# Bottoms South of Bismack



## SeatoSummit2012 (Sep 29, 2012)

Does anyone have opinions on the state land bottoms a few miles past Unv. Mary? I went out Sunday past the gun range and trekked around solo, but only saw a few birds. ( I am working on getting my golden trained so he can come out)...Any suggestions for places small enough for one guy to go walk, yet, large enough to hold a decent amount of birds. Should I stick toward the wetter/taller green grass areas, or are tree lines next to the corn and grass fields a better option? Any information is greatly appreciated. If anyone is ever out in that area and wants a hunting partner. Im always looking to meet new people.

Thanks


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## slough (Oct 12, 2003)

That's a pretty tough area to cover without a dog. Too big and the cover is pretty heavy. The flood hurt the cover a bit down there but there's still birds. I've hunted down there with dogs and you can still walk a lot of miles and not kick up a lot of birds just because it's so big even though there are good numbers of birds. If you are hunting without a dog I'd try to find smaller patches of cover where the birds can't just run away from you.


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## SeatoSummit2012 (Sep 29, 2012)

Wow, I didnt know about the flood. Thanks for the tips. Ya its been real tough by myself. I hunted a couple of those small corn fields and kicked up some birds, that was easiest way for me to get them to fly. Those fields are pretty big, and most of the clucking I heard coming from them stopped when I got within 50 feet; I figured they went head down and hightailed it out of there. My golden retriever isnt quite ready yet.He has been working in criss-cross patterns, sniffing harder than usual, and has been showing signs of pointing; he still has the missed connection of what to do if he finds a bird, and getting back next or behind me when I shoot. Im happy of his progress though. He just turned 2. I have been bringing him out in the evenings when there arent as many people driving/walking around. Well maybe I will try those corn fields more often, and get some quartered tree rows in too....


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

You dont want him to come back to you or next to you before you shoot you want to encourage a hard flush where hes right on the birds A$$ to make it flush, so if you are calling him back to your side before shooting quit that..... its a mistake, a pheasant will run away out of range if the dog doesn't flush hard ( trying to catch the bird himself).

Heres how to proceed. You need to do this Away from birds in your yard untilhe understands the commands perfectly.

First you should train him to "Hup" on command , assumeing he already knows "sit" give him the follwing sequence "HUP- sit" in a very short while you can drop the "sit" part because he will anticipate the sit is coming and sit on "hup".

Always release him from the sit with a gentle touch on his head and an verbal "OK", if he releases on his own put him back in the exact place he was sitting command "hup" make him sit there for 30 seconds sometimes a minute the next ect mix it up so he doesnt start anticipating the release.

Next when he sits on "hup" you next add a whistle to the command one toot then "hup" . Just like before over 5 - 10 days the dog will start to anticipate the "hup" and sit on the one toot of the "whistle".

Now you can stop him when he starts to get out of range.

Next add two toots to the release ...toot toot "ok" again in a week or so he will understand two toots means go

Now you have control with just a whistle if he starts to slip up go back to both the verbal and whistle. Just using voice commands will make you hoarse and a whistle can be heard by the dog more easily.

Hup is a spaniel command and its a lot easier to say with authority and for the dog to hear than a verbal sit, in case your are wondering why I recommend using that word.

Hope this helps

One more thing Goldens are flushers not pointers so encourage a hard flush, if he ends up pointing for you thats OK I guess but I wouldnt try to encourage pointing.

FWIW I run pointing dogs and up there they are a royal pain in the neck in cattails and corn, so I am limited to hunting CRP which is disappearing from what I understand.


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