Calling Cocker Owners

[potshotpat]

DSC1. Deer Stalking Cocker 1. Has a ring about it. . There'll a course along shortly.

 

[Oracle]

I used to pick up with a guy who worked six cockers at once. A real joy to watch. Waiting for the end of a drive, his dogs, all patiently sitting alongside him, would all stand on their hind legs like Meerkats, tracking a wounded partridge screeching past overhead. I was new to training and working cockers at the time and asked what training he did with his dogs in the close season. He replied, heelwork, heelwork and more heelwork. He offered one more snippet of advice - if you’re running a cocker try & ensure both you and the dog are working in the same county

 

[Overlay]

thing with a cocker is they want to please and work hard for everything, my sprocket was ok after 10 years old as a stalking dog, they have so much enthusiasm and energy for the job, keep them to heel and quiet, they will find whatever you put them on, but at a speed and velocity you only find in a spaniel, enjoy the ride

 

[polester]

I stalk with my cocker. Wouldn't go out with out him, he indicates deer ,steady on the shot and then finds them. I get him to sit and wait as I stalk in as he whines sometimes when he see me mout the gun. Taken a long time to get him like this a more steady dog would have been easier but he's what I have. He goes beating on a sat and stalks on sun. Once in a lifetime dog I think

 

[Vinceford]

Take mine every time he's good as gold, A different story in a cover crop

 

[Devon Stalker]

Evening all,

Interested to hear from other cocker owners.

I have a 4 year old cocker that has been trained as a gundog. He is steady on a peg (for a cocker!) and has been great on our shooting syndicate.

I am keen to take him out with me in lowland stalking from next season.

Anyone have any advice? My main concern is that he is trained to smash through cover to flush birds so it might be a bit of a tall order to have him walk quietly by my side... Won't know until I try though

I have the same, our cocker is now 6 and when out walking (no shooting) in the woods I started to keep her at heel as a preamble to taking her stalking. A while on and she’s been super at keeping close in during a stalk. But if I was lining up a deer and a bunny popped out… I’m not so sure!

They are cleaver dogs and will soon learn they’re in a different situation. Give it a go, but perhaps without much chance of seeing bambi initially.
Good luck!
Ash

 

[ChesterP]

My little fella is 2 years old now and whilst I wouldn't have taken him stalking as a pup, he's settled down nicely and will walk to heel off the lead when I'm out with the rifle. He's bright as a button and cottons on quick to what you're doing. No trouble picking up scent and if tracking deer I sometimes just use a long training lead to make sure he doesn't run off but generally, off the lead, one whistle and he comes running straight back. Here, I introduced him to the East Lyn river on Exmoor recently (we were out looking for salmon). Once he spotted a fish, he was riveted to the river bank staring into the water and remained still unless told to move. The only minor problems I've had as once he's in the water, he can be a little sod to get back out!

 

[splash]

Mine walks to heal and sits when I stop, I take her rabbiting at fields that regularly have 80 plus rabbits in them at night with thermal and NV.
First time she met a rabbit she was 13 months old .
I always know she’s just behind me to one side, she’s not run in even though I use her to retrieve all the shot rabbits, this year will be ready for her first year stalking .
As said before heal work is very important ! Spaniels natural is to hunt and retrieve but as the handler you have to TRY and control that .
Only vice my cocker has is if someone is about ( eg landowner) who she isn’t familiar with she will give me a low growl as she’s not keen on strangers in the dark

 

[sikadog]

My lunatic will find deer no problem at all, the main thing I have trouble with is if the deer runs he would keep going until he found a fence he couldn't get through until then nothing in the world would make him give up the chase so he works on a long lead.

 

[sikadog]

Miffy on here had a little tiny cocker bitch called Meg that would take on live Sika stags and hold them at bay until he got near enough for a finishing shot, I bet she didn't weigh 25lb.

 

[Puds]

I wouldn’t dream of taking my older cocker as she’s a bit of a knob when she has to slow down & behave herself, and would ruin any attempts at enjoying the stalk.
I’m considering trying my younger one, as she’s coming on well with training (11 months old), and much less of a hooligan than her mother is.