Maybe try to find some investors in your area and see if they'll let you tag along to view some properties and take notes or bird dog wholesale deals or fold mailers or lick stamps or whatever you can to be around the business.

Since I'm still very new I figure bird dogging in my spare time could be a good way to get my feet wet.

Setting all of that up is different topic.As investors get older, a bird in the hand is worth WAY more then 2 in the bush. 

I've used Bing Maps and did the "Birds Eye View".  

"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" as they say.I think ideally it might make sense to have an assistant to call people to let them know of receipt, status and to turn paper around if that's all that needs to happen to maintain professional courtesy.

It's like hiring a digital bird-dog, but the method of bird-dogging is online.

You might only make 10% for advanced bird-dogging, but certainly I've done several deals with individuals just getting started that bring me the deal, and I bring the cash and rehab experience.  

“Pets/animals” include, but is not limited to, both warm- and cold-blooded animals, such as dogs, cats, fish, rabbits, hamsters, rats, birds, snakes, lizards, and insects.Tenant agrees to pay immediately for any damage, loss, or expense caused by such pets/animals.If Landlord grants permission for keeping a pet, Tenant must sign a Pet Agreement addendum for each pet, which may require additional monthly rent and/or additional security deposits.

I have invested in Jackson and so far so good (only bought 12 months ago) but i think you need to do some more research surrounding debt and also the economies of scale that accompany debt when it comes to real estate.

@Dominique Coleman , I did one year as a bird-dog but I wish I would have become an agent right away to make the extra income.