Go Back   Alberta Outdoorsmen Forum > Main Category > Hunting Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 02-07-2018, 09:00 PM
sns2's Avatar
sns2 sns2 is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: My House
Posts: 13,442
Default Best Dog for Pheasants - Lab or Pointer?

Been thinking about this lately. For the Average Joe which type of dog do you think is more productive for pheasants a lab or a pointer? I know that pointers can cover more ground, but they are often confounded by running birds, some bust birds out of range if they are not steady, and many don't like the thick stuff. While on the other hand labs don't cover the same amount of ground.

My experience is limited to pointing dogs, but I remember back in the 80s when I would go every year with a bunch of field trialers down to Rolling Hills for a week, my shorthairs would have raw, raw bellies. While from time to time, I would see guys with labs sending their dogs into the thickest stuff imaginable, and putting up the wily wild roosters.

I am sure many would be interested in hearing from guys who have hunted pheasants with both what type of dog they feel is most productive.

Thanks in advance for all responses.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 02-07-2018, 09:12 PM
reddeerhunter's Avatar
reddeerhunter reddeerhunter is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,516
Default

Had 2 labs and a GSH, short hair is my pick all day long. X100.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
__________________
"We're not polishing fine china here"-Belichick.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 02-07-2018, 09:16 PM
Guide5689 Guide5689 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 109
Default Best Dog for Pheasants - Lab or Pointer?

Wirehaired pointers I’ve found are one of the best all round upland and waterfowl dogs. They are little more robust then shorthairs. However, regardless of breed they should be field prep. My gwp will run tells his pads bleed and wear off. He has done a lot of hunting at a pheasant lodge down south with short hair and Britney’s . They all have their perks and faults. But with training a lot of breeds unfamiliar to pheasant habitat so well. Friend of mine has a Chesapeake and does fairly well. Which ever you decide to go with you continuous training will be the difference, given the natural drive of a upland bird dog.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 02-07-2018, 09:24 PM
dfrobert dfrobert is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Stony Plain
Posts: 826
Default

Hard to beat a pointer on upland. Hunted with labs on wild roosters, a well trained pointer has them beat.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-07-2018, 09:26 PM
fish_e_o fish_e_o is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: rollyview
Posts: 7,860
Default



I sure like those labs. A pointer would probably get more birds though
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 02-07-2018, 09:38 PM
densa44 densa44 is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: North of Cochrane
Posts: 6,648
Smile It all depends on you!

If all you do is hunt Pheasants a pointing dog is your best bet. If you mainly hunt water fowl and are young enough to keep up with a Lab hunting pheasants, you will love your lab.

If you hunt both about equally a versatile dog has been designed with you in mind. There are 33 recognized breeds that "do it all" and as you all know some breeds are better at it than others,

It is not the dog's fault, a white short haired dog would have a tough time in an Alberta winter, my dogs would find the heat in Texas too much to cope with.

So the correct answer is that it depends on the hunter and what and how he or she hunts.

There are good dogs in every breed, BUT YOU NEED TO TRAIN THEM!
__________________
"The well meaning have done more damage than all the criminals in the world" Great grand father "Never impute planning where incompetence will predict the phenomenon equally well" Father
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 02-07-2018, 09:49 PM
catnthehat's Avatar
catnthehat catnthehat is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Ft. McMurray
Posts: 38,526
Default

My father trailed and hunted with dogs for over 5 decades .
He used to say that any dog will do for a gun dog as long as it's a black lab!
I've hunted over all kinds of dogs , flushers, pointers , good and bad .
I have come to the conclusion that I love hunting birds with dogs and don't care what breed the dog is as long as I can work with it .
Cat
__________________
Anytime I figure I've got this long range thing figured out, I just strap into the sling and irons and remind myself that I don't!
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 02-07-2018, 09:56 PM
Guide5689 Guide5689 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 109
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by catnthehat View Post
My father trailed and hunted with dogs for over 5 decades .

He used to say that any dog will do for a gun dog as long as it's a black lab!

I've hunted over all kinds of dogs , flushers, pointers , good and bad .

