HT Training

The Spring Hunt Tests

2011-05-28T18:32:00.000-07:00

I hate Pump Pond! It was a perfect day, warm, clear and shadows from the trees darkened the northeastern end of the pond. Earlier in the land series, Sport made two near perfect land retrieves and I was looking forward to the water series. Sport is a swimmer, he will swim to chase waterfowl, but he spooked in the dark waters.
I do not know if it was because the bottom of the pond drops off sharply or he did not know how to where to enter to get to the darker portion of the pond. This is the second time he has not entered and retrieved in a Hunt Test, in a Hunt Test at Pump Pond, in a Hunt Test at Pump Pond going into deep water on the Northeast end of Pump Pond. (Sense frustration? Thank the judges and go home.) Eventually he retrieved the drake, after the pick up dog also failed to the duck, so I do not feel as bad.

The Importance of A Good Retriever

2011-02-08T14:08:00.000-08:00

The other day I took the dogs out for an extended run/training session along the river. They had been in the house, "cooped up", as we say, for a couple of days and as the weather was a perfect February day it was the perfect time for them enjoy a few hours outdoors to runoff some energy. When we got to the beach, the snow was not plowed from the primary parking area, most of the field was closed except for a small area near the concession stand, so I parked the car, put on my boots and off we went to the beach. Snow and ice still covered the sand and we walked down to the water. This is our usual walk at Short Beach, up and over the sand to the water, along the water's edge to the east bank of the river and eventually back to the car. It usually takes from an hour to an hour and a half. We always meet people, some with and some without dogs and everyone is friendly and we're happy to see someone else on a cold, sunny day.

Sport and Maggie consider themselves the mayors of the beach. They run up to everyone and to every dog they say hello. They welcome you with their "hello, come, let's play together" greeting. It's a great way to meet up. The dogs sort themselves out, run around in circles and play king of the sand dune; sometimes to mix things up a bit, there is quick game of fetch and all the dogs are sent to retrieve a ball thrown into the water. Nothing stops these dogs, water is part of their lives.

After walking along the sand for about a quarter mile, we reach the mouth of the river. We have been walking on a baymouth bar which was formed by different forces of erosion and tidal movements after the glaciers retreated 10,000 plus years ago. Wind, waves, storms and twice daily tides have cut back the headlands and redistributed the rocks and sand across the width of the riverbed and all the while the river has been cutting a channel in these deposits to flow into the sound. The river is wide and sand from the eroding headlands has been moved and removed many times to create this bar and the beach.

Along the riverbed there are small pools which are formed by the river cutting into the sand of the river bed and these are great places to practice retrieves and other skills. The pools are not deep, they provide cover for the ducks and other birds that live on the water. They are edged with salt grasses and reeds. All that remains of last year's grass on this February day is a dense mat of broken stems and stalks. It is still too early and cold for the new grass to sprout from the roots that hold everything in place along the edge of the pool.

I place a pile of bumpers on the edge of the pool and send the Sport across the pond to retrieve the bumpers. He makes the retrieves while Maggie searches the grass for any sign of life which may be moving about, underneath the broken stalks. Soon it is time to move on back to the car.

On the trip back to the car we find dead goose on the sand and I send Sport to retrieve it. The goose is lying near the high-water line. It must have been shot on Saturday or earlier in the day and had flown for a couple of hundred yards before dropping onto the beach. Sport brings it back. Something real to retrieve. It was shot further upriver by a hunter who was working from a blind. Some waterfowl fly for a while before falling and the hunter determines it is "too far" to make the effort to bring it back to the blind.

But here is where a trained retriever is an important asset for the hunter. Not getting the goose is not an excuse. The state expects hunters to retrieve their shot game, “Waterfowl hunters must be equipped with at least one of the following: hip boots, waders, a boat or a retrieving dog.” So I was glad that Sport was able to collect the goose that someone else did not bother to retrieve. He is a sporting dog and did what generations of retrievers are expected to do. It is in their blood, it is ingrained in their minds and it is what make him one of the best of dogs, willing and ready to work, even when he is just out for walk.

Hunting Amendments, post election

2010-11-03T16:29:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in an earlier post that several states had placed "right to hunt and fish" amendments on the ballot for this November. Well, three states have passed these amendments (AR, SC & TN) and the folks in Arizona defeated the amendment.

