Training Birds

[AlaskaHunter]

Domestic ducks (even dead frozen ducks) cost over $30 each up here in Alaska.

Typically we use the same duck for at least 10 training sessions.
After training in water, our club hangs the ducks in the field while other retrievers are working.
Back home, I dry the ducks overnight with 2 box fans.

The next morning, each dried duck is wrapped in newspaper and put in the freezer.
For group training, I use a beer 12-pack box which is perfect to hold 4 mallards.
These boxes stack nicely in the freezer and if I need 8 ducks for group training, I take 2 boxes out of the freezer.

We train with ducks partially frozen in the body, so thaw time is important.
With a 12-pack box, 18 hours of thaw time results in wings and necks thawed, body still partially frozen.

 

[Don Fischer]

I used to use frozen pigeon's for retrieving. Right on with the thaw the bird but I nly did it for about 1/2hr. wanted the body feather's and wings thawed but the body itself still hard. Discourages chomping down on the bird.

 

[okie archer]

I have been known to breast out hunted ducks and save the rest of duck for training purposes. I close the skin back together and can use tape to wrap around the body of duck. Makes the bird lighter and the breast meat is not wasted.

The summer heat is rough on training birds, especially once they get wet. A person can use bumpers on water training to extend use of training birds.

I usually just take birds right out of the freezer when I head out to train. Birds might only have about 15-30 minutes to thaw. When I get home I put them back in the freezer. This really extends the life of the training bird. When birds are almost to bad to use I use one more time to train in water before I pitch them.

Being a taxidermist sometimes clients bring in two birds and say just pick out the best one for the mount. This gives me a few extra training birds. You might check with a local taxidermist for extras. Also if you have any licensed waterfowl breeders close by they can legally gift you their dead birds with proper paperwork.

If a person gets desperate enough he can remove the wings off of training birds that are no longer good for training. Just a little work to remove the wing meat then can attach the wings to bumpers (wrap some tape around the wings on bumpers). This way at least you have some feathers and scent.