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Anyone have any experience?

I'm thinking of trying my GSP this fall. The game bird situation in Viginia seems to be dismal, particularly in the SE part of the state. But the club I hunt in SW VA is loaded up with turkeys.

The process seems to be straight forward - find a flock, bust up the flock, then call them back in - but I'm sure it's not as simple as it sounds.

The dog has very good obedience, a good nose and instinct, and he's like a freight train going through the woods.

I know some guys that have used dogs for years. Mostly labs, but I don't think breed is as important as birdiness. The 2 biggest things they tell me are getting the dog to bark at the point of the scatter (because they usually run quite a distence in front of the dog and usually out of your sight)and getting them to sit still next to you while you try calling them back in. My one buddy use to put his dog in an oversized camo duffle bag (except for her head) until after the shot. Seems he tried just putting his leg over her but she would bolt after the bird at the shot and sometimes knock him over in the process.

There are two types of turkey hunting you can do with a dog.

The traditional way is that during the fall turkeys flock up and the only ways to hunt them is either ambush them or break up the flock in order to call them back in. A dog helps with scattering the flock by charging the birds there by scattering them. Then the hunter gets the dog to be still and generally covered by some camouflage the hunter will call back the birds. After having hunted waterfowl with GSPs and the inability of my dog a Vizla mix to sit still for long. I doubt a pointing breed would make a good at this method of hunting.

The second method is rarely practiced for whatever reason but it is better suited to the midwest. It goes like this, a hunter will spot a flock of turkeys in a field then he and his dog (pointer or flusher) will creep towards the flock. The dog then charges and scatters the flock. Then depending on the landscape the hunter might be positioned at a tree line and shoot the turkeys as they go to the trees to escape. Conversely if the turkey head to grass or such for escape cover they behave like can be hunted just like 20lb bobwhite quail.

I have personally have not hunted fall turkey with or with out a dog though I think I might try this fall.

Keeping him still is definitely going to be a problem and keeping him quiet is going to be even harder, especially if he sees or hears it close by. I'm thinking of trying one of those pop up blinds.

No doubt the GSP is the dog of choice. If its any thing like the one I had you can teach it to do anything.. Mine just seemed to read my mind..