iloveseaducks

In your opinion?

daleh

It all depends on what you are hunting.
Quail, Grouse, and woodcock My first choice is a English Setter but i also have pointers, german shorthairs, and Brittanys.
Pheasant, never used any dog growing up. Now i would like something that flushes like a Boykin or other Spaniel
Ducks or other waterfowl. Nothing is going to beat a lab but, sometimes they just don't fit in the boat that is why I have a Boykin.
It mainly depends on a persons preference. Thats why they makeFord, Chevy, and Dodge.

Doc E

Just like dale said ---- "It all depends on what you are hunting."


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Wlfdg

My Chinook X Alaskan Husky/Timberwolf will hunt just about anything. I think it's that trickle of wolf still left in him. He points birds,flushes trees, he'd even retrieve if I thought there would be anything left when he got back.

IMHO, Other than desired game, I think your personality and energy has a lot to do with the dog breed you choose. If you don't want to cover a lot of country I wouldn't get a dog who is going to range all over creation.

Cessna Flyer

It all deprnds on what you want to hunt.

I hunt waterfowl and Pheasant, andI love Labradors

sproulman

i use SMALL lab for grouse/phesants here in pa.

but a ENGLISH SETTER can come behind me and get a phesant that my lab missed, i seen that a lot.

yet, i like lab.

seems other dogs have better nose than lab.

maybe doc e and daleh can comment on the nose of lab vrs other dogs.

Doc E

1. I've see that and I've also seen the reverse
2. Me too ---- especially of the pointing variety
3. I think the jury is still out. It's something that is probably very difficult to quantify. I think most "experts" believe that the Hounds (particularly Blood Hounds) have the best noses.
Then, of course, you have the "Sniffer Dogs" (drug, bomb etc) and Labs (and a few Goldens) make up the huge majority of those dogs. That is likely due to retrievers being a little more laid back and "people pleasers" than pointing breeds --- and that combined with the fact that Sniffer Dogs are working for their reward (a retrieve)of finding the bad stuff.

Some pointer folks have found that plenty of Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil)in the diet markedly enhance scenting ability.


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bigangrychicken

I've hunted with all kinds of dogs. I like German Shorthairs for birds. The best all around hunting dog is easily a West Siberian Laika. I've hunted everything from squirrels and rabbits to bear and wild boar with these dogs. They are amazing.

GermanShorthair2

I would recomend a German Shorthair Pointer or a Llewellin Setter for upland bird hunting.I had a English Chocolate Lab that would absolutely burn it up on geese and waterfowl!

vickieschessies

My first choice is the chesapeake Bay Retriever I love to hunt waterfowl (have used the grouse hunting too) I also own German Shorthairs and Labs
I use my GSP on upland birds and my labs for upland and waterfowl