That adds 3 states to the following where the right to hunt is already law: Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, Oklahoma, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.

the hunt test

2010-11-02T06:07:00.000-07:00

The LIGRC Hunt Tests last weekend at the Peconic Headwaters WMA in Calverton were Sport's first tests. We had a good day on Saturday and Sunday his retrieving on the land series was very good. The water portion of the test on Sunday was more challenging to him. He loves water but the pond is known for its layout and angles. Unfortunately we had not trained there before and he hesitated entering the pond. He knew where the duck was but kept running along the edge of the water.

Why wouldn't he just go in and swim to the duck? I don't know he never told me, however he finally retrieved the duck. He did not qualify on Sunday but he did not get wiped.

Return of Quail

2010-09-13T14:54:00.000-07:00

I just read a blog from the "Show Me" State of Missouri, the Department of Conservation, they report that quail have returned to the property surrounding the main office of the Missouri Department of Conservation. Quail and other wildlife are back after a ten or so year period without any birds. How did this happened? Well, the folks in Missouri understand that there are several ways to reduce upland bird populations, the first is to have large scale farming operations that require lots of open land. No trees or wood, no brush areas just open land. Another way is to abandon fields and let nature overtake abandoned fields without regard to the birds and animals that live there and in the surrounding woods and forests. This creates an environment which increases woodland species at the expense grassland species.

The department fixed up 150 or so acres which is surrounded by residential and commercial areas with road and highways. They cleared out brush, created ponds, food areas and brushy cover for the birds. They thinned trees from the wooded areas and used prescribed fires to create a more open landscape so that more seed producing grasses could grow. They identified invasive plant species, these were controlled or removed and thickets of cedar were cut back to allow more light to reach the ground. This will increase insect and plant diversity and reintroduce seed and insect eating birds and small wildlife.

Yes, quail and other wildlife can be successfully reintroduced into an area that has been "neglected" for years. It does not take much to repair the fields and extend the benefits of good management to all species and that is the beauty of nature is, if given proper encouragement it will flourish.

Improving the habitat is important whether you hunt or not, whether you train your sporting dogs for hunt tests or not and whether you live in and urban/suburban area or not. Nature can rebound when properly managed and while sometimes a forest replaces acres of farmland that once supported both song and upland birds. Controlled management can enhance an area far more that just leaving it alone. Continued

hunting amendment?

2010-09-07T03:54:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to an interesting article. I found this on the Maine Hunting and Sporting Dog Owners blog. Do we need an amendment? You may not think so, but then there are groups who think you have no right to hunt.

As always forewarned is forearmed and it better to be safe now rather than sorry later.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/09/02/1805476/states-being-asked-for-right-to.html

Whistling For Quail

2010-08-26T15:52:00.000-07:00

I am not the best whistler, I have never been able to whistle with two fingers or make any noise loud enough to get anyone's attention (I have an Acme Thunderer for that), I can carry a tune but late this afternoon I was able to get responses from the quail that are living in the north fields at the preserve. It was interesting to try and match the birds' calls and hear them as they moved closer to me.

My dogs had flushed the quail from a hedgerow that encircles the fields and they were happy to chase after them into the tall grasses. After I called back the dogs I heard a hen to the west of where we were standing, I whistled back to the hens and thus our call and recall went on for several minutes as the hens moved closer to the place in the hedgerow they must have used for their covey.

July

2010-07-20T17:12:00.000-07:00

When it's 90 plus degrees training session require extra precautions to protect the dogs. Even though you start early in the morning there is a cut off point after which you need to take make sure you have shade and water. Don't leave the dog in a car without the windows open and a fan blowing on the crate.

We arrived at the fields early, set up the holding blinds, gunners' station and starting line quickly but it was hot. Fortunately there was some breeze and shade from the scrub oaks and pines, such as it was.

The dogs ran well, Sport was steady at the line when the guns went off and he found the pheasants without any problem. He returned to the line with a wagging tail and what I felt was a satisfied look. I was glad because as before he picked up the bird and returned directly to me when whistled into the line.

After training we went over to a water area where Sport got into the water and cooled down. The pond full of lilies but the water was clear and it felt about 10 degrees cooler than the training area.

The next day was another training session, here we worked in the water so the dogs were kept cool from the start. Again we picked up the birds with the exception of a cripple that kept swimming away from Sport. A good lesson for him to keep going after a bird, but the to be careful when it tries to swim away.

Where are the quail?

2010-07-13T15:18:00.000-07:00

There was no sound of any quail at the training area the other day, not in the tall grasses nor at the edge of the tree line. I did not hear them the next night as we trained so I suspect they either moved to another safer location or more likely were dispatched by the feral cats or foxes.

