Training dogs with wild pigeons

[trust me]

A few months back, I was desperate for birds to use in my dog training. I was never happy with pen-raised quail; they just never had the flight strength to avoid a dog. Grouse can torment a young dog, and aren't exactly easy to find. I kept hearing about using pigeons, so with some help from the internet, I got the program going. I'm so glad I did. Pup got to learn what a bird smelled like, got to see birds fall at the report of the shotgun, got to learn how to catch wounded birds, find dead birds, and with the help of a stout rope and her Master, she learned how to hold steady and point. I spent the months of October and November playing with pigeons, and every trip out, Pup was learning more and more. She could get more exposure to birds and hunting situations in a couple hours with pigeons than she could get all weekend banging around the hills looking for grouse. My only expense has been about 6 bucks in wire and a buck or two for cracked corn to feed the things.

I spent my lunch hour Friday putting the trap back out, and today here are the results:

http://216.77.188.54/coDataImages/p/Groups/254/254371/pages/660367/pigeons4.JPG

I've promised to work a buddy's young dog this weekend, if the weather cooperates. I plan to work my dog on them periodically through the summer, just to keep her in tune, and just for something to do.

I threw together a bunch of bull$#!+ and made a website. Grouse, grouse dogs and such. Check it out. Then keep your opinion to yourself...I don't think much of it either:D. http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=16&groupid=254371&ck=

[the griz]

Not bad actually, I am in the process of building a pigeon trap myself.

nice photos

[skin_dog1]

I trapped thousands of pigeons while in KS and even made a small business from it. I shot hundres if not thousands of pigeons over my lab. They are much better suited for training a pointer than flusher, but are great for retrieving. It's hard to dizzy them enough to get them to stay put and then flush and not get caught. It really intensified my dogs flushing cause he thought he could catch anything.