Training Advice with live Quail

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tattor15
Rank: Just A Pup
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Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2022 9:49 am

Training Advice with live Quail

Post by tattor15 » Wed Mar 30, 2022 10:01 pm

Hello all, I am new to the group and I am really excited about talking to you guys and getting some knowledge. I searched and I wasn't able to find a post about this specifically.

I have about a 4-month-old GSP, this is my first pointer and I am new to hunting, however, I did train my lab for waterfowl (She has hip dysplasia at three years old, and now so I can and never was able to hunt her). So I am new to the upland scene, however, I love training my dog and I can wait to get out this season.

With that being said if you can share anything you think I am doing wrong or need to do be blunt as possible, if you think I am over my head then please share.

I've done a lot of reading and research, I've read How to Help Gun Dogs Train Themselves by Joan Bailey and I really like the book. Spoke with several different people and I have not really been able to get a solid answer to my question.

I've been working on basic obedience with my dog Diesel and he's getting the hang of it well, I do have issues with recall sometimes when he is out in the field, it's usually when he way out and has his nose to the ground on trailing something interesting (is that puppy brain?). He is not e-collar conditioned yet. He has had some exposure to water, he has not fully committed to swimming but does enjoy running through the water. I have not got heavy on fetching, just two to four retrieves with a frozen quail, dog toys, or even a bumper a day. I take him out to a field by my house and let him do "field runs". I have not started to do anything more than loud noises or bangs around the house while he is eating or retrieving. He has down some points on wild Robins that were in the field as well as some other game.

Now with how it currently is with fuel prices, lower wild bird numbers (I'm in Oklahoma and the numbers are way down), and not having anywhere close I figured I would raise some quail in our backyard for training (my wife was totally on board so I'm not in dog house lol). So with that being said, can anyone give me advice on how I need to plant them in the field? Do I need to worry about Diesel being in the backyard with them, would that create a relaxed association with them? I know I need to get him on birds but like I said it's really hard for me to go and try to find wild birds. Now in the Book, he simply states to not plant birds unless you know what you're doing and I'm lost on where to go to learn. Is it as simple as dizzying/tying the birds, having him on check chord, and working the field? I know human scent can be a problem so would it be better to do a recall box? I plan on planting the frozen quail and allowing him to do some scent work initially then slowly work to using the live birds. Is that a good plan?

When would it be a good time to do e-collar conditioning? Force fetching? Any advice to successfully carry these out? Am I missing anything and need to do other things before I start going down the route of live birds?

My biggest worry is "ruining" my dog by not being prepared, ignorant, or even just plain stupid. Any advice is greatly appreciated and if needed I can give more detail about things to make it more clear.


Thank you for your time.

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Coveyrise64
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Location: Oklahoma

Re: Training Advice with live Quail

Post by Coveyrise64 » Thu Mar 31, 2022 1:28 pm

The OK-NAVHDA group has monthly training days. You are more than welcome to contact them about upcoming training dates. Great bunch of people.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/217108735135356

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tattor15
Rank: Just A Pup
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Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2022 9:49 am

Re: Training Advice with live Quail

Post by tattor15 » Thu Mar 31, 2022 2:42 pm

I really appreciate that. Do you have any advice on any other training material?

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oldbeek
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Location: Lancaster CA

Re: Training Advice with live Quail

Post by oldbeek » Tue Apr 12, 2022 9:20 pm

You-tube Standing Stone Kennels and subscribe. Or Perection Kennels. See how they do it.

RayGubernat
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Re: Training Advice with live Quail

Post by RayGubernat » Wed Apr 13, 2022 8:03 am

As far as quail are concerned, I would be careful. You have a very young dog. Tame quail can be caught and once a dog learns that they can chase and catch game... they WANT that and it may take a fair amount of work to get them to stop. If you found a source for pigeons, that would be much more useful for a youngster, because pigeons typically will not land on the ground after taking wing and therefore are difficult to catch.

Pigeons typically can be rocked to sleep(which will allow a dog to dive in and catch the sleeping pigeon). So you will need to have the dog on a check cord on approach. The only planting option I would not use a check cord on the dog would be remote launchers, since you can pop the trap as the dog gets close. If you have penraised quail, having a remote release trap is pretty much a requirement. Unfortunately, those traps are expensive. There are foot operated launchers and such and a baby sock on a string that you put over the pigeon's head and pull off to get itto fly, but again, especially with a young dog, I would want them to be on a check cord to avoid catch or chasing.

There ARE dogs that need to be fired up and encouraged to hunt and find birds. Allowing such dogs to chase can bring out the predatory instincts, but honestly, most decently bred dogs have plenty of prey drive and allowing the chase will only get them in trouble...unless the chase is on wild birds, which they will never catch. My solution is to instill a solid whoa in the yard, before the dog sees gamebirds.

RayG

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