Training started at 5pm on the shady side of the white pines, there was a breeze but it felt so much cooler than in the open areas. The temperature was dropping but it was still hot in the sun.

We had some birds and Sport was another dog. He does not really care for bumpers, he will go out for them but every time he sees a bumper he lopes out to it and returns to me not in a straight line but in a curved path.

2010-07-05T04:43:00.000-07:00

Something is happening at the training area that I find very encouraging for everyone who visits the area. The other day around 5 PM we heard "Bob-bob-white" coming from the unmown areas. Yes, it appears that some quail have found their way into the fields.

Spring Training

2010-04-19T06:31:00.000-07:00

(Some of these posts were in draft form and misplaced so with apologies for the delay here we go again. They are in date order.)

Spring field training has begun and this is the first chance for the dogs to get out and work with birds. The fields were still brown, what remains of the tall grasses is stubble and broken stalks. There are few areas where the grass has started to grow and the dogs have an easy time watching the birds fall.

Today, we had about 20 dogs and handlers and for those who continued to train this winter it has paid off. There is something special watching the dogs go out, hunt up and retrieve the birds. The dogs were eager and they love working and do not expect much in return. We ran on land with pheasants. Senior dogs went first with doubles, then the juniors with 2 singles. It was good to see a number of puppies out for training as well.

As the sun is setting later every day we can go out training in the evenings after work. Soon we will set the clock ahead for daylight savings time and we will gain another hour of evening light. This okay but it changes the whole morning program as the sun is “rising” an hour later.

2010-01-16T19:43:00.000-08:00

The cold weather has let up for a few days, so Maggie, Sport & I went down to the nearby fields for a short training session. We had not been out training since Thanksgiving and it was time.

As always Sport showed his usual enthusiasm to get out and bring back the bumpers. The field was short grass, the snow had melted everywhere except under the northern shade of some of the firs and in one or two remnants of the drifted snow. It was hard ice and crystalline. There were spots of mud.

200 yards away was the gaggle of hundreds of geese that had come in and more were starting to collect in the field, they were looking for grass. This was a mixture of resident and migratory geese. I had not been to these fields for some time and can see that the geese have been using it as a big rest stop.

I met two others from the group and we threw some quick series of singles and a few doubles for each dog. Singles first for each dog, then singles and 2 doubles. Nothing fancy, we wanted to push the dogs further out with each bumper to get them to move greater distances from the line. Then we turned to another area and pushed their limits in another direction. All the dogs did well. No playing with the bumpers on the retrieve, though the temptation to stop and savor the goose shit was a problem.

2009-11-22T19:20:00.000-08:00

Saturday and Sunday were picture perfect November days. The training group met in the afternoon of each day and the temperature was in the 60's, the sky was blue and there was little wind. There were a few walkers on Saturday but they moved out quickly. The only people who walk on the nearby trails are people with sporting dogs anyway so they understand.

8 handlers showed up at the fields with both puppies and dogs. I can see that we may have to break into two groups to set up one place for the older dogs where we can set up multiple marks and blinds and have another area for short sessions with the puppies. This way neither will interfere with the other and once the puppies have had their 10 minutes or so the handlers can return to help the older dogs.

Sport did not go out Saturday because one of the folks noticed that his tail was hanging and his hind quarters were stiff. That must have been from the water on Friday. Today he moved his tail and went out for the birds, not the bumpers. More drills.

2009-11-16T20:07:00.000-08:00

I have been taking time to walk the dogs in the afternoon and have met up with some folks who have a prescribed walking route that takes them through one of the training areas. It's a fast paced walk and letting the dogs run loose gives them more exercise than being leash bound to their two legged partners.

After the initial greeting off we go and though Maggie may wander or lag a bit when she scents a small animal in the taller grasses, she does manage to catch up. There is the occasional body slam as they dogs run around, sprint ahead and play their own version of tag. Everyone enjoys the hike. The days are getting shorter and if we do not start before 4pm we are walking back in the dark. It is only a couple of week to the solstice and we will have more daylight to walk.

2009-09-27T19:56:00.000-07:00

It rained today and we had another training session scheduled at the preserve with fliers. The rain had started about 2 AM and continued during the morning. We arrived at the pond in the rain, but what does a little rain matter with water retrieves?

