Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Wildlife Management Pup's first hunt

Took Dirk to Nebraska over the weekend for his first exposure to ducks, geese, snow, cold weather, and strong river currents. He did pretty well for a February pup..
First retrieve



First goose. He had to carry it by the wing.

Six degrees Saturday morning..

Setterguy, very cool. That first goose was a big moment in both your and Dirk's lives.

Dogs with a job are happy dogs.

He's the sixth dog I've trained. (Or they've trained me.) All previous dogs have been English Setters, and have hunted 99% quail. The retriever part is new to me. I will say, he lives for it. He will go after a rubber ball thrown down into the woods at night. Going only on scent, he doesn't give up. I figure he's still just a pup, might turn out to be a pretty decent dog.

Pic from the duck's perspective..



I thought a little about trying to attract some ducks into our little pond. Didn't think about it very long. I don't think I want them coming in when I'm not there.

This spring.. (this thread is going to the dogs..)

I wish I could teach my dog to retrieve. Tried, but not much success, but she seems very intelligent. She's a two yr old rescue Bloodhound.

From what I've read, you can force break them to retrieve. Not sure if I could go through that process. Dirk's retrieving, for the most part, is pretty instinctive. He really does love to do it.

I had to have Kate force fetched. Her retrieve drive wasn't strong. My other Springer Spaniels? You couldn't stop them from retrieving anything. if you threw it or shot it, it was coming back, one would even dive under the water to get "it".

When looking back, The first solid point on a covey, or the first retrieved duck from a younger dog, not many things rate as high as those two. I have been a lucky man to see such things from my English Pointer pups I trained, or my Golden's and my yellow lab pups. That high is way better than any drug.

Awesome job on your pup, Jeff!!! Just awesome!!!

Totally agree Tracy. It's like watching your kid get a big award. (Eagle Scout, winning touchdown, etc..).
This is my first water dog. First versatile dog. I've had nothing but setters since 1977. He's got a different personality, I'm getting used to him. So far, I'm pretty impressed with the breed. (Drathaar)

Thanks Rex. Seems like most of what he's doing is coming natural to him. All I'm doing is some reinforcing.

First point. (On a planted quail.)

Great pics SetterGuy.....missing my GWP after seeing those....we had to put her down at 12 years old due to medical issue. Great breed....smart and easy to train as well as a great family dog. I am left with a good 7 year old shorthair that has a bit of range and my son's 2 year old Brittany that still needs quite a bit of work. Fortunately I like the training and dog work part of the whole experience best.

Looking forward to two days of beating the bushes this weekend. We have lots of birds but also lots of cover.....and are lacking a little dog power right now. Season has not been great so far. However the weather looks perfect for the next 2 days.

My dad and I always had setters and brittanys in the past but we did get tired of cutting all the burrs out of their coats after the hunt. That GWP's coat repels burrs, etc. really well. Nice looking pup you have. Enjoy the rest of the season. BM61.

My Dad and I used to hunt quail every weekend from the time I could keep up until I left for the USMC. We always had English pointers. Unfortunately, the bobwhite quail has become nearly extinct around here since about 1990. Only a couple of times a year do I even hear a whistle. Some blame habitat loss, some blame chicken diseases (huge chicken raising area), some blame feral cats and coyotes.

Go to Tractor Supply and in the horse section buy some "Show Sheen". Spray them before turning them loose and the burrs will comb out easily then.

I also have a mat rake with serrated teeth made in England. That works really well on cockleburrs.

Good tip esshup. The small bottles of detangler get pricey, I found that you can order a gallon of Mane and Tail brand detangler for quite affordable. You don't want the shampoo or conditioner, the detangler. It is not stocked in stores but can ship to store for free pickup.


That stuff works awesome in a squirt bottle after our dog's bath and is quite affordable. Don't tell anyone, but my daughter's hair is much more manageable after a bath with a shot of that stuff as well. The problem is you get any on the vinyl floor and you can't stand up in the bathroom for a week after that!

Mane and Tail Detangler gallon

The mat rake that I have is similar to this, but it's got a wood handle. The blades are removable to be resharpened.

https://www.amazon.com/Dematting-Serrated-Tangles-Stainless-Ergonomic/dp/B013XKJVYE

For the smaller burrs and tangles, I use a flea comb that has black teeth. For some reason the black toothed flea comb works better for me than the chromed one.

Jeff, I think "Comes Natural" is what I always looked for when I picked up a new 6 or 7 week old pup. Will he point a hidden bird wing at 6 weeks or will she fetch a bird wing? A Natural is not in every dog. And thanks for this thread and good luck with your pup