by Tracy Breen
If you put ten bird hunters in a room, half of them would say they enjoy hunting at pheasant preserves. The other half would say they would never entertain the idea of hunting birds at a pheasant preserve. The reason there is such a divide is because many bird hunters believe hunting at a preserve could potentially ruin their hunting dog.
TIME IN THE FIELD IS A MUST
Michael Mapes from Second Chance Bird Dogs spends a lot of time at a hunting preserve. He believes if a dog is properly trained and the birds at a preserve are good birds, preserve hunting can be a great experience for the dog and its owner. “Many hunters say they won’t hunt at a preserve but don’t have many great hunting spots or the time to hunt across the country. As a result, their dog ends up spending a lot of time on the couch or in the kennel. Given the choice to hunt my dog at a preserve or sit on the couch, I would prefer the dog hunt,” Mapes said.
FIND A GREAT HUNTING PRESERVE
The most common reason many upland bird hunters don’t want to hunt at a preserve is because many preserves are known to have birds that can’t fly very well. “We have all heard the story from a buddy where their dog caught a bird that wouldn’t or couldn’t fly very well. Now the dog is ruined and won’t point,” Mapes explained. “When selecting a preserve to hunt at, examine their birds. If the birds look strong, have long tails, and fly around the pen when they are approached by people, you stand a good chance of having a good hunt. I spend a lot of time at Haymarsh Hunt Club because their birds are good fliers. I try to avoid clubs where the birds look half-starved and beat up. Hunters should be very selective when choosing their hunting club," Maples explained.
TRAINING AT A HUNTING PRESERVE
When going to a preserve, Mapes considers it training, not hunting especially if the hunting dog being used is mainly hunted on wild birds. “If I am taking a dog to a preserve in late winter or early spring to keep my dog active and work on their good or bad habits, I always consider it mostly training and a little bit of hunting, ”Mapes noted. “I like to hunt preserves when the weather is right, there is a decent amount of moisture and the dogs can smell the birds. When I am working the dog if he breaks point and rushes into a planted bird, I won’t shoot the bird even though I paid for it. If the dog points at 15-20 yards and holds point, I am going to shoot the bird when it flushes. Hunters need to be prepared to let a bird or two go to reinforce good pointing habits. If a guy buys five birds at a preserve and he doesn't shoot a bird but his dog learns something, it was a successful day.”
A HUNT AT A HUNTING PRESERVE CAN BE REWARDING
On the flip side, a dog that mainly hunts wild birds can go hunting at a preserve and the owner and the dog can have a great day of hunting during the off season. The dog can have good points and the hunter can have a great day in the field with their dog. “The more time a dog spends in the field with its owner, the better off the dog is if the dog is being hunted properly at that preserve,” Mapes said. “If a bird hunter takes his hunting dog to a good preserve and makes sure his dog only gets rewarded when he does the right things, the dog and the owner win.”
A HUNTING PRESERVE CAN KEEP A DOG FINE TUNED
Many upland bird hunters only get to hunt wild birds a dozen days or less each year. Having a good preserve to go to can give the dog valuable experience in the field that can help the dog reach its full potential. The key is making sure the preserve offers good flying birds and the dog that is hunting those birds does his job correctly. “Many hunters will let their dog slack off some at a preserve. A preserve should be used as a place to train and have fun, but at the same time the dog should always be held to a high standard when hunting at a preserve,” Mapes explained. The preserve season is just about to end in many parts of the country. If you have a dog sitting on the couch, head to a local preserve with your hunting dog this weekend. You will be glad you did!
