POINTING LAB??
01-13-2007, 12:12 AM
#41
Spike
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Hawthorne CA
Posts: 41
RE: POINTING LAB??
Hey folks,
I have been casually researching the pointing lab as my first hunting dog over the past couple of months and thought I'd log on to Hunting.net to post an inquiry about them. Intrigued by this string I clicked, and having now read through the string, may I offer a few observations?
At some point I read that you should never talk poorly of your buddy's hunting dog. This string hints at a bit of condescension on the part of a few of you. I love it that a lab nearly 4 yrs old is beginning to point, or 'hold game'. That's so cool! And what's wrong with the trait appearing now? May wonders never cease.
Say what you want, you can teach a cat to point. Or retrieve. Or howl at the moon. I agree with Dale that there's a certain beauty to that locked, quivering <insert favorite upland breed here> on point, but who's to say that's the tradition, the only tradition, that matters? I've shot more quail WITHOUT a dog than over one, but I cannot WAIT to get a pointing lab over which I hope to harvest hundreds of birds. Will that make me subject to Dale's ridicule? (Just get a REAL pointing dog!) Will my experience be 'untraditional'? Shall I relinquish myself to posting on the 'other' message board, cast out by the 'true bird dog enthusiasts' from this forum?
You get the point (pun intended).
I wish I had Sproulman's problems...trying to figure out which dog I should raise to chase soooooo many grouse. I wish I was nearly too old to chase chukar and had to settle for a honker, mallard, rooster, and knothead in 20 minutes. And I really, really wish I had Dale's problems. 25,000 acres and all that game Dale, seriously, does it matter what kind of dog(s) you have, as long as your clients are enjoying the heck out of chasing game on your property? I'll trade you a 1,020 square foot, $650,000 house on a 6,000 square foot lot, a mere 2 miles from the Pacific Ocean here in West Los Angeles, for a small slice of your heaven.
And I'll even hunt over your treasured pointers. Yes, I'll suffer through it. With my Benelli Nova pump. Or my 870. Maybe my beat up BPS in Camo. I might even pull out the Model 12. Somehow, this country boy would survive.
But until then, I've enjoyed reading the posts and have learned a lot. Doc E, I'm meeting with John Greer at Tiger Mtn in Ellensburg Feb 3rd and would appreciate any feedback on what you know of his PLs.
Oh, one last thing:
Dale, I'll trade you a weekend hog hunt for my proof-reading expertise. Y'all got a couple uh mis-spellins on your website
Have fun y'all, and go shoot something!
David
I have been casually researching the pointing lab as my first hunting dog over the past couple of months and thought I'd log on to Hunting.net to post an inquiry about them. Intrigued by this string I clicked, and having now read through the string, may I offer a few observations?
At some point I read that you should never talk poorly of your buddy's hunting dog. This string hints at a bit of condescension on the part of a few of you. I love it that a lab nearly 4 yrs old is beginning to point, or 'hold game'. That's so cool! And what's wrong with the trait appearing now? May wonders never cease.
Say what you want, you can teach a cat to point. Or retrieve. Or howl at the moon. I agree with Dale that there's a certain beauty to that locked, quivering <insert favorite upland breed here> on point, but who's to say that's the tradition, the only tradition, that matters? I've shot more quail WITHOUT a dog than over one, but I cannot WAIT to get a pointing lab over which I hope to harvest hundreds of birds. Will that make me subject to Dale's ridicule? (Just get a REAL pointing dog!) Will my experience be 'untraditional'? Shall I relinquish myself to posting on the 'other' message board, cast out by the 'true bird dog enthusiasts' from this forum?
You get the point (pun intended).
I wish I had Sproulman's problems...trying to figure out which dog I should raise to chase soooooo many grouse. I wish I was nearly too old to chase chukar and had to settle for a honker, mallard, rooster, and knothead in 20 minutes. And I really, really wish I had Dale's problems. 25,000 acres and all that game Dale, seriously, does it matter what kind of dog(s) you have, as long as your clients are enjoying the heck out of chasing game on your property? I'll trade you a 1,020 square foot, $650,000 house on a 6,000 square foot lot, a mere 2 miles from the Pacific Ocean here in West Los Angeles, for a small slice of your heaven.
And I'll even hunt over your treasured pointers. Yes, I'll suffer through it. With my Benelli Nova pump. Or my 870. Maybe my beat up BPS in Camo. I might even pull out the Model 12. Somehow, this country boy would survive.
