springer question

redla

hello all new to the forum i have a question for all gun dog men i have a young springer bitch my first gun dog been training her all year started shooting over her this year i have 12 pheasants shot over her so very happy but i noticed when she finds a bird thats sitting tight she hesitates to flush or push it out she will push through any ditch or cover and im afraid she is passing birds that sit tight and im only getting the ones that flush simply because she disturbs does not appear to be a prob with rabbits she goes mad for them i am a complete novice second year shooting am i worried about nothing or could this be a prob all advice welcome and thanks in advance

EPointer=Birdss

Hi Redla,
No one seems to be replying so first of all welcome.

As regards the dog, I wouldn't gauge her on birds from what I see on rabbits. Rabbits have a much stronger scent & dogs go mad for them!

I don't see how you can train this problem out of her. If she has a useful nose then she shouldn't be passing any. I doubt if she smells one & runs up on it she would leave it there & move on just because it sat tight...
She seems young so just leave her learn, 12 for the season so far is good going givin the weather!
Is she retrieving? If so then I can't fatham how she'd leave a bird in the ditch if she knew it was there... Think about if you drop a bird in the ditch & she finds it, it will be sitting as tight as it ever has(:D) so she'd hardly leave it there.

Patience young grasshopper she will grow wise with time...

terminator2

hello 12 shot so far that is excellent sounds to me that she isnt passing anything at the rate she is flushing them and you are shooting them there wont be a phesant left in the country come christmas:D:D she sounds to me like a little dinger take care of her and good luck

foxshooter243

EPointer=Birdss wrote: »

Hi Redla,
No one seems to be replying so first of all welcome.

As regards the dog, I wouldn't gauge her on birds from what I see on rabbits. Rabbits have a much stronger scent & dogs go mad for them!

I don't see how you can train this problem out of her. If she has a useful nose then she shouldn't be passing any. I doubt if she smells one & runs up on it she would leave it there & move on just because it sat tight...
She seems young so just leave her learn, 12 for the season so far is good going givin the weather!
Is she retrieving? If so then I can't fatham how she'd leave a bird in the ditch if she knew it was there... Think about if you drop a bird in the ditch & she finds it, it will be sitting as tight as it ever has(:D) so she'd hardly leave it there.

Patience young grasshopper she will grow wise with time...

another thing you could do is to test her-simply go out and shoot 6 shootable birds and plant them, then bring her along and hunt her through the patch, as you know where the birds are youlll soon see if she is blanking on some birds;)

EPointer=Birdss

foxshooter243 wrote: »

another thing you could do is to test her-simply go out and shoot 6 shootable birds and plant them, then bring her along and hunt her through the patch, as you know where the birds are youlll soon see if she is blanking on some birds;)

Well worth a go...
Add a few rabbits to that experiment if you have access & see if she's picking them & not the pheasants...

foxshooter243

EPointer=Birdss wrote: »

Well worth a go...
Add a few rabbits to that experiment if you have access & see if she's picking them & not the pheasants...

good thinking grasshopper:D-my first springer had the habit of setting before a flush, it gives you a bit of a headstart before a bird rises but some folks frown on it saying that the dog may then go on to sett on vacated seats, so your getting ready and nothing is there. Its also reckoned that a young dog could get a wallop from a bird and this causes it to hesitate on the flush as well , but more than likely its just a case of having a setting springer-the little test will put his mind at rest maybe.

redla

EPointer=Birdss wrote: »

Hi Redla,
No one seems to be replying so first of all welcome.

As regards the dog, I wouldn't gauge her on birds from what I see on rabbits. Rabbits have a much stronger scent & dogs go mad for them!

I don't see how you can train this problem out of her. If she has a useful nose then she shouldn't be passing any. I doubt if she smells one & runs up on it she would leave it there & move on just because it sat tight...
She seems young so just leave her learn, 12 for the season so far is good going givin the weather!
Is she retrieving? If so then I can't fatham how she'd leave a bird in the ditch if she knew it was there... Think about if you drop a bird in the ditch & she finds it, it will be sitting as tight as it ever has(:D) so she'd hardly leave it there.

Patience young grasshopper she will grow wise with time...

firstly thanks for your reply she will retrieve but takes her time mouthing the bird i put this down to confidence she is improving a little each i slso planted a dead pheasant in some thick scrub and she had to push her head in to get it and she did i must be worried about nothing

redla

foxshooter243 wrote: »

another thing you could do is to test her-simply go out and shoot 6 shootable birds and plant them, then bring her along and hunt her through the patch, as you know where the birds are youlll soon see if she is blanking on some birds;)[/quo thanks for your reply thats a good idea i will deffinitly try it with her ill let you know how she gets on

berettadt10

Hi Redla
Had something very similar with my springer also. To be honest the dog is young so it will grow out of her i reckon. My bitch was the same, last year for the last month. I only started bringing her out them, and she was 12 months old, this year she is completely the opposite, i am delighted with her, on thing i wouldnt recommend is testing with rabbits, my bitch goes off the wall when see picks them up.

redla

berettadt10 wrote: »

Hi Redla
Had something very similar with my springer also. To be honest the dog is young so it will grow out of her i reckon. My bitch was the same, last year for the last month. I only started bringing her out them, and she was 12 months old, this year she is completely the opposite, i am delighted with her, on thing i wouldnt recommend is testing with rabbits, my bitch goes off the wall when see picks them up.

sound had her out yesterday could see her driving on after a hen she flushed two cocks on another ditch i seen the second flush and i shot him i gave her loads of encouragement when she was on the hen i think it might have boosted her confidence so fingers crossed she will keep improoving