Teaching a dog to Quarter in the Field – Quartering a Field

Regardless of where you live,Teaching a dog to Quarter in the Field is the same. Most all field-bred sporting dogs love working and quartering a field.  What is quartering?  This term simply means having your dog work in front of you to find birds.  For example, a lab will go quartering to find a cripple that has been knocked down into thick brush.  This skill is very simple to teach.  In fact, the most difficult aspect is determining which command you will use:  “find ‘em” or “hunt ‘em up.”

Step 1

Like any skill, quartering should be taught over a series of days, in small increments.  On day one, you should start by throwing a bumper in front of your dog.  It does not matter if your retriever sees the bumper fall.  Give your dog the command to find the bumper, and then give him or her praise for a job well done.  

Next, throw a bumper in the opposite direction from the first bumper that you threw, such that your dog is working side-to-side in front of your location.  Continue throwing side-to-side while saying the command you have chosen.  This drill should be a lot of fun for your dog.  As your dog progresses and begins to understand the point of this exercise, throw a couple a bumpers at a time.  For the first 1 – 2 days, simply spend 15 minutes just throwing bumpers and having your dog retrieve them in a back and forth manner.  

Step 2

The next step of the quartering process is to establish bumpers by dropping them and remembering where they are.  The overall goal is to be able to walk through an “aisle” with bumpers on either side and for your dog to work side-to-side to find them.  After you have established the bumpers, leave the area and return a few minutes later.  Stand facing the area where the bumpers have been dropped and give your dog the “find ‘em” command.  

Overall, it is important that this drill involves no collar pressure; it should simply be a fun game to your pet. 

Step 3
Now that your dog understands what you are doing, pepper an area with bumpers or birds to get your dog really excited.  If you do not have birds, attach duck feathers to your bumpers.  Use the space that you have available to complete this drill – it can be effectively done in a yard that is 25 yards long, or 500 yards long.  Start in low cover and send your dog into the highly peppered area by giving the proper command.  

The most important aspect of this drill is that your dog learns to use his or her nose.  If you knock a duck into heavy cover but do not know where it is, your dog should understand the concept of “find ‘em” or “hunt ‘em up.”  

Step 4

Finally, the last step in teaching a dog to quarter in the field is to throw a bumper into thick cover and walk away.  Stay away from the area for 10 – 15 minutes.  Then, when you turn back, give your dog the command to find the bumper.  Your dog should learn that whichever direction you are facing, he or she will find a bird.  

 

TEAL Á L’ORANGE – Teal Recipe

A great new teal recipe to try for your next game dinner. Now that you have harvested all the teal you can manage, what do you do with this delectable bird?  Although teal is one of very few birds that can be cooked whole, as opposed to in smaller parts, this recipe utilizes the succulent breasts of this delicious bird.  When garnished with orange slices and basil leaves, your friends and family will be impressed with your cooking skills.  

Cooking Time:  30 minutes active, 6 – 12 hours passive

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 12 teal breast filets, skin intact
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 8 TBSP chilled butter, cut into pieces
• ¼ cup orange liqueur
• 12 orange slices (for garnish)
• 12 basil leaves (for garnish)

Marinade:

• 3 TBSP orange juice concentrate
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 cup dry white wine
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 TBSP orange marmalade
• 3 TBSP olive oil

To begin, season the breast filet with salt and pepper and set aside.  

Prepare the marinade by combining the listed ingredients, and then whisking to blend.  Pour the marinade into a resealable plastic bag, and place the teal filet into the bag, ensuring the breasts are adequately covered

in the marinade.  Place the breasts and marinade in the refrigerator for 6 – 12 hours.  When ready, remove the teal from the marinade and pat to dry.  

Next, heat 4 TBSP of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Place the filets in the skillet, skin side down.  Cook the filet for 3 minutes, or until the skin is light brown and crisp.  For medium-rare teal, flip the filet and cook for 2 more minutes.  Remove the teal from the pan and keep warm. 

After all the teal breasts have been cooked, remove the skillet from the heat.  Add orange liqueur to the skillet slowly, and beware that the skillet may ignite.  Be cautious to add the liquid slowly and carefully, and keep a lid to the skillet nearby to put out the flames if necessary.

Once the orange liqueur has been safely added, place the skillet over medium heat until the liquid has been reduced by half.  Next, whisk in remaining 4 TBSP butter and stir until smooth.  