But until then, I've enjoyed reading the posts and have learned a lot. Doc E, I'm meeting with John Greer at Tiger Mtn in Ellensburg Feb 3rd and would appreciate any feedback on what you know of his PLs.
Oh, one last thing:
Dale, I'll trade you a weekend hog hunt for my proof-reading expertise. Y'all got a couple uh mis-spellins on your website
Have fun y'all, and go shoot something!
David
01-13-2007, 10:39 AM
#42
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: PA.
Posts: 5,195
RE: POINTING LAB??
if you only listen to sproul 1 time,get a lab that is small,LONG LEGGED,SKINNY WAIST,AMERICAN ONE,MALE 80 OR LESS,FEMALE 65 LESS..color means nothing but i like BLACK..
as for pointing,i too am interested but more important is dad/mom,CAN THEY HUNT!!
labs in my opinion dont have nose for birds as the other dogs do..others were raisedfor that and lab was raised to retrieve..
BUT , the lab does it all..if a lab can POINT, oh my, thats 1 hell of a hunting machine trhat i have got to see someday..
if lab can point and hold, in my opinion, there is NO dog that will ever come close to being asclose as PERFECT as that POINTING LAB can..
as for pointing,i too am interested but more important is dad/mom,CAN THEY HUNT!!
labs in my opinion dont have nose for birds as the other dogs do..others were raisedfor that and lab was raised to retrieve..
BUT , the lab does it all..if a lab can POINT, oh my, thats 1 hell of a hunting machine trhat i have got to see someday..
if lab can point and hold, in my opinion, there is NO dog that will ever come close to being asclose as PERFECT as that POINTING LAB can..
01-13-2007, 10:47 AM
#43
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: PA.
Posts: 5,195
RE: POINTING LAB??
ORIGINAL: Biffstir
Hey folks,
I have been casually researching the pointing lab as my first hunting dog over the past couple of months and thought I'd log on to Hunting.net to post an inquiry about them. Intrigued by this string I clicked, and having now read through the string, may I offer a few observations?
At some point I read that you should never talk poorly of your buddy's hunting dog. This string hints at a bit of condescension on the part of a few of you. I love it that a lab nearly 4 yrs old is beginning to point, or 'hold game'. That's so cool! And what's wrong with the trait appearing now? May wonders never cease.
Say what you want, you can teach a cat to point. Or retrieve. Or howl at the moon. I agree with Dale that there's a certain beauty to that locked, quivering <insert favorite upland breed here> on point, but who's to say that's the tradition, the only tradition, that matters? I've shot more quail WITHOUT a dog than over one, but I cannot WAIT to get a pointing lab over which I hope to harvest hundreds of birds. Will that make me subject to Dale's ridicule? (Just get a REAL pointing dog!) Will my experience be 'untraditional'? Shall I relinquish myself to posting on the 'other' message board, cast out by the 'true bird dog enthusiasts' from this forum?
You get the point (pun intended).
I wish I had Sproulman's problems...trying to figure out which dog I should raise to chase soooooo many grouse. I wish I was nearly too old to chase chukar and had to settle for a honker, mallard, rooster, and knothead in 20 minutes. And I really, really wish I had Dale's problems. 25,000 acres and all that game Dale, seriously, does it matter what kind of dog(s) you have, as long as your clients are enjoying the heck out of chasing game on your property? I'll trade you a 1,020 square foot, $650,000 house on a 6,000 square foot lot, a mere 2 miles from the Pacific Ocean here in West Los Angeles, for a small slice of your heaven.
And I'll even hunt over your treasured pointers. Yes, I'll suffer through it. With my Benelli Nova pump. Or my 870. Maybe my beat up BPS in Camo. I might even pull out the Model 12. Somehow, this country boy would survive.
But until then, I've enjoyed reading the posts and have learned a lot. Doc E, I'm meeting with John Greer at Tiger Mtn in Ellensburg Feb 3rd and would appreciate any feedback on what you know of his PLs.
Oh, one last thing:
Dale, I'll trade you a weekend hog hunt for my proof-reading expertise. Y'all got a couple uh mis-spellins on your website
Have fun y'all, and go shoot something!
David
Hey folks,
I have been casually researching the pointing lab as my first hunting dog over the past couple of months and thought I'd log on to Hunting.net to post an inquiry about them. Intrigued by this string I clicked, and having now read through the string, may I offer a few observations?
