How many??

It sounds like most just hunt 1 or 2, I can definitely see why 2 might be a good number but I can't imagine trying to watch 3. Some of you may say it's easy but for me I just can't imagine trying to watch 3.
Me and Maggie do pretty good but some day I might add another to train with Maggie.
 
I've found we find more birds than guys who only hunt 1. With that being said these are stocked birds in pa since the birds are no longer native and there could be variability in my dogs vs someone else's.
 
Miforester said:
I generally drop all four on the first area I hunt out west, just to burn off their energy. In the open prairie, it's not that chaotic, but can be. Generally run two at a time though. This past trip to Nebraska I ran all three frequently, rotating breaks as needed. In the grouse woods only run one at a time.

Pros - I think more noses on the ground more birds contact. Not all dogs scent equally and I have kids that show a dog on point downwind of bird and two running mere feet away unwind and never scent. I also think it can help cut off or pin running birds as one is tracking an the others are casting back from further out. Helps with cripple recovery too. The joy of seeing pointing and multiple dogs backing. Like running young inexperienced dogs with vets to build their confidence.

Cons - Expense of buying system that can handle 3 or 4 dogs. Chaos if dogs are not listening or just keeping track of them when running silent, GPS collars help that. Can lead to bumping birds. When dogs are birdie which one to follow, have had the issue of multiple dogs on point, I go to least steadiest first, then to next if they are still on point.

Just my two cents.
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Ditto
 
Wind River said:
A great bird dog does not need help. They just get it done, no distractions and all the credits.
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That’s not always true.

When we hunt with 5 guys our limit is 10 birds. In pa your gonna have to hunt a long time to find 10 birds. Unless you show up after the stock truck and no one else has hit the fields.
 
Pheasants are not native to NW WI. One dog, one gun, one flush, one shot and one retrieve. When I buy a pup I’m paying for a great nose. When you have a great dog, you will know it, they can do it all.
 
All our pheasants in NW WI are from the DNR or conservation clubs. No real wild naturally breeding pheasants anymore. That’s why we travel.
Lots of good people in the Midwest.
 
If I’m hopping spots I’ll rotate them where each dog gets 1.5 or 2 hrs off. Big spots of public land I just turn them loose together. I think they feed off of each others energy . The other day was a 10 plus mile day for me and they were spent at the end of it. The skim ice was hell on their feet.

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Dang, 10 miles before you got 3 roosters... or did you not get 3 in that walk? If there are that few birds, I think I would take a drive, and hunt where they have birds and let those few be. Or maybe there were there just crazy wild flushes in your 10 mile?
 
remy3424 said:
Dang, 10 miles before you got 3 roosters... or did you not get 3 in that walk? If there are that few birds, I think I would take a drive, and hunt where they have birds and let those few be. Or maybe there were there just crazy wild flushes in your 10 mile?
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Remy just like most things in life there are no guarantees in hunting. You’re a smart guy you know that. I think you are on here just to push buttons.
 
If it's a day trip I'll hunt both my vizslas at the same time. But then there are my two hunting buddies. They both have dogs, a lab and a WPG. Both those dogs stay much closer than mine so there is no real conflict. If all three of us are hunting, there will be 4 dogs on the ground.

On multi-day trips I'll put both of mine down on the first field each day and then alternate them after that.
 
For me I am thankful for every day I get to walk afield with my favorite hunting partner. She deserves to run free without a leash. If we get a shot or few all the better. If we connect and she gets to bring back her prize that’s even better yet. If we see nothing it’s still great to be out. If I was in it for the meat I’d probably hangout at Paul Nelson lodge or dead rabbit. My friends always ask me did you get your thousand dollar quail today. They know the time and money I spent and what I could be making. Same carries over to fishing. I have 2 boats. I spend hours on the water chasing fish. Most of the time I pitch them back to get bigger. If I want to eat fish I go out. I get the ten mile hike. Will come a day you can’t do it anymore and you will remember what great time you had following your best hunting partner
 
I have an English setter and a Pointing Lab. They hunt differently and do work together, but I find they each work better alone. I also enjoy it more, less to think about and I can just focus on the dog and how I want to work the field. It's also nice to not have both dogs on different birds and they always go opposite directions in those situations.
 
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