I came across this video the other day on Youtube. The clip is from a quail preserve in Tennessee. From what I can see, the place puts hunters into lots of birds. It also has some dogs that really know how to find those birds and retrieve them.
But here’s what bothers me: The dogs are not steady to wing and shot (that means the dogs stay on point through the flush and the shot). When the birds go up, off go the dogs after them, and right into the area where the hunters are shooting. To me, that’s just too dangerous. What do you think?
Agreed. Dangerous. It’s the same with flushers too. I never understood when people have the opportunity (means) to steady a dog and pass it up. They usually say that “they want to dog to mark and quickly retrieve the bird so thye don’t loose it” or something like that. From my point of view, once you hunt with a steady dog (pointer or flusher) you will enjoy the hunting more.
I do agree but have hunted over many dogs who are not steady. You must be more mindful of where you shoot and it does create added danger. Mostly when hunting with new hunters. If I had a guide service or a preserve I would be sure to have all of my dogs steady to wing and shot. I guess in my mind the hunters opinion of safe is more important than a steady dog in my hunting situations.
No question that preserve dogs should be steady to shot, just too many inexperienced hunters rolling through there. A lot of those dogs were jumping in and flushing the birds anyway. I doubt I’d pay to hunt there, at least with their dogs, after seeing that.
I have hunted quail at Rio Piedra in GA, and their dogs were rock solid to wing and shot. They were also very serious about no shots below horizontal, to avoid any potential for putting the dogs at risk. It didn’t look this preserve was too concerned about that.
The level of danger for the dogs is directly proportionate to who is weilding the shotgun. My setter isn’t broke to wing or shot and it costs me a low flying bird or two. What scares me is the crossing shot the guy pulls over his buddies head @ 1:22.