Pheasant Hunt Dog Handler Etiquette

[FairWeather]

Hello,

I’m scheduled for a 1/2 day pheasant hunt in a few weeks. It’s a “wildlife ranch”, so they’ll be planted farm pheasants. Accompanying me will be a friend/mentor who’s training his young lab, as well as a friend of his who has a pointer. The farm also has dogs & handler that I can hire for the duration of the hunt.

My questions are:
1) With 2 dogs already being in the party, should I bother to hire a farm dog? It’s $150, and I’m not sure how many dogs is a crowd. But, I also wonder if my buddy’s dog will get more out of it, having a fully trained professional gun dog to follow, and therefore it could be mutually beneficial.
2) If I do hire the dog & handler, what is the tipping expectation?
3) If I don’t hire the dog & handler, is there still a tipping expectation for the establishment?
4) This is only my second time hunting over dogs. Other than keeping muzzles up, and only shooting birds in the air, are there any other safety considerations specific to hunting over dogs that I should be observing?
5) What are some recommendations for thank you gifts for the folks bringing their dogs? My first thought is a bottle of bird dog whiskey…but I’ve never had it, so idk if it’s any good or not. So some alternative suggestions are welcome.

I thank you all in advance for your advice & input.

 

[utah400elk]

I wouldn’t. I always thought of the pheasant ranches hunts as private school for my hunting pups.

 

[Salmonchaser]

In addition to seeing blue sky under a bird before you shoot, give it a 2 Mississippi count. It’s amazing how high a dog can jump after a flushing bird. Giving it a two count will give the bird plenty of time to clear the dogs even if the pups are not steady to wing and shot. Clarify with dog owners what command they will use if they don’t want you to shoot a bird. IE a pointer that breaks point and flushes the bird shouldn’t be rewarded, but that’s the owners call. I often ran two pointers and a retriever when I was guiding, it can be very effective, it can also be a cluster F. Be patient if the dogs haven’t figured out how to work together.
Never reprimand someone else’s dog, don’t smack him if he doesn’t drop a retrieved bird for you, don’t whistle at him or try to direct how he is hunting. My dog Molly could figure out in just a few minutes who the good shooters were. Once she did that I would have to move him or her into the middle of the line or Molly would hunt on what ever edge the good shooters were.
Always try to know where the dog is. If your cover is heavy and the handler is trying to recall the dog, let him know you see dog and what it’s doing. Ie coming your way. study the dogs behavior you should be able to figure out if he’s “birdie” in short order.
Talk with your friends about how they expect you to approach a pointed bird. I always had to work with my clients not to sneak like they are trying to arrow an elk. Move decisively forward from your spot on the line. The handler likely will move up on the dog.
Based on your description don’t hire your own dog, it’s difficult at best to have two dogs who don’t know each other hunting together. If they do hunt together great, so don’t screw it up by adding a dog no one knows.
Tipping 10% is great. What I got paid to guide just covered my vet bills. Tips got me dinner on the way home.
Are you hunting with some one in the valley or are you headed over to the dry side?

 

[millerkiller77]

I wouldn't bother with the ranch dog. Between the pointer and lab in training you'll be fine hunting planted birds. I've taken clients to a few of those clubs and eventually end having to carry a pocket full of rocks to throw at the birds. Even when the dogs get on them, some of those birds are difficult to make fly. There are usually few HS kids at those clubs that will dress the birds for you, I'll tip them $100 on top of the cleaning fee.
A case of shells for your buddy that's bringing the pointer might be appreciated more than a bottle of whiskey.

 

[Jnasa]

If you already have 2 dogs I wouldn’t hire the dogs. I would also talk to the two people bringing dogs and make sure they are ok hunting together. Just easier to know expectations ahead. If someone is training a pointer you don’t want the lab busting in to flush without command.

I remember getting to go on a stocked hunt once. One person had a pointer he was training. It was a disciplined dog and was doing well. However, it got awkward because another guys half trained dog kept breaking in and flushing birds without command. We ended up hunting the dogs separate to avoid teaching bad habits to the younger. It all worked out in the end but I remember noticing the first guy getting frustrated by the situation.

It’s a great opportunity to train dogs and hopefully both can benefit from it. Also should be a lot of fun for you.

I’d say any gift for dog handlers should be appreciated. If you know they drink a bottle would be nice. Maybe summer sausage and cheese or other such items would be ok also.

