point distance

[massman]

Why is it some dogs point from further away? I was watching a vid from bobs straight creek kennel(lewellyn) and his dogs seem to point from quite a distance from the bird. but i was watchin hunting with hank. and dash(lewellyn)seems to point with the bird only a few feet away. I know im new to this but it seems to me that it would be easier for the hunter to find the bird to flush it if the dog was pointing closer. Am I right?

 

[JeremyS]

Some of it could just be where the dog runs across the scent cone and goes on point. Some could be training and getting the dogs to hit point as soon as they hit scent, rather than moving until they pinpoint exactly where the bird is. (creeping) My preference is to not be too close to the bird as this could cause more bumped birds. I also don't want them so far away that it is difficult to find the bird to flush it. Mostly, I think as long as the dog has a good nose, it is just luck and where they hit the scent cone.

 

[SetterNut]

There are a lot of factors that play into how far off a bird a dog will point.
My two will point from a substantial distance. Scenting conditions, where the dog enters the scent cone,....... all play a roll.

When I start working with my dogs with birds in launchers, once they hit scent I expect them to stop. If they move I launch the bird. It doesn't take long before they are careful around birds.

It is amazing how far they can smell a bird. Smelly pigeons can and do get pointed from 50-70 yards without a problem.

This picture is of my 4 year old Ace on a pigeon. I am standing at the bird looking back at him on point. I am about 70 yards from him.

 

[oldandnew]

Tame or liberated birds are an issue as well. Savvy bird dogs know they can get closer to a pen raised bird. some don't point them, they just run and catch them and retrieve. I have had several who outgrew the pen raised birds after a year on wild birds. Absolutely flawless on wild birds, but the pennies were old hat.

 

[conobirds]

I have seen my PP point from as far away as 150 yards and as close as 1 yard.
He figures it out real quick on each hunt and sometime even on each bird.
What I mean is he finds the distance as close to the bird as possible with out causing a flush, on running pheasants he will work them to a point he has them pinned down.
So IMO the perfect distance for a dog to point, is as close as possible without causing a flush.
conobirds

 

[Uncle Buck]

My Pudelpointers generally point quite close. There are some differences as I have 5 adults, but the best on pheasant are often pointing two feet to inches. Beleive me my best dogs have those wild roosters frooze. As someone else noted, they are more likely to bust a pen raised then a wild bird. I have more trouble kicking them up than worrying about them flying before I get there.
On more open cover, most will have a "long nose" and when hunting chuks quail and huns the points will be much futher out. Depends on wind , cover species and finally the dog. . My princess "Mazzie" is not the best sharptail dog as she does bust some with her close pointing habits. If she's on pheasant tho you can move up as leisurely as you like as that bird's going nowhere.