Did you know that we have some great recipes for pheasant over at gamebirdhunts.com.

This Thanksgiving why not try a tasty pheasant dish instead of the same old roasted turkey.

One of my favorite pheasant recipes:

Smoked Pheasant Recipe

Prep Time:  1 hour   |   Cooking Time:  3 1/2 Hours   |   Servings: 6


Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. of Thick Sliced Bacon
3 Pheasant


Brine:
1/2 Cup of Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup of Pickling Salt
1 can of unsweetened Apple Juice (46 oz)
1/4 Cup of Olive Oil
2 Tsp. Sage
2 Tsp. Thyme
2 Tsp. Liquid Smoke
Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Once mixed, place equal part of the brine into three Ziploc bags.  Place one whole pheasant (preferably skin on) and insure the bird stays completely covered. Remove all air from the bags.  Refrigerate for 12-24 hours.


Stuffing:
1 lbs. Country Sausage (BelAir Meat Counter) OR Spicy Pork


Stuffing:
1 Pound Country Sausage (BelAir Meat Counter) Or spicy pork sausage ½ Red Bell Pepper ½ Yellow Bell Pepper
5 Red Pearl Onions
4 Clove of Garlic
3 Stocks of Celery
1 Stick of Butter
Chop up peppers, onions, celery, and garlic. Heat a large skillet and melt the butter careful not to burn the butter. Place peppers, onions, celery, and garlic in the hot butter and fry until tender. Then brown the sausage in with the peppers, onions, celery, and garlic. Do not over cook the sausage.
When the pheasant is done marinating fill the cavity completely full with the stuffing.


Smoking:After birds are stuffed, tie the bird’s legs and wings up close to the bird.
Wrap the entire bird with bacon using toothpicks to hold the bacon in place.
Smoke for about 2 ½ hours using hickory chips the entire time.


Baking:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a broiler pan, cover the bottom of the pan with water and add 2 tsp of liquid smoke to the water. Place the birds on the top grate of the broiler pan and cover all with tin foil.
Bake for approx 45 min. remove tin foil and bacon and cook until the bird is done and golden brown. Spoon out the stuffing and serve it on the side.
This meal is to die for.


Caution:Stuffing should never be left in the bird. Care is to be taken when handling any fowl. Always insure the bird is completely done using a meat thermometer. (170 Degrees)

Hi everyone, I know this blog is really focused on pheasant hunting but for any of you that chase whitetail from time to time I wanted to share one of my favorite resources:  Deer Hunting Tips from the gang over at Foremost Hunting has some great nuts and bolts articles on how to bag big trophy bucks.  If you chase deer check out the page.

As you learned in the previous socialization article (Hunting Dog Socialization 101), socialization is crucial to your dog’s training. In the simplest of terms, socialization is introducing your dog to new people, places, and experiences. This process teaches your dog to be comfortable and confident in new situations. The socialization process begins the very first day the dog is in your home. The first article detailed the best way to start socialization within your home. Here we will look at introducing your dog to new places and people.


Regardless of what you will be showing your puppy, it is very important that you not allow the dog to become scared or hurt. This will negatively color the socialization process, which can be difficult to undo. A puppy that has adequately bonded with you should feel comfortable with most new situations as long as you are nearby. You have developed a trusting relationship where the dog should be able to trust you to protect him. This next step of socialization cannot happen effectively if this relationship has not been built.

It is natural for a dog to be curious about new places. You should certainly encourage this, as long as it is proper and legal. Be aware of any safety issues as you bring your dog to new places, and look into local laws regarding leashes. If possible, the dog should be able to explore freely, off-lead, in many areas. Even if your area has strict leash laws, it is likely there are areas that are created for unleashed dogs. Allow the dog to take rides in the vehicle with you, even if you are just running a quick errand. Take the dog with you to parks, lakes, woods, and friends’ homes. Dog parks are ideal in that they expose puppies to other dogs and to other human owners. Be aware of his reaction these situations and be ready to intervene if the puppy is acting inappropriately. As for other humans, kindly ask them not to offer your dog treats. In this stage, it is important that you are the only person in charge.

