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If you think Black Lung disappeared with the collapse of the coal mining industry, then you haven’t trapped birds in a summer flight pen. The warm, dry weather turns the ground hard, and when a few fellers with nets stomp around trying to catch training birds the air quality takes a big hit. Don’t take a deep breath of the air stirred up by those pheasant, chukar, Huns, and quail. If the dust doesn’t kill ya, then the stench certainly will.
It was Ted’s solution that became my salvation, and the funnel-into-the-bird box was ingenious. All we had to do was to walk and push the birds into an area that consistently necked down until it reached a bird box. When the box was full, all we had to do was to close the door, toss the box onto a side by side, and drive out to set the fields.
Wild bird contacts are the very best for any dog, but for a variety of seasonal, legal, and ethical reasons running dogs on wild birds isn’t always an option. Released or “planted” birds offer a predictability in training that is invaluable for bringing along gun dogs.
There is no substitute for training gun dogs on wild birds but that’s not always possible. Pen raised birds offer a great way to bring a pup along when wild birds aren't an option. (Photo courtesy of Tom Keer) But it's important to know how to plant a bird correctly so it flies and mimics a wild bird. Here’s how.
Dizzying a Bird Hold the bird’s body with his head in between your index and middle fingers. The bird will be alert, and his body will be tight. Hold your wrist upright and rotate it quickly back and forth clockwise or counterclockwise, as if you were turning on and off a shower faucet. The bird will be ready for release when his body relaxes. Noisy birds quiet down when they are dizzy, while others show a change in the eyes which get wide. I prefer to plant my birds in a natural area with grass or brush that is tall enough to cover him but not so tall that it will prohibit his flush and flight. Leave some space so that the air can circulate and waft his scent to your pup.
Tucking a Bird’s Head Under Its Wing Some dizzied birds wake up faster than handlers like. To lengthen the bird’s time in one place, spin him until he’s dizzied, and then lift up one wing and gently push his head under the wing. Then, repeat the dizzying process again. Place the bird in the cover with the wing side down. The weight of the bird will keep the head tucked, and he’ll remain in place for a longer period of time.
How to Dizzy Multiple Birds Another way to dizzy birds is to spin them in a small sack. It’s also a great way to set a small covey or to increase your speed in setting the field without sacrificing quality. Add two to four quail to a small sack. Let them settle down so they are close together. Then, spin the bag until the birds make no noise. To set the birds, simply place the opening to the sack in the grass or cover and pour them out. Or pull one bird out, set him in position, walk a ways, and repeat until your bag is empty.
Walk ‘em Out For more experienced dogs, walk out the birds. The ideal way is to keep human scent from getting on the bird by loading them in the box as described in the funnel method in the beginning, or by wearing gloves. When you’re at your preferred training cover, place the bird box on the ground and open the side gate. It might take a moment or two, but they’ll ultimately start walking out. Set one, a pair, or a covey as your training situation dictates. With no or minimal human scent on the birds, the dogs can’t key in and follow a scent trail. It’s a great method for intermediate to advanced dogs that have gotten wise to the planted bird game.
Using Tip Up Cages and Bird Launchers Tip up cages are a two-person job. To set the field, simply remove a bird from your bag and place a cage over him. Excited birds will try to fly, and if they’re strong enough they’ll turn over the cage and flush. Try laying some grass or leaf litter on the top of the cage as birds feel hidden and quiet down in the shade or you can dizzy them before placing them in the cage.
Placing birds under a grass canopy keeps them calm and relaxed—that is until a gun dog finds them. (Photo courtesy of Tom Keer) To use, one handler holds a check cord and walks the pup to the trap. Excited pups will pull, and if they’re reefing on the cord then throw a half-hitch in the cord and place it ahead of their hindquarters. As the pup nears the cage, he’ll pull hard, but since you’re steering him from the rear you won’t pull his head away from the bird. After requiring the pup to stand his birds for however long you’d like, the second handler steps on the cage extension and releases the bird. If you’ve got a batch of poor fliers, the second handler can kick them up so they take flight. Don’t let pups catch planted birds.
A solo handler can still use a tip up cage successfully, especially if he combines the cage with a bird launcher . [TS1] You’ll want a controlled situation, so place one bird in a cage. Next, mark the cage by planting a stake or tying a piece of colorful tape to a nearby branch. The marker serves to let you know where the first bird is planted. Then, place your launcher 5 or 10 yards behind the caged bird. Load a bird and mark its position, too. Your field is set.
Walk your pup into the wind and towards the marker near the caged bird. The stakes let you know where both birds are, and the ideal is to have your pup wind the bird in the cage. After he’s stood his bird to your satisfaction, release the bird from the launcher. Since your pup is far away from the launcher, he won’t have a negative experience like getting spooked by the launcher’s noise and commotion or worse…getting hit in the nose. If you’re firing up his prey drive, then drop the check cord and let him chase. He’ll blow right by the bird in the cage to follow the one thrown from the launcher. Pick up the cage and the bird and reuse for another contact.
Planted birds offer a predictable training situation which is ideal for pups learning the ropes. (Photo courtesy of Tom Keer) Get creative with your planting. If you live in pheasant or quail country and are planning a bucket list trip to the grouse woods, then plant some birds in the woods that offer a similar stem density found in a young forest. An edge running quail dog that has success finding planted birds in thick cover will learn to look in those thick covers on your trip. The name of the game is building confidence in your dog through proper bird contacts. As the late chef Julia Child said, ‘more is better.’ She might have been talking about lard, sugar, butter, and wine in her recipes, but the same holds true for planted birds.
