Pointer vs. Flushers?

Flusher or Pointer

Which dog, I agree, depends on what type most of your hunting will be. I do most of mine in Kansas where the birds are fewer than the Dakotas. We need ranging dogs to find the birds and then point while we catch up. A flusher in those conditions will find fewer birds. But as others have said, where there are gobs of birds the issue isn't finding them, it's having shots in range and retrieving. A closer working dog is more useful in such circumstances.
 
Pointer vs Flusher

It's not really worth getting into a debate over and it's best to use what you enjoy most. Niether one is any good if not trained properly, and either will work good if they are, providing the dog has adequate natural talent. I've had mostly pointing breeds and have owned and used German Shorthair Pointers for the last 20 years. I had Setters but decided to try a Shorthair because I got tired of pulling and cutting burrs out of the coats. The shorthairs are really tough and durable and can run through the thickest briar patch and come out, shake a few times, and their clean. As far a pointers in standing corn, you don't want to hunt in large tracks of corn anyway, using pointers or flushers, unless it is striped down into a manageable size. Dog men are pretty loyal to their breeds and your not going to change anyone's opinion, so use and enjoy what you like.
 
Pointer vs. Flusher

I dont think that it will ever be said which style is more preferred based on ability because both styles have so many well recongnized breeds. What it really comes down to is what do you enjoy the most, at the end of the day do you want to go home and tell your friends and family about the awesome points your pointer put on or do you want to tell them about the startling flushes your flusher got for you. That is all up to you and your own likes and dislikes. I think that either of the styles has had some really amazing breeds and even individual dogs. Most of it comes down to what you grew up with since this is when you made most of your ideas up. I myself have a GSP but grew up with spaniels and GSPs both. There is nothing quite like the unexpected but the same can be said about a point to. I get the most of my enjoyment out of just watching the dog hunt and do what it loves and the way they seem to do it all for there owners is what i find so amazing. My dog is my best friend (dont tell my wife that) and at the end of the day when we are both tired that is all that matters two good friends enjoying something beautiful together. So in short get what makes you happy and be good to it and it will be good to you.
 
been out for a year on this

But I'll put my 2 cents worth, about 2 years i got a Brit and hunted him along with the springer I had the springer was well trained and went one way while the brit hunted on the other side. but whenthe brit went on point I'd yell at the springer and he'd catch the scent and flush it. This at least kept the stains out of my drawers and seemed to work until I had to retire the springer then the Brit gave me another year before the Big C set in and had to put him down. tThe only thing with the two was you could not put them in the same kennel. Good time
 
HUNTIN4FUN said:
I dont think that it will ever be said which style is more preferred based on ability because both styles have so many well recongnized breeds. What it really comes down to is what do you enjoy the most, at the end of the day do you want to go home and tell your friends and family about the awesome points your pointer put on or do you want to tell them about the startling flushes your flusher got for you. That is all up to you and your own likes and dislikes. I think that either of the styles has had some really amazing breeds and even individual dogs. Most of it comes down to what you grew up with since this is when you made most of your ideas up. I myself have a GSP but grew up with spaniels and GSPs both. There is nothing quite like the unexpected but the same can be said about a point to. I get the most of my enjoyment out of just watching the dog hunt and do what it loves and the way they seem to do it all for there owners is what i find so amazing. My dog is my best friend (dont tell my wife that) and at the end of the day when we are both tired that is all that matters two good friends enjoying something beautiful together. So in short get what makes you happy and be good to it and it will be good to you.
Click to expand...

I couldn't have said it better myself huntin4fun. I have had labs, and springers most of my life, and most currently a Vizsla. I have been happy with all the different styles and personalities, but what is most important...they were all great companions and friends first, but at the same time they were all great hunters. Nothing was more fun than watching all of them do what they love.
 
