10 & 2 (Quartering) Drill for Pointers

 10 & 2 (Quartering) Drill for Pointers from Ben Garcia at Hideaway Kennels

Why practice the 10 & 2 (Quartering) Drill

The main idea behind a 10 & 2 (Quartering) drill for pointers is to get them to cover ground you are hunting efficiently. It also builds some predictability in your dog and provides your dog an expectation of your behavior it can anticipate when hunting. 

10 & 2 (Quartering) Drill for Pointers

1. Start the drill in an organized manner. I kennel all three of my dogs and then lead them out with a short lead to the starting platform. They know what is coming and what is expected. Ben Garcia of Hideaway Kennels has them well trained. I’m just reminding them what they learned.
2. Set the dog up on the place board to start. I don’t have a formal place board as you can tell from the video. As Ben will explain I have my knee just behind Charlie’s ribs and I’m petting him a lot. Ben says “Whoa” means we’re touching each other and everything is good. Once my dogs got comfortable with the knee pressed up against them they knew they could lean into it and they’d get pets. They were free to look around, but the feet had to stay still. If you watch closely you can see Charlie release some tension once my leg was up against him. 
   
   
   
3. If you don’t have land to work with, an empty soccer field or so works. 
4. Ben taps his dog’s head to release him from the place board and then works a zig-zag pattern down the field (see diagram). No need for hand signals or verbal commands. Maybe a “good boy” here and there—I might be a little excessive with my “good boys.”
5. When you get to the end of the zig-zag, give a “here” and a “whoa.” Let the whoa settle for about 30-40 seconds so the dog doesn’t develop an anticipation to move. 
6. “Heal” across the back of the field to a second-place board where you “whoa” again. When healing his collar should go past my knee. Charlie did this very well. At one point I got tied up with the lead and let it loose and he stayed right in position until the end when he tried to mount the board from my right instead of my left. Still, he did a good job. 
7. Follow the same path back to where you started. On
   the second pass add in a 1,2,3 drill. 
8. 1,2,3 Drill. Ben developed a 1,2,3 drill to help dogs learn the whoa position. 1-you pull straight up on the dog’s lead and say “whoa.” Take one step and then return to the dog. Do this again with 2 & 3 except you take 2 & 3 steps for a total of 3 whoa commands. Once your dog is proficient you can do this in the middle of the cones and not necessarily on the platform. 
9. Repeat up and down the field three times. 
10. When you end the drill do it in an orderly fashion. My dogs go to their kennels where they will get a treat. 

Link to Ben Garcia’s 10 & 2 Drill for Pointers video

Diagram of Ben’s 10 & 2 Drill for pointers. 

How to Assemble and Install a GroundHog Max

 How to Assemble and Install a GroundHog Max video

More notes on How to Assemble and Install a GroundHog Max

GroundHog Max

1. Disclaimer: Read the GroundHog Max instruction manual
   
   
   for actual guidance. These are only my thoughts.
2. The weight of the ATV and rider provides the digging force of the plow. No need to attach a weight. It is not a drag plow. 
3. Can use reverse if necessary, if you get yourself in a corner, but it won’t plow as well and puts some stress on your hitch.
4. Plows better in turns. The instructions recommend plowing in figure 8s or oblong circles. I plowed a Zamboni pattern.
5. If you need a hitch conversion kit get one from GroundHog Max. Aftermarket conversions void your warranty.
6. It is 21 inches wide so you’ll need to go over the land a couple times.  
7. If you own a Honda or Polaris you may need to buy a hitch kit. But don’t buy an aftermarket one it will invalidate your 90-day warranty.
8. Maintenance-free. Wipe down and spray with WD-40. I use gun oil or Rem oil. 
9. Discs don’t spin like a bicycle but will turn freely after some use.
10. Don’t use it on steep hills. With that said, on inclines, depending on your ATV, going uphill the plow will dig in deeper and downhill dig in shallower. You may have to go overland you plowed on the downhill a second time.
    
11. Avoid sharp turns on hills and plow vertically up and down hills, not across. 
12. Performance is somewhat dependent on the type of ground you plow. The harder compact ground isn’t going to come up like softer dirt. Going over the ground a second or third time should help. 
13. It will plow wetland, but you may need a disk scraper especially if it is clay. See manual. 
14. Transport mode (plow upside down) doesn’t work on every ATV. Some ATVs don’t have the clearance. It is recommended that you transport in those circumstances with the plow on the front or back rack of the ATV.
15. Don’t install the plow too low. If the axel is too low it can stress the hitch. I’m guilty of this. I started off too low. Start off too high and go lower if necessary. 
16. 
    It is recommended that you drive up on to a 4x4 or something similar (I use 4-inch bricks) and attach the plow so it just touches the ground. Then move assembly up two holes. Theoretically, when weighted, that should set the plow four inches into the dirt. 
17. Taller ramps make it harder to judge the correct height to install. However, once you have figured out which hole works for your ATV, you can mark the hole and install at any height. 
18. The narrow side goes forward. Plow cuts into the ground and then spreads the dirt with the scoops of the blades.
19. If you plow the same area you can leave the 4x4 or bricks at your food plot. 
20. Drive about 3-10 mph while plowing. Manual says 5 mph is optimum. I’ve gone faster-much faster. This is not an endorsement to go faster.
21. Install the plow on level ground.
22. When installing put ATV in park. Set brake. Chalk tires.