 

[FairWeather]

In addition to seeing blue sky under a bird before you shoot, give it a 2 Mississippi count. It’s amazing how high a dog can jump after a flushing bird. Giving it a two count will give the bird plenty of time to clear the dogs even if the pups are not steady to wing and shot. Clarify with dog owners what command they will use if they don’t want you to shoot a bird. IE a pointer that breaks point and flushes the bird shouldn’t be rewarded, but that’s the owners call. I often ran two pointers and a retriever when I was guiding, it can be very effective, it can also be a cluster F. Be patient if the dogs haven’t figured out how to work together.
Never reprimand someone else’s dog, don’t smack him if he doesn’t drop a retrieved bird for you, don’t whistle at him or try to direct how he is hunting. My dog Molly could figure out in just a few minutes who the good shooters were. Once she did that I would have to move him or her into the middle of the line or Molly would hunt on what ever edge the good shooters were.
Always try to know where the dog is. If your cover is heavy and the handler is trying to recall the dog, let him know you see dog and what it’s doing. Ie coming your way. study the dogs behavior you should be able to figure out if he’s “birdie” in short order.
Talk with your friends about how they expect you to approach a pointed bird. I always had to work with my clients not to sneak like they are trying to arrow an elk. Move decisively forward from your spot on the line. The handler likely will move up on the dog.
Based on your description don’t hire your own dog, it’s difficult at best to have two dogs who don’t know each other hunting together. If they do hunt together great, so don’t screw it up by adding a dog no one knows.
Tipping 10% is great. What I got paid to guide just covered my vet bills. Tips got me dinner on the way home.
Are you hunting with some one in the valley or are you headed over to the dry side?

Heading to DK Wildlife Ranch in Sweethome. I’ll be seeing one of the folks with a dog in the week leading up to the hunt, so I’ll ask them how they prefer I interact w/ the dog, commands etc.. Thank you for those bit of advice, I would t have thought to ask about that myself. Though, at $50/bird, so long as the shot is safe to take I’m not going to let the birds get away just because the dog behaved in a way the handler doesn’t like.

 

[FairWeather]

If you already have 2 dogs I wouldn’t hire the dogs. I would also talk to the two people bringing dogs and make sure they are ok hunting together. Just easier to know expectations ahead. If someone is training a pointer you don’t want the lab busting in to flush without command.

I remember getting to go on a stocked hunt once. One person had a pointer he was training. It was a disciplined dog and was doing well. However, it got awkward because another guys half trained dog kept breaking in and flushing birds without command. We ended up hunting the dogs separate to avoid teaching bad habits to the younger. It all worked out in the end but I remember noticing the first guy getting frustrated by the situation.

It’s a great opportunity to train dogs and hopefully both can benefit from it. Also should be a lot of fun for you.

I’d say any gift for dog handlers should be appreciated. If you know they drink a bottle would be nice. Maybe summer sausage and cheese or other such items would be ok also.

Yes, these 2 dogs & handlers have hunted together. I like the summer sausage & cheese route. Wish I had filled one of my tags this year; could have had sausages with a more personal touch :/

 

[Foxtrot1]

I've had pointers for 15 years. As a general rule now, my dogs don't go on the ground with anyone else's dog I don't know. If I know it, maybe. Too many bad experiences over the years. Better to cycle them and keep them fresh.

 

[Birdbander]

Though, at $50/bird, so long as the shot is safe to take I’m not going to let the birds get away just because the dog behaved in a way the handler doesn’t like.

I was just going to mention DON'T let the cost of birds override all else, especially what the dog handlers ask but most importantly, SAFETY for dogs and people. Agree on a word that will be used to halt all shooting. Most places I've helped simply use the shouted word SAFE.

I'm glad you brought this up. Too often people at a preserve get caught up in the mindset that they must kill every bird because they've paid for it. You'll have to take my word for it as a person who's been hit with shot, the amount of money spent/birds not killed isn't remembered if a dog or person is shot. That bell can't be unrung.

Have fun, laugh at the misses, appreciate the good dog work and don't ruin everyone's fun by yelling at a dog that's not doing well (correction can be done at the next training session).

 

[FairWeather]

I was just going to mention DON'T let the cost of birds override all else, especially what the dog handlers ask but most importantly, SAFETY for dogs and people. Agree on a word that will be used to halt all shooting. Most places I've helped simply use the shouted word SAFE.

I'm glad you brought this up. Too often people at a preserve get caught up in the mindset that they must kill every bird because they've paid for it. You'll have to take my word for it as a person who's been hit with shot, the amount of money spent/birds not killed isn't remembered if a dog or person is shot. That bell can't be unrung.

Have fun, laugh at the misses, appreciate the good dog work and don't ruin everyone's fun by yelling at a dog that's not doing well (correction can be done at the next training session).

No worry about the last part, I wouldn’t know if the dogs are doing well or not.

But yes, one accident can erase a whole day of fun in an instant, and cost far more than the bird will.