How to Train - Equipment

BanGo was designed for the Shooter and Dog trainer. Both skills require practice and training if you want to compete at the championship level. The game, however, is designed for all different levels of competitors from the novice shooter and untrained puppy of any breed to the pro shooter and pro dog. The following overview provides the variations of skills and the training equipment required to meet your level of play.

Hunter Series - non competitive or competitive format - At the non competitive level, hunters and their dogs are usually playing for fun and trying to improve both their skills and their dog's skills as the day goes on. The natural ability of the dog will provide a level of success. Hunters may help the dogs in any way to allow a successful learning experience for the dog. Leashes can be used, rocks can be thrown, and training collars can be worn. The only mandatory skill required is safe gun handling and the ability to call your dog back. Of course competitive hunters with good shooting skills and a steady dog that requires no help will score higher than the non competitive hunter.

Open Series - These are tour competitors competing for sport, prestige, and money. Well-trained shooters and world-class trained dogs will compete to be the best in the world.

Recommended Shooting Training
Sporting clay training and shooting from a number of body positions including, laying down, sitting, under blinds, boats, etc. provide a great foundation. Also getting tuned up a few times in a BanGo training day really helps. Most tournaments have a 3-day training course using the commercial event throwing equipment.

Recommended Dog Training
Obedience training and basic retrieving are important. These skills can be best provided by using remote controlled BanGo launchers, manufactured by Bumper Boy. Products range from $139 to $3,800. These devices train the dog to mark the bird as well as many other skills. Advanced dogs will learn handling, blinds, breaking skills, and honoring.

BanGo Target Training
BanGo targets can be used on the portable launching systems for practice. Targets can be inflated with a portable hand pump and tie tools. This can be done but takes about 60 seconds per target to inflate. Commercial equipment reduces this process to about 15 seconds. A few shots are great to steady up your dog.

Open division

Shooting - In order to compete you have to be a great shot. Hunters that can put the bird down will have a big advantage. Most pro competitors will practice thousands of times at sporting clay and trap ranges. BanGo birds can be hard to hit, especially with multiple birds in the air.

Dog Work - The dog work in BanGo tournaments is like real hunting. It favors the hunting dog. The dog must see and mark multiple birds in the air at the same time. He must then take the straightest line to the bird in order to avoid distraction and minimize run time. The retrieves range from 30 to 70 yards (hunting distance) therefore there is no real advantage for retrievers trained to go 250 yards. Saying all that, you will have to have a well trained dog but do not waste time on training him to run 250 yards in a straight line. Smarter is better. Remote training equipment like the Bumper Boy portable series is the equipment of choice. Winning will require the same dog skills as a great shooters.

Champions are those competitors, shooters and dogs, which work together as a team. Both have to have the ability to bring in the money bird in any competition when the pressure is on.