I didn't hunt with cutter the first fall I had him , but I went out with him every chance I had to get out that first winter. We didn't have alot of snow that year so it wasn't to stressful to chase them around. If they couldn't get to the ground to scratch we didn't go out. But that first winter chasing them was a big help in teaching cutter what we was trying to do. Getting him to break them up was the easy part, getting him to sit still without a blind while i called was a little harder. I talked to Marlin and he told me it would be better if i could hunt without the blind so cutter would experience the whole hunt not only break them up but sit still and listen for them to call back and come in . This will be cutter 's fourth season and i noticed last year that he heard them coming in before I did. Although we got a couple birds his first year we hunted we scared more away than we got . I carry camafladge netting with stakes that I set up in sometimes but each set up is different and sometimes you don't have the time. Just going out in the woods and sitting down with your dog and have it sit with you while you call will help alot. I always have cutter sit between my legs with his head up by my crotch so he never in danger of getting muzzle blasted from my gun. And to tell the truth he didn't like the gun going off at first. But after the first couple times he knows now that when dad shoots he gets to go get a floppin bird. I sit with him on a lead that is around my waist and hooked to him that only leaves him about a foot of leash, so now when I shoot I have to unhook him pretty quick or i will be eating dirt.