Pups started on wild birds vs. started on pen raised birds

Today was interesting.  Just another example of the way it was back then and the way it is nowadays.  Here’s what I mean.

Back in the day, in the day of my Grandfather and his forefathers, dogs were trained with basic tools and one essential tool, wild game.

I was working with a 10 month old pup today that I personally started on wild birds this season starting in August up in Montana.  This pup has been on wild pheasant, wild sharptail grouse, wild huns and wild bobwhite quail in just a few months.  This pup started out like any pup by figuring what a wild a bird is then that they are fun to chase then she figured out she better slow down and start pointing, etc.

This pup has been pointing well for the last couple of months which is awesome.

What made me take notice is that today … …I needed to put this pup on a planted bird for the purposes of furthering her steadiness work.  Immediately the pup scented the planted bird and acted like it was a foreign object or something.  She was confused.  Why?  It was a planted bird.   Planted birds smell different and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the many variables that could affect a planted bird much less the man made apparatus that launches it!

On the second bird, pup figured out that we were looking for these strange hand planted birds though she still acted like it was foreign.  I was able to do my steadiness work but appreciated the ‘misunderstanding’ the pup had because it had never been in a man-made bird training environment.

As I worked other dogs, dogs that had not had the opportunity to train exclusively on wild birds I noticed the difference immediately.

Now folks, it’s not that I haven’t noticed this stuff before but with my new online journal it’s like I am ‘re-noticing’ the things I take for granted but now want to make a point to share with you.

The dogs that weren’t started on wild birds act like planted birds are ‘it’.   That’s all they know.  The problem with that is that wild birds just don’t behave like a planted bird.  Dogs that train on planted birds are not as respectful of the bird.  They will crowd, bust, chase and catch pen raised birds.  Wild birds simply won’t allow a mistake.  They will flush and / or run if not handled carefully.

I don’t care if you are the best bobwhite quail producer in the nation, pen raised quail are flawed for dog training.  They are and will always be what we settle for in the absence of wild birds to train on.

If I could share one thing with folks that I learned from my grandfather ‘papaw’ McGowan is that “huntin’ dogs get trained huntin.”   In those days hunting always implied wild game.  Honestly, I don’t know how my grandfather would react to remote controlled bird launchers, a remote controlled electric collar, a remote controlled backing dummy, etc.  I think he would just shake his head and laugh at the entire comical situation.

Many folks just don’t have wild birds to train on and the best they can do is release birds and hope they revert ‘wild like’.   If that is all you have, fine.  If you have access to wild birds, even if it is a once a year trip for one week in wild bird country, do it!   True, not a lot can be done in a short period of time but in my humble opinion any wild bird contact is a lesson well learned for both you and the dog.

When I lived near Frederick, Maryland, I would drive over 3 hours to Maryland’s eastern shore just to make wild bird contact with woodcock and the rare wild covey of bobwhite quail.  I would travel equal time to western Maryland’s Appalachian (blue ridge) mountains in pursuit of the ruffed grouse.  I was on active duty in the Navy as an enlisted man back then and it was dang tough to do but I did make time.

My advice for the owner of a young dog is this:  If you can’t get your pup into wild birds I strongly suggest you try to find a friend or pro who can.  Yes it costs money one way or the other but I am here to say that it makes a huge difference later on down the road.  Puppy days are the days to do it.  Put that pup on wild birds and your bird hunting days will be generously rewarded.

Take care and please, please, take a kid huntin’ even if you don’t have a kid of your own.

Dave.