The turnout was low, only 6 people showed up, which permitted several runs. When it was our turn to the line everything seemed to go wrong, the first bird was wiley enough to fly off into the trees, yes, the gunners missed, so we turned and faced the winger, the bird never left the winger, that left only one tried and true method, somebody threw the bird. Sport started straight out for the bird, but decided to take an arced path around via the edge of the pond and grabbed the bird. (Note to self: work more in the water.) Finally the bird in hand I put Sport back in the truck to help for a while.

Later on the second try of the land retrieve Sport went out and came straight back, bird in mouth happy to hand it to me.

So after 2 runs we packed up as the rain started up again and continued all the way home.

Aerial Photos

2009-08-15T11:23:00.000-07:00

I printed out aerial photos of our training areas, they are fairly current and good enough for our sessions.They are good visual aids for handlers and the throwers I hope they will reduce the confusion. of where to go when sent out into the grass. If they use the chalkboard in a locker/training room so why not here? I marked the mown grasses from the unmown. I do not see anything wrong with assisting the throwers if it will make their job easier and make it clearer for the handlers where they are expected to send their dogs. This should keep the training session moving and reduce any arguments that could occur when throwers are unsure of the direction they are to throw.

Summer Training

2009-07-23T05:05:00.000-07:00

Training at the Manorville fields on Sunday. It is part of the monthly scheduled events for practice with live birds. The weather typical of a July day was hot, but not too humid. The field was cleared several years ago, The shrubs and trees that were cut at the time, had been stacked in loose, uneven piles waiting to be burned. I would not call it the best field for pheasants or other upland birds, for the area had long since become ceased as a sustainable environment, It was more suitable for the turkeys that now controlled the fields. Nothing was maintained since cutting, new shrubs with stickers on the branches and boughs were growing back in.

We set up the line along the edge of trees and two stations, one for fliers, was placed about 30 yds. or so from the line along the tree line. The other with a winger was set up in the field behind a large pile of shrubs about 45 yds. from the line and about 30 yds. from the fliers’ station. We could call for singles or doubles; later we sent another thrower 10 yds beyond the fliers, for triple retrieves. The entire session went well, some dogs missed the combination with 3 birds, but all picked up fliers and the from the winger. Afterward we set up blinds in the field for senior level dogs.

Sport went out for the singles and brought back his birds without difficulty. He did not bolt from the line and found his birds fairly quickly.

Later, Sport and I walked down to the pond and I sent Sport into the water to retrieve one of the birds, He went swimming, he was supposed to bring back the duck but he is not ready for this and had more fun paddling around. He grabbed it once but he kept his head too low, he needs more experience retrieving in water.

2009-04-06T05:08:00.000-07:00

Training picked up again at the fields area, we were kept out for a few weeks and are back again. We have to get out and look for other locations. Saturday we worked in the back mown area. It was windy and we wanted to work on the lee side of the hill.

Sport has a lot of energy, being released from the car is too much for this pup; I will have to work obedience heeling drills with him more so that he settles and focuses when he comes to the line. It's no time for a romp around the training area.

Once settled he found the marks and came back quickly, quick whistles work best with a minimum of using my voice for calling.

Field Manners

2009-03-16T15:22:00.000-07:00

Training is not an easy job and it is no easier for the training director. That is why I get a little snarky at an unplanned training session. When a group goes out to train it should have a predetermined schedule so that everyone at the training session knows what is going to happen next. Before bringing out the dogs the person in charge of the day must assay the field and pick where to run the dogs. Once he has chosen where to set up the field, the workers will set up the equipment, place poles for blinds or as targets to throw the birds and then get into position with an adequate supply of birds for at least a half dozen dogs. Each worker should know whether he is number 1, 2 or 3 and where to throw. Then after everything is explained to the handlers, they can bring the dogs to the line and start training.

As the day progresses the director can adjust the field to throw into other areas and rearrange the sequence of the throwers as needed. Communication to everyone present is important so that training goes smoothly.

Whether or not the workers are within earshot is something to consider when training. A radio or cell phone will help minimize misunderstanding and is a matter of choice but using them will make the training session run more smoothly.

Talking is inevitable and should be kept to a minimum to keep the session moving. There is plenty of time to discuss things afterward.

Spring Training

2009-03-15T13:23:00.000-07:00

We went out to one of the fields at the Preserve today and the dogs really responded well to the change in location. Our usual fields have been closed temporarily by the state which wishes to limit our access. Whether some pissant is jealous of what we do or they are afraid if one of us has an accident I don't know. However, it has come down from above that these fields we have used for 30 plus years, without incident or accident are now off limits to everyone.

This came as a disappointment to everyone but it is temporary and we shall return.

