It takes birds to make bird dog😀

unoperro

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So my pups are now 11 months old. Still have 2 males and the female. Exactly 1 more then I planned on keeping but I am not actively trying to sell any. We have been marching across fields and cattail sloughs for a month. Very happy with progress and how they handle. I have been lucky enough to witness multiple points of pheasants where 2 dogs are pointing(pointing and honoring)
and even one with the 3 amigos shoulder to shoulder to shoulder.
My female Reba was not interested in pointing placed birds be they pigeons or chuckars. These pheasants are a whole nother world. Her first bird brought out a rock solid statue of a point that a sculpture would love to replicate. She has been solid ever since that 1st one.
Delio is the male I choice early to keep for myself and he is the realdeal. He ranges,quarters and works the wind like a veteran. Solid on point and naturally backs. Retrieves to hand. Plows through cattails and thick brush which sometimes turns the other 2 back.
Willie is still a wanderer. He goes about just fine and then loses focus. Heavy cover may find him following me, or at least very close. Not a problem to stay close in heavy cover but following only saves him a little energy and he has plenty. He is the most mentally immature of the 3, but is very trainable.
Now I entitled this about the need for birds to make a good birddog and I am going to get there now. Yesterday I hunted a piece of public ground-open hunting for any and all.This piece is a full quarter of land 160 acres.1/2 Mile long and a 1/2 mile deep. Tall clump grasses,5 ' or higher, mixture of brome and asundry weeds grow where the water level allowed. Cattails and ice cover the other 40%.
Well we weren't 10 yards into this and I 3 dogs all hot on bird trails all going differant directions. Ended herding 6 hens and 2 roosters about 100 yards before we got a holding point just prior to wild flushes. The roosters were out of range and hens are protected so no gunfire. Boy were the dogs worked up. At that point there was no cover too thick.
I did manage to kill a nicely pointed rooster which was promprly retrieved,and reluctantly released. I missed the next pointed bird and we only found hens in the little time we had left but those dogs were still cranked up walking back to the vehicle. I probably walk 2 to 3 miles covering that in a zigzag back and fourth motion. The tracking collars on the dogs show they cover 5 to 6 times that. Fun times and birdwork is a blast.
 

unoperro

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Doesn't this look fun? About 20° with a slight breeze. 3 of us hunted for 3 1/2 hours behind my 3 who just turned 1. Got our 9 rooster limit.
 

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unoperro

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So season ended today and gave me the chance to enjoy my bday my favorite way. Staring at stiff tails on statuesqe bird dogs. Some birds even managed to fly into my shot pattern and afforded some remarkable retreives. Bird numbers look promising for next year and the dogs are only getting better.
 

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unoperro

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So last sunday we held our annual pheasants forever youth hunt for graduates of S.Dak. safe hunt classes. 21 kids in the field with theirparent/guardian. Start the day at our local gunclub. Safety review then kids shoot some trap. A member gives a quick safety talk about hunting with dogs then does a little exhibition. Kids are impressed!
Divide up into groups- a friend uses his party bus to transport kids and adults to the 3 fields where we have planted birds. Every body gets multiple shots and some bag birds. I had 8 friends guiding with their dogs. They are super impressed with how fun and safe this event is run. All say call me again next year.
 

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unoperro

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Here are a couple pics of my Weims in the field.
 

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unoperro

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So this last weekend I ran 2 of my dogs in a akc hunt test. I was worried about the females performance but sure the male would be fine.
The female went first and may have gotten the highest score for the weekend. When the male ran the judge ,who was different from the female's, told me that is a great dog and he is trained to the standard of the higher level tests. Then he gave me a 7 out of 10 for training.
There were a few interesting moments but all in all was a good albeit hot weekend. I was told by a couple people, you have very nice dogs who are great shape. There were 10 Weimaraners running out of 30 dogs which is really rare occasion. Even the other weim owners conceded I had the best dogs so yes I am very happy.
Hunting season is just around the corner so less emphasis on test requirements and working on sharpening up retrieving skillset.
This is fun work,singles,dbls, trpls, and FB_IMG_1589946692634.jpgblind retrieves from land and water. Also retrieves across land to cross water and back again.
 

unoperro

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Too nice to be out hunting , almost 70 and very little breeze. Of course a friend and I went anyways😉 My dog found some snow in the thick stuff and I carried some out for the other guys dog so we got by ok.

