As far as birds running out in front of the dogs, I am talking the long distant runners. The ones that won't let a dog within 1-200+ yards from him and they flush that far away if they run out of cover. They often do that with just people pushing them too, however there's pretty much no chance of a dog getting that kind of a bird cornered, no matter how good that dog is. I guess I could be wrong but I believe some educated birds can sense a dog actively tracking them, and act differently than they do when a person is just walking by. Maybe it has something to do with whatever wild dogs there are in China or wherever they originated from. I dunno but it is something I have come to believe after hunting them for so many years in so many places and situations.
You know, you're saying some pretty weird stuff. I have never seen a bird that would not let my dog within 100 yards of him. But even if such alert and skittish birds did exist, how are you going to get within shooting range? If the dog can't get up on them, you sure aren't.
I may be saying some weird stuff, but I suspect that is because I often hunt differently than most people, my way and the way that I prefer to do so. I have learned to not do what most people do, and not go where most people go. I often pheasant hunt the small, overlooked areas and hunt them by myself, which allows for different techniques than what tradition dictates. I have zero desire to push huge fields with multiple dogs and blockers at the end, even though that can be effective. I have done that, but just don't enjoy doing it that way.
I must confirm though: you've never seen a pheasant so pressured that it flushes 100+ yards out from you or your dog? I've on (somewhat rare) occasion seen birds flush 300 yards away before I even get out of the pickup. As far as getting within shooting range of those birds, that was exactly my point....it generally isn't going to happen. Quite often they run from you and then hold tight when the cover ends, but often enough they don't and flush when they hit the end of that cover, whether you're nearby or not. Maybe a dog could run a huge loop and get in front of the skittish bird and then push then it back towards you, but a dog that far out would probably be getting yelled at or zapped to work closer anyhow, for a pheasant dog at least. Some dogs are smart enough I have no doubt, but it'd also take a good handler to realize when that is happening and act appropriately.
"Jammed up in his LUNGS?" So the quills penetrated the skin and rib-cage and were into the LUNGS. I'm sorry but that is the most ridiculous thing I've heard in a long while. The only reason I can think of for you to say something like that is that the vet TOLD you the dog had quills into his lungs. But if so, that happened during the ride to the vet. Right after the encounter there would have been no quills far into muscle, but the barbs on the quills make them work in fast. This is why I tell people you better be ready to extract all the quills yourself, on the spot, because waiting until you can get to a vet may have a very bad result.
I did have a shorthair accidentally come down on a porcupine once while bounding through high grass. He had quills in his side, leg and foot, but those quills were all much, much easier to remove than ones in the mouth of a dog that has bitten a porcupine.
I've heard of cutting quills and even tried it once years ago when I was green at it. I don't do it now because it is a waste of time, and time is a very valuable commodity when you've got a dog with quills in it.
I was 12-13 and yes, just relaying what the vet had said. I don't remember a lot of the details. Maybe he landed more on his side and quills had a 50/50 chance of hitting a rib or not and missed the sternum. I dunno. We also didn't immediately realize what had happened because he kept working the thick cover for a little while, as it was a big cattail slough and keeping an eye on him just wasn't feasible. It didn't take long to realize something was wrong with him though. I am sure the quills did work their way deeper during that time as well as the ride to the vet, but have not really thought about that until now. The word "jammed" may not have been the best verb to use and I'll withdraw it, but then again when jumping and landing on something, who knows? He had no quills in his mouth or feet, IIRC. Only his chest/side.
I do find the quills are easier to pull if cut first, but maybe it is just me mentally thinking they're easier to yank out when done so. Maybe it also has something to do with back quills and tail quills being thicker and longer than head/belly/leg quills? Hell if I know. I do know porcupines piss me off and I kill every one that I see.
