Bummer coming 6 months of feeding bird dogs & no hunting

Starting to have withdrawals thoughts thinking about 6 mos of feeding sad dogs yearning for the hunt. No getting around it and it will pass sooner or later.

This is the time of the year that you can really bond/connect with your animal. Personally, I turn my dogs out of their runs and I go to the patio just to talk and love on the dogs. They look forward to it every day. It has been amazing how this practice aids in the field during the season of the dog listening to you and seeming to understand what you are saying to him and performing admirably for you.

I once stretched my season to 8 to 9 months a year with NSTRA. It's not that way anymore in my area. Most of our trials are now during hunting season, and none near me. I gave trials in the pasture across from my house in early May for several years. I really miss the longer trial season.

This would be something to fill up a little time;

May 5-6 2014 - ABHA/NBHA Walking Field Trial, Brazos Bottom FTC Club, Boyd Ranch, Wortham TX

Yep, one more day of guiding Sunday at High Brass in Hugo and then its call in the dogs and put out the fire till Oct.

These are always fun to watch if you have a horse. Plus your dog has to be steady to wing and shot. I am not sure that many of our hunting dogs are. I know mine are not.

I'm glad that NBHA and ABHA is finally realizing that there is not enough room for both in Texas. I ran my two dogs in a ABHA trial several years ago. Neither was steady. I ran in the amateur. I was told that for the amateur that judgment ended at flush. The gallery consisted of horses, four wheelers, and UTVs.

Maybe I should look into having a NSTRA gathering at my place this time of year. They asked me last year if I had any interest and I was afraid they would flatten my cover. Having one now would not hurt me. I think Iwill go to the one coming up in Wills Point and might evcen take a dog or two.

Just finished a three day run with a husband and wife from Rockport who camped in their RV and did 24 birds each day with their Spaniel and said they had a blast.

Thanks for the idea Bill.

shooterwalter

This time of year really is depressing for huntin' birds.

All I do is connect with my dog and hope he comes out with a better performance every year. I hate this time of year with a passion, honestly.

I don't mind the break, its the hot humid weather that comes with it.
I'm always ready for a weekend to just kick back, by the time the season ends. Around mid June I'll start missing the hunting season.

I lived in Georgia where year-round dog training with banned birds was legal at designated state owned land. Why not here in Texas?

It is legal in Texas, if you have a preserve license on a piece of property, and have banded the birds. It just gets to hot to get much training done.

I take my dogs squirrel, rabbit, and turkey hunting. I also take them fishing.

Too hot is a relevant thing. I guess you never hunted AZ Gambel's quail in early October. The day usually starts out a bit cool @ 65 and tends to heat up to 95 by mid-afternoon. Important to change-out dogs after every quail chasing hike, and keep them cool both inside and out.

I don't think it's just the temperature but the humidity as well.

I dove hunt with mine, the temperature and humidity are both still high in September.
You can still train over the summer, I just get to the fields at daylight.

Yes I have heard talk about many factors affecting bird dogs, Temperature, Humidty, grass groth, wind speed, wind direction, pollen count, pressure to go fishing etc. All I know for sure is me and my girls want to keep on going.

Nothing wrong with running them, and putting out a bird or two.
It would just be hard, with this crazy weather to plan any hunts in advance.