I have a 9 year old Golden Retriever that I started on pheasants when we moved to Alberta 6 years ago. Year 1-2 birds shot over him, year 2-12 birds, year 3- 18 birds and the dog decides he will point a pheasant that holds, year 4 (when I now have guys phoning to hunt with me and my dog we have 46 birds shot over him), year 5 (and now lots of guys hunting with us) he has over 75 birds shot over him. Year 6 i lost count, but the guys who show up at the release sites with no dog generally know us well, because after we get our 2 we typically go out with 2 or 3 hunters and get their limit.
The most interesting thing is, this dog changes his tactics on pheasant according to the conditions, pointing birds in the field, flushing them in the rushes, and even cutting off a running pheasant in a hedge row and pushing the bird back to me.....I claim no credit....he is just a natural.
But....Pointing Golden Retrievers .....?
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