Training

[sdkidaho]

Went out today with the trainer (for my GSP). I have to say it was almost as fun as actual hunting.

When we arrived, the trainer was still working with another one of his clients. This guy has a black lab that he uses for upland birds and I have to say I was very impressed. I went out with them and he just worked a pattern in front of us, looking for some Chukar that they had planted a while before. Once he found one of the birds he stopped, pointed, then flushed it.

The first shot from one of the other guys was a miss and so I shot as the bird came past my side and I knocked him down. Granted it was a pen raised bird, but he got up and took off like he really wanted to get the heck out of Dodge. Anyway, shot my first Chukar :D

http://www.dto.com/images/managed/3455.jpg

The rest of the afternoon we just trained with pigeons, but I was able to knock a few of those down as well. It was a great afternoon watching the dogs work and getting to shoot my 20 gauge Nova.

Grouse opened yesterday. I'll be in the woods tomorrow afternoon and Monday I'm hoping. :D

[sdkidaho]

Uli hadn't been retrieving very well, but the trainer worked quite a bit on that with him last Friday while I was there. Today he called me, very excited, and told me that he retrieved and delivered to hand.

Very cool :D I can't wait until he's ready to go out with me!

[tucker301]

My friend,
I've been meaning to respond to the first post for several days, but just haven't had much time to spend here.
Then when I do get here, half the time I get "Internal Server Error". Do you think Benelli has hired crazyhair as Admin.?

That Chukar looks like our Bobwhite with racing stripes :)

Pretty coll to be this excited about the upcoming season, isn't it?
Your investments in Uli sound like money well spent.
I know you can't wait until you get out there and start working on the local upland populations!

Can't wait to see some hunt pics!

This trainer... does he work with wives and teenage kids at all? :D

[sdkidaho]

Definitely excited to get out there with Uli rather than without. Went out Saturday afternoon and we were in some prime area for grouse and saw absolutely nothing. It was nice to get out in the woods, but I know we walked over some that just huddled up and stayed hidden.

A Chukar is about as big as a Ruffed Grouse
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y265/sdkidaho/Upland%20Game/RuffedGrouse.jpg

We have both kinds in Idaho, the Chukar Partridge and the Hungarian (Gray) Partridge.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y265/sdkidaho/Upland%20Game/Partridge.jpg

I have the Huns right out in my field quite often, but I've never come close enough to one to get a shot off as they are really flighty.

[tucker301]

Confirm with the local experts, but I've heard that making the call of a local raptor will make them hold tighter.

[sdkidaho]

Hmm, very interesting. I'm sure I could find a hawk call and give that a try. Thanks for the input. :D

[sdkidaho]

Another good day of training. Uli went out with the trainer on Monday and Friday, and I went with him this morning. The trainer basically says that he trusts the dog and that now we just need to make sure that I'm handling him correctly so that I don't screw up any training that has been put in place.

Partridge and Sage Grouse opened today. Lots of hunting to be done.

:D