I have come to the conclusion that I love hunting birds with dogs and don't care what breed the dog is as long as I can work with it .

Cat


Have a point ( no pun intended) half the fun is watching them work


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 02-07-2018, 10:24 PM
elkhunter11 elkhunter11 is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Camrose
Posts: 44,825
Default

I have hunted with both. I walk fast, and can cover a lot of ground, so I much prefer a pointer to cover as much ground as possible. As for thick cover, it doesn't stop my DD, he just forces his way through, and his thick wire coat protects him well.
__________________
Only accurate guns are interesting.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 02-07-2018, 11:35 PM
MK2750's Avatar
MK2750 MK2750 is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Sylvan Lake
Posts: 3,411
Default

Pointers from the begining were bred for one purpose, to point pheasant type birds.

Labradors are water dogs bred for retrieving waterfowl.

So here we have a question from a serious outdoorsman as to which is the best option for pheasant. If one thinks about that for a minute there is no question as to how awesome Labradors are. No one will ever ask which is better for waterfowl.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 02-07-2018, 11:52 PM
threeforthree's Avatar
threeforthree threeforthree is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,756
Default

Life is too short to have a ugly looking dog, get a LAB
__________________
jpg images

LIFE IS TO SHORT TO HAVE AN UGLY LOOKIN DOG .....GET A LAB
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 02-08-2018, 05:21 AM
angery jonn angery jonn is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 528
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by MK2750 View Post
Pointers from the begining were bred for one purpose, to point pheasant type birds.

Labradors are water dogs bred for retrieving waterfowl.

So here we have a question from a serious outdoorsman as to which is the best option for pheasant. If one thinks about that for a minute there is no question as to how awesome Labradors are. No one will ever ask which is better for waterfowl.
Probably the best response... There is no Holy Grail of dog breed, pick a dog that is best suited for you and the bird you are chasing and train. If your doing both waterfowl and upland equally, look at the versatile breeds again. In my opinion there is nothing like watching a good dog working a field and then locking up, to me it's what it's all about.
__________________
Friends don't let friends buy Labs!

Last edited by sns2; 02-08-2018 at 06:58 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 02-08-2018, 05:47 AM
ward ward is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 967
Default

I have one of each. If I was hunting release sites I would choose the GWP. Where I hunt wild birds the cover is huge, thick and wet and I prefer the Lab. The GWP is my Hun dog.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 02-08-2018, 06:29 AM
pikergolf's Avatar
pikergolf pikergolf is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 11,285
Default

A Springer.
__________________
“One of the sad signs of our times is that we have demonized those who produce, subsidized those who refuse to produce, and canonized those who complain.”

Thomas Sowell
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 02-08-2018, 06:57 AM
sns2's Avatar
sns2 sns2 is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: My House
Posts: 13,442
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by angery jonn View Post
Probably the best response... I would say what you had was one of the best options for you. There is no Holy Grail of dog breed, pick a dog that is best suited for you and the bird you are chasing and train. If your doing both waterfowl and upland equally, look at the versatile breeds again. In my opinion there is nothing like watching a good dog working a field and then locking up, to me it's what it's all about.
This is just a discussion intended for all outdoorsmen on something I was rattling around in my ever decreasing grey matter. I know which type of dog is best for what I am do, but pheasants are not my main pursuit. If I were strictly a pheasant hunter, I would buy an English Pointer, as there is nothing more classy
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 02-08-2018, 07:04 AM
Newellknik Newellknik is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 817
Default It's not quite cut and dried !

Having owned a Wirehair for the last eleven years
And he happens to be my 11 th versatile pointer
with a couple of Labs mixed in . I always feel your
fortunate if you do get a dog that suits your purpose
and lifestyle.
The average Hunter with Familly , job , etc has 3-4
months Hunting dog , 8-9 familly pet dog .
A lab great familly dog , very climate friendly ,
I'm not big on flushing dogs but I have hunted with
some very well trained ones , mostly labs , very
productive ...You could always get a pointing lab .

There are more and more reports about aggressive
behaviour in the versatile breeds .
If a familly is involved you want to get a few references
On the selected breeder .

