# Has anyone tried this?



## CDK (Aug 1, 2005)

This past early goose season opening day we had a flock of about 20 geese land about 300 yds short. So we sat there looking at them kinda mad, my dog Bear was wining a little in his blind because he had seen them land. I figured we needed to get the birds up anyway so I sent him out, he ran out and as soon as the birds lifted I hit my sit whistle, and he sat. We gave a few calls and the birds came around and pocketed perfectly, Bear broke from his remote sit when the shooting started :evil: but we did kill 5 out of that flock.. I thought this was a fluke, but I got to try it 4 times last fall and it worked 3 out of 4 times. So if you have a well trained dog I'd give it a try on that next flock that lands short on ya (maybe that only happens to me).


----------



## Goosehunterdog (Jun 12, 2005)

I have never sent my dog on command into a live group of birds because it will promote breaking and when I send him I would really like to be sure that he gets a reward.So I don't send him unless I have one down.Just my opinion..


----------



## CDK (Aug 1, 2005)

Just wondering why you feel this would cause breaking issues? The dog remains steady untill sent, unless you are talking about the dog breaking from the remote sit? I was not suprized that my dog broke from the remote sit because I had never trained him for a situation like that. This year will be different, I've got a drill designed to address this issue :wink: . Your right, I wouldn't try this with a young inexperienced dog because it could cause some confidence issues in a low drive dog. The dog I did this with is running AKC MH test this spring and is a pretty high drive dog. Take the tip for what its worth all I know is it added about 10-12 extra honkers to our bag last fall...


----------



## Goosehunterdog (Jun 12, 2005)

I was talking about breaking from the remote sit.You stated that he broke but really in that situation what dog wouldn't break!!!!  I was talking more about an inexperianced dog as well.I had a dog that had a breaking issue and to be honest he did help in those situations to get the geese off of the water!!! Glad you had a great hunt and i wasn't putting you down in any way.Take Care


----------



## Waterspaniel (Oct 10, 2005)

Do an online search on tolling retrievers. Duck tolling retrievers work in a similar fashion. Birds can be quite curious


----------



## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

CDK.....

Give us the drill you will be working on with your dog this summer to help with this tactic.

Thanks

Chuck


----------



## CDK (Aug 1, 2005)

I'll try to explain what I had in mind, this drill is not tried and true, I was going to wait till late summer to do it, but I'd be suprized if it doesn't work.. First off your going to have to enlist the help of a few buddys with there shot guns and goose calls, also a few birds to do a fewshot fliers, (I'd reccomend a rooster because they always seem to make a steady dog break.) I would set the guys up in line each with their gun and a bumper or bird in hand, put the pheaseant in a launcher out in front of you. I then would line the dog out to about 150yds our so and hit the sit whistle. After the dog is sitting every one should be on there goose call, after 10-15 sec. of calling release the pheasant, shoot it, as soon as it hits the ground have your buddies throw their birds / bumpers and fire a bunch of shots. I would have my buddies do all of the shooting so I could consintrate on my dog, if the dog even wiggles "sit whistle" burn "Sit". Only reward the dog with a retrieve if he is steady. If the dog breaks get to that shot flier before the dog does and grab the dog and drag his but back to the spot he broke from and repeat from there. This drill is going to be kind of a pain in the a_ _ , but I don't think it will take very many times to get it right...You could tweek this drill alot of ways. Adding layout blinds and decoys might be a good idea.


----------



## brianb (Dec 27, 2005)

CDK,

That sounds like a very realistic training setup. Should do the trick. But it is a lot of work and expensive with the rooster flyer.

One thing to work on beforehand would be having the dog sit at the shot of a gun. You can chain the sit whistle to the gun shot so they are one in the same in the dog's mind.

Butch Goodwin had an article about this.

http://www.northernflight.com/steadiness.htm

It would be a good building block before going to full blown situation.

Brian


----------



## CDK (Aug 1, 2005)

Hey Brian,

I read about that drill a long time ago..training to sit on the report of the gun..When I read that,it made alot of sence I just kind of forgot about it..I think I might work on that next week, because I think your right it would make things go alot smoother. :beer:

Thanks Craig


----------

