Latest Hunting Dog Articles
Baseball, Corn Dogs and Classic Covers
Sign up to receive Pheasants Forever's 2010 Pheasant Hunting Forecast and you may also win a new Beretta Congrats to the Sioux Falls Fighting Pheasants on winning both the first and second half division races. The Pheasants first playoff game is Tuesday versus the Lincoln Saltdogs. ...
What Shot Size Should I use on Mosquitoes in the Grouse Woods?
It's easy to see how wet it is in the grouse woods even through the lense of a poor quality camera phone. Minnesota’s ruffed grouse hunting season is still three weeks away, but I couldn’t wait any longer. So on Saturday morning, my pup and I headed to the grouse...
My Office – a Shrine to a Life of Conservation & Hunting
Welcome to the PF editor's office...... What does the office of a nomadic hunter-gatherer journalist look like after 12 years of wandering the country hunting, hiking and exploring? Well, it looks somewhat akin to a rat’s nest, but its home to me. I’m a packrat, and the guys...
Have you Auduboned?
A couple wild-flushing coveys were all that stood between FAN Outdoors radio host Billy Hildebrand and a prairie chicken "Audubon" last December. Yes, that’s the big question, Have you ever Auduboned while hunting? You’re probably thinking that’s silly...
Happy 5th Anniversary Quail Forever–Good progress is being made
South Florida Flatwoods Chapter President Nigel Morris preps steaks for the coals during a quail hunt. This and QF's other 123 chapters have made QF a great success on this, the organization's 5th Anniversary Year! (photo by Mark Herwig) As I write this, it’s August 2010...
No Blood? No Guts? The Glory Behind Columbia’s PF Shooting Shirt
Columbia's PF Shooting Shirt B&G Superlight In college, I ran off a streak of more than two consecutive weeks without washing my hair. It began as a bet amongst roomies, but what they didn’t know is I’d have done it without chance at a payday. I enjoy getting dirty. Now...
Don’t Confuse My Bird Dog with MMA Champ
Unfortunately, my twin brother and MMA champion Georges St.Pierre missed every rooster he shot at on this afternoon, so he didn't make this photo. This weekend, a checkout clerk at Ace Hardware scanned my credit card then closely examined my driver’s license over the purchase...
What’s Your Shotgun’s Serial #?
Before this hunting season, make sure your shotgun's digits are known and secured. Do you know your shotgun’s serial number by heart? Unlikely. But you DO have it written down and saved somewhere, right? Be honest… I’ll admit I have as good a chance picking the...
Brett Favre Isn’t the Only Arrival at Training Camp
My house seems quiet, a little too quiet… Earlier this summer, this sense of serenity was a red flag that my yellow Lab puppy, Beau, was 1) stalking the cat, 2) chewing on something valuable or 3) making a mess. Now, the local sparrow population rests at ease and I’ve grown entirely...
Pheasants in the Vineyard
Wild game and wine go well together. On Saturday morning, after my co-hosting duties on FAN Outdoors radio were complete, I drove over to Haskell’s in downtown Minneapolis for a wine tutorial with Beau Farrell. The Farrell family has owned Haskell’s for more than four...
Shoot one for the dog
We do a lot of bird dog training before we ever shoot a bird for the dogs. I like the dog to do everything right before they get a bird shot over them. Shooting a bird for your dog is a reward for them and they love every aspect of it. From the point, to the flush and the retrieve...
Coming back from Injuries
Chukar Guzzler Installed
This past week I was able to help install one of many guzzlers that are being placed to help the local chukar populations. It was a fun project with a great bunch of guys who all volunteered their time. This guzzler was funded in part by the Utah Chukar and Wildlife Foundation that...
Hunting Dog Socialization 201
As you learned in the previous socialization article (Hunting Dog Socialization 101), socialization is crucial to your dog’s training. In the simplest of terms, socialization is introducing your dog to new people, places, and experiences. This process teaches your dog to be comfortable...
Training with a Recall Pen
We have been having a great time using the new quail recall pens to train young bird dogs. This young german shorthair went nuts the first time we ran her on the bobwhite quail. She chased and chased until she figured out that she was never gonna catch them. After a few days of chasing...
Hunting Dog Socialization 101
Long before you can tackle the art of training your hunting dog, you will start the necessary process of socialization. In a nutshell, socialization is introducing the dog to new people, places, things, and experiences in an effort to help the dog adjust to new situations well. ...
California Valley Quail
I love to see these guys watching out for the safety of the covey. Reminds me of how it takes good neighbors and friends to help raise your kids and keep an eye on them. This little covey of valley quail has been living and multiplying on the farm property where I guide pheasant...