At some point I read that you should never talk poorly of your buddy's hunting dog. This string hints at a bit of condescension on the part of a few of you. I love it that a lab nearly 4 yrs old is beginning to point, or 'hold game'. That's so cool! And what's wrong with the trait appearing now? May wonders never cease.
Say what you want, you can teach a cat to point. Or retrieve. Or howl at the moon. I agree with Dale that there's a certain beauty to that locked, quivering <insert favorite upland breed here> on point, but who's to say that's the tradition, the only tradition, that matters? I've shot more quail WITHOUT a dog than over one, but I cannot WAIT to get a pointing lab over which I hope to harvest hundreds of birds. Will that make me subject to Dale's ridicule? (Just get a REAL pointing dog!) Will my experience be 'untraditional'? Shall I relinquish myself to posting on the 'other' message board, cast out by the 'true bird dog enthusiasts' from this forum?
You get the point (pun intended).
I wish I had Sproulman's problems...trying to figure out which dog I should raise to chase soooooo many grouse. I wish I was nearly too old to chase chukar and had to settle for a honker, mallard, rooster, and knothead in 20 minutes. And I really, really wish I had Dale's problems. 25,000 acres and all that game Dale, seriously, does it matter what kind of dog(s) you have, as long as your clients are enjoying the heck out of chasing game on your property? I'll trade you a 1,020 square foot, $650,000 house on a 6,000 square foot lot, a mere 2 miles from the Pacific Ocean here in West Los Angeles, for a small slice of your heaven.
And I'll even hunt over your treasured pointers. Yes, I'll suffer through it. With my Benelli Nova pump. Or my 870. Maybe my beat up BPS in Camo. I might even pull out the Model 12. Somehow, this country boy would survive.
But until then, I've enjoyed reading the posts and have learned a lot. Doc E, I'm meeting with John Greer at Tiger Mtn in Ellensburg Feb 3rd and would appreciate any feedback on what you know of his PLs.
Oh, one last thing:
Dale, I'll trade you a weekend hog hunt for my proof-reading expertise. Y'all got a couple uh mis-spellins on your website
Have fun y'all, and go shoot something!
David
a lot are just putting a nice camper on it..campers second hand go for 3,000 to 4,000..acre of land cost,2000 or less,when available and caught at right time..some land is higher,like 3000 for acre..
then, you would have nice time..all publicland to hunt..mountains are high and steep.. you will see bear, yotes, bobcats, cougars once in awhile,
taxes for 1 acre are around 28 dollars a year..you would only need acre for your camper..
01-13-2007, 11:10 AM
#44
Spike
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Hawthorne CA
Posts: 41
RE: POINTING LAB??
Thanks for the 'pointers' Sproulman, I'll definitely factor that in when looking at bloodlines & genetics. I agree, a lighter weight, agile lab that doesn't carry around too much weight is going to suit me better when running after Gambel's, (known to be faster than OJ chasing his ex-wife), Valley Quail, and the warmer water we have out here on the refuges. Plus, I expect less problems with hips, etc.
As far as land in PA, it's a long ways from here! But with the population in the US expected to reach 400 million in 50 years, I expect that the prices regardless of where the land might be will never be better, eh?
Safe travels to you and good luck on the grouse!
As far as land in PA, it's a long ways from here! But with the population in the US expected to reach 400 million in 50 years, I expect that the prices regardless of where the land might be will never be better, eh?
Safe travels to you and good luck on the grouse!
01-13-2007, 11:48 AM
#45
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: PA.
Posts: 5,195
RE: POINTING LAB??
here is our kennel.. www.wetland-retrievers.com gary raises small labs from time to time..you can usually see parents of pups..
quickest way to condition a lab is SWIMMING..its great on joints and real workout because they dont get heated up..
labs have great feet, better than other dogs in my opinion..they just dont seem to get thorns and cuts i see other dogs feet..
as for hips, give your dog GLOUSOMINE DS or GS daily and 250 mg of ester c..i use DIAMOND LAMB/RICE.22 dollars for 40 pds bag..
quickest way to condition a lab is SWIMMING..its great on joints and real workout because they dont get heated up..
labs have great feet, better than other dogs in my opinion..they just dont seem to get thorns and cuts i see other dogs feet..
as for hips, give your dog GLOUSOMINE DS or GS daily and 250 mg of ester c..i use DIAMOND LAMB/RICE.22 dollars for 40 pds bag..