You should always remain in firm control, keeping the dog safe and secure. In a situation where the dog leaves your side to explore, call him back every so often and reward his obedience. In this you are building the trusting relationship where you are in control, but still encouraging his natural curiosity.

Beginning commands can be taught as you are building this relationship and teaching socialization. Between eight and twelve weeks old, the dog should be able to learn the basics like: no, sit, come, heel, and stay. Early training will ensure the success of later, more specified hunting training.

In a puppy’s life, nearly every moment holds potential for training. It will take concentrated effort, but your time and energy will be well worth it when the time comes for more in-depth training. At that point, the dog will be obedient, receptive, and ready to learn.

Long before you can tackle the art of training your hunting dog, you will start the necessary process of socialization. In a nutshell, socialization is introducing the dog to new people, places, things, and experiences in an effort to help the dog adjust to new situations well. We have all seen the dog that become skittish whenever you enter a new environment. The goal of socialization is too avoid behavior changes that accompany new places or events and build your dog’s confidence. It also establishes a foundation upon which all other training will build. In the end, this process will have created a companion that can roll with the punches on and off the hunt.

Bringing Home Puppy

Your brand new puppy will arrive to your home excited, but wary. More than likely the pup will feel out of sorts and lost. However, most puppies quickly realize your home holds new adventures. Keeping a close eye, allow the dog to explore his new surroundings. Keep in mind that puppies can be destructive (in many ways), so it is important to take precautions with valuables. Also, although you will be watching, keep a bit of distance to allow the dog to experience the surroundings without your constant shadow. The puppy will return to you soon enough, at which point you should shower him with love and affection. Any attention should be calm; stick with back or head rubs and using his name while you are petting. At this point, playing competitive games (like a tug of war) or rough-housing is not recommended, simply because it can send a message to the pup that you are buddies on equal footing, instead of establishing you as the boss.

Going Outside

In the outdoors, give the pup plenty of freedom to explore, as long as it is safe. Allow him to explore as you watch from a distance. Right away, you can begin using his name and calling to him to come. If he obeys, reward him with a small treat, and then allow him to return to his exploration.

Puppy Place

Your new puppy needs to have a space that he knows is his. It may be a crate in the home or a kennel of some sort outdoors. It should be a place where the dog feels safe and secure. It should not be a place where the dog is sent after misbehavior, but instead it should be associated with good things. Many owners choose to feed puppies within the crate for this very reason. It is important to train the dog to sleep at night within the crate. Whining should not be rewarded with your attention, as it teaches the dog to whine again whenever he wants or needs something. It is certainly not easy to listen to the whining, but it should last just a few nights before he realizes the whining will not work.

Introducing the Family

Your family needs to know the process of socializing and training the pup. It is very important that they expect the same behavior from the dog as you do. In most cases, misbehavior can be followed by a calm, but firm “NO.” At some point, you or a family member may be tempted to yell, but this can often confuse a dog and make them more excitable. Also, hunting dogs will need to become comfortable with loud noises, so do not clap or use other loud noises in discipline. Instead, grab the skin between his shoulders and lightly shake the dog. This motion is uncomfortable enough to be unpleasant to the dog, but does not hurt him or make him afraid.

Introducing Your Puppy To Hunting

Crate Training A New Puppy

How to Choose a Gundog Puppy From a Litter

Training Your Hunting Dogs and Kids

Retriever Puppy Training Tips

Picture for a moment an NFL football player in March or April. Although he is not in the height of his season, regularly working with the team to improve plays and build stamina, he cannot afford to be stagnant. Athletes depend on their bodies to continually succeed, so they must train consistently, even when games and events aren’t regularly scheduled.

The same can be said of your hunting dog. Although you are not depending on his prowess during the lazy days of summer, it is still important to maintain your dog’s level of fitness and ability. You cannot expect the dog to jump back into the game without any maintenance of the dog’s skills. Your dog is an athlete who works strenuously to please you during the hunt. And the simple truth is this: it takes more than a week or two before bird season to maintain the level of skill necessary for a successful hunting experience. There is nothing worse on the first day of the hunt than having a dog full of a year’s worth of enthusiasm and only an hour or two of stamina.

