Hunting at Pelee with a pointer feedback.

Hi

Question for those who use pointers at Pelee.

My GSP recently passed and we’re contemplating a new English Setter pup to go with the Golden.

I hunted with my GSP at Pelee many many years ago. I wasn’t impressed hunting pheasants with a pointer because the pheasants never stood still. He would point them and they just keep on moving.

When the grass is above the dog I would lose track of where he was until he went on point and then I would have to run around trying to figure out where he is.

If the pheasants were in a brush pile he would point the brush pile and then I’d have to get in there to get the birds out.

Since then I’ve gone to Pelee many times with my Golden. Completely different experience. He quarters in front of me, pushes into the brush and he pushes the birds up.

Don’t get me wrong there’s a lot of great stuff around the GSP it’s just my experience with pheasants at Pelee wasn’t great. And he was my first and only pointer so I probably did things wrong.

So my question is, is my experience hunting behind a pointer at Pelee unique or normal?

Just trying to nail down the next pup: a pointer or spaniel or another retriever.

I do 75% pheasant hunting (Pelee, Hullet, Tiny etc) and 25% waterfowl with the majority of that on land.

So I want to make sure whatever breed I go with works well with Pelee Island type pheasant hunting.

Thanks

Alex


Thanks

Alex


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Originally Posted by acolic

I hunted with my GSP at Pelee many many years ago. I wasn’t impressed hunting pheasants with a pointer because the pheasants never stood still. He would point them and they just keep on moving.

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Ya pheasants and southern grouse like to run but eventually given the right cover they'll post up then you have all the time to work up to the bird

Quote:

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Originally Posted by acolic

When the grass is above the dog I would lose track of where he was until he went on point and then I would have to run around trying to figure out where he is.

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Ya had the same problem running Brits so thats why I switched to a setter for more tail :joker:. Run a beeper on the dog it still suprises me how a dog on point can disappear. Takes all the guess work out of finding the dog/bird

Quote:

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Originally Posted by acolic

If the pheasants were in a brush pile he would point the brush pile and then I’d have to get in there to get the birds out.

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Ya a pointer is best enjoyed with a wingman. Always felt guys who hunt with a pointer do it more for the dog work than the shooting as often, especially alone, you are never in the best shooting lane.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by acolic

Since then I’ve gone to Pelee many times with my Golden. Completely different experience. He quarters in front of me, pushes into the brush and he pushes the birds up.

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Yup good traits for a flusher however for me its a young mans game. Fast less controlled flushes is a pace a little too quick for me

Quote:

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Originally Posted by acolic

Don’t get me wrong there’s a lot of great stuff around the GSP it’s just my experience with pheasants at Pelee wasn’t great. And he was my first and only pointer so I probably did things wrong.

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Doesn't sound like you did anything "wrong" that's how you hunt with a pointer. The thing you have to ask is do I prefer the style of a pointer or a flusher. I hunt the dog the way I like and that's all that matters I'm sure you'll come up with the answer best for you too. One thing to consider your golden can be used to flush the pointed bird. It'll take some work but would be something too see.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0MTaontQQg&t=14s

I have a drahthaar who ain’t the steadiest pointer. That said, if he can smell the bird and it is holding tight, you will see a point enough to get ready for a shot. On pheasants that are trying to give you the slip, he will flush them. Often he seems to know where the gunner is and pressures the bird into a shooting lane. He will penetrate the nastiest cover known to man for a flush or a recovery. It’s not pretty or by the book, but he puts meat in the game bag…period.

yes it is really a personal preference to flush or point. My old lab was a great flusher, which I always enjoyed and would retrieve the birds shot. I hunted over a pointer and didn't like that style of hunt, boring to me.

Well, we’ve narrow down the choices to a English Setter, English springer spaniel, and a flat coated retriever.

The flat coat is last just because of their high incidence of cancer. But it would be similar, but different to my golden. All my training, test, hunting, etc. would be the same.

I think the English Springer Spaniel is first because it would complement my golden as a flusher. But I would have to join a separate club, and separate hunt tests.

The English setter, is our second choice, because I would have to join different clubs, conduct different training, participate in different hunt tests and it would be tough to hunt the pointer with my golden.

I have found breeders for the Flat Coat and English Setter. I can’t find field grade English springer, spaniels in Ontario. The ones I have found have focused on the show side.

Anyone know who the top ESS field breeders are in Canada or the United States?

Appreciate the help.

Alex


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PM sent

The only Springer Spaniel breeder that I know of is Springville Springers near Millbrook. I know they breed hunting Springers. They do a lot of field trials.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by acolic

Well, we’ve narrow down the choices to a English Setter, English springer spaniel, and a flat coated retriever.

The flat coat is last just because of their high incidence of cancer. But it would be similar, but different to my golden. All my training, test, hunting, etc. would be the same.

I think the English Springer Spaniel is first because it would complement my golden as a flusher. But I would have to join a separate club, and separate hunt tests.

The English setter, is our second choice, because I would have to join different clubs, conduct different training, participate in different hunt tests and it would be tough to hunt the pointer with my golden.

I have found breeders for the Flat Coat and English Setter. I can’t find field grade English springer, spaniels in Ontario. The ones I have found have focused on the show side.

Anyone know who the top ESS field breeders are in Canada or the United States?

Appreciate the help.

Alex


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Which English Setter breeder are you considering?

Like Stu mentioned, Springville Springers, 495 County Rd. 21 Millbrook, ON, breeders name is Frank, O'Grady. 705-872-6303 Franks been at it a long time and does field trail his dogs....

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Originally Posted by Sharon

Which English Setter breeder are you considering?

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Hi

Didn’t get that far just solidifying the direction I want to go.


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Yup i think a springer is exactly what you're looking for!

From the experiences and places you’ve described, you’ve seen plenty of dogs and know the kind of dog work you prefer. You just need some validation. You want a flusher. You want a springer.

Me, I’ve gone the other way, from a lab to a setter.

https://gundogs.ca/