# Bird Launchers / Releasers



## Remmi_&amp;_I

I am thinking about buying some bird launchers to help me train my pup. I'd like ones that hold birds the size of chuckar, quail, pigeons. Do you have any suggestions on which brands. I'd rather not spend a bunch of money because I'd like to get 3 of them or so. Also, do the manually released ones work well, or do I need to save up for a remote model??


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## Britman

Innotek and Dogtra build some nice launchers but they are spending. I think dogtra is better. IMO the remote is the only way to go, to tuff to get the timing right on the manual ones. I like launchers for stop to flush work but also like using carded pigeons in other areas of work. If you choose to use launchers make them act like a wild bird i.e don't look for the perfect point. Also look to lighten the springs in them so they don't fling up, much more natural that way.


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## Remmi_&amp;_I

Thanks Britman, I have been doing some light research today and I can get 3 manual launching units for about $200. The remote units are almost $300 each. Do you know anywhere that sells them cheaper or am I stuck!?!?!? Thinking about 1 remote and a couple manuals at this point.


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## Britman

If you are any good with electronics or know someone who is try this link on how to build your own remote launchers http://birddoginfo.homestead.com
click on remote launcher

You can build multiple launchers with one hand held radio and just change the channel on the radio to launch the other launchers.

I have been thinking about giving it a try.

Keep us posted if you go this route.


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## Bobm

I would stay away from Innotech thats what I have, Collars (not launchers), but I have had constant problems with mine and I don't use them in water


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## Britman

Ditto Bob. TT is the only way to go!


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## Remmi_&amp;_I

Man do I wish I had any clue when it comes to doing electronics. I will see if I can find someone that has this ability, but I don't see anything coming of it.

Thanks for the help and info...........P.S. Bob, you just made my E-collar purchase much easier!!!


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## Bobm

If the one you decide to buy ofers a extended warranty I would consider it. I bought a 10 year warranty and I have used it every year for 7 years on both collars of a 2 collar unit and they aren't working right now. Innotech is not a good product if my experience is common.


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## Mr. B

I have Cabela's e-collar which is made by Innotech. I went with this collar because of the size and the fact that Cabela's is only 40 miles from my house. (easy service if needed) I have had this collar two years and up to now I have not had one problem with it. I do not know if I am just lucky, but Innotech has performed well for me.


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## Remmi_&amp;_I

Just bought a Tri-Tronics 2 dog unit. It is the Classic 70 XLS and I havn't received it in the mail yet. I have heard nothing but good things about this unit and Tri-tronics............anyone else have this one? It is a little late for me but hopefully I hear good things!


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## FACE

I've been through three Tri-tronics collars in four years so I'm not impressed with them at all and Innotek... well it's Innotek! Now I've gone the Dogtra route and have had nothing but excellent results with them. I have the two dog beeper trainer collars and they are it when it comes to excellence and quality. I believe some of the best people from Tri-tronics and Innotek left and went to work for Dogtra and since then especially Tri-tronics quality went downhill. 
As far as releases I have three manual ones from Cabelas and they work great, just had to lengthen the jerk cord a bit and I also use some wire baskets with a cord on them and place the birds under them in a field and I haven't had any birds escape from them. When the dog is on point I would pull the cord when I went in for the flush and the basket tips letting the bird flush more naturally than being shot into the air with the launchers.


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## Remmi_&amp;_I

Who sells training birds in the Bismarck/Mandan area? Any info? I would prefer not to use pigeons as my dog seems rather disinterested in them!