Managed to score a couple of ring necks and had good dog work. Dog work is expected , birds are a bonus.20201104_143826.jpg
 

unoperro

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I dont know if any have seen THE GODS MUST BE CRAZY or specifically THE GODS MUST BE CRAZY 2 , but they are cheaply made comedy's that are enjoyable to watch. Simple stories suitable for the family.
Well in the 2 version there are a couple soldiers who are always screwing off -playing cards to the ire of their leader.
My 1 dog reminds me of those characters. When we hunt a field often cover is light in areas , my 1 dog sees that the work is over and charges the nearest dog and then runs off in a circle trying to get a game of tag initiated.
Yesterday we came out of a cattail slough that was absolutely full of snow. Some 5foot drifts for the dogs to swim under,through,and over. Small 10 acre patch but 45 minutes to navigate. Dogs worked some old scents and a couple hot trails which produced the protected hens. As we begin trek back to the car, the dogs are trotting around , the raw edge they had going in , dulled by the exertion of that slough. Well in about 50 yards Willie is in screw off mode and running in circles. The other 2 just ignore him and after 3 passes he falls in line and we get to the car. Well as I unload my gun and place it in the car Willie is again chasing around a couple big figure 8 runs that are ignored. As the first 2 load up Willie is messing with me still wanting to play. I give him a ear rub and tell him to load up and we are good to go to the next spot.
3 dogs all different personalities.
 

unoperro

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So here is the skinny on pheasant hunting in cattails late season. 20 years ago there was 50 yards of grass between the fence and slough. Years of high water have seen water all the way to the fence.
Birds run and hopefully sit to be pointed and flushed. The protected hens hold better then the roosters who have had months of hunting pressure. Will find birds up against and under the drifts along the edge as in the second picture.
This year has seen a drought and actually almost no water in the slough. First time I can remember this. The waterway leading up and away from the slough usually has 2 ft high grass that we probably have gotten hundreds of birds out of after battling the slough-birds that ran out of the heavy cover,only to run out of cover.20210131_124133.jpg20210131_124158.jpg
 

unoperro

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Rabbits can be used to reinforce steadiness. Lots of bunnies in my neighborhood. Here is Delio after I had Whoad him and had him reposition-"cat walk" a couple of times on this rabbit which is only 40 feet from us.received_391912022147823.jpeg
 

unoperro

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Favorite time of the year for me and the dogs. Birds can't care for it!20211019_182626.jpg
 

unoperro

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Friend had some friends from Wyoming here. 4 guys all 70+ had 1 dog with them that got a barbwire cut. Not serious but limiting. I offered to guide for them and they were thrilled. Started out with them all apologizing for being old and slow and having dogs too old to hunt. Then the conversation switched to never seen a Weim hunt. Everyone they ever met that had 1 wasnt a hunter. I guaranteed them I maybe the the most diehard pheasant hunter they ever meet,and my dogs hunt.
Guys did real well in field,quite mobil and shot well. Were very impressed by the dogs. Had something happen down in the cattails and a large buck came busting out with 1 of my dogs right behind. Got out about 200 yards before I toned the dog and he came back. I apologized said dogs never run deer they know better. Guy on the edge who almost got ran over,exclaimed that is the fastest damn dog I have ever seen. He added I dont know what happened down in those cattails but I heard the commotion and knew something was going to happen.
 

unoperro

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So today I was hunting with a group of my pheasants forever committee members. I was trying to get pictures of my dogs but that wasn't going well. I was a ways from the group when my female went on point. As I approached I saw small tail feathers sticking out of the snow covered grass. Thinking hen I got my phone out and was getting down to take a pic at dog's eyelevel. Bird flushed right into the dogs face and she opened her mouth and had the bird. Now thinking it's a hen and we don't hunt hens , I reached for the bird and commanded give. Only then did I realize I had a mutated bird. Don't know if it's a true hermaphrodite or some cross but it is unusual. 1 guy in the group had seen 1 before.
Normal rooster and hen.received_442810074190854.jpeg
 

unoperro

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Here is how dry we are. I have never been at this spot as it was always under water. Public hunting area and the slough is completely dry. Dogs are pointing birds.20221015_181145.jpg
 
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