Water Introduction
As the weather warms up it is a good time to get young dogs introduced to water. Nothing is better at coaxing a young puppy into the water than other dogs frolicking in a pond on a hot day. The past few weeks we have been ending our training sessions with a walk to the pond. The...
The Chain Gang Theory
The chain gang theory in bird dog training is a trick for getting other dogs excited to have their turn. The idea is simply to make them watch other dogs train and work birds from a short distance away. It works like a charm for dogs that are a little tentative or hard-headed. After...
Recall Pen for Quail – Update
We have updated our recall pen and built a new updated model. This one is a little taller to accommodate a 5 gallon water fount and feeder to make maintenance a little easier. We used 6-7 2X4 studs and ripped them down to nice straight 2×2′s. Also, this new design uses...
Gun Dog Training Between Seasons
Picture for a moment an NFL football player in March or April. Although he is not in the height of his season, regularly working with the team to improve plays and build stamina, he cannot afford to be stagnant. Athletes depend on their bodies to continually succeed, so they must...
The Importance of Your Dog’s Diet
The better we as humans eat, the better our bodies function. We can avoid excessive sickness, weight gain, and fatigue, among other things, if we are eating well. As the saying goes, “Garbage in, garbage out.” The same can be said of our hunting dogs. If you are expecting optimum...
Pheasant Hunting With A Deaf Dog
I had the opportunity to hit the pheasant fields with Andy Walton from Hillside Springs Hunt Club and his deaf dog Snowball. Here is a short video story from the event. Enjoy! For more info on Pheasant Hunting please visit my website at http://www.gamebirdhunts.com and...
Introducing Birds to Puppies
When introducing young pups to birds for the first time I like to use a clipped wing pigeon. This is done by plucking or cutting the main 4-5 flight feathers on one wing. The bird will still be able to lift off and flutter, but not fly away. Some puppies will point the bird, some...
Tips to End Problem Barking
We’ve all been around them. We’ve all been annoyed by them. We all hope we won’t have one ourselves. A dog who barks incessantly can be problematic in the home and in the hunting terrain. The causes can be varied, but an overactive barker can infuriate and exasperate you and...
Retrieving Basics for Pointing Dogs
I have found that most pointing dogs have a natural retrieving instinct. The key is to nurture this without burning them out on retrieving. Especially if you have kids helping you train young dogs. I think 3-4 tosses of the dummy or knotted up sock are the maximum. You can tell in...
Retriever Puppy Training Tips
Retriever Puppy Training Tips Retriever puppies are genetically fit for hunting and retrieving skills, but you have to consistently train a puppy throughout its life in order to teach it how to best utilize its instincts for future hunts. For more info on Pheasant Hunting please...
How To Control Your Hunting Dog’s Barking
If your hunting dog has developed a barking habit, getting it to stop is not going to be easy. However, you can speed up the process if you know some fundamental strategies to controlling dog barking. When a dog has been allowed to learn some of the negative habits that contribute...
How Do You Pick a Bird Dog?
If you are ready to make your hunts more successful, you might consider purchasing your own gun dog puppy. There are various breeds and price points, but here you will find some simple suggestions for selecting a puppy that will serve as a hunting partner and lifelong friend. First,...
Upland Hunting Dogs 101- Learn about the different gun dog breeds
For more info on Pheasant Hunting please visit my website at http://www.gamebirdhunts.com and http://www.foremosthunting.com Read More →
Pheasant Hunting in SD – Preserves or Native Wild?
Pheasant Hunting in SD – Preserves or Native Wild? Hunting South Dakota preserves or public land for wild birds a list of pros and cons to both hunts. For more info on Pheasant Hunting please visit my website at http://www.gamebirdhunts.com and http://www.foremosthunting.com Read More →
Public Hunting in South Dakota
Public Hunting in South Dakota With around 4.5 million of acres of public land in South Dakota, public hunting is a popular option for hunters. South Dakota is a unique hunting state with its large variety of game, some of which include: pheasant, partridge, quail, coyote, mountain...
Late Season Pheasant Hunts in South Dakota
Late Season Pheasant Hunts in South Dakota Late season is still an excellent time to hunt pheasants although it may not seem that way. Late season pheasant hunting begins in early December and ends at the beginning of January. There are a lot of differences between late and...
How to Choose a South Dakota Pheasant Hunting Guide
We just added a great new article to the Gamebirdhunts.com site: How to Choose a South Dakota Pheasant Hunting Guide If your thinking about heading to the promised land this year for a pheasant hunt read this first.For more info on Pheasant Hunting please visit my website at http://www.gamebirdhunts.com...
More On Road Hunting In South Dakota
Road Hunting in South Dakota Road hunting has been popular in South Dakota for many years as an alternative form of public hunting. South Dakota law allows road hunting for small game and pheasants. Public roads are considered rights-of-way that are open for hunting. Road hunting...