All I know is Pointer Owners are dog snobs!!... hey wait a minute I'm on my 4th generation Brittany... Dang! That means ME!:) 40 years ago I had a Lab buddy and a Brit buddy. I mostly hunted with the Lab buddy and enjoyed every minute and every bird. The day I went with my Brit buddy and shot a bird over point... I fell in love. Not casual kiss'm at the door love... but head over heels, life altering wedding bells love. I never looked back. I'm ashamed to say I held all flushers in disdain. Then about 4 yrs ago, another buddy bought a yeller lab and lived in MPLS and I being in No. Iowa felt obliged to invite him down. (We were both each others Best Man) This was his first dog and I didn't expect much. The man DID his homework and put in a ton of field time. Man oh Man!, Does he have a dog! Close working with a nose and a half. He was beautiful to watch... and he and the dog cleaned my clock that day. I am now a reformed sinner and I confess here and now on the alter of switch grass that I will no longer grimace :rolleyes: when those labs and springers jump out of the back of a truck. I swear.:thumbsup:
 
I like any dog that has drive and desire to please its handler. I hunt with an ESS. I enjoy watching the dog work the bird and flushing it. I also use my flusher as a non-slip retriever for early season duck hunting.
 
I have a Golden Retriever who works very close. She always stays within 15 yards. Its great, but their is something to be said for seeing a pointer hold a point and having the control of when that bird flushes.
 
First, I believe all dogs are awesome. You get back what you put in.

On pointing vs flushing and retreiving ... Why not have the best (or at least pretty darn good) of all worlds? You may want to do some research on pointing labs.

Check out the website americanpointinglab.com.

I know some people frown on a lab that points and say labs should only flush and retrieve, but if you can only have one dog, why not a dog that points, flushes (if needed), retrieves and can hunt in any weather.

I have a 16 month only pointing lab that I have trained extensively. Spent many many hours working with him. He retrieves like crazy, flushes runners and he points very well in training on planted birds.

He has yet to point a wild bird on his first two wild hunts, but I hope that is just because those birds are not holding. He does, however, still run down the runners and flush them, so I see him as a pointer, flusher and retriever.

I really like pointing and, if my dog does not ever point wild birds, then I will consider a GSH. Maybe I would have one of each.

By the way, if you do some research on GSH's, you will find that, much like the way some people (the dog snobs) frown on a lab that points, GSH's were also scorned back in the day (early 1900's), because they were not pure pointers - since they also retrieved.

Same story today with the pointing lab.
 
I hunt everything that flies or hops from Oct 1 to Feb 15 in Canada, so my go-to dog is a lab. She flushes birds. I suppose it depends where you hunt and for what, but I'm not really qualified to answer the flusher vs. pointer question - I've only ever hunted over a pointer once. It was pretty cool for sure! I have a question though, relating to Zbirdman's post. You mention that your lab flushed running birds. Mine does this too. What would you guys consider the "proper" behaviour for a flushing dog when it encounters a running bird. If the bird runs out of gun range without flushing should the dog be stopped (assuming that it WILL stop) until the gunners can catch up, or is the dog's job to get ON that bird as quickly as possible and get it in the air, even if that means a bird flushed out of range?
Thanks
-Croc
 
I purchased my first bird dog a couple of years ago and haven't looked back since. My brittany, Gauge, is now 2.5 years old and for all I know is doing great. Living in Colorado I don't do as much hunting as I'd like to, but it will be hard to convince me to by a different breed. I'm sure I have done things both right and wrong with him, but I have been completely satisfied. His nose is amazing and there's nothing like seeing him freeze only to have a big rooster explode out of the snow. He doesn't seem to get too far ahead of us, and loves to retrieve as well. We even got him into duck hunting this year. His smaller size makes traveling much easier.

I haven't had any experience with other kinds of dogs, so I guess I have no basis to judge him against other breeds. All I know is he loves to hunt and can't wait to get him out this weekend. There is no question he makes hunting more enjoyable.
 
Nothing Beats a Versitile Dog

Having hunted over my Brit for four seasons, I have really grown accustomed to a pointing style. This year we will be working on waterfowl for most of the summer (while also keeping sharp on upland). I find the versatile breeds to be fun, challenging and useful in most situations.

Gonna have to go with the versatile pointer here!

:cheers:
 
I love the Springers. We have had springers since the early 90's and figured I would never own anything else but when these two finally cash in their chips my body might convince me to try a pointer. Really any great hunting breed is a joy to watch. The setters and Munsterlanders are two breeds that I could see myself owning if I didn't go with another springer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top