best dog for pheasant hunting?
10-25-2006, 06:51 AM
#21
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: OKC Ok. USA
Posts: 501
RE: best dog for pheasant hunting?
Picking a dog is like picking your wife or girlfriend. There are no "best" for pheasant. You have to decide what is the "best" for you. That is a personal choice. Whatever it might be just do your homework and find a good reputable bredder who breeds for the traights you want to see in your dog.
10-25-2006, 11:45 AM
#22
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 1,149
RE: best dog for pheasant hunting?
I think there's many good dog breeds.I personally own an English setter and it works good on pheasants. They are rather stubborn, though, and mine is rather timid and only hunts with me. The German Shorthair is a great dog for all around hunting in my opinion, but does not have as gentle a manner as the Setters. Like everyone has said, it depends on what you prefer. I would do research on all of the breeds and decide which one works for you and then get it from a reliable breeder that has good dogs.
10-26-2006, 07:55 PM
#23
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: PA.
Posts: 5,195
RE: best dog for pheasant hunting?
lab,that is my pick..i like small labs for upland , not more than 80 pds..big labs are for ducks..
is lab best ,NO,others mentioned the best ones but lab will do EVERYTHING pretty good, i would say..
labs hunt close,can take weather,water,swamps..flushing is good on running birds while pointers are there while bird is running..lab will flush it before it runs away
I WILL SUM IT UP THIS WAY, THE LAB IN MY OPINION IS BEST ALL AROUND DOG,HUNTING/HOME THAT YOU COULD EVER HAVE..
BUT THEY ARE NOT THE BEST HUNTING DOG ,THEY ARE BEST ALL AROUND HUNTING DOG..
is lab best ,NO,others mentioned the best ones but lab will do EVERYTHING pretty good, i would say..
labs hunt close,can take weather,water,swamps..flushing is good on running birds while pointers are there while bird is running..lab will flush it before it runs away
I WILL SUM IT UP THIS WAY, THE LAB IN MY OPINION IS BEST ALL AROUND DOG,HUNTING/HOME THAT YOU COULD EVER HAVE..
BUT THEY ARE NOT THE BEST HUNTING DOG ,THEY ARE BEST ALL AROUND HUNTING DOG..
06-05-2010, 08:59 PM
#24
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: PA.
Posts: 5,195
cant believe that this post was 4 yrs ago,where did time go.
toby my lab had his toe removed but is walking fine.
here is more info i saw while hunting grouse/pheasants.
toby tires out much quicker than other dogs i hunted with like setters/gsp/ brittany.
its heavy coat and big bones i feel, it could be conditioning but i feel its just that lab cant take heat etc as well as others.
those other dogs pick up scent better,no doubt to me about that.
toby has walked by pheasants that did not move .biggest thing i see is toby gets tired a lot quicker than other smaller dogs.
hunting close and FLUSHING is tobys big asset.you have to be ready all time.
i feel that a setter would be better pick for me because i only hunt upland, not ducks.
but there is more to me than just hunting 8 weeks a year.
i like going in river and walking it with toby.great around water.its fun to throw ball at home and retreive.
now i have not tried a PL yet but i dont know if it would be better on grouse than non pointing lab.
i dont want to own 2 dogs but if i did it would be LEWELLEN SETTER/LAB.
but for 1 dog and being able to do a lot of things in woods and at home i still like LONG LEGGED SMALL LAB....
toby my lab had his toe removed but is walking fine.
here is more info i saw while hunting grouse/pheasants.
toby tires out much quicker than other dogs i hunted with like setters/gsp/ brittany.
its heavy coat and big bones i feel, it could be conditioning but i feel its just that lab cant take heat etc as well as others.
those other dogs pick up scent better,no doubt to me about that.
toby has walked by pheasants that did not move .biggest thing i see is toby gets tired a lot quicker than other smaller dogs.
hunting close and FLUSHING is tobys big asset.you have to be ready all time.
i feel that a setter would be better pick for me because i only hunt upland, not ducks.
but there is more to me than just hunting 8 weeks a year.
i like going in river and walking it with toby.great around water.its fun to throw ball at home and retreive.
now i have not tried a PL yet but i dont know if it would be better on grouse than non pointing lab.
i dont want to own 2 dogs but if i did it would be LEWELLEN SETTER/LAB.
but for 1 dog and being able to do a lot of things in woods and at home i still like LONG LEGGED SMALL LAB....
06-08-2010, 12:18 PM
#26
Typical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: N/W WI.
Posts: 814
Based on my (limited) knowledge...from what I have heard and read, the pick would be the Springer Spaniel.
My understanding is pheasant would rather run than fly.
The Springer, because oftheir size and determination, can and will go into nasty/thick places other dogsmay not.
In theend, most often, the bird will flush giving the huntera shot.
Others may have a different view. If mine are incorrect, pleaselet me know.