To serve your teal filet, arrange 3 orange slices and 3 basil leaves on each plate, then top with the teal.  Add pan sauce over each filet, as well as caramelized onions (if desired).  

Best Dog for You and Your Hunting Style

What is the best dog for you? When it comes to choosing a pheasant hunting dog, sound training goes a long way.  While many hunters have preferences for which breed is best, the truth is that many different breeds are equally suited to pheasant hunting.  The biggest variable is how the animal fits in with you and your hunting style.  Here, choosing the right dog for you will be discussed.  

When it comes to pointers, there are many types of dogs to choose from.  A few examples include English setters, German shorthaired pointers, Brittany, German wirehaired pointers, and Deutsch Drathaars.  Flushing breeds include springer spaniels, Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, and English cocker spaniels.  A well-trained dog is invaluable in the field.  It will give you better hunting opportunities, and ensure that you lose fewer crippled birds.  The bond you create with your dog also improves your overall hunting experience.  

How do you find which breed of dog is best for you?  To begin, you must ask yourself several

questions.  For instance, is your priority to maximize your recovery rate of the birds you shoot, or to find the birds?  If you are keen on optimizing your opportunities, a flushing breed is best for you, or a close-working pointing breed.

A second consideration is how you feel about your dog pushing birds out of range.  If this thought bothers you, again a flushing or close-working pointer breed is best.  Bear in mind that many pointing dogs are not suited to staying within gun-range, so the “close-working” criteria is important.  A wide-ranging pointing dog, i.e. setters, pointers, and German shorthairs, occasionally have the tendency to accidentally bump a bird, which leads to a “cluster flush”, emptying all birds from their cover.  

On the other hand, a wide-range running dog does have advantages.  For instance, these breeds are able to find birds that you might otherwise miss.  A great example is when a dog is out of sight and

GPS indicates the animal is on point.  The dog can create more opportunities than the hunter would otherwise enjoy.   

Of course, the area in which you hunt largely determines your needs.  For instance, when hunting in big country with light cover, birds are likely to be more thinly distributed.  In this instance, a wide-ranging dog is useful.  However, when cover is tight and birds are more concentrated, a close-working dog is ideal.  When cover is extremely heavy, such as cattails and brushy shelterbelts, a flushing dog is best.  

Perhaps the most important consideration when choosing the right dog for you is the animal’s ability to retrieve.  No matter how well the dog flushes or points, the dog is not useful for pheasant

hunting if it does not retrieve.  Labrador and golden retrievers are best in this regard, but more versatile pointing breeds such as German shorthaired pointers and wirehaired pointing Griffons can also excel at retrieving.  For many pointers and setters, retrieving is not as genetically hardwired as in other hunting breeds.  However, with proper training, many dogs can be taught to retrieve quite well.  

A final consideration is whether your dog will be hunting birds in addition to pheasants.  If you will also be hunting waterfowl, the dog that you choose would be drastically different than if you were also planning to hunt quail or grouse.  Ultimately, when finding the best dog for you, it is important to consider every variable, and weigh each one in order of importance.  At the end of the day there isn’t a “wrong” choice, but there are plenty of dogs that will be better for your specific needs than others.  

 

 

How to Avoid Diversions in the Field

Teaching dogs to distinguish between a diversion and a bumper or bird behind them in the field can be difficult, especially for an excited retriever.  Here, Mike Stewart from Wildrose Kennels describes how to avoid diversions in the field with a tried and true training drill that guarantees your dog will be successful while developing good habits.  

This drill requires two large, white bumpers and an area where two lines of fencing meet at a 90 degree angle.  The fence should be large enough that the dog cannot jump over it or through it.  The beauty of this drill is that it sets up the dog to win, and when performed correctly ensures that the dog goes to the oldest bird each and every time.  

First, create a trailing memory for your dog by having him or her watch you drop a large, white bumper at each end of the fence.  In the middle of the two bumpers should be a 90 degree angle created by the fencing.  

After you drop your second bumper, return your dog to the area where the two fences meet and create the 90 degree angle.  Position your dog such that his or her back is to the oldest bumper and the angle in the fence prevents your dog from accessing the freshest – and preferred – bird.  

Have your dog sit, then hold your hand up and send your dog back.  Since your dog is unable to access the other bumper, he or she has no other option than to go back for the oldest bird.  This method provides an easy way for your dog to distinguish the diversion and back.  Perform this drill until your dog develops the right habit and understands the pattern you are looking for during diversion training.