Any bird hunters? Which dog?

Used a Brittany for pheasants. Good dog ,trains easily, decent size, family friendly.
 
I'll let ya know how the Pointing Labrador Retriever experiment goes after this coming pheasant season!
 
I don't hunt over dogs. I don't have the patience to train them as much as I love 'em. My sister had a German Shorthair Pointer that was a wonderful dog. Big for a bird dog, but not as excitable as some of the spaniels. A vet near me hunts with them and has had good luck.
 
What kind of birds?

For pheasants, I'd avoid a pointer, at least where I am. They tend not to hold still for pointers around here. I've hunted over labs, springers, and pointers. Springers tend to get a little nutty (the ones I've been with), the pointers get frustrated because the birds like to run and/or flush wild. The labs hunt nice and close, and will go through/over/under ANYTHING to retrieve a downed bird. My 2c.
 
Weimaraners. I've started this to tell you why several times and am having a difficult time nailing it down. I've had all kinds of dogs, mutts, retrievers, Hounds and big running Pointers. A Weim is like having the best of all of the other breeds any types of dogs. They are biddable without being soft, intelligent, clean, very good with children and in my opinion one of the best looking animals of any species. I've had several at a time for maybe fifteen years now and I wouldn't have any other breed.

Traderdell
 
Does anyone have any experience with the wirehaired pointing griffon? Seems to be a jack of all trades, but I don't have any experience.
 
Which dog depends on a lot of factors.

For pheasant, I would probably get a german shorthair. Shorthairs like to fight, however.

For quail, an english pointer is the best, especially if the hunting is done over thousands of acres.

Any dog can be trained to be a "close in" or "far ranging" dog. I hunt with 15 other bird hunters (mainly quail, sometimes pheasant). 80% of the dogs are english pointers. 10% are german shorthairs. 5% are britannies.

I have had two brittanies. They are too tempramental for me. Their long coat is a problem if you hunt where there are cactus, etc.

Labrador retrievers can be trained to hunt upland birds, but labs don't have near the stamina of the pointing breeds. My dogs typically run 10-15 miles each day while hunting quail (a dog runs 3-5 times what you walk in the field).

Training a dog yourself is quite a chore. Consider getting a "rough trained" dog. These dogs are usually about 1 to 1.5 years old and have been trained for one season. They are proven hunters. I have made the mistake of getting a puppy and putting $1500 training into the pup, just to have the dog be gun-shy (one of the aforementioned brittanies). She is now someone's house pet...

Good luck and good hunting.
 
German Wirehaired Pointer named 'Derringer' ( Well he is a gun dog). We hunt upland birds together because we are much alike. Knuckleheaded and stubborn. He was a chore to train but what an honest friend. Still gets in the trash after 5 years and countless beating at the can. For a while I used mouse traps in the trash to keep him out but he figured that out and would tip the whole can over and pick carefully through it. Very intelligent dogs and great companions. Will hunt until he can't get in the truck by himself and had to be lifted in. He always rides up front with me not in kennel.

The Griffon is simmilar to the GWP and the Drathar.

Take a look at NAVHDA. They can help you find a breeder. My friend may have puppies left but they were whelped a few months ago.

Badge54
 
I hunted behind Golden Retrievers for 25 years, so I can't understand why anybody would want anything else. Ducks, geese,doves, and quail (and a few rabbits and a couple of redfish that I didn't even shoot heehee). I started training these dogs at age 10 with the help of two great books ( and the pressure of my father), "Gun Dog" and "Water Dog" (by Dick Volters I believe was the guy).My first Golden and I learned together, When she was three years old ,I hunted with a fellow who offered me his fancy shotgun for her by the end of the day.Needless to say, a 13 year old boy does not part with his dog for anything, plus my gun worked just fine. Training starts at 7 weeks old, and at one year you have great results and pride in a great hunting companion. I had several young dogs mature into champions in my opinion, took great direction and very obedient. Golden Retrievers are great dogs. I just don't have the experience to suggest any other breed for hunting, but I have seen some good Labs and Pointers.
 
I've hunted quail for 30 years. Used pointers for the last 20. English setters and Brits before that. All are wonderful, but in Texas in the heat, in big country, hunting out of machines, pointers have worked best for me. Loved them all, though.
 
My buddy used to have black labs and I watched him training some puppies. I used to get a kick out hearing him light off firecrackers at dinnertime to train them not to be gun shy.
 
I've been hunting pheasent with a Chocolate Lab for over 5 years. My dog does very well in the thick brush and tall grass here in Northern NJ. My buddy who has an English Setter and I trained our pups together. His dog points the birds and my dog goes in to flush after given the command. This system works out very well and our hunts have been very successful. When we hunt solo (me and my dog) he does just what he was taught...flush and retrieve.
 
Gotta agree with traderdell on his choice of Weimaraners. I've owned, hunted and bred champion Weims for 11 years. Awesome dogs... extremely intelligent, easy to train, stamina you wouldn't believe, as well as great family pets.

They're the original versitile hunting dog... they were bred to be the woodsman's all-purpose hunting dog (upland birds, waterfowl, big game) and companion.

AJ
 
Pointing Lab, but I don't get to do as much upland as I'd like -- I do more waterfowling. :)
 
I use my 8 year old yellow Lab named CASE. He has been a machine since he was just a pup, and I trained him myself. I take him with me when hunting ducks, dove, or squirrel. He won't leave my side until I give the command. I swear he knows what I'm thinking most of the time. :D


I really want to go pheasant hunting soon. I need to plan a trip.
 
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