Wild Bird Training

This past Monday John took Penny & Jill to the Clay WMA (Wildlife Management Area), about 45 minutes from us, to attempt to locate new coveys of quail for future quota (lottery) hunts.  He was given permission to exercise and locate established wild birds (no shooting).  He had the girls out one at a time.  He walked 6-8 miles, unfortunately with no success!  He saw one squirrel and one rabbit.  He was later told he needed to walk in further in one of the areas, he had walked in about 1.5 miles and they said the birds live about 2 miles in - from where you park!  However, it was a beautiful Fall day to be outside, enjoying nature and seeing the dogs work.

Ben Update

We just wanted to send you an update on how Ben is doing!  He is a complete joy to have and we just love him so much!!  The boys have fallen completely in love with him and we couldn't be happier to have him in our family.  He has adjusted very well and acts like he has lived here for years lol.  

We registered him through the AKC and gave him the name of Ben's Spying Eyes of Dogwood Hills.  We took him up to a place in MI called Rustic Ridge Hunt Club for some bird dog training and he was AMAZING!  He did so well and went on point immediately after only finding the second bird.  The trainer was very impressed as were we.  We are going back up there this weekend and going to do some more training.  We are thinking that we are also going to start getting him ready for the Jr. Trials as well.  He is such a great dog and the trainer up in MI is very excited with his progress and thinks he is one of the better dogs he has seen.  We are hoping to have him ready for hunting out in the field with us by the beginning of November for pheasant and Quail hunting.  

He is obeying very well. He has sit down pat, and whoa!  We are still working on the Come, he does that when he feels like it. LOL, that's the puppy in him. As promised we will continually keep you updated.

Thanks again for introducing us to Ben, I can't imagine our lives without him now!