Also Labs smell bad all the time and the worse farts .
Otherwise enjoy
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 02-08-2018, 07:09 AM
elkhunter11 elkhunter11 is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Camrose
Posts: 44,825
Default

The biggest advantage of a pointer, is that they can cover huge amounts of terrain, and can find birds 100 -200 yards away, and point until the hunter arrives. With a flushing dog, I want to be within 20-30 yards of the dog , so that I am in range when the birds flush. When Huns and sharptails are added to the mix, the advantage swings farther in favor of the pointers, that range farther and hold point far enough away , to not flush the skidding birds. If I was primarily hunting waterfowl over water, I would have a lab, but we are talking pheasants, and the pointers were developed for that type of hunting. Yes you can be successful on pheasants and other upland birds with a lab, just as you can be successful on waterfowl with a versatile pointer, it comes down to what your primary goal is and what kind of hunting you prefer. I met a waterfowl outfitter that uses WPGs exclusively, but he hunts fields rather than water, and he is the exception. Some upland outfitters use labs, but again, they are the exception. I hunt with the OP, and we hunt upland in heavier cover, and our waterfowl hunting is done on dry fields, so a versatile pointer is likely the best choice. I would go with a larger dog as well, as carrying those 10lb plus geese is harder for a smaller dog, especially for 30-40 retrieves per hunt. I would also choose a longer haired breed, that can handle the cold better which is more of a factor for our location than heat.
__________________
Only accurate guns are interesting.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 02-08-2018, 08:14 AM
catnthehat's Avatar
catnthehat catnthehat is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Ft. McMurray
Posts: 38,526
Default

I have never seen a disadvantage hunting any kind of upland with flushers , simply a different style .
People like Oldgutpile, wwbirds , Clint , and many others hunt with Labs goldens and springer spaniels very successfully .
Like I stated earlier ,I am a firm believer that it has far more to do with what a hunter likes than what breed is actually " better "
Cat
__________________
Anytime I figure I've got this long range thing figured out, I just strap into the sling and irons and remind myself that I don't!
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 02-08-2018, 08:23 AM
58thecat's Avatar
58thecat 58thecat is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: At the end of the Thirsty Beaver Trail, Pinsky lake, Alberta.
Posts: 24,497
Default

All breeds will hunt that are mentioned, now it comes down to the individual dog, throw in a hunting relationship/understanding between the hunter and the dog things are great....or can be a train wreck....gotta fit each other.
__________________

Be careful when you follow the masses, sometimes the "M" is silent...
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 02-08-2018, 10:25 AM
fingershooter's Avatar
fingershooter fingershooter is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: West Kootenays, B.C.
Posts: 445
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Newellknik View Post
Also Labs smell bad all the time and the worse farts .
Otherwise enjoy
Aww...that's not fair. They don't smell bad all the time, but I won't argue on the farts. lol.
My lab/golden cross can find a pheasant in a haystack but if it's a runner, boy you gotta be in shape. He puts up an awful lot of birds and yes, a few are still out of range for me when I can't keep up in the thick brush. We use him in thick trees, cactus covered desert, rose and thistle thickets, deep grass (7-8 feet tall),... you get the picture. I have a cordura vest to protect his chest and belly or he'd be a bloody mess. The places we hunt also have water and are in waterfowel fly paths so we are constantly changing shot in our guns and methods to jump shoot these birds or call them in. His short hair sheds burrs easily and he is never cold. He may not be the best at any given thing but he's my best at everything, including quail, grouse, and even retrieved a turkey for me.
__________________
[/SIZE]Hunting for the love of it
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 02-08-2018, 10:33 AM
Big Grey Wolf Big Grey Wolf is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 6,224
Default

Neither, "Springer Spaniel" is my favorite pheasant hunter by far.
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 02-08-2018, 10:46 AM
Evil69's Avatar
Evil69 Evil69 is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: High River AB
Posts: 309
Default

My vote is for Brittany.....

Mine is a pheasant machine. She has the eyes of an eagle, nose of whitetail and was easy to train and always eager to please.

