springer or brittnay

P

pheasent89

New member
Cant decide which dog to get a springer or a brittany . I do 99% pheasant hunting in a preserve.like 20-25 times a year and 5 times on state game lands. I like both but cant decide and would like some opinions
 
britt

well if i had to choose from those two breeds it would def be the britt i had a liver and white one once dang good dog most britts have a natural retrieve i repeat most check out mom and dad if they were natural more than likely your dog will to good luck your turn bobey.
 
What is easier to train ? Being I never trained a hunting dog I currently hunt with a good friend who has a GREAT lab who is not steady to wing and shot but stays close with a great nose who was luckily not trained at all really and does great. So I am not to concerned with steadiness if it was a springer . I love britts but have no experience hunting with them let alone training one . But I do love spaniels so thats why my choices are between the 2. My only problem with a britt may be that I did hunt last year twice with a guy with a GSP and sometimes the the dog would be on a dead lock point in a hedge row and the cockbird would fly out 40 plus yards ahead because it ran and being I do 99% pheasant hunting that is a little concern


THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL INPUT
 
pheasent89,

Maybe I can help you. I had Springers for over 20 years and then got my first Brittany 14 years ago. Both great breeds and I love both. But after having a Brittany (a pointing breed) I could never go back to a Springer. There is just something about a dog locking up on point with a big rooster sitting right under it's nose. Both breeds hunt in much the same manner so it really boils down to whether you want a flusher or a pointer.

Both make great pets and house dogs. BUT, be careful in selecting a pup. There are some good and bad in both breeds, as there is I guess in any breed. I have seen dogs of both breeds that were hyper and totally off the charts. Buy from a reputable breeder that breeds for both hunting and temperment. I would pass on a "backyard" breeder. If you go with a Springer make sure it's out of hunting stock as there are almost two different breeds within the breed. Hunting and show. Make sure you do your homework in selecting a breed, a breeder and a pup.

Where are you located? Please add your location to your profile. Myself or someone else on this site might be able to steer you to a good breeder and a good pup.

Zeb
 
I cannot speak to the Brit, but as a Springer owner I would have to sat that it is a great breed. I agree with some earlier posts that the breeder makes all the difference. You should just decide if you want a flusher or pointer and go from there. I love my Springer, he is a great bird dog and a terffic family dog.
 
flushing ditch parrot

89 thats pheasant huntingi got a ep and he has pointed hundreds of birds just cant stop those cagey roosters sounds to me that dog you were talking about that was pointing was doing a good job!
 
89,

Another suggestion would be for you to hunt over both a Springer and a Brittany a few times. See what you like the best. If we just knew where you were located we might be able arrange that for you.
 
Brit or ESS?

Let me admit my bias. I am a Brittany owner and lover. With that said, there is a big difference in the way Brittanies and ESSs hunt. The ESS is required to stay close so that when it does its job -- flushing -- the bird is well within gun range. The Brittany ranges, covering a larger area, some out of gun range which is fine because when it finds the bird it locks on point and you can take your sweet time walking -- or running at top speed if you prefer -- to the dog. You hunt many days a season and so I am guessing you often hunt alone. That being the case, the Brit will cover MUCH more ground for you than the ESS, saving you wear and tear on your legs and feet. When you walk a line with a Brit ahead of you, the dog covers a wide swath, maybe more than 100 yards wide under ideal into-the-breeze conditions. When I hunt alone on flat ground, I let the dog go as far as 100 yards away so long as I can see him, greatly increasing my chances of finding a bird in a big field. A Brit will reset its point and keep resetting or follow a moving bird. They aggressively grab active wounded birds and are easy to train, very biddable. They need very little training actually. Brittanies love people and make great house dogs. However, they are very unhappy kenneled outside. They need to be in the house with their masters and family. Great security barkers too.

As with ESSs, there are show Brittanies and field Brittanies. Show Brittanies can be no taller than 20.5 inches at the shoulder and weigh no more than 40 pounds. A dog at that limit or above is better for the heavy cover encountered in upland hunting.

Whatever breed you get, you'll be a happier, more effective hunter and a happier person having a nice dog as your companion and partner in and out of the field.
 
