Bird Dogs Afield host Paul Fuller is the gun dog columnist for Northwoods Sporting Journal. The Journal has granted permission to re-print Paul’s articles. Thank you Northwoods Sporting Journal.

Do I Shoot?

If you have a pointing dog on the ground and you wild flush a bird, what do you do? Before I answer that question, let’s back up a bit.

You’ve spent hours and days training your pointing dog. First, to recognize bird scent, then to point bird scent, then to remain steady to the flush and perhaps even to the shot. It’s called steady to wing and shot. If that’s where you are with your bird dog, then I suggest you not shoot at a wild flushed bird. Doing so, may or may not, cause trouble. Perhaps your dog will suddenly become a flushing dog since they’ve seen you shoot at a bird that has been flushed but not pointed. They may think that flushing is more fun than pointing so let’s just have fun.

I guess the answer may be just how steady and staunch is your dog. If it’s always been rock solid steady on point and rock solid staunch to the flush, then there may not be a problem. Many years ago, I recall hunting with a pro trainer and a world-class English setter grouse dog. We wild flushed a grouse and the pro trainer shot at it. I asked him about shooting at a wild flushed bird. He responded by saying that the dog was so staunch to the flush that it never concerned him. The dog could handle the excitement of the flush and shot. Remaining staunch was true with either a hunter wild flushing a bird and/or the do wild flushing a bird.

The easy way around the question is to simply never shoot at a wild flushed bird. Another story from many years ago: My Dillon was one year old. I had him steady to the flush but not the shot. We were invited to hunt with a threesome. I only knew one hunter in the threesome and I knew he was a seasoned hunter and pointing dog man. His two companions shot at every bird flushed whether pointed or not. To me, it reminded me of a cowboy shootout. Being fairly young, Dillon was totally confused. It took me a few training sessions to get him back to where he was before that hunt. His pointing genetics helped.

So let’s talk about genetics. They certainly come into play here. Pointing dogs have genetics which will encourage a point. Flushing dogs have a genetic which encourages them to flush a bird.

Using your dog’s pointing genetics, the more you train for steadiness on point and being staunch through the flush, the less effect the wild flush shot will have. So, maybe the answer to the question is “how much steadiness training has your dog had?” Is your dog immune to a wild flush?

If not and your dog chases, you need to work harder on the whoa command. After you’ve stopped your dog with the “whoa” command, pick it up and return it to the place it stood when the bird was flushed. Using gentle stimulation is permitted but go easy. I’m not a fan of heavy e-collar use. You don’t need much.

There is another wild flush we should discuss. That’s when your dog is carefully working a running bird. And, it takes experience with wild birds for the dog to learn this. If your dog is tracking birds and the birds flush while the dog is still moving, the dog got too close to the bird(s). It takes experience with wild birds to learn when to stop and point. My Cordie learned it in one hunting season but sometimes it takes more. I have a friend who says as long as there is dog work, shoot. Personally, I would rather shoot only when my dog stops and points a moving bird. I feel this is a personal decision between you and your dog.

No matter how you use your bird dogs, hunt safe and have fun.

Copyright 2024 Paul Fuller

Paul and Susan, his wife, host the Bird Dogs Afield TV show. All past episodes are on his YouTube Channel (www.youtube/birddogsafield.com) or his website (www.birddogsafield.com). Contact: paul@birddogsafield.com.