Hunting up grouse with a dog

[Sharon]

As you can see by this cover , it sure helps to have a pointing breed when hunting grouse . ( I'm not talking about shooting them by sight on an open trail.)

In these videos , for those that may not know how such a dog works : The dog points; the hunter looks for the bird to put it up; no luck, the hunter goes back to the dog and sends the dog to relocate. Shot of the bird is not shown as it's hard to shoot and video at the same time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMTN...layer_embedded

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAEd...layer_embedded

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O43X...layer_embedded

videos by Grange

Cass/Krakadawn spaniel folk:

How does this cover work with a spaniel ? Wouldn't it flush the bird before you could have a decent shot?

[finsfurfeathers]

Awesome pointer work however that kind of couver and a lone hunter makes a solid pointer a bit of a hindrance( speaking solely for me and not a judgement on what is right or wrong). My formative years where with dad hunting woodcock with a Britany. We all had our jobs. The dog pointed the birds and retrieved downed birds. Mine was the shooter. Dad was the handler for the dog and me. Once the bird was found Dad would assess and place me in an opening for the best shooting advantage. Once I was in place he moved in and flushed the bird all the while the dog would hold still. Made for some awesome shooting days of 90-100% averages. As time marched on and dad found it harder to bush wack our roles changed a bit. I should of become the flusher but I enjoyed shooting too much. So we evolved the dog's role into something that would hold still yet flush on command. Pretty much these days hunting alone I enjoy a pointer that flushes on command leaving me in a more open shooting position. Which is what I imagine a person running a flusher would do. Now you might say hey than why not just get a flusher. Well for me I just prefer the way a pointer runs over the gait of a flusher. Again not a nock against flushers just the my own personal preference.

[Cass]

Having never hunted over a pointing dog I can't offer much insight. To me that looks like a tough way to hunt, the hunter is kind of aimlessly walking around to find the bird the dog pointed. With a flusher you generally have ample time to get ready for a shot. Similar to a pointer going on point, a flusher gets birdy and more animated when it scents the bird. I can pretty much pinpoint the exact moment a bird is going to flush when hunting over my spaniel. I love watching those setters though. I may get one some day but I would want to teach it to flush on command. My reasoning for having a bird dog is that it will go into the cover that I don't want to go in myself and produce birds.

[terrym]

Having never hunted over a pointing dog I can't offer much insight. To me that looks like a tough way to hunt, the hunter is kind of aimlessly walking around to find the bird the dog pointed. With a flusher you generally have ample time to get ready for a shot. Similar to a pointer going on point, a flusher gets birdy and more animated when it scents the bird. I can pretty much pinpoint the exact moment a bird is going to flush when hunting over my spaniel. I love watching those setters though. I may get one some day but I would want to teach it to flush on command. My reasoning for having a bird dog is that it will go into the cover that I don't want to go in myself and produce birds.

Some people ( Europeans especially) do train their pointing dogs to flush on command. Personally I think that is the way I will go on my next pointer. Crashing through some nasty woodcock cover quite often doesn't put you in a useful shooting position. I don't think a pointer or flusher produces more game one way or another. I just love seeing my Brittany slam into a point and then staying rock steady until I close in for a shot.

[finsfurfeathers]

Having never hunted over a pointing dog I can't offer much insight. To me that looks like a tough way to hunt, the hunter is kind of aimlessly walking around to find the bird the dog pointed. With a flusher you generally have ample time to get ready for a shot. Similar to a pointer going on point, a flusher gets birdy and more animated when it scents the bird. I can pretty much pinpoint the exact moment a bird is going to flush when hunting over my spaniel. I love watching those setters though. I may get one some day but I would want to teach it to flush on command. My reasoning for having a bird dog is that it will go into the cover that I don't want to go in myself and produce birds.

Actually its not so much aimless looking. You should be able to read your dog and often you get that look "its over there" When done right the bird lifts, yet not so pressured where it makes a frantic escape, towards the shooter which has a nice open shot.

Some people ( Europeans especially) do train their pointing dogs to flush on command. Personally I think that is the way I will go on my next pointer. Crashing through some nasty woodcock cover quite often doesn't put you in a useful shooting position. I don't think a pointer or flusher produces more game one way or another. I just love seeing my Brittany slam into a point and then staying rock steady until I close in for a shot.

If you like that wait till they pop one up on your command while you position yourself out in the open.

[terrym]

If you like that wait till they pop one up on your command while you position yourself out in the open.

Im thinking that would be slick as hell. Do you have your pointing dog trained that way?

[finsfurfeathers]

Im thinking that would be slick as hell. Do you have your pointing dog trained that way?

The pup will be brought up that way only time will tell if we get truly in concert. Her predecessor was trained that way but even than if you get those days that the woodcock are sitting glue to the forest floor it was hard for her to break point.

[Sharon]

Awesome pointer work however that kind of couver and a lone hunter makes a solid pointer a bit of a hindrance( speaking solely for me and not a judgement on what is right or wrong). My formative years where with dad hunting woodcock with a Britany. We all had our jobs. The dog pointed the birds and retrieved downed birds. Mine was the shooter. Dad was the handler for the dog and me. Once the bird was found Dad would assess and place me in an opening for the best shooting advantage. Once I was in place he moved in and flushed the bird all the while the dog would hold still. Made for some awesome shooting days of 90-100% averages. As time marched on and dad found it harder to bush wack our roles changed a bit. I should of become the flusher but I enjoyed shooting too much. So we evolved the dog's role into something that would hold still yet flush on command. Pretty much these days hunting alone I enjoy a pointer that flushes on command leaving me in a more open shooting position. Which is what I imagine a person running a flusher would do. Now you might say hey than why not just get a flusher. Well for me I just prefer the way a pointer runs over the gait of a flusher. Again not a nock against flushers just the my own personal preference.

Absolutely good uses for flushes on command and relocating on their own. Unfortunately, this is not allowed in field trials and Grange is a field trailer too. In a field trial , the dog won't flush unless given the command, which won't happen in a field trial - must be steady to flush and shot , but will relocate , if used to doing that when needed which equals a disqualification. ( Ask me how I know. ) Yes, I think that rule needs to be changed, but it will never happen .

Of course a field trialing dog is also an excellent hunter, but you do need to go to the dog and relocate it with a touch.

[Sharon]

Having never hunted over a pointing dog I can't offer much insight. To me that looks like a tough way to hunt, the hunter is kind of aimlessly walking around to find the bird the dog pointed. With a flusher you generally have ample time to get ready for a shot. Similar to a pointer going on point, a flusher gets birdy and more animated when it scents the bird. I can pretty much pinpoint the exact moment a bird is going to flush when hunting over my spaniel. I love watching those setters though. I may get one some day but I would want to teach it to flush on command. My reasoning for having a bird dog is that it will go into the cover that I don't want to go in myself and produce birds.

Thanks! Very informative.

[finsfurfeathers]

Absolutely good uses for flushes on command and relocating on their own. Unfortunately, this is not allowed in field trials and Grange is a field trailer too. In a field trial , the dog won't flush unless given the command, which won't happen in a field trial - must be steady to flush and shot , but will relocate , if used to doing that when needed which equals a disqualification. ( Ask me how I know. ) Yes, I think that rule needs to be changed, but it will never happen .

Of course a field trialing dog is also an excellent hunter, but you do need to go to the dog and relocate it with a touch.

And that's why field trials for me aren't that interesting as its not the way I hunt. No one will tell me this is the right way to hunt. Again not saying my way is the right way either just the way I prefer to do it.