March Training Day

2009-03-08T20:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the first warm day after the snow of last week. Temperatures ranged from the high 50's and low 60's, low wind and some clouds. There was plenty of snow still on the fields and it was too bright.We met at the lower field, set up triples with blinds for the more advanced dogs. Ducks were thrown by hand and a winger. Each beginning dog received at least three singles to retrieve and the more advanced dogs ran either a double or triple.

Sport picked up the ducks and came back with his birds, which is good since he been working with bumpers all winter.

On line forums

2009-02-15T21:28:00.000-08:00

I read several on line forums regularly during the week, usually in the morning when it's quiet. By that time the new post and the threads that follow have had a chance to develop and the tales therein are very interesting.

No wonder the dogs have problems, nobody has one answer; too often there are too many answers to one question. It seems that no amount of posting will answer every question but why won't these people just buy a book or training video? Learn from a respected leader in the field and apply the training to your dog. Choose your best trainer and stick with his/her methods or find another that works for you.

February Days

2009-02-07T20:39:00.000-08:00

These days have been good for getting out and working in the lower and upper fields. There is no snow and the dogs are eager to run; the scent of the small animals has been washed away by the rain. I suspect that there are some bitches in heat peeing on the lower field and that the pet people are letting their dogs crap anywhere and not clean up after them. This will be a problem when the runners start their training on the grass in a few weeks. Nobody wants a messy field. We should get scoops and bags to clean up the mess. Maybe some signs and if we see the PP's tell them to do likewise.

We met at 11AM today and ran some basic marks and also blinds for about 10 dogs. We used bumpers, orange and whites depending on the dogs' skill levels. As these are the first classes we were a bit disorganized, I think that we need to have a planning meeting before we put people out at the different stations. We should try and get as much equipment out there to keep the training working.

Everyone should know what their job is, what is expected of them to ensure that these training sessions run as smoothly as possible and we need to get the equipment (blinds, wingers and bumpers) in position to minimize down time. I also think that we need to improve communications, so that each person at a station knows where to throw for each dog. The more experienced dogs get the longer throws, and we should throw shorter distances for the less experienced. Using the radios would help so we are not yelling instructions, diagrams for everyone station would help as well. We are wasting time and the dogs though patient do not want to wait while we give instructions.

Group leaders are in charge of all instructions, they must watch everything without side chatter so they can tell the handler when to bring back the dog or a thrower to throw another bird quickly to encourage the dog. We need walk throughs for the workers, so that every worker understands what is expected of them. "You stand here and throw the bumper/bird 20 yds out toward the 1st cedar, orange fence or wherever." We need to know when to rethrow and the people at the line need to follow direction from the group leader, not someone in the blind 40 yds out.

At the line we need to have a blind set up for next team and somebody marshalling the teams, the "on deck" team must be ready to move up when it's their turn. The throwers also need to have a rotation system so they can work each station for a dog or two then move in when it is their turn. They should not be left standing, waiting for the call to run their dog. When these basics are established and followed the training sessions will run smoother.

2009-01-03T14:19:00.000-08:00

It's 6:45 am and Sport has nudged me to get out of bed. As far as he is concerned, it's time to let him out; after all it's first light and he and Maggie are ready to go. Why should I have the advantage of sleeping-in? Sport doesn't think so and is making sure I agree with him. So reluctantly I get out of bed and let them out.

It is still dark and mid winter is past, I can see the morning getting brighter as the sun slowly starts its northward trip to the Tropic of Cancer. Each year the sun plays Tag-team Latitudes and this year will be no different. Cancer to Capricorn and back, an endless continuum of seasons coming and going. It's the way we live. We are tied to the changing seasons more than we care to admit.

As each sunrise gets earlier my dogs are awakening with the earliest glimmers of sunlight and nudging me to get up as well or there will be dire consequences. This will continue until Daylight Savings Time kicks in and upsets the schedule for a week or so.

Actually, I like this time of day because very few people are awake and it is a great time to read magazines, catch up on answering emails and planning for the rest of the day.

A couple minutes later and I hear the first guns going off down in the bay. Somebody is watching the clock and I don't think it's the ducks. We'll go down later for some training but now it's time for relief, coffee and breakfast.

HT Training

2009-01-03T06:30:00.000-08:00

It is never too early to start thinking of planning for the upcoming year. Our more efficient and organized friends have prepared themselves already and are months ahead of us. They know where they want to be and for reasons that escape me usually get there.

However, today we are looking at simple retrieves and the success for both the trainer and the dog.