Flusher/Pointer Question

HollowWatcher said:
In my opinion there is no better bird dog for pheasant than a English Springer Spaniel..it's what they are born to do! I would take a real close look at them if I were you but I am bias but for good reason! They will answer all your questions for you!
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Yep! I have a springer and a pointer, but a springer is THE pheasant dog. :10sign:
 
I have setters and springers and can honestly save that the springers put more pheasants in the bag by 3 or 4 to 1. The setters sure are fun to watch run though, when you can see them
 
I have friends who consider "the point" to be the most important part of the experience. To them, it doesn't matter that my Springer produces more birds.

On the other hand, I find the typical "point, relocate, point,...." to be tedious compared to the spaniel's" slash & dash, drive into the scent cone & send a pissed off rooster into the air" technique.

I also enjoy the kind of shot presented by a flushing dog, it's much more rewarding. I've made the effort over the years to become a pretty good shotgunner so a pointed rooster flushing at my feet isn't much more challenging than shooting one from a tree. A covey of quail or a ruffed grouse is a different story of course, that's where a pointing dog is in his element.

It's all a totally individual preference of course; I don't expect I'll never get my pointing dog friends to see things my way. In fact, they claim that when I get older & my knees & reflexes give out, I'll become one of them.
 
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sloth5202 said:
Have any of you flusher guys had a dog that barks when he's hot on the trail?

My older dog started doing this a while ago... it doesn't seem to make much of difference either way because I can tell by reading his body language and intensity when he's on a bird but that is a sure sign when I can't see him in cattails.
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I've seen it a couple times with English Cockers. It's genetic & effectively bars them from a successful Field Trial career but if you could find a "wash out" like that, it would make a fine hunting dog.

I sometimes put a bell on my Springers in tall cover & if the sound goes away, I hustle in the direction I heard it last because it means he's on a runner & a flush is about to happen.
 
Nimrod said:
I have friends who consider "the point" to be the most important part of the experience. To them, it doesn't matter that my Springer produces more birds.

On the other hand, I find the typical "point, relocate, point,...." to be tedious compared to the spaniel's" slash & dash, drive into the scent cone & send a pissed off rooster into the air" technique.

I also enjoy the kind of shot presented by a flushing dog, it's much more rewarding. I've made the effort over the years to become a pretty good shotgunner so a pointed rooster flushing at my feet isn't much more challenging than shooting one from a tree. A covey of quail or a ruffed grouse is a different story of course, that's where a pointing dog is in his element.

It's all a totally individual preference of course; I don't expect I'll never get my pointing dog friends to see things my way. In fact, they claim that when I get older & my knees & reflexes give out, I'll become one of them.
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My thoughts exactly. I actually grew up a pointer guy. My dad had them so I thought that was my destiny. I hunted with a guy that had an awesome lab when I was twenty five or so. After that I was done. I have owned many through the years.
 
sloth5202 said:
Have any of you flusher guys had a dog that barks when he's hot on the trail?

My older dog started doing this a while ago... it doesn't seem to make much of difference either way because I can tell by reading his body language and intensity when he's on a bird but that is a sure sign when I can't see him in cattails.
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I had a GSP that would yip when it was on a running rooster. Some people might think it would make every bird in the field flush but her yipping would actually get many birds to stop running on hold.
 
Nimrod said:
I've seen it a couple times with English Cockers. It's genetic & effectively bars them from a successful Field Trial career but if you could find a "wash out" like that, it would make a fine hunting dog.

I sometimes put a bell on my Springers in tall cover & if the sound goes away, I hustle in the direction I heard it last because it means he's on a runner & a flush is about to happen.
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My 3 year old ECS doesn't bark but he whines after birds flush and we miss our shots. Never had a dog shame me before...He hunts like crazy after the flush and lets out a few whines of excited disappointment. Crazy, but he hunts very well and couldn't be happier with his performance...now my performance is another story. :p
 
It's all personal preference. I had Springer and Labs for the first 25 years. Loved the Springers. Then 20 years ago I got a Brittany. There is just something about the point. When the dog slams a point hard. I love it. While I will always have a fondness for Springers I could never go back to a flushing dog. And I'll put my Brittany up against any flushing dog for producing the most birds. FCSpringer saw her in action a week ago.
 
Pointer-Flusher

I do most of my hunting alone, and I'm close to 60, so I have a pointer. I just don't have the HP anymore to group hunt behind flushers on all day hunts. I just got back from SD and the first three days we I hunted in a group of four with two flushers. The pace almost killed me. Lucky I had the last seven days by myself or I would have had the big one.I like to mozy hunt and I stop all the time and let my dog hunt around me. Regardless of what type of dog a person hunts, I wish I could at some point have two dogs and see if they would work together on those running roosters out there. Two dogs would be heaven.
 
The two dog thing is what i'm excited for, next year is going to be awesome...this year is a training year for the 6 month old...but the 3 year old gets it and is a great bird dog...so training the young one gives me confidence...i've done it well once myself I can do it again! The times I've had them out in the field together was exciting to watch them work together and solo.
 
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