There's put and take, and there's put and take. I've hunted preserve pheasants, chukar, and quail. The places I've hunted them, where they're released shortly before the hunt, pheasants and chukar work out quite well. Doesn't often happen that even "unbroken" pointing dogs catch them. Quail released right before a hunt are a different story, especially if they're set in wet grass. Either caught quite frequently, or else they don't fly very well.
But there are quail places, like Wild Wing, that do early releases. Birds out days or maybe even a week or more before they're hunted. Does not make them wild. But if they use feeders, maybe Covey Base Camps, maybe electronic call birds (which they move frequently so the predators don't catch on), you can have quail that are much closer to the real thing. They form real coveys, which those released just prior to a hunt do not. And they're much better flyers.
Catching birds is not a good thing for pointing dogs, but it does happen--even with wild birds--if they're not broke. I never break my dogs steady to wing and shot, because I hunt pheasants quite a bit and I want them on a downed bird as quickly as possible. Just about all my dogs will catch the occasional wild pheasant. Most common when there's a fair amount of snow and the birds are buried under the cover and under the snow. But it will also happen if the bird really tucks into heavy cover, even without snow. More often by far, in my experience, with hens than with roosters. But sometimes with cockbirds too. They start flapping, trying to get out of the grass. At which point my guess is that the dog's brain says "cripple!", and they pounce. And I do want them catching cripples, for sure!
Last edited by L. Brown; 11/26/15 11:03 AM.
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