I'm contructing blind stakes, mostly to make use of Gundogs great post about pattern blinds. What color would you recommend for the stake, ribbons, and so on for training? Should the stake be visible to the dog, invisible or changing as the dog progresses?
What color should 'blind' stakes be?
Snicklefritz
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I'm contructing blind stakes, mostly to make use of Gundogs great post about pattern blinds. What color would you recommend for the stake, ribbons, and so on for training? Should the stake be visible to the dog, invisible or changing as the dog progresses?
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Make them square with two contiguous white sides and the same for orange.
john
john
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What I've used in the past as my blind stakes has been old bowhunting arrows. Tie an orange ribbon on the fletching end and stick it in the ground! I also just bought some some reflective stakes that people use for marking ends of driveways in the winter time etc... They're 42" I believe and orange. I'll also simply tie some orange ribbon on vegetation as well.
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I'm like BIG DOG I use poles for Me.
Dogs are smart and sooner or later they learn to run to a pole. So use the white when doing pattern blinds but after you transition to cold blinds I'd try to use poles as little as possible. Unfortunately I'm color blind so the orange bumpers don't stick out very well for me so quite often I have to use a flourescent orange pole.
Boy being color blind really hurts in a hunt test blind but it is what it is. I make the judges identify it to me right before I run a blind in a hunt test as they usually don't use a pole.
I like to work my dog on at least one really long blind per session to maintain his drive (300 yards plus) and I can tell you exactly when he sees the pole. You'll see it too on yours. He kicks in the afterburners and grabs another gear when he sees it. The pole helps you but don't count on it in a hunt test or a FT.
Dogs are smart and sooner or later they learn to run to a pole. So use the white when doing pattern blinds but after you transition to cold blinds I'd try to use poles as little as possible. Unfortunately I'm color blind so the orange bumpers don't stick out very well for me so quite often I have to use a flourescent orange pole.
Boy being color blind really hurts in a hunt test blind but it is what it is. I make the judges identify it to me right before I run a blind in a hunt test as they usually don't use a pole.
I like to work my dog on at least one really long blind per session to maintain his drive (300 yards plus) and I can tell you exactly when he sees the pole. You'll see it too on yours. He kicks in the afterburners and grabs another gear when he sees it. The pole helps you but don't count on it in a hunt test or a FT.
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When my dogs get comfortable going to the pole, I will set up a dummy pole about 10 yards or so off line. This really throws them for a loop and teaches them to just listen to me and go where I tell them to.
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I have seen judges put out an orange pole, but put the duck 15 yards to the downwind side to see if a dog will handle off that stick. So we started training for that, and WOW, did I have a "pole focused" dog!
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When establishing pattern blinds I will hang a white 5 gallon bucket on top of the blind poles. After the dog learns my pattern blinds I remove the pole and bucket. For my all-age dogs I use orange poles, black poles and different colored ribbons occasionally just to teach the dogs to look for these things at the end of a blind.
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I use driveway markers with 4" round reflectors on the end of a yellow rod. They cost me $1.25 and I also tied a small piece of orange tape on them to help visability with a breeze. I ran 250 yard blinds today with no porbelms with visability.
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Starting with young dogs ,I like to start useing(identiflying objects to run towards/line up)Example; bushes,trees,fence post,etc..)Then do your wagonwheel drill.
Running tons of blinds in tons of places builds confidence.No crutches.Enforce: go,stop,come.Move up to simplify.
Don't correct for everything or you will create a fear of failure.,popping,bugging,no-goes.
IMHPO.
Sue
P.S.If I need them, I use orange blinds sticks cause my depth preception is bad.
Running tons of blinds in tons of places builds confidence.No crutches.Enforce: go,stop,come.Move up to simplify.
Don't correct for everything or you will create a fear of failure.,popping,bugging,no-goes.
IMHPO.
Sue
P.S.If I need them, I use orange blinds sticks cause my depth preception is bad.
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Jerry- your on to something there! As long as the lights and bells are going then I'd be able to really lock in on the blind. Unfortunately I found this winter that my depth perception is starting to go down hill as well.
Eye appointment on Tuesday regards,
Eye appointment on Tuesday regards,
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Well, there is certainly diversity of opinion, and a lot of great suggestions.
Thanks, and keep going if you like....
Thanks, and keep going if you like....
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I use orange poles for my edification when running training blinds(my glasses have Coke bottle bottoms for lenses). I wish I could get a couple fo old squad car bubble gum machines to really help me see the blinds, but it would be difficult toting the batteries out into the field.
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Whatever color YOU can see the best...nothing like handling a dog to the wrong destination.
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ORANGE.
WME & LABMAN are correct! Place the blinds several yards downwind of the pole.
WME & LABMAN are correct! Place the blinds several yards downwind of the pole.
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