Pointer vs Flusher Poll

Which hunt style dog do you prefer.

  • Only have had flushers

  • Only have had pointers

  • Have owned both, prefer flushers

  • Have owned both, prefer pointers

  • Have owned both, but enjoy both

Results are only viewable after voting.
L

LittleBigHorn22

Well-known member
At the risk of blowing up another thread, I was curious on how many people prefer which type. But specifically want those who have had experience owning both. None of this "my buddies sister in-law's dog was bad so those dogs suck".
 
Does a Pointing Lab count towards "both" in the poll?
 
LC Smith said:
Does a Pointing Lab count towards "both" in the poll?
Click to expand...
Figured that would come up. I honestly haven't seen a pointing lab work so I can't say one way or the other. I'll leave it up to each person. If you consider your lab to be a pointer, that's fine. But I don't think it can be both. It either points or it flushes when it smells a bird. A hesitation before a flush is not a pointer, and releasing a dog off point to flush isn't a flusher.
 
LBH... I appreciate your view. I do have a Pointing Lab and consider him to be more pointer than flusher. When I was hunting in SD last season, the guide had a bunch of Labs running around and there was a distinct difference in how they hunted vs my boy. There was one time I wished I had fresh GoPro battery available because it was a text book perfect scenario. My boy had locked up on a bird at the edge of this field and was on point for a good 30-45 sec when one of the other Labs saw him, and I guess winded the bird, and charged through the area about a foot off the nose of my dog and flushed the bird. It was really cool to watch.
 
Not counting the dogs we had as kids, but every dog i have has as an adult has been a pointing breed. hunted over both for years and cannot begin to believe anyone would choose a flusher for upland hunting, at least in the areas that I hunt.

Plus that point - it's just so amazing that a dog would do that naturally.
 
Well, I haven’t owned a true pointing breed for very long but have had a few Goldens and Labs that pointed and would hold the birds. However, I won’t own a pointer that won’t flush the bird on my command. I am not going down a creek bank or walking 10 to 15 yards into thick cover to flush a bird.

Both dogs in avatar were pointers/flushers.
 
I own both and they each have their pros and cons. All a matter of the birds you are pursuing and style of hunting. Flushers, labs, are great in cover like cattails that is what they are built to hunt, not to mention waterfowling. Pointing breeds handle cattails well, but I've sloshed thru enough water to flush a pointed bird. Nothing better than watching a Britt or setter work the fields or woods and just slam onto a point. Have use my Britt for waterfowling as well, but they are not a guarantee like labs. I feel my Britt learned from my labs and I know my lab learned to point watching/hunting with my Britt and setter, to the point she knew the point beep on the collars and would sprint to flush the bird. I will never turn away dog that hunts!
 
I started with English Setters and Vislas.
I got beat many times solo hunting with a point in the middle of a huge cattail patch.
And I would get beat by late season wild running roosters.
And I would not shoot unless it was off a point, thus many wild sharptail and hun flushes were let go.
So I switched to labs and never looked back.
 
AtTheMurph said:
Not counting the dogs we had as kids, but every dog i have has as an adult has been a pointing breed. hunted over both for years and cannot begin to believe anyone would choose a flusher for upland hunting, at least in the areas that I hunt.

Plus that point - it's just so amazing that a dog would do that naturally.
Click to expand...
As someone who has hunted behind flushers for 40+ years, I will choose a flusher all day, any day and twice on Sunday !:)
 
I'm surprised the poll isn't
Flusher
Pointer
Versatile
Maybe it should be?
 
My first dog was a flusher, since then I've gone pointer (versatiles, if you will). I've ran them through all the NAVHDA tests, and hunt the hide off them. If you told me I HAD to go kill a rooster in western MN or eastern SD (where I hunt), I'd take my buddies incredibly well trained lab. I think they are the most effective in that area.

But I, personally, get very little joy from watching labs work vs pointers. I don't hunt because I need to eat, I hunt because it makes me happy

Throw in sharptail/huns/quail, and pointers take the cake.

And recovering dead game? German dogs FTW!
 
Once upon a time, I thought pointing dogs were where it was at. Now, it doesn’t matter to me, as long as it’s my dog is finding birds! I hunt with labs and probably wouldn’t hunt much if I didn’t run my own dogs. My older dog is a flusher and her body language tips me off when there’s a bird around. Makes me smile when her tail starts to spin. My younger lab flushes and points, depending on whether the bird is moving or sitting. She’s very athletic. I’ve seen her go from full speed to completely locked up sliding to a stop in a split second. Also makes me smile! I generally hunt with one of them at a time. They are full sisters one year a part in age. The older dog is a hunt test wash out who loves to hunt. I actually tried to give her away when she washed out. I’m so thankful that didn’t happen! The younger dog turned out to be a hunt test phenom and also hunts really well too. Looking to add to the pack in the next 6 months and will be happy with a lab that points, flushes or does both!
 
LC Smith said:
Does a Pointing Lab count towards "both" in the poll?
Click to expand...
I know there are trials for Labs and probably also Pointing Labs. But when it comes to most trials, like NSTRA, Pointing Labs are not considered a pointing breed and not allowed to participate.
 
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