My understanding is pheasant would rather run than fly.
The Springer, because oftheir size and determination, can and will go into nasty/thick places other dogsmay not.
In theend, most often, the bird will flush giving the huntera shot.
Others may have a different view. If mine are incorrect, pleaselet me know.
Don't get me wrong, im not knocking them. As others have said, alot depends on where you hunt.
06-09-2010, 08:35 AM
#27
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: PA.
Posts: 5,195
it comes too this. we hunt about 8 weeks a year for grouse or pheasants, some more or less.
then what do you do with your dog?does he/she retrieve anything?does it play with you ?does it swim in river or lake or ponds and play etc with you and kids?does it shed hair all over place and get burrs in hair?does it bark a lot?is its mood around people welcoming or does it like to be away from people?can it take real cold in winter in deep snows? can it defend you from bear or coyote or defend itself somewhat from predators?
does it hunt close in big woods not way out where its hard to catch up too as we get older?
does it retrieve a bird that you wounded and ran off and bring it too you from heavy brush?
too me i want a dog that can do all of the above, not great but does it .for me the SMALL LONG LEGGED AMERICAN FIELD LAB is what i want.
now for strictly HUNTING you cant beat the following
setters
english pointer
brittanys
german shorthairs pointers
springers
if i was to pick one that was close to lab ,it would be GSP as they will go into swaps and water and ponds etc to retrieve a bird if trained.
folks you would not believe the number f birds i shot that flew into a stream or pond etc and toby went into and get it. i saw many that watched their birds float away because their dog could not swim.
PLEASE dont take what i said as INSULT to your dog.this is what I look for in dog for hunting/home.if i was strictly looking for best HUNTING dog for grouse,it would not be a LAB.......
TAKE CARE SPROUL
then what do you do with your dog?does he/she retrieve anything?does it play with you ?does it swim in river or lake or ponds and play etc with you and kids?does it shed hair all over place and get burrs in hair?does it bark a lot?is its mood around people welcoming or does it like to be away from people?can it take real cold in winter in deep snows? can it defend you from bear or coyote or defend itself somewhat from predators?
does it hunt close in big woods not way out where its hard to catch up too as we get older?
does it retrieve a bird that you wounded and ran off and bring it too you from heavy brush?
too me i want a dog that can do all of the above, not great but does it .for me the SMALL LONG LEGGED AMERICAN FIELD LAB is what i want.
now for strictly HUNTING you cant beat the following
setters
english pointer
brittanys
german shorthairs pointers
springers
if i was to pick one that was close to lab ,it would be GSP as they will go into swaps and water and ponds etc to retrieve a bird if trained.
folks you would not believe the number f birds i shot that flew into a stream or pond etc and toby went into and get it. i saw many that watched their birds float away because their dog could not swim.
PLEASE dont take what i said as INSULT to your dog.this is what I look for in dog for hunting/home.if i was strictly looking for best HUNTING dog for grouse,it would not be a LAB.......
TAKE CARE SPROUL
06-11-2010, 06:05 PM
#28
Typical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Central PA
Posts: 829
It comes down to your personal preference, all dogs need to be trained. And yes... there are those that hunt naturally, I think all dogs fit this category even daschunds but to have an awesome dog that does his job well and impresses with his stylishness you need to spend alot...ALOT of time with him/her. I have GSP's and they hunt everything, rabbits, squirrels, ducks, geese, coon, all upland birds. However they understand when we are hunting pheasants and other birds and when we go for walks and they hunt everything their nose encounters. My male GSP retrieves from water as good as any lab I have seen, the only downside is he gets cold quick in the late duck season.
06-17-2010, 04:49 PM
#29
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: N. Texas
Posts: 150
For what it's worth....if you can hunt over as many breeds as possible or attend trials/tests, spend some time around the dogs and their owners I
I'd recommend if you can go to some tests/trials or training sessions. Find a training partner or a pro if you're not going to do it yourself.
If you go to akc.org you can search for events in your region go out watch, listen and learn about the various dogs you might be looking at....definitely if you're looking for a bird dog you want something from FIELD lines.
You may want to consider how much time you'll be able to put into training, puppy vs. started dog. There are some nice field trial or test wash outs that make great gun dogs and family companions. Lots of clubs in your area...best of luck. Take your time, do your home work. Enjoy your new companion.
I'd recommend if you can go to some tests/trials or training sessions. Find a training partner or a pro if you're not going to do it yourself.
If you go to akc.org you can search for events in your region go out watch, listen and learn about the various dogs you might be looking at....definitely if you're looking for a bird dog you want something from FIELD lines.
You may want to consider how much time you'll be able to put into training, puppy vs. started dog. There are some nice field trial or test wash outs that make great gun dogs and family companions. Lots of clubs in your area...best of luck. Take your time, do your home work. Enjoy your new companion.
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