American Shooting Journal – August 2019

58 American Shooting Journal // August 2019

ROAD HUNTER

58 American Shooting Journal // August 2019

Before the morning was over,

seven doves were on the ground. Kona

retrieved six of them. The doves that

fluttered on the ground after being shot

were easy for Kona to mark and fetch.

A couple retrieves saw me standing,

issuing and re-issuing hand signals,

whistles and verbal commands in order

to get Kona in position.

Not once did Kona drop a bird or

hesitate picking one up. Of course,

after every retrieve I praised him,

picked feathers from his lips and gave

him water. It worked, as he couldn’t

get back to hunting fast enough. Later

that fall Kona would retrieve valley

quail, blue and ruffed grouse, ducks

and geese.

PERSONALLY, I BELIEVE I have dove and

pigeon hunting to thank for the success

my dogs showed at an early age. Both

Kona and Echo had the genetics and

the drive, and I, fortunately, was able to

bring it out of them through consistent

• which I began doing at nine weeks
  of age – and introducing bird wings
  and bird skins tied to small bumpers,
  the dogs quickly learned to fetch and
  they learned restraint. They connected
  the dots, knowing that if they listened
  to whistle signals and followed hand
  commands, the reward would come.
  That first fall, Kona was too young
  to take part in Oregon’s brief band-
  tailed pigeon season, but the extended
  dove season offered him just the
  opportunity he needed to start hunting.
  Echo, on the other hand, retrieved
  dozens of pigeons and doves, on
  multiple hunts, in that, her second year.
  With September comes another
  dove and band-tailed pigeon season. I
  used to revel in September being the
  time I grabbed my bow and headed
  to multiple Western states in pursuit
  of bugling bull elk. Now, it’s the early
  season bird hunts I yearn for, where I
  can spend time with Echo and Kona,
  doing what we all love. 

Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott

Haugen’s series of popular hunting

books, visit scotthaugen.com. Scott is

host of The Hunt, on Amazon Prime.

Follow him on Instagram, Facebook

and Twitter.

training and exposing them to multiple

bird hunts.

By teaching both dogs hand signals

Doves are one of North

America’s widest-ranging

game birds, and can be great

starter hunts for your pup.

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