she climbed in and out of a 15 foot bank two more times and I finally found her 80 yds from where we stopped looking...coyotes had a feast. I was disappointed and my buddies said that is just part of hunting but I dont feel right about it. I know that I did all I could to take this game properly but luck wasnt on my side this time.
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I do my bowhunting w/ a 12 gauge.
LC Smith, kinda old.

Seriously, I don't think I could get close enough to bag any game w/ a bow. Sounds like a hoot though...

Can't wait to go w/ the old man.
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BigVE, I've done a lot of hunting around central Kansas.

I heard there are tons of ducks already there. I won't be able to get down there until late November. I hunt mainly the Clay Center area. I love Kansas so much more than Minnesota.
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duck
My dog is actually from some line of fancy Duck dogs...the damn was like an "arkansas 7.5-8.5 mark" or something like that.....but I've never hunted ducks. I'd like to get him to find birds, lock up and flush them....and retrieve them when I shoot.

When you say "start" them with retrieving down birds....what type of things are you actually talking about? how do you use those pidgeons? Someone said somethign about getting a pheasant wing and some scent but I don't have a clue what to do when I get it?

I've got treestands hung and have shot my bow some, but not enough.....something else is getting in the way of bow hunting for the next couple of weeks and then I'll hit it hard the end of the month on......

I find I'm putting pretty tight groups(tight enough for me) the in a baseball/softball area at 20-25yds......but I'm quite a bit further off when i shoot the broadheads.......I suppose I need to spend some time fine tuning them a little.
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Tip...
Have any of you head of "sneakyleaf camo enhancer"...seach it on Cabela's.......Its basically 10 "plastic" oak leaves that you safety pin to your camo to break it up.......cost around $20/bag

I found a great alternative. Walmart, Hobby Lobby...lots of places.....sell these "strings" of decorative fall leaves.....they are the same darn thing..take the leaves off the "vines" and get some safety pins.........6' pieces with alot more leaves are around $5.

I washed my camo last night in scent free soap, sprayed it down with carbon blast, earth scent and acorn spray....dropped in some scent waifers and zipped it in a bag.....after I pinned on 20 or so leaves. Looks pretty damn good.

After an upcoming event.....i'm going to take some more of the "leaves" and zip tie it around my stands.
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I had a similar experience a few years back. I was walking a new area and crouched behind a big fallen tree overlooking a river bottom. I wasn't there 5 minutes and a nice doe came within 40 feet down the hill. I got a nice shot, waited a while, went the other direction and got my buddy. We started tracking about 9:00 am, I ended up crossing a creek that was up to my chest and was actually able to pick up the blood trail on the other side, but couldn't locate the deer. I went back the next day and looked for several more hours and never did find the deer.
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I live 3 miles from Cheyenne Bottom and 15 miles from Quivira Wildlife refuge so with these two places in such close proximity there are literally thousands and thousands of birds that migrate through here. I am not much into the duck/goose hunting but I know at different times last year there were over 200,000 ducks and geese at both of these locations and one a couple of occasions estimates were around 500,000! Duck hunting is VERY popular here and guys come from all over the country to hunt here and its in my back yard basically and I dont even hunt for them....go figure. I am looking forward to pheasant season but thats about it for my bird hunting...i have a buddy that has a dog that was trained by some guy who has trained several field champions...it s a blast just to watch the dog do its thing.
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I've hunted there many times. Used to have permission to hunt just north of Turners. Not sure if you know where taht is. But most around there do.

Now that I'm out of state, I hunt just a few spots a year in Kansas. All private ground around the Milford wetlands. beautiful country.
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For pointing, tie the pheasant (or quail) wing to the end of the leader on a fly rod. Go out in your back yard and drag it around to leave a trail, let your dog track it and just before your dog pounces on it, jerk the wing into the air and let it land in a different spot. Keep doing this until your dog gets tired, and then you’ll start seeing some beautiful pointing. The key here is to never let your dog catch the wing.
As for retrieving, I’ve always had troubles when my dog doesn’t see the bird drop and would take advice from someone more experienced than me.
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My favorite part of bird hunting. Great dog work makes for great times.
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If you have a true pointing lab from pointing lab lines and want the dog to point like a real pointer I would suggest taking him to a pointing lab trainer. I am a bit of a purist and I like my labs to flush. Just a preference.

I introduce pidgeons to my dogs with their wings taped and legs bound with a rubber band. I do this for the puppies so the birds don't fly offf and can't scratch them. Bigger dogs only the fly aways arte a concern.

Drag a bird through the grass and hide it in the shrubbs, tall grass, wood pile, or whatever. Coax the dog into that area and say dead or dead bird. if the dog trys to leave the area, call it back into the area and continue until the dog finds the bird. When the dog finds it, praise it like it's never been praised before. Do not use treats to praise. Do this 2 or 3 times a day. Use different spots in the yard, because the dog will always remember certain spots have produced 'his' bird. The dog will want to go back to those spots.

This drill not only teaches the dog to hunt a bird that wounded or dead and lost to your sight but will also help bring out the natrual birdiness of the animal.

Teach obediance. encourage the animal to be birdie.

Since your dog came from a line of gun dogs or field trial dogs, chances are good the dog has a good sense of birdiness and a willingness to retrieve. The two very most important factors of any good retriever.

There are other important training advances for bird dogs. Such as teaching them not to break when birds are landing or when someone shoots. Or delivering the bird to hand. These are things that most likely the dog will not do natrualy and must be taught. There are exceptions.

You should decide what you want the dog to do and teach him to do it.

I would suggest hooking up with a pro in your area.
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I like the Milford area its really nice. I have a few buddies that hunt around turners on occasion...its a popular spot.
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Being an owner of an overpriced, overtrained and altogether useless labrador frisbee/stick retriever, I'm no expert on hunting. However, I do know a thing or two about dogs. Here's a couple of online communities you might look into on training yours.

Of course, Duck Dog seems to have a pretty good handle on things:

http://www.lab-retriever.net/board/f...?s=&forumid=29

Crap, I can't find the other one right now. Anyway, you might take a look there if you have any advice. One word: most of the people there are nicey nice dog lovers, not rough-and-tumble shitheels like us Planeteers:-)
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