Looking for setter for my first hunting dog
- Thread starter Cody
- Start date
UplandHntr
Well-known member
If cost is your concern you should hook up with the IL Bird Dog Rescue.
Prairie Drifter
Well-known member
Cody, setters can run from 30 pounds to 90 pounds. Their hair can go from 3/4 inches long to 7 inches long. Their range can vary from 45 yards to 2 miles. As part of your research, you need to formulate some parameters of what you expect from your dog and search for breeders that produce that type of dog consistently. If you've never hunted over a setter, maybe that should be part of your research. I wouldn't buy the same setter for hunting 90 foot wide filter strips for pheasants as I would for hunting mountainside chukars in Idaho. There is as much variability in the setter breed as there is between a lot of breeds. What I don't want is for you to expend your available $ for an animal you'll never be satisfied with. As a breeder, I have avoided the horseback All-age bloodlines because I know that a certain percentage of the pups may well display that kind of range and many of my clients would never be able to deal with that kind of dog. Far too many buyers choose their pup on some color characteristic or look with no concern for their personality or field propensity. I don't know you or know what you know, but it sounds to me like you're a bit away in your research from knowing what to ask to find the setter of your dreams. Make sure your research has a goal of satisfying that dream. Initial cost is irrelevant. The cost of the dog over 12-15 years will far outweigh it's puppy price. You might define affordable for us. Good quality pups will run from $350-$1000 or more. Price will not tell you what the end product will be. Parents do that.
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Highvoltage
Active member
The cost of the pup is a small start of your expenses! I suggest you know what you want, and don't cheap out on the cost of the pup you want. Remember it's a 10+ year commitment
Crossing shot
New member
My first dog was a horseback dog. Too young to know better. His range was too big. Spent the whole day looking for a needle in the haystack. Didn't have forums like this back then. I was always mad during hunting which was not fair to the dog.
I have had wide ranging dogs ever since, but they are always paired with close ranging dogs and the runners now have a GPS collar.
If you want to watch a setter work, you should probably find a closer working dog.
UplandHntr
Well-known member
just my humble opinion, you need to decide if you want a pointer or retriever, flusher. Youre kind of all over the place basing most of it on cost. There really are a lot of rescue groups out there who have dogs that will find birds. Google the breeds with rescue and I bet you get a lot of hits
Ranger Rick
Member
Offering my two cents, for what it's worth...
God bless people who take in rescue dogs. But every rescue I've met has been an absolute headcase and that takes a special person. Where setters are concerned, I've only met two who were mean. One was a rescue, the other a insane animal that should have received a bullet between the eyes.
As others have said, you absolutely need to do more research. I've been around English Setters my entire life. After the dog I grew up hunting behind left us, dad got a pup from people who breed field trial dogs. I'm glad I went away to college, as hunting with a dog that ranged out 1/4 mile was so far removed from what I grew up with. She ended up being kenneled and never hunted in the following years.
On my own I've had good foot shooting gun dogs of the Ryman/Hemlock type and these are the dogs I prefer.
And also as others have said, you will pay for a well breed dog up front, but the years you spend with it will be worth the investment. One of my brothers picked up a setter pup from the Humane Society when he was in the service. That was a 30 pound, wound up, run like a raped ape, they called Wheels. Also was gun shy and therefore never hunted.
I've given you several valid reasons and real life experiences to doing more research and not settling for something you'll later regret. Give it time and don't pull the trigger before you know what you're getting is the right thing for you.
God bless people who take in rescue dogs. But every rescue I've met has been an absolute headcase and that takes a special person. Where setters are concerned, I've only met two who were mean. One was a rescue, the other a insane animal that should have received a bullet between the eyes.
As others have said, you absolutely need to do more research. I've been around English Setters my entire life. After the dog I grew up hunting behind left us, dad got a pup from people who breed field trial dogs. I'm glad I went away to college, as hunting with a dog that ranged out 1/4 mile was so far removed from what I grew up with. She ended up being kenneled and never hunted in the following years.
On my own I've had good foot shooting gun dogs of the Ryman/Hemlock type and these are the dogs I prefer.
And also as others have said, you will pay for a well breed dog up front, but the years you spend with it will be worth the investment. One of my brothers picked up a setter pup from the Humane Society when he was in the service. That was a 30 pound, wound up, run like a raped ape, they called Wheels. Also was gun shy and therefore never hunted.
