Pheasant 'hunting'
 

Hi Guys

I'm looking for a place to do a bit dog training with pheasants.
I know there is Wessex, but I was wondering if anybody could recommend anybody another place?
I thought there were places in Duchess and Nanton, but I can't find them on the web.

Any recommendation???

Thanks in advance.

Mark, if you cannot find a place I suggest just flushing a few grouse with 22 fired in air as alternative. Although when I raised pheasants one of my springers got so good she would pull out tail feathers before they could get into the air.

I don't think that flushing grouse , and firing a rifle as they flush is a great idea during a closed season. I would visit a place like Wessex, or catch some pigeons.

I prefer using game birds to train but it's not an absolute necessity. My latest dog Boone was trained exclusively using feral pigeons as that was all I could get during Covid times and he locked up nicely on the first pheasant he ran across during last season. The "flying rats" aren't ideal but will work if you can't find other birds, personally I like using quail as they are easy to keep temporarily and are very easy to dizzy. Good luck with your training

https://i.imgur.com/tuKVqSK.jpg?1

Thanks
He's three and wanted to get some pictures in a controlled situation.
Tried during the hunting season, but couldn't get it done.

Yeah I only get "after action" pics when hunting. That pic is Boone at 6 months on a pigeon. This is after his first solo hunt

https://i.imgur.com/BAcClb3.jpg?1

I don't think the dog is any happier - or prouder, with one bird over another! Pigeons will be fine! My old Pudepointer would transition from wild pheasant to planted pheasant, sharptails, ruffies, ducks, geese - and was just as proud with any of them!

Poor advice. :angry3:

My best Springer I ever had only worked ruff grouse in summer, we limited out every day on pheasants that fall when he was only 8 months old.

That doesn't change the fact that it's not a smart idea to flush game birds and fire rifles out of season, how do you suppose it would look to a F&W officer that either witnesses this, or has it reported to him? To many people, this would appear to be hunting out of season.

In Sask it's mentioned in the guide that harassing wildlife is an offence and I've been told by CO's that if your walking your dog and it points/bumps a bird there is no problem but if you are actively seeking them then its a nope ,though I don't know how they'd tell. Having said that until recently some pro trainers were using sharptails around Mortlach to train dogs Here's the wording.

'Hunting' is defined in the WA as including: "taking, wounding, killing, chasing, pursuing, worrying, capturing, following after or following on the trail of, searching for, shooting at, trapping, setting snares for, stalking or lying in wait for any wildlife, or attempting to do any of those things, whether or not the wildlife is then or subsequently captured, wounded or killed". 'Taking' means taking dead or alive [WA 2].

Bingo!

It is best to avoid nesting birds if at all possible. Get out and either catch pigeons or buy them until the wild birds have had a chance to have their chicks and for them to grow a bit. Use good flying pigeons and you have zero issues.

BTW, I hope/guess the fella who said shoot a 22 meant shooting 22 blanks out of a starter's pistol.

That is a lovely Brittany! Looks so happy. I love Britts!

Thanks, my big boy Bug goes for stem cell treatment the end of the month to hopefully at least partially repair his shoulders he injured last year.

https://i.imgur.com/wO5wkKM.jpg?2

Pheasants are terrible training birds. If you insist on game birds find yourself some chukars or quail. Far easier to work with and not regulated in the province so you have no issues. The transition to pheasants during hunting season will be no problem.
Pigeons are a good alternative for basic work but dogs will sour on them after time. Especially if they are homers and you are not killing them.
There is another place near byemoor called Lakeland pheasant farm or something. A few friends have been and I hear good reviews.
Stay off the wild birds from May to end of July. Let them nest and rear the young undisturbed if you want birds to hunt in the fall.

:sHa_sarcasticlol: Sure yah do

Off the OP's topic, but....

I sure hope your quote contains errors from how the actual law us written.
If not, WHAT A HORRIBLE LAW!


As quoted, this means that the Sask government could charge anybody with illegal "hunting" for almost any interaction with wildlife.
There are too many examples of common interactions between humans and wildlife that are illegal to bother starting a list.
The peasants simply at the mercy of the Crown of when punishment will be executed.

That quote is cut and pasted from the website so it's exact. As I mentioned a CO told me that accidental interaction with wildlife is fine but if you are actively pursuing and or harassing them then they nail you. So walking in the bush with your dog is ok but if your directing the dog and using a starting pistol to reinforce a point that's a nope. I was once detained by an RCMP officer while training using chukar and a starting pistol on private land ( I had permission) because he thought chukar were wild birds even though I had them in bird launchers and had a pen in the truck. The law is wishy washy but most CO's I've met seem to be reasonable guys , most of whom hunt themselves.

Unfortunately, as written, enforcement of the "letter of the law" is only as reasonable as the CO or the government of the day.

This law makes activities such as searching for or waiting for deer just to look at them a crime if done out of season and without the appropriate hunting license.

The Sask hunting community and stakeholders should get this definition amended before it bites them.

training birds
 

What a bunch of spouting off with out knowing your WLA ....First in AB and who gives a dam about SK's wild life act/law the person asking the question is referring to AB. You can train on wild birds year round ...it may not be ethical or advised to do so but you can. The only part of the province that has any limitations is in the south east part of the province because of Sage Hens. And even in that part of the province you are good to go after Aug 1...Just as long as you have permission from the land owner or lease holder you are good to go....

Are you sure.

4. Hunting

(a) Hunting Defined

For purposes of the Wildlife Act, “hunt” means to [WA 1(1)]:
shoot at, harass or worry,

chase, pursue, follow after or on the trail of, search for, flush, stalk or lie in wait for,

capture or wilfully injure or kill,

attempt to capture, injure or kill, or

assist another person in any of the above actvities while that other person is so hunting.
However an animal is not being hunted when the person is not carrying a weapon and their activity is "restricted to watching, photographing, drawing or painting a picture of the animal", or where they are seeking with humane methods to recapture a wildlife or controlled (exotic) animal that has escaped from a permitted premises (such as a zoo) [WA 1(2)].

This definition of hunting applies even where a person is hunting decoy animals set out by enforcement authorities for purposes of entrapment [WA 1(6)] (eg. moose silouettes).

Hey Mr Smiley. Next time save the ignorance.

Ignorance not knowing what you are talking about and these people and apparently you have never read the WLA as it pertains to dog training which I highly recommend to all that make stupid comments about it....

How do you suppose a F&W officer would respond if you were observed flushing game birds and firing live ammunition as the birds flushed? The presence of a fire arm and live ammunition being discharged, would likely not be received very well outside of hunting season. Now if you remove the firearm, or replace it with a starter pistol, that would likely result in a very different response.

Understanding laws vary among provinces I put down the Sask take on training over wild birds. I looked up the Alberta regs and all I could find was this which seems to mean one must get permit to train over wild birds not just go out and do so.

Bird dogs
50 A person shall not, in a prescribed area, train or hold field
trials for dogs for the purpose of hunting wildlife or retrieving
game birds without a permit authorizing the person to do so.
1984 cW-9.1 s50;1996 c33 s36

This is pretaining to pen raised birds. Also unless something changed recently, Saskatchewan has a wild bird training season and permit that multiple trainers in the south take advantage of.