Originally Posted by
J Pike
sproul Are you sure setters have a better nose? (not disagreeing with you just curious????) The reason I ask is because Labs are by far the best dogs to train to hunt antlers (labradoodles are 2nd) and antlers give off less scent than a live grouse and the area's I find the most antlers is usually the very same thick cover that I find the most grouse. Pike
jp, i seen it hunting for 46 yrs.those setters can pick up air scents .i guess breeding did that. TOBY CAN PICK UP SCENT OF GROUNDHOG 100 YDS AWAY IF WIND IS BLOWING.yet i seen him walk by a rabbit or grouse. i seen toby slowly hunting for pheasants ,next to him was setter and ran right to pheasant 20 yds away.
i believe toby was smelling the pheasants feet and the setter was smelling the pheasants body in air.if pheasant just sits in morning and not move it seems the setters pick up scent better.toby does walk right by.
my friend raises both labs/lewellin setters.he said on 10 pheasants lab will find 4 and setter will find 7.many the lab walked by.
he said setters will fid more birds than lab.he likes a lab because if bird runs the lab will put bird up. setter will be pointing while bird runs.
i hunt a lot and for wild grouse. i am only one using a lab.now when i go pheasant hunting its about 2 labs,5 setters,2 gsp,3 springers.thats rough day at warriors mark preserve and about average.
on grouse its setters, english pointers,gsp,BRITTANYS.i am only one with LAB.