I've given you several valid reasons and real life experiences to doing more research and not settling for something you'll later regret. Give it time and don't pull the trigger before you know what you're getting is the right thing for you.
Thank you all for your help. I really like this forum. I trained dogs In the military so I understand what you all mean. And I won't go cheap if it's the right pup! I've been researching a lot and that helps me as much as talking to all of you. I'm new to pheasant hunting and I really love it and I'm trying to look for people to go with so I can see more dogs work. But from what I've been reading is that English or a gorden setter is a good hunting dog. that's why I'm asking all of you what would be a good starting dog! I also want to know about the different ranges and different filter strips. I no it depends on the person, I just need to get ideas from people cause it helps me decide. Thank you all again.
SetterNut
New member
There has been a lot of good advice here.
But another thing to consider in your selection process in what bird are you going to hunt, and in what area / cover.
Bob White Quail will stand for a dog a long time, pheasants on the other hand tend to run off if you are taking 10 minutes to get to your dog on point.
As far as Gordon vs Eng / Llew setters. I have had them all over the years.
In general it is easier to find a good Eng/Llew than a Gordon. But there great dog in both breeds.
In general there is a bigger variety in Eng / Llew ranges than Gordons, But you can find what you want in both breeds if you look hard enough.
It still come down to what and where you are hunting most of the time, and what you want in a dog.
But I think a really big running dog as a first dog is a mistake unless you live in a very big wide open area. For example hunting sharptail in Montana.
Its fun watching the dog work. Thats why I will always have a closer working dog to go with a bigger running.
But another thing to consider in your selection process in what bird are you going to hunt, and in what area / cover.
Bob White Quail will stand for a dog a long time, pheasants on the other hand tend to run off if you are taking 10 minutes to get to your dog on point.
As far as Gordon vs Eng / Llew setters. I have had them all over the years.
In general it is easier to find a good Eng/Llew than a Gordon. But there great dog in both breeds.
In general there is a bigger variety in Eng / Llew ranges than Gordons, But you can find what you want in both breeds if you look hard enough.
It still come down to what and where you are hunting most of the time, and what you want in a dog.
But I think a really big running dog as a first dog is a mistake unless you live in a very big wide open area. For example hunting sharptail in Montana.
Its fun watching the dog work. Thats why I will always have a closer working dog to go with a bigger running.
SetterNut
New member
That sounds like a reasonable plan... :thumbsup:
Prairie Drifter
Well-known member
Steve is versed in the Llew world and I'm not, so I'll leave that to him. For me, when selecting a "pheasant" type English setter I'd see two different directions to go. The first is Hemlock/Ryman breeding. These are larger dogs with a more level style. Many have exceptional capabilities with a lower RPM and more restricted range.
The second direction is to carefully look into trial backgrounded setters from grouse, walking shooting dog, or NSTRA bloodlines (or a mix thereof). I would want to stay away from horseback all-age bloodlines just because the tendency to run will be generally stronger. It's hard to hunt linear cover with such a runner on pheasants. Now, I'm not saying that these bloodlines can't run. My experience is that they adjust to the cover and to what the handler wants. Dogs that want to be with you and work with you are what you are looking for. It will need to be adaptable as the rabble rousing pheasant provides plenty of temptation. Size is hard to totally predict at 7 weeks of age. However whatever you get, look at the parents and judge from them on both capability and conformation.
The second direction is to carefully look into trial backgrounded setters from grouse, walking shooting dog, or NSTRA bloodlines (or a mix thereof). I would want to stay away from horseback all-age bloodlines just because the tendency to run will be generally stronger. It's hard to hunt linear cover with such a runner on pheasants. Now, I'm not saying that these bloodlines can't run. My experience is that they adjust to the cover and to what the handler wants. Dogs that want to be with you and work with you are what you are looking for. It will need to be adaptable as the rabble rousing pheasant provides plenty of temptation. Size is hard to totally predict at 7 weeks of age. However whatever you get, look at the parents and judge from them on both capability and conformation.
Highvoltage
Active member
If pheasents are your main target, I would be looking for a German Shorthair. They are much better at tracking runners, and usually a closer working dog.:thumbsup:
Thank you every one. And I got a question, what dose horseback mean? I will look at all the stuff every one is saying, i just want to make sure I pick the absulote perfect dog. What do people do during the off season to train your puppy to make sure that it is ready for season?