
	George Hickox

Establishing an Effective Pattern in Hunting Dogs

by George Hickox

The two hunters were working their way through a CRP field, following a black Lab that was covering ground by running straight out and back again. Suddenly, a cackling rooster flushed to the side and behind them, setting its wings and sailing straight away into the wind. The pair spun around at the sound, but were so surprised that neither could get a shot off. Both knew the dog had a great nose; they'd seen him smoke birds from 20 yards on other hunts. But it wasn't until they'd stood for a minute with the breeze in their face that they realized their mistake: Improper patterning and ineffective use of the wind had been the culprits in this case.

Proper patterning and proper use of the wind are necessary for the maximum number of bird finds whether hunting over a flushing or pointing dog. You may have heard the phrase "hunting objectives." This is a term used mostly by dogmen in wide-open country. The hedgerow 500 yards away across a plowed field may be the only place where birds would be. The pointing dog should strike "to the objective" because hunting the bare ground in between would be futile. Once the dog reaches the hedgerow, the bird must be upwind in order for the dog to smell it. If the wind is blowing from the dog to the bird, the dog will likely bump the bird before it can smell it. A dog's ability to use wind properly comes through experience and training.

There are three distinct wind conditions hunters will experience: upwind, crosswind and downwind. Correct patterning by the dog is different for each.

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By far the most productive condition is upwind, because when the wind is blowing from the bird to the dog, the dog is able to smell body scent. Obviously, we'd prefer to hunt into the wind the majority of the time, so it only makes sense to train dogs to effectively pattern for upwind situations. A dog with the wind in its nose that covers the ground to the left and right of the hunter's path has considerably more opportunities to produce birds than one that hunts in a straight line down the field.

In order to train a close-working dog to quarter (in a windshield-wiper pattern) into the wind, you need to start early. Beginning with the first puppy walks in the field; walk into the wind in a zigzag fashion. When you change direction give two short beeps on your whistle. In no time the pup will learn to change direction upon hearing the two beeps.

For more structured training, use planted birds and a groomed field to create the habit of ground coverage you desire. If the prevailing wind in your training field is from the north, cut rows east-and-west, alternating high rows (knee to waist high) and low rows (about six inches) down the length of the field.

You can jumpstart the pup's quartering training by using two helpers, or teasers. Have one set up about 25 yards to your left and the other 25 yards to your right. All three of you should then move downfield into the wind. The helper on the right should animatedly call the pup's name, clap his hands and encourage the pup to run to him. When the pup reaches him, give two beeps on the whistle. The lefthand teaser should now enthusiastically entice the pup to his side. For flushing and retrieving breeds, the teaser can use a Velcro-wing pigeon (a strip of Velcro around a live bird's wings will prevent the bird from flying) to pitch for the pup. The game should be fun and upbeat.

When the youngster is accustomed to running back and forth to the guns (teasers), plant Velcro-wing pigeons in the high rows at the outside edge of desired range, alternating sides of the field in every sec- ond row. With the birds in the high rows, the pup will be encouraged to use its nose, not its eyes. Regular repetition of this exercise will create a dog that habitually quarters to the sides at whatever distance you desire. Another trick in training is to always give your dog a plant on the first cast. If right out of the box the dog always finds a bird to the side, it will be less likely to pour straight down the field when initially let loose. When the pup is on its first hunting season, carry a live pigeon, chukar or quail in your vest. If the young dog gets way out, toss the velcro-wing bird out in front and to the side of you. When the pup comes back, it will find a bird near you and think, Gee, I'd better stay closer. That's where the birds are.

If you don't have helpers, groomed rows will prove even more useful because the pup will naturally work right and left in the low rows, taking the course of least resistance. If you don't have access to a field you can groom, improvise. An old logging road will suffice. Plant birds in the woods to the left and right of the road, giving the pup a reason to get off the trail. Help the pup in the beginning by walking into the woods, encouraging the young dog to quest for birds.

Teasers and groomed rows are useful for training pointing breeds also, with a few modifications in technique. Because you don't want pointing breeds to catch birds, plant flyers or use release traps with live birds instead of planting Velcro-wing birds. Again, place the traps or flyers at the outside edge of desired range. Each helper will alternately tease the pointer to his side, where the dog will find birds. Don't plant birds in the middle of the field, as that will only encourage the dog to run straight ahead instead of quartering.

Once again, helpers are beneficial but certainly not mandatory. By running the dog on a 30-foot check cord, you can steer it left and right by giving two short beeps on the whistle then twitching the cord. Shortly, the dog will start changing direction after the beeps but before the twitch. Logging roads can also be used for this training.

One problem hunters often encounter once a dog has experience is the dog's desire to get downfield in a hurry. This is particularly true for gundogs that spend a lot of time at hunt clubs. The dogs soon come to know the birds are "out there." A dog running straight out in front and not quartering leaves holes in its pattern-holes in which a wise rooster may be hunkered down.

Of course the hunter doesn't always have the luxury of hunting into the wind. But by always being cognizant of wind direction and making sure your dog is trained to run efficient upwind patterns, the odds of success will most certainly shift in your favor.