Gundog Training Forum

Bailey and me were on our first ever shoot today. We've been waiting for this for a long time, all the training, the KC working gundog cert a few test to date but now the real thing.

So were put at the end of the line on the first drive and I'm told to keep him on the lead as were going through cover crop, sounds fine by me (all the stories I've heard of dogs running through the line putting all the Pheasants up at once). Near the end of the drive I'm told to let him off the lead if I can keep him close, sure no problem. Well he works well staying close turning sharply to the whistle and stops instantly (on the whistle) when he flushes his first pheasant. A few more go up all around us and he sits there, steady as a rock. So I cast him off again and straight away a bird runs past his nose which he chases straight into a wire fence, the bird gets stuck between the fence and a tree. Feathers flying up all over the dog with me on me knees trying to get in there to finally drag him off

After a few laughs were off again with lots more flushes and a few pick ups, all in all I'd say it was a good introduction to a shoot.

sounds like you had a good day very good feeling when dogs do well for you and when they pick up birds and bring them back to you all the training has paid off

nice one sounds like you had a great day , I cant wait to get my dog out on his first days beating at 11 months old hes still a little too young and I dont think quite steady enough

Sounds like fun! Great to hear about your first day out, and looking forward to hearing about more

well done Ian, hope this means Bailey is on his way to Field Trials soon, the ones without wire fences though......

Cracking write up.

Thanks all,

It was a great feeling when he picked up his first warm pheassy and the fact that he eye wiped the gun's lab . Actually it was very nice of him to leave one down for us to get a retrieve.

Not sure we're ready or indeed will we get a run in a trial this season but its great training for next year.

Sounds like a good day out - we could have done with a couple of dogs yesterday that knew how to stop when pheasants flushed!

Hi Ian,

glad to see Bailey's coming on well for you. You're seeing the fruits of all your hard work now!
Also, remember there's plenty of time to get him right before the Chiltern novice at the end of the season if you fancy a go

NickC wrote:Hi Ian,

glad to see Bailey's coming on well for you. You're seeing the fruits of all your hard work now!
Also, remember there's plenty of time to get him right before the Chiltern novice at the end of the season if you fancy a go

cheers Nick, he's hunting a lot harder now!! I do fancy a run in a trial before the end of the season if we could get a run.