Hunting can be tiring for us, but we are not literally running all day long, as are our hunting dogs. The dog enjoys this work, but it is still demanding on his heart and lungs. His muscles should be toned and ready for exertion. Another important thing is that your dog maintains tough pads on his feet. His feet should be able to physically withstand hours of running on rough and unpredictable ground. These are all things that can be maintained with mild, but consistent workouts consisting of runs, retrievals, and basic drills.

Another issue to consider is the dog’s exposure to climate control. If your dog resides in an air-conditioned home for the spring/summer/early fall, exposure to hard work in an uncontrolled climate can take its toll on the dog. The first day of the hunt has the potential to be quite warm or quite cold, depending on the area, and your dog should be prepared to work in that climate. It is not ideal to leave the dog outside all summer either, but consistent exposure to the outdoors will help to prepare him for hunting season.

Worse yet, the sudden exertion on the part of a dog that has been allowed to be lazy for 9 months can cause debilitating injuries. Muscles, tendons, and ligaments can be damaged if they are suddenly overused. Hunting dogs have such a desire and passion for the sport that they will actually hurt themselves in their enthusiasm. This can lead to a disappointing hunting season with your best hunting buddy out of commission.

An unfit, unprepared hunting dog reflects poorly on his owner. It is as if you have “put away” the dog during the off-season, much like you put away your orange vest. Spend a night or two each week during the off-season to exercise and condition your dog for the future hunt. Increase this time as the hunt approaches, adding drills, swimming, roading, and retrieving.

The better we as humans eat, the better our bodies function. We can avoid excessive sickness, weight gain, and fatigue, among other things, if we are eating well. As the saying goes, “Garbage in, garbage out.” The same can be said of our hunting dogs. If you are expecting optimum performance from your dog, you should be providing the best diet possible. This does not mean you should spend more on your dog’s food than your own, it simply means that you should be cognizant of the ingredients within your dog’s food and make changes where necessary.

Dog Food

The first ingredient in your dog’s bag of food should be chicken or lamb (or it could be a pricier meat like buffalo, duck, or salmon). Meat byproducts are often found in lesser quality foods, which signify the use of any number of extra pieces of the animal that were not able to be used in the grocery store for human consumption. There should be at least 20% protein in the dog’s food, supplied by the highest quality meat ingredients you can afford. Along with this, the food should have about 10% fat. Beware of fillers. Corn is a common ingredient in dog food, but is very difficult for dogs to digest and fills their stomach so there is less room for more nutritious foods. In some packaged dog foods, oatmeal is used as a filler; oatmeal is much friendlier to your dog’s digestive system and therefore a much better choice. Some manufacturers are responding to the needs of healthier ingredients and have begun adding fruits and vegetables, which will also help round your dog’s diet.

Quantity

Depending on your dog’s level of activity, the quantity of food you are serving him or her will change. During a high-activity time, the body’s demand for calories to burn will be higher, necessitating more food. On the other hand, if it is the off-season and the dog is spending a lot of time resting and napping the quantity of food you supply should be less. However, cold weather requires more food than summer temperatures (up to 50% more).

Water

The consumption of water is vastly important to your dog’s health. Water aids in the digestion and absorption of food, as well as regulating the dog’s internal body temperature. Toxins and waste are carried away from the body with water. Just for survival, the dog needs at least 2 ml of water for every pound the dog weighs each day.

Boost

For a dog that is in need of an additional boost of energy or if they are recovering from injury or sickness, you can add a boost to their diet with just a few ingredients. Boil chicken or liver until done, then put in the food processor or mash it well. Add about ½ cup to the dog’s regular food. Other additions can be: a raw egg, ½ cup yogurt or cottage cheese, and salmon oil (or other fish oil).

Benefits

A quality, well-balanced diet leads to energy, well-developed muscles, a thick coat, and insulation against cold weather. Less illness will plague your dog and injuries can even heal more quickly if your dog is well fed.

I had the opportunity to hit the pheasant fields with Andy Walton from Hillside Springs Hunt Club and his deaf dog Snowball.  Here is a short video story from the event.  Enjoy!

