AZ hunting dogs

bearcat13 · 12-29-2005, 11:14 PM

I'm starting to research what the best hunting dog for Arizona quail would be. Does anyone have any ideas?
The hunting would be desert and high desert areas.

marty IL · 12-30-2005, 07:33 AM

One of the most popular years ago (and may still be) is the GSP on dove and Arizona quail.

porknbeans · 12-30-2005, 08:44 AM

In Arizona? Can camels hunt? Just kidding!

I've never hunted in arid climates, but have talked to several people who have. They seem to run GSP, Vizslas andPointers.

spuddog · 12-30-2005, 11:58 AM

I'm from Phx originally, but didn't hunt there. Logic would dictate that a smaller lighter breed would do better in the heat. My friend's Grandpa in Tucson uses Braque du Bourbonnais. I don't know much about them. They look like a smaller GSP and seem to be good dogs ( met a pup once). I know that I saw a lot of Brittany's when I lived there.

Good Luck!

Spud

bearcat13 · 12-30-2005, 11:21 PM

Thanks everyone for the input. I'm not in a hurry, just trying to get some info.
Keep it coming.

Mite · 12-30-2005, 11:53 PM

It really depends upon you. As long as you water your dog, the dog will be fine. It's all preference. Any dog will survive the heat just don't go overboard. Just keep the pads hard and dog well watered. With burrs, I have a setter and any burrs she gets usually fall out by themselves and if not a quick combing. We used to run dogs all day on western Moloka'i, also a dry climate with alot mesquite trees.

Better if you find someone willing to help you train a dog then finding a dog then not being able to find anyone.

rednalpu · 12-31-2005, 09:11 PM

Bearcat, in my many years (~29) of working with pointing breeds (I've worked with all the usual ones and some you may not have heard of) I would recommend only 1 breed. Now, before I do, that is not to say the other breeds cannot hunt quail in Arizona!
Never-the-less, I'd only want apointer - as in English. I love my setters but in that arid climate & for those birds, a pointer is the ONLY dog I'd use. Further-more, you need to train and aclimitize your dog. Buying a started/finished pointer from the north on Monday and hunting it that week jn Arizona will not reflect the dog's potential. The dog will need some time hunting/working in that grueling environment. In time, a good pointer will do the optimumjob, bar none!