I hunt over a 3 year old ESS. I have been very impressed with her intelligence and trainability. She works hard for me for both upland and waterfowl.

I had owned and hunted mostly over German Shorthairs but due to apartment living for a few years I went with a Springer ... and while I do miss from time to time hunting over a true pointer, her hunting versatility and very home freindly nature has vaulted her to the top of the list of my favorite dogs.

One thing I have found with my Springer. Repetive drills are great for some dogs, but if I don't challenge her mind during training, she gets bored. The harder the better in her case.