Last edited:
I disagree with Britchaser, on him saying Brittany's don't like kennels. I have had Britts for 40 years or more and they all have loved their outside kennel. If they are trained as a young pup, the outside kennel is the place to be during the day. They accept it. My current Britt, asks to let out day or night and he goes into his kennel. I leave the gate open for him. I don't have to say a word, he likes it out there........Bob
 
Springer vs Britt

In my humble opinion, a flushing dog will always be more effective at producing a limit of roosters. With that being said, I will hunt all day to shoot just a couple birds over good solid points. The effectiveness of a pointing dog will be affected by the weather and how educated the birds are. If you are hunting predominantly on game farms, then a pointing dog should work nicely as these birds will be much more cooperative for a pointing dog than wild birds will be.

I have the luxury of having both flushers and pointing dogs to hunt with. When I go out I typically load up 6-8 dogs and use flushers in the thick weed choked draws and my pointing dogs in the wide open CRP fields.

In my opinion, buy your wife some flowers and come home with one of each!

Regards,

Travis
 
I am located in s.e.Pa. Being I do mainly 99% pheasant hunting I was just curious on thoughts (what dog) . I was not putting a pointer down by no means
 
Like I said in my previous post, I still think that the best thing for you to do is hunt a few times over each breed. It would seem that the people at the preserves that you hunt could steer you to some people that have both Springers and Brittanys. It still boils down to whether you want a pointer or a flusher, and hunting behind each should help you make that decision.
 
Best Solution

progundog said:
In my humble opinion, a flushing dog will always be more effective at producing a limit of roosters. With that being said, I will hunt all day to shoot just a couple birds over good solid points. The effectiveness of a pointing dog will be affected by the weather and how educated the birds are. If you are hunting predominantly on game farms, then a pointing dog should work nicely as these birds will be much more cooperative for a pointing dog than wild birds will be.

I have the luxury of having both flushers and pointing dogs to hunt with. When I go out I typically load up 6-8 dogs and use flushers in the thick weed choked draws and my pointing dogs in the wide open CRP fields.

In my opinion, buy your wife some flowers and come home with one of each!

Regards,

Travis
Click to expand...

You have the best solution - have both a flusher and a pointer.
 
I don't have vast experience with either breed. This will be my first season with my ESS. I decided that i liked the idea of flushing the bird close better than the dog holding it for me. More exciting for me.
 
he turned 2 this spring. i got him from a local breeder who keeps the number of dogs low. he hasn't been hunted hard yet so we will see. during training he works well.:)
 
I have never seen dogs hunt harder than springers save english pointers. My springer is hyper but is a natural hunter and great family pet. I like the look of most springers more than brittanys also. The deciding factor for me would be whether I wanted a flusher or a pointer. I tend to get lazy hunting with a pointer although shooting off points is a blast. Overall though I like not knowing exactly where and when the bird will flush. If you choose an aggressive springer like mine you also probably want to invest in a good training collar.
 
This thread is like Apples and Oranges, Ford verus Chevy. It is all which ever you prefer. I love my Britt, you can love what ever you like the best........Bob
 
buy your fav

Well put bob get what you like to watch how it hunts, how covers groundi like an ep i like hoe there tail cracks how they cover ground on and on bob likes britts 4 fun likes gsp bottom line get what your going to enjoy!
 
I enjoy seeing a pointing dog lock up as much as anybody but Iâ??ve come to appreciate the way a Springer works on pheasants more than any other breed. You learn to watch the dog at all times and when he â??makesâ?� bird scent, his body language screams out exactly what is going on of you pay attention. The vast majority of wild pheasants will be moving and watching a Springer work out a runner just really trips my trigger.

Another point is that of all upland birds, a pheasant is one of the easiest to hit, especially one that holds for a point so I find the shots presented by a flushing dog to be a lot more rewarding.

My final argument for the Springer over any pointing breed is that their retrieving ability is closer to that of a lab or golden than most other dogs. I have been amazed too many times at how a rooster that I absolutely knew was dead in the air could hit the ground running. Springers are the only breed that I know of who run field trials on pheasants so the breeding stock has been continuously skewed toward dogs that can find these birds.

In the end of course it all comes down to personal preference. A buddy of mine often says â??it would be a very poor world if we all loved the same womanâ?�. I think Springers are an acquired taste in that the average Joe doesnâ??t appreciate everything thatâ??s going on. It may appear to him that the dog is just running around in the general area bumping birds while even a first hunter can identify a dog on point so itâ??s easier for him to get a good shot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top