Tag Archives: Waterfowl hunting

Monday Mischief–Decoys

Posted in dog training, Hunt Test, Monday Mischief by

Sometimes when I post training pictures, readers will notice “geese” in the background.

Thunder Training

From a distance these may look like real geese, but they are actually decoys.

Thunder Training

It is a good idea to train with decoys because whether the dog is hunting or hunt testing, they will spend a lot of time around decoys.

Hunting Saginaw Bay

Decoys come in all shapes and sizes.

Storm At A Started Test

Sometimes they look like geese.

Storm Training

Sometimes they look like ducks.

Storm Seasoned Test

Whatever the decoys look like, they can cause mischief.

Storm Junior Hunter Test

So it is a good idea to put all kinds of decoys out in different situations so they ignore the dog and more importantly, the dog ignores them.

Storm Training

Decoys can cause particular mischief for young dogs as puppy Glory from Sand Spring Chesapeakes discovered in her first Started Test.

Thunder Training

Thunder had his own experience with a decoy causing mischief when he was running a Junior Hunter test.  Actually he finished his title the previous day, but since we had already entered him, we let him run an extra leg.  The water series was set up so that one of the marks fell behind a strip of weeds in the pond.  There were decoys all around and behind the strip of weeds.  As usual Thunder went charging out and got the duck, but he was taking a long time to come back.  We think one of those mischievous decoys may have got to him behind the weeds.  We can’t be sure but we think he may have been checking out one of the decoys, may have even picked it up, and may have been considering bringing it back instead of the duck.  We will never know because the weeds obscured our view of him.  Eventually he brought the duck.

Thunder Finished Test

Decoys can be terrible mischief makers….

This is a Blog Hop.  Thanks to  Alfie’s Blog, Snoopy’s Dog Blog, Luna, a Dog’s Life, and My Brown Newfies for setting up this hop.  Please go to any of the sponsoring blogs to find out who else has been mischievous.

Monday Mischief

Storm At Fish Point 2011

Posted in Hunting by

Storm had a great day of hunting at Fish Point.  There were some ducks flying, but there were only two birds to retrieve.  One was a rather long retrieve through some corn, but it was no problem for her.  The other retrieve was a bit more of a challenge.  It was a cripple diver duck in shallow water.  It kept diving and moving.  Storm kept sticking her head under to find it, but every time she got to the bird, it dove again.  When she finally got near it, she just couldn’t get the thing in her mouth no matter how hard she tried.  Those diver ducks can be tricky.  :)

Morning hunting was in the bay.

Beautiful Morning

Some Wind

Nice Retrieve Storm

Storm and Cindy In The Boat

Afternoon hunting was in the Reserve.

Sunny But Cold

Decoys Out

Hunters In A Row

Storm Waiting Patiently

Trying To Blend In

On Her Stand

And that may wrap up hunting season 2011 for the 2 brown dawgs.  Firearm deer season opens today in Michigan.  Woodcock is closed.  Grouse is closed until December 1 and then reopens until January 1, (might get more grouse hunting in depending on weather).  Waterfowl is open until December 4, but there will probably be no opportunity to hunt waterfowl again this year.  Pheasant is a possibility, but rumor has it we will be very busy after the first of the year.  ;)

All and all was a great season for the 2 brown dawgs!

Fall Walk

Posted in Hunting by

More puppy info at the breeder’s website Shiloh Ridge Retrievers (SRR) or here

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Last weekend, the 2 brown dawgs went out for a little grouse hunting.  The weather was just perfect, sunny, dry and light winds.  Each dog got a turn and each went to a different area, but there were no flushes.  Zero, zip, none.  Odd.  Usually the dogs are able to flush a bird without even trying.  There were a lot of people in the forest.  Some were getting ready for firearm deer season which starts next Tuesday.  Some were just enjoying the last of the nice Fall weather.  Maybe they stirred the birds so they went deeper in the forest?

Since hunting was a bust, we decided to take the 2 brown dawgs for a walk.  Generally our walks follow a pattern.  The road runs in sort of a giant loop.  Along the first part, we practice off lead heeling.  It is a good place because generally the dawgs want to sniff along the side of the road.  But they must remain at heel.  Storm’s off-lead heeling has been very nice lately.

Heading Out--Both Are Off Lead

Nice Heeling Storm, Thunder Is Pushing His Luck :)

Once we turn the corner, they are allowed to run and burn off energy.

Nothing Like A Good Run

The road runs along side of state land and is rarely traveled.  Often they are able to flush a grouse right along the side of the road.  They tried, but there were no grouse here either.

Where Are Those Birds?

Maybe They Are Over Here?

I'll Follow You Storm

Storm's Moving Fast

Storm

Thunder

Once we make the turn at the end of this road, they are put on lead.  Come back tomorrow and find out why.