# tower shoot???



## Golden Gibby (Jan 8, 2011)

Check out this link it also has a video. I would guess this will explain it better than I can.

Tower/European Shoot - Milford Hills

I have never been to one but it looks busy. I saw the responses on the RTF site and it sounds like be ready for anything.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

A few friends of mine have gone, they have one in south FL if you can believe it. 
They said it was literally raining pheasants, the dog would run out and have about five birds to choose from within 20 feet to bring back and half the time the dog would have to dodge a falling bird on the way back. They said if you want this as a training opportunity forget it! LOL They also about got one of their dogs shot at one, the people shooting are not exactly worried about the dogs.
I'm sure my dogs would love it but it sounds like chaos which is not my thing 
Maybe this one is an anomaly though.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

It can be fun but it can also be a pain in the butt. Who the dogs and handlers are makes all the difference. Good handlers with dogs that are under control can make it a great time. Add a few ill mannered out of control dogs and it becomes a disaster waiting to happen.


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

Brandy and Tucker both participated in a tower shoot years ago. That was the day Tucker caught his first pheasant out of mid air! Brandy had a heck of a good time retrieving. Ours was very well organized. They released the birds, everyone shot, then guns were lowered and dogs were allowed to retrieve before the next release.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Why don't you try watching one first? That's what I did. You have to know what your territory is, when to send the dog, which birds to let go (yes, it happens), be prepared for rude handlers, and don't forget that you have a golden. My experience is that the goldens frequently will go into cover that the other breeds avoid. A friend of mine will frequently let her dogs hunt the thick cover and she finds several birds that the others have missed. Also, work on some of your memory---you may want to mark some birds and send Tito for them when there is a lull in the shooting. And get lots of photos. Here are some photos I took at three different shoots.
http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h391/JumpingJohn-3/8.jpg
http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h391/JumpingJohn-3/12.jpg
http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h391/JumpingJohn-3/14-1.jpg


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

thanks for the replies!!
I do think it will be safe and well run, because Dan is running it. He's pretty strict not only about safety but about the dogs running. Most of the dogs will be his own dogs, the others dogs trained by him. Chaos is not my thing, either, and with Tito just teetering on the brink of running good blinds I don't want to do anything to mess that up.
GDGLI, great photos!! Proud dogs! They're sort of a rare event around here, so I don't think I'll have the opportunity to go watch one before this one (Thanksgiving weekend). But you are for sure right about the thick cover, that's Tito's favorite place to be. Nothing he loves more than heading into thick cover, the thicker the better, hoping for a bird.
I think we may go!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

oh, forgot to say, we will be a pick-up team, not a shooting team. This will make the event safer for all (no gun in my hands, lol).


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## boomers_dawn (Sep 20, 2009)

Dog heaven!

I think Anney pretty much nailed the description.

In my experience, it works out best if all handlers pre-arrange who is going to stand where, and clearly define which quadrants or areas each team will be responsible for. The one I usually go to has someone who organizes and tells us. Sometimes more than one bird falls at once in the same area, but after everything is over, they let us loose to comb through and pick up, that is more organized and safe than everyone's dogs running all over the place at the same time.

If it doesn't seem that organized or considerate, maybe just ask Dan where you and Tito should stand and which area your team should cover.

Safety first. 
Bring shooting glasses in case you're near enough the shooters that you get "rained" on. If people are shooting all over the place, I would leave. In my personal opinion, a bunch of dogs running around chasing the same birds is not safe. I would probably leave if I thought my dog might be in danger of fighting over birds.

It can be good steady training. 

I'm sure Tito is very obedient and steady but if my dog were unsteady and out of control I would skip it. If steady was a problem, I would probably skip it. Doesn't seem worth it to undo steady. I sure would hate to have to fight steady problems. 

I would never go to one of these without a necker.

It doesn't sound like you will have to worry about safety too much, so I hope you have a fun and safe time !!! Let us know ...


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## boomers_dawn (Sep 20, 2009)

I forgot, sometimes at the end they let you take home birds, tastes like chicken!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Thanks for the great reply Dawn, but what in the world is a necker???
Tito is very steady, but I am thinking I will bring a slip line anyway just until I can be POSITIVE that he's going to be steady enough. 
Now we hope for good weather, too


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

hotel4dogs said:


> Thanks for the great reply Dawn, but what in the world is a necker???
> Tito is very steady, but I am thinking I will bring a slip line anyway just until I can be POSITIVE that he's going to be steady enough.
> Now we hope for good weather, too


You are going to have to kill cripples. The necker I think is the Fowl Necker, a tool to help you kill the bird. Unless you want to throttle the bird you have to break its neck.


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

I wondered about that too! Thanks for educating us! When I first read it, I thought it was another term for collar. I didn't guess that one too well!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

you mean you don't just hold it by the head and spin it in circles  ??


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

That's what I have always done. A necker sounds a little faster though.


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## hollyk (Feb 21, 2009)

Hope you will have your video camera with you.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

hotel4dogs said:


> you mean you don't just hold it by the head and spin it in circles  ??


I didn't know if you had the courage to do it. You do know what happens if it is "overdone".:yuck:


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I always let Dan do it.....


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

gdgli said:


> I didn't know if you had the courage to do it. You do know what happens if it is "overdone".:yuck:


Especially with pigeons!! WEEEEEEEEEE!!!!


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

hotel4dogs said:


> I always let Dan do it.....



It sounds like you need to be initiated with the secret blood ritual.:--big_grin:


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

gdgli said:


> I didn't know if you had the courage to do it. You do know what happens if it is "overdone".:yuck:


I'm not sure I should even ask, but what happens?


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Dan says, "you can be such a GIRL sometimes"



gdgli said:


> It sounds like you need to be initiated with the secret blood ritual.:--big_grin:


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

Sunrise said:


> I'm not sure I should even ask, but what happens?


 
Ever hear the saying, you're left holding the bag? Well replace bag with head...Great Halloween stuff right there. :yuck:


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