Quote Originally Posted by chamokane View Post
I don't know what your hunting grounds are like or what type of game birds you have the most of, but if you don't need a dog that hunts real wide, you might consider a Britney Spaniel. There are some pretty small ones and I have seen some good ones.
Wow, I did not even consider a Britney Spaniel! I bet that would do the trick nicely. I have loved flying shortwings from the fist since I was a kid, and I like close intimate slips... So perhaps a Brit is the dog fpor my family. Weimerieners will always have a special place in my heart because of the good times I had running those dogs for Hansen Kennels, and I was thinking of a Wiemy first of all, or a Visla, perhaps a GSP, but I must admit that the Britneys were unfairly left off my list.

I love to watch other folks work longwings and I think of longwinging as the pinnacle of falconry, but I do not want one for myself. I still talk about birds I have seen in sky trials like other folks talk about their favorite major league sports heroes. Kinda weird, huh?

I don't know of a book that specifically addresses training a pointing dog for falconry, but I would think there must be one. I think any method that produces a dog that is steady to wing and shot would be fine.
Then I should be in good shape. Tom Hansen, his brother Gordie, and Tom's son Nick, all taught me as well or better than anyone else who runs Wiemies at Trials could have ever done. (Tom Hansen's dogs have won more championships than anyone has a right to ever win.) Still will keep my eyes peeled for a book though.

As for what game I have around here, well I have only moved to California's Central Coast a little over a year ago, but I have been looking around, and so far I have seen a whole lot of California quail, and doves galore. I here that there is plenty of duck about half an hour or less up the highway from where I am at and I am excited about that, as Ducks were uncommon in the desert were I lived previously.

Pheasant, Grouse, and such, I am not sure about having enough numbers locally available for me to plan on hunting regularly, but I am still unsure as yet because I have yet to properly tap into the local hunting community. ( To date, I have spent all my free time getting set finacially and time wise for a hawk...but I have gained permission at several good size farms to hunt pest birds and mammals to my heart's content, and Quail + Doves in limited numbers.)

Mammal wise, we seem to have more than our fair sare of squirrels, raccoons, skunks and cottontails. Seemingly in that order. I do not like the Idea of hunting squirrel at all, even though they seem to be ridiculously abundant(like sparrows in a McDonald's parking lot!) and the Red tails seem to eat them as a staple. I have not seen a Jack in all the time I have been here and I do not think they are very prevalent but I guess I could be wrong.

I have been trying to locate local falconers but so far I have been unsuccessful. I will be sending in my membership renewal to the Cal Hawking Club and the club's updated roster should be a big help in that department. Once I get in touch with the locals, then I will have a better idea of just what game is escaping my notice.

My sincerest thanks for all the outstanding advice. it means a lot.