Most popular breeds for pheasant
- Thread starter BO BOLT & JEWELL
- Start date
PTM
Active member
Lets make it scientific. Whichever wins is most popular since we all hunt pheasants right?:cheers:
BTW, you can vote for more than one breed if that's what you run.
That area in your pic flooded again if you took that photo today your pup would be swimming!
BO BOLT & JEWELL
New member
Out of curiiosity why are the springer so good with pheasant. That is one breed with which I have never hunted. Would love to watch one hunt one day.
quail hound
Moderator
:thumbsup:mnaj_springer
New member
Oh the reasons! Haha
Well, first off they work relentlessly and in gun range. They use their noses for both hot scent off the wind and they can trail runners with the best of them. And when they quarter, the zig zag pattern can confuse some birds ("he's coming, no he's going, no he's coming, hold, run, hold... oh shoot better fly). And on top of that, they are incredible retrievers. I think this combination makes them death on pheasants
quail hound
Moderator
I honestly expected labs to be winning by a landslide with GSP's coming in second in this poll.
Toad
Active member
Based on my experience in KS, those two breeds would be about the only ones in the race, with Brittany a distant third. Everything else would be "other", just based on the dog breeds I see.
I added votes for Brittany and GWP. Popularity never seems to strengthen a dog breed, so I'm perfectly happy if there is never a GWP or Brittany craze!
:cheers:
1pheas4
Moderator
AtTheMurph
Well-known member
I have had 3 bird dogs in my adult life. My dad had two Brittany's when I was younger, a red and white and a rare black and white.
My dogs have been a Weimaraner, a Vizsla and now a Braque Francais type Pyrenees.
The Braque is a French Pointer. He looks like a cross between a small English pointer and a GSP. The Braque I am told is a precursor to both the German and the English dogs.
As a pheasant dog all three had their own styles. The weim was more like a pointing lab. She was big (80lbs), strong, smart and I would bet would out retrieve any lab I ever hunted over.
The Vizsla had all day go and a great nose. He was also on the very large size for the typical dog at 70lbs. Strong as a bull but never liked the thick thorny stuff. The coat isn't thick enough on a Vizsla as they are bred more for open grass.
The Braque is a cool little dog. He's a pheasant machine. Works with me like a champ. Takes hand directions, listens and out points every dog he's ever been with by a wide margin. He's also a competitive little son-of-a-gun. Doesn't range too far, will hold a point forever and has that pointer look when he locks up.
He's also a joy in the house and gentle as a mouse.
I've hunted pheasants with friend's Labs. Where we hunt IN/IL/WI I have never been a fan. I get it in the Dakotas but we don't typically flush large numbers of birds out of big grass fields. The lab experiences I've had have been to watch the dog get birdy, take off and flush the bird well out of range.
Hunted over a number of GSP, GWPs, Setters and English Pointers. Like them all as I love the point. Nothing better to me than seeing a good bird dog lock up tight on a wily cock.
The flushers not so much for me.
My dogs have been a Weimaraner, a Vizsla and now a Braque Francais type Pyrenees.
The Braque is a French Pointer. He looks like a cross between a small English pointer and a GSP. The Braque I am told is a precursor to both the German and the English dogs.
As a pheasant dog all three had their own styles. The weim was more like a pointing lab. She was big (80lbs), strong, smart and I would bet would out retrieve any lab I ever hunted over.
The Vizsla had all day go and a great nose. He was also on the very large size for the typical dog at 70lbs. Strong as a bull but never liked the thick thorny stuff. The coat isn't thick enough on a Vizsla as they are bred more for open grass.
The Braque is a cool little dog. He's a pheasant machine. Works with me like a champ. Takes hand directions, listens and out points every dog he's ever been with by a wide margin. He's also a competitive little son-of-a-gun. Doesn't range too far, will hold a point forever and has that pointer look when he locks up.
He's also a joy in the house and gentle as a mouse.
I've hunted pheasants with friend's Labs. Where we hunt IN/IL/WI I have never been a fan. I get it in the Dakotas but we don't typically flush large numbers of birds out of big grass fields. The lab experiences I've had have been to watch the dog get birdy, take off and flush the bird well out of range.
Hunted over a number of GSP, GWPs, Setters and English Pointers. Like them all as I love the point. Nothing better to me than seeing a good bird dog lock up tight on a wily cock.
The flushers not so much for me.
birdshooter
Well-known member
I would probably concur. In the Pheaz belt, which is also a good chunk of the waterfowl belt, many hunters use labs for double duty for waterfowl and upland hunting.
Secondly, popularity goes hand in hand with the availability of good breeders thus lots of dogs to choose from. Let's face the Labrador retriever is the number one dog in AKC registrations. GSP's are similar although not quite to the same degree as Labs. Lots of good breeders throughout the country, not just the pheasant belt.
Lastly, Labs and GSP's are the most popular breeds you see at a game preserve or an outfitter where there is guiding. They get a chance to see these dogs in action and decide to get one for themselves.
Last edited:
small munsterlander owner
Banned
That's the american breeders my friend not all German breeds I agree gsp very Lil to no personality most times... I've met some pretty dull american Britt's most French Brits very loving?
ranchodeluxe
New member
Labs are like a Harley-Davidson, everybody has one and most of them are black.
PairOfLabs
Active member
Parker and Brady's feelings are hurt by the black comment. You can tell by their glazed expressions. Sorry, no good recent pics.
NC IA Tail Chaser
New member
Most Popular Pheasant Breed
I have owned many different breeds and had some really outstanding dogs in each. I currently have a 9 year old GSP and a 4 year old Lab. Out of all the breeds I have owned and trained I have to say the Lab was easiest to train. She is an above average hunter and retriever and she hunts with me and for me and is always trying to please me. She does things on her own that I have never trained her to do. She is so much fun to hunt with.
My GSP was not real difficult to train and she is an outstanding hunter with a nose that is unbelievable. However I never get the impression she is hunting with me or for me , it seems like I am hunting with her or for her. She hunts because it is in her DNA to hunt and she is always all business. She is never gets distracted and she never seems to care if what she does pleases me. I still praise her when she does a good job but she treats that like a distraction and it's back to work. Here is what I have to say about my GSP. If my family was starving and I could only take one dog out to get food for the table I wouldn't have to think about it I would take her every time.
I have owned many different breeds and had some really outstanding dogs in each. I currently have a 9 year old GSP and a 4 year old Lab. Out of all the breeds I have owned and trained I have to say the Lab was easiest to train. She is an above average hunter and retriever and she hunts with me and for me and is always trying to please me. She does things on her own that I have never trained her to do. She is so much fun to hunt with.
My GSP was not real difficult to train and she is an outstanding hunter with a nose that is unbelievable. However I never get the impression she is hunting with me or for me , it seems like I am hunting with her or for her. She hunts because it is in her DNA to hunt and she is always all business. She is never gets distracted and she never seems to care if what she does pleases me. I still praise her when she does a good job but she treats that like a distraction and it's back to work. Here is what I have to say about my GSP. If my family was starving and I could only take one dog out to get food for the table I wouldn't have to think about it I would take her every time.
ness
Member
Same here. Never seen a Springer hunt. Not really a big-time hunter, but it's all been Britts, GSPs and Labs for me. Mostly hunt alone now, and I have two Britts.
MinnHunter
Active member
I dont think it can be chosen by breed as much as individual dogs. I have seen stellar examples from many different breeds.