01-16-2007, 08:45 AM
#48
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: OKC Ok. USA
Posts: 501
RE: POINTING LAB??
First off I'd like to say I'm not a big fan of "pointing" Labradors. There is little evidence if any there was any type of pointing dog in the Labrador's developement. It was always to be considered a flushing breed and to hesitate ala point was considered a balk and an undesireable trait. That being said I can see the want of a pointing Lab as no other dog has it 's personality,loyalty and ability to hunt.
I agree it is getting harder to find a Lab with a good nose ,but there are still some breeders that breed good hunting lines. My current dog tracks great and I've watched him lock in on birds at 45-50 feet and kick in the afterburners.I also agree it is harder to find a good specimen of the breed. A good mature male in it's prime (2-8) years should never be topping the scale above the 80lb mark. There is a standard that seems to have gone by the wayside in this age of bigger is better. It's sad that now a WELL bred dog that WAS SUPPOSED to weigh in at somewhere in the the range of 72-78 lbs or so is considered small.
It is getting extremely difficult IMHOto find a good Lab. Maybe I set my standards a bit to high ,but I'm now on my 4th Lab and the breeder I got my first 3 had passed on. He was in his early 70's when I got my 3rd and that one lived almost 14 years. It took me 2 years to find a breeder that bred for all the things I look for in a dog.
I know this post might offend a few and getsome's knickers in a bunch but it's only my opinion.
I agree it is getting harder to find a Lab with a good nose ,but there are still some breeders that breed good hunting lines. My current dog tracks great and I've watched him lock in on birds at 45-50 feet and kick in the afterburners.I also agree it is harder to find a good specimen of the breed. A good mature male in it's prime (2-8) years should never be topping the scale above the 80lb mark. There is a standard that seems to have gone by the wayside in this age of bigger is better. It's sad that now a WELL bred dog that WAS SUPPOSED to weigh in at somewhere in the the range of 72-78 lbs or so is considered small.
It is getting extremely difficult IMHOto find a good Lab. Maybe I set my standards a bit to high ,but I'm now on my 4th Lab and the breeder I got my first 3 had passed on. He was in his early 70's when I got my 3rd and that one lived almost 14 years. It took me 2 years to find a breeder that bred for all the things I look for in a dog.
I know this post might offend a few and getsome's knickers in a bunch but it's only my opinion.
01-16-2007, 08:51 AM
#49
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Colville WA USA
Posts: 1,974
RE: POINTING LAB??
ORIGINAL: Ruddyduck
First off I'd like to say I'm not a big fan of "pointing" Labradors. There is little evidence if any there was any type of pointing dog in the Labrador's developement.
First off I'd like to say I'm not a big fan of "pointing" Labradors. There is little evidence if any there was any type of pointing dog in the Labrador's developement.
.
01-16-2007, 11:28 AM
#50
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: PA.
Posts: 5,195
RE: POINTING LAB??
i agree, it seems some want bigger labs, not me..at garys kennel, he does breed small labs every once in awhile..males are 75 grown ,females 55/60..
big labs are disaster in woods..i also agree on nose of labs,they will go by a lot of grouse while running ahead..
yet, isee them do ok.. it all depends on WIND..if you dont hunt lab into wind ,they dont do as good on grouse..
those springer dogs and setters seem to be ones i see do best on NOSE at preserve..
it must bred into them on NOSE..i have friend thatvraises both dogs, LLEWELLIN SETTERS AND LABS..he told me that out of 10 birds, setter will flush 7 and lab 3..
yet, the dog i like most is LAB..i just feel he is all around dog for many reasons,in woods /home..
if they POINT,oh my, would that be something to see on grouse here in pa..
big labs are disaster in woods..i also agree on nose of labs,they will go by a lot of grouse while running ahead..
yet, isee them do ok.. it all depends on WIND..if you dont hunt lab into wind ,they dont do as good on grouse..
those springer dogs and setters seem to be ones i see do best on NOSE at preserve..
it must bred into them on NOSE..i have friend thatvraises both dogs, LLEWELLIN SETTERS AND LABS..he told me that out of 10 birds, setter will flush 7 and lab 3..
yet, the dog i like most is LAB..i just feel he is all around dog for many reasons,in woods /home..
if they POINT,oh my, would that be something to see on grouse here in pa..