We’ve all been around them. We’ve all been annoyed by them. We all hope we won’t have one ourselves. A dog who barks incessantly can be problematic in the home and in the hunting terrain. The causes can be varied, but an overactive barker can infuriate and exasperate you and anyone around you.

Reacting in anger often results in yelling at the dog. But yelling reinforces the behavior and can make the dog feel that you are joining in the action. By reacting to the barking, you are often rewarding the behavior and therefore encouraging it. Even a negative reaction is giving attention to the barking.

Here are a few tips for working through barking issues:

1. First of all, it is much easier to solve a barking problem in a puppy than a full-grown dog. If a dog has been living and working while maintaining a high level of barking all of his life, it will be a much harder habit to break. Be realistic in your expectations and realize that it could take weeks to re-train your dog in this area. During this time, confine the dog to a place where he will not bother others so much, if necessary. If you need to leave the dog in the house alone, you may want to turn on a TV or radio to help block out outside noises that will incite more barking. You may also wish to turn off the telephone ringer and doorbell if these create barking problems.

2. Second, investigate the cause of the barking. There are countless reasons a dog may bark too much. Whether it is boredom or the threat of danger or excitement over seeing a friend, it is important that you recognize the triggers that set off a barking spree. If you suspect the barking is a result of boredom, loneliness, frustration, or fear, you may be able to remove the cause of the problem. Stopping to sit with the dog quietly or providing a chew toy can often break the cycle of incessant barking. It is also possible that your dog is in need of a change in scenery. Take the dog for a long walk or play a game with him to break a barking cycle. Although you will never be able to remove every annoyance, there are certain things that you can overcome.

3. Help the dog relax. When the dog is particularly loud, pull him aside and sit next to him, scratching his favorite spot or petting his head while saying calm and soothing words. This can be particularly effective if your dog is barking too much in the vehicle or home and you are close. If the dog is outdoors and there are continual distractions or triggers for barking, you will probably have to remove him from the situation before the barking can cease.

4. Develop an easy command that you consistently use. Because dogs do not inherently know whether barking is good or bad, it is your job to train them. When the dog barks to notify you of a stranger or an unfamiliar sound, go to the dog and praise him for notifying you. After the praise, say a simple, “Stop barking.” A firm, even-toned voice will communicate your calm and help to calm the dog. At the same moment as the command, hold a special food treat in front of the dog’s nose. Most dogs will stop barking immediately at the sight (and smell) of the treat. Before delivering the treat, praise the dog for ceasing to bark thereby encouraging her to remain quiet. The next time you repeat these actions, wait a few more quiet seconds before delivering the treat. If there is any barking after you deliver the command, scold the dog immediately.

5. Use a spray bottle filled with water. If the dog cannot relax and the command is not working alone, use the command in conjunction with the spray bottle. A squirt to the face followed by a quick and firm, “Stop barking” will associate the bad behavior (barking) with an unpleasant consequence (water).

Additional Resources:

Gun Dog Training Articles
Training A Dog Not To Bark

Retriever Puppy Training Tips

If your hunting dog has developed a barking habit, getting it to stop is not going to be easy. However, you can speed up the process if you know some fundamental strategies to controlling dog barking. When a dog has been allowed to learn some of the negative habits that contribute to dog barking, getting it to stop is going to require reconditioning it. It should be noted that it is nearly impossible to get a hunting dog to stop barking completely, and this is not even necessary. With the proper training, a hunting dog will be able to stop barking on your command.

• Warning – the dog perceives some type of danger or threat. This is often accompanied by growling.
• Excitement – dogs will often bark with enthusiasm when they are excited by some one or something.
• Anxiety – dogs that have separation anxiety have a high pitched bark that is like a whine.
• Boredom – the dog has pent up energy from not being exercised or is bored from a lack of contact with people or other dogs.
• Attention Seeking – dogs will bark to get attention, this can be a more high pitched bark or a whining as well.
• Communication – dogs in the neighborhood bark to each other to communicate and this is a common reason why dogs bark while outside.