setters

[westksbowhunter]

The Ryman dogs tend to be bigger dogs 55 lbs and up from the ones that I have seen, They are good looking classy dogs, that work fairly close, at a slower more methodical pace.


The Llewellins were the turn of the century field trial dogs. They tend to be smaller dogs compared to the Ryman dogs. My two are 40 and 45 lbs.
One of them is a relatively close working dog inside 150 yards, and one is a bigger running dog that can be several hundred yards out. But like most Llewellin Setters they both check in frequently.

My closer working dog Ace, is the easier dog to hunt pheasants with due to his shorter range, and he is older and more experienced. But Indy is a much better quail dog and trial prospect. With his speed and range when running with Ace, he finds way more birds.

If you look you will find some Llewellin blood in the good hunting and trial English Setters.

All Llewellin Setters are English Setters, but not all English Setters are Llewellin Setters.

Personally I would not call inside 150 close working. My Llewellens quartered like a springer. A gentlemens gundog if you will. When a dog is a couple of hundred yards away, they are hunting for themselves and not for you. How could you possibly be effective pheasant hunting with a dog that far away? A field trial is one thing or plantation hunting in Georgia. Not in western Kansas.

 

[mustistuff]

range

Personally I would not call inside 150 close working. My Llewellens quartered like a springer. A gentlemens gundog if you will. When a dog is a couple of hundred yards away, they are hunting for themselves and not for you. How could you possibly be effective pheasant hunting with a dog that far away? A field trial is one thing or plantation hunting in Georgia. Not in western Kansas.

in a real hunting situation the distance of how far should be left to the amount of cover available, i would guess that this year with limited cover that 150 yd. might be about right and if the cover were heavy, 150 yds. is often times a long way off, esp. for pheasants. in thin cover to have a dog close is just plain wrong, birds that are close you will get up yourself or because of the turmoil that both the hunter and the dog are creating, there wouldn't be any points anyway. one problem that seems to be always present is the ability of most people to trust the dog and understanding what little control the dog actually has when it comes to pheasants. in other words the pheasant will do just what it damn well pleases regardless of the dog's training or behavior. remember, the dog lacks the ability to make the bird to do anything it doesn't want to do. some days you just better be happy that you can go for a walk with you dog and trust it

cheers

 

[thornton]

... When a dog is a couple of hundred yards away, they are hunting for themselves and not for you. How could you possibly be effective pheasant hunting with a dog that far away? ...

How silly that comment is.
I have seen a setter hold a point at 300 yards until the owner slogged across a picked field in Kansas.... if the cover is right and the pheasant feels safe and is cooperative, which they can be, a point held well past Springer range is very effective.
And, as most clearly seen in the dog's eyes, dogs at ranges past a boot's knot are not automatically hunting for themselves.
They are hunting the birds and the cover both which....imo, is what they should be doing.

The "gentleman" comment is heard waaay too often in the grouse woods...so sad to hear that stuff here as well.

 

[edhammo59]

My first bird dog was a English Setter pup my wife picked out while I was gone deer hunting. She was an outstanding bird dog. Maybe I should let my wife pick out all my dogs!