When you know where the birds are placed, and you can watch the dog study the scent cone and the wind direction, you can get a good idea of how ready he is. Some trainers believe that dogs can tell the difference between wild and pen-raised birds, and that they won't treat them the same. Statler agrees, to a point. I think dogs can tell a difference with planted birds if they've been mishandled, or left in cage too long. If the guides handle and release the birds carefully, and the birds are well cared for, then they smell very much like wild birds.
Most preserves offer pheasants, quail, and chukars as their staples.
In choosing a bird for training, cost is one factor to consider. In terms of bird for the buck, quail would seem to be the best choice. Statler, however, likes chukars for training. They sit tight and fly well, and they're a bigger bird than quail, easier for the dog to scent and bigger to mouth on the retrieve, too. While buying birds at a preserve can get expensive in a hurry, sometimes there's a way around the cost.