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## Bobm

One recurring problem with the two dog collars I have is the signal "jumps" from one collar to the other and you end up shocking the wrong dog. What really makes it bad is you keep uping the juice in an effort to get a response out of the offending dog and are accidentally. hitting the innocent one and confusing the hell out of it. I stupidly did this to one of my dogs in Kansas and it took her a year to overcome her fear of the collar. It really made me feel bad about it when I realized what happened, if that had happened while she was pointing a bird she may have never pointed a bird again. I will never by innotech again and I will stick to a single collar unit and use one of my dummy collars on the other dogs if I have multiple dogs on the ground. Which I often do. My dogs listen just as well with the dummy collars as they do with the real thing. I know they aren't supposed to be collar wise but I think that unless you always have dummy collars on em they figure it out. I had dummy collars on them for a month before I used the real ones and they somehow figured it out. I should of never outcrossed my line to field trial stock and would of never needed a collar. I will be very selective about the line of the next pup I get. In 30 years of dog ownership these are the only dogs I ever had that needed collars, in German Shorthairs stay away from Rawhide Clown breeding, unless you like big running out of control hardheads. They are birdy as hell though, but so was their mother and she was a simple dog to hunt with, very biddable.


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## Remmi_&amp;_I

I hope I don't have a bad collar that shocks the wrong dog! I just figured If since I could get it for only about $60 more than the 1-dog Classic 70 why not. I know I will be buying another pup next spring and in the meantime if something would happen to one collar..........I have another as back-up. Can't wait to get it in the mail and try it out...........actually, I hope my pup listens well enough that it never has to be used, but that is only dreaming I guess!


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## Britman

Just remember to go slow with the intro of the E collar. Don't just strap it on the dog and start hitting him with it or you will create a bunch of problems.


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## Remmi_&amp;_I

I have a feeling if anything I will be too light on Remmi. I just want to be calm, fair, and consistent and remember that it just may be that I didn't train some things as well as I should have. I am sure I will be fine.....the guy that trained her used this same collar and used the 2nd lightest setting and said that the tone was often good enough.


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## Bobm

It could be why she is soft on birds. IF I was you I would forget about the collar until after this season and get her out on wild birds as much as possible. One thing about collars is that if you misread what the dog is doing you can do a lot of harm, like if she is trailing a bird and not coming when you call so you hit her and she thinks its for trailing the bird. You don't have enough experience to use it in the field and should only use it for yard training. Buy some tapes and watch them


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## Britman

Bob that is excellent advice. If your going to use the collar on the dog intro it while you have him on the checkcord. After the dog has worn the collar for at least a week or two out in the field and around the yard some then on the lowest setting just tell him to come, tug on the CC and tap him with the collar. A good tip for using the E in the field is if you tell the dog to come and he looks at you and blows you off tap him with the E collar, if he seems really interested (birdy) and doesn't acknowledge you don't hit him, he might be on a bird wait till you can get his attention.

Another thing is be prepared for Porkies, if your dog points or goes after a procupine burn him hot (just make sure you can see the porkie) and don't say a word to and don't acknowledge him after you burn him, you want him to think that the Porkie did that. Just go the other direction and he will follow. We have a ton of those SOB's here and they can really mess up a dog.


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## Remmi_&amp;_I

Thanks for the information. The collar I purchased comes with an intro video tape and I just picked up another one at Scheel's last night so I can prepare myself. That is good advice about the porcupines. Last year while hunting with a good friend of mine, his English Pointer locked up on 3 in one day. We probably should have zapped the dog, but we are both leary about the collars messing up our pups!


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## Bobm

Are the porkies just west of the river? I have never seen one in SE ND.


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## Remmi_&amp;_I

Actually, the hunt I was talking about was in the Wing area. We were on our way to another spot and saw some roosters fly across the road into plots land (I know, that never happens) so we walked the cattails and that is where all 3 were! Snow on the ground!

Is it legal to shoot those damn things? I must admit I was quite tempted but we just grabbed the dog. That dog is amazing.......never trained other than to come, but doesn't break a point unless told to release!


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## Britman

Not sure about SE ND due to the land scape, but I live right on the river and they are thick, same goes for a little farther east of here. Nothing worse than going in to flush and there is Mr. Porky, except probably a SKUNK


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