a semi-nice suprise

althrey · a semi-nice suprise

got a phone call today offering me some ex-layer pheasants to progress training on pointing, only problem that i had the option of them today or not at all.
as yet i have no pen to keep them in and they are in a stable, convieniently where the dogs can while away the hours squatted infront of the door. as i planned to build the pen this weekend anyway i shall just be a bit more pro-actuive and get up early and get it done quick.

i have an action plan of sorts of how to use them, but i was wondering if and how any of you go about starting out.

T

sako75

althrey

my plan is to use them as caged game for pointing and eventuially flushing practice/refinement. i am fortunate enopugh to have access to plently of decent land for finding wild(er) bird, but usually when we find it happens to be in the most awkward place possible, generally resulting in whatever what there disspearing by me crashing through the undergrowth, or the dog decided he isnt going to wait anylong (though i cant honstly say i've had a fully solid point for me to get close enough to work with.
as for my set up. as far as my plan goes i will be putting together a small pen in the fields, fenced off from the dogs as they do get the run of it for some added exercise (though not everyday) then usuing a shopping basket to set up points depending on wind directions etc.
im hoping this makes some sense, and is logical.
cheers,
T

BritAnnie

What a great idea - shopping baskets. I'd never have thought of that. Which superstore has good ones - they all seem to be plastic round here except ASDA - how do you get them off the premises?

althrey

that is my next problem, i think i may have to try just legging it with one. either that or fashion my own using weldmesh.

Greyghost

I managed to keep one of the shopping crates that Mr Tesco delivered, it just sort of stayed in the kitchen whilst the others were by the door. Rolling Eyes

They may be a bit too bit for your purpose though.

elptb

I'm a sunday deli girl in Tesco, they have wire shopping baskets, hmmm I wonder if they'd notice a few going missing...... Twisted Evil

Linda W

Why not ask if they have any broken ones? The handles tend to have bits of plastic that break, so they are left with a wire basket that they can't let the GP use under safety rules (now, don't go finding ones that you can accidently break....... Wink

)

BritAnnie

Now THAT is smart thinking Wink

- real 'out of the box' stuff. Rolling Eyes

Are you good at logic and sudoku puzzles? Question

Ghilliegumdrop

If you pile your shopping into the basket and just walk out with it they don't usually stop you....if they do just give your apologies and say you were taking your shopping to the car Exclamation

They make great hanging baskets Wink

DesO'Neile

A bit of weld mesh and cable ties would be favourite for a DIY cage. Don't forget a base so the bird's feet aren't caught and damaged. You can even make it into a bird "Releaser" (Not a launcher) by use of a big elastic band.

guy

I have heard shopping trolleys make the basis of a great car crate. the flap to allow them to nest doesn't need much modification to make a door.

windem bang

Tesco shopping trolleys can, without modification , be used for putting shopping in.

Bill T.

windem bang

P.S. -- or so my wife tells me ! Laughing

Bill T.

guy

I am rarely allowed to go shopping on my own - something about bringing back to many of the wrong types of thing - something about I don't pay enough house keeping. Or was that do enough housework - wasn't really listening properly, sure to be repeated in the future though.

johnhod

What's a Tesco?

althrey

des, can you explain how to utilise an elastic band to make a release trap, and also what you class as and the difference between a releaser and a launcher??
thanks
T

althrey

eas way to get out of house work, consistantly do a poor job, eventually it becomes less of a chore doing it than it is asking you to do it.
Very Happy

Greyghost

DesO'Neile

A releaser does just that lets the bird go, it doesn't launch the bird into the air. The bird may fly or it may simply sit in the cage or even just walk a few feet, especially if you are using game birds.
To make the cage into a releaser you orientate the cage so that one of the sides is on the ground with the door/flap now one of the vertical sides, the hinge mechanism on the ground so that when the door is open it is flat on the ground. You make the lid out of some solid material and you put a small slot in it and make the fastening out of a metal ring that fits through the slot and is held in place by a split pin. You can easily attach a piece of fishing line to the split pin so that you can removed it at a distance. You attach the elastic band/bands to the lid and peg the other end of the elastic to the ground so that when the split pin is removed the door flies open.

A releaser avoids the noise and movement associated with a launcher which can startle young dogs. Ideally you would release the bird before your dog had pointed, makes the whole thing more natural.

Mike

Althrey, whilst not specifically to the design Des has outlined there is a thread here that details one specific type of releaser.

http://workinghprs.myfastforum.org/ftopic1752-0.php

althrey

thanks mike, i remember reading that thread a while ago, but could not find it as i looked back through the topics. i dont think i could afford to buy or have the ingenuity(??) to create something like that. i'll go with nice and simple elastic bands.
and thanks Des for the explanation.

T