Attached Images
File Type: jpg piper.jpg (60.2 KB, 600 views)
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 02-08-2018, 11:28 AM
LCCFisherman LCCFisherman is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 932
Default

Guess I've had bad experiences with pointers, they seem to not be able to find a lot of downed birds.. so I've been forced to look into a retriever because they will ALWAYS find downed birds.

Maybe I've been hunting over bad pointers?? I'm still mulling a Toller.
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 02-08-2018, 11:31 AM
elkhunter11 elkhunter11 is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Camrose
Posts: 44,825
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by LCCFisherman View Post
Guess I've had bad experiences with pointers, they seem to not be able to find a lot of downed birds.. so I've been forced to look into a retriever because they will ALWAYS find downed birds.

Maybe I've been hunting over bad pointers?? I'm still mulling a Toller.
To date, my dog has not lost a bird that was shot over him, that is around 150 birds over two years. We also didn't lose a single bird shot over any of densa44s dogs. As for the toller, I still recommend talking to wwbirds about his experiences training them. I have only had experience with one toller on pheasants, and it was not favorable.
__________________
Only accurate guns are interesting.
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 02-08-2018, 11:34 AM
LCCFisherman LCCFisherman is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 932
Default

Ya we've spoke. You running GSPs ELK?
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 02-08-2018, 11:37 AM
elkhunter11 elkhunter11 is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Camrose
Posts: 44,825
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by LCCFisherman View Post
Ya we've spoke. You running GSPs ELK?
Drahthaar.
__________________
Only accurate guns are interesting.
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 02-08-2018, 12:29 PM
covey ridge's Avatar
covey ridge covey ridge is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: N. E. of High River
Posts: 4,985
Default

The only gun dog breed I have owned are GSPs and I loved them dearly. Actually a Lab would have been my first choice for all round Alberta hunting but for some reason my wife did not like them.

I have been to quite a few field trials and hunting dog tests and if I had to choose a pheasant breed based on my own observations I would go with a Springer.
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 02-08-2018, 12:29 PM
Rock&Ice Rock&Ice is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Canmore
Posts: 33
Default

I'm not suggesting they are the best dogs for bird hunting at all but my border collie has turned out to be a very versatile and amazing little bird dog. A good friend of mine has a professionally trained field lab and we would walk our dogs together out in the bush. The field lab was constantly looking for birds and putting them up. I took my dog out with his dog on a hunt and she learned what the lab was doing in 2 trips including commands. Now I can take her on my own, send her to find birds and being a border collie her default is to slowly stalk in on them. That's how I know a bird is around when I can see her. She is a bit too competitive and now when we are with the lab she tries to beat her to the birds - so not a perfect bird dog by any stretch! That and she is missing the 'soft' mouth. I think with good training you can teach dogs to do a lot of things. Having the natural instinct of a pointer of a lab is a big plus for sure. But I also have to agree with what someone else said - hunting season is short so pick a dog that you enjoy being with the rest of the year and matches your lifestyle. She is no perfect bird dog but a decent one and a blast the rest of the year.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Bertie Hunter.jpg (53.7 KB, 67 views)
File Type: jpg bertie chicken.jpg (85.0 KB, 70 views)
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 02-08-2018, 02:37 PM
brcarcol brcarcol is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Southern Alberta
Posts: 116
Default

Labs are my choice as i hunt upland and migratory. Another thing is how many days you hunt per year vrs how many days in a year. You cannot beat a lab for a family member in the house. Good with kids, other pets, quiet etc. Pointers are definately easier to hunt upland birds behind, but my Labs get me a more exersize, which i need haha
Reply With Quote
  #30  
Old 02-08-2018, 02:54 PM
stob stob is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,426
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by covey ridge View Post
The only gun dog breed I have owned are GSPs and I loved them dearly. Actually a Lab would have been my first choice for all round Alberta hunting but for some reason my wife did not like them.

I have been to quite a few field trials and hunting dog tests and if I had to choose a pheasant breed based on my own observations I would go with a Springer.
x2
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:39 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.