Dogs?
#2
Yes you will - You will see birds if you wlrk their habitat but not as many as with a well trained dog.
And the dogs for me are the tool to go get that bird after the shot and bring it back to hand.
But I know many who are successful hunting without a dog.
JW
And the dogs for me are the tool to go get that bird after the shot and bring it back to hand.
But I know many who are successful hunting without a dog.
JW
#3
Banned
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Mason, Wisconsin
Posts: 73
Thanks for the info. Do you have to do a lot of training with a dog? We have a border collie and would it be hard or easy to get him to scare the bird? If he does need training then how will i train him?
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Kenly, North Carolina
Posts: 370
I hunted years without a dog, and yes I got birds, but since I have been using Labradors, I get to atleast see more birds, and they have been a great asset in the hunting field.
It does take a lot of training and commitment to get a dog trained up. I guess you could train your border collie to flush the birds, heck you can train almost any dog/animal to do something. Question? why don't you get a dog/breed that is bred to hunt upland birds?
It does take a lot of training and commitment to get a dog trained up. I guess you could train your border collie to flush the birds, heck you can train almost any dog/animal to do something. Question? why don't you get a dog/breed that is bred to hunt upland birds?
#5
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Teton Valley, ID
Posts: 196
Mrspy, Check out my http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/upland-bird-hunting/302266-opening-morning.html thread
I've got 16 grouse so far this season 35 last season with my dog and he is as far from a bird dog breed as you are going to get.
I've got 16 grouse so far this season 35 last season with my dog and he is as far from a bird dog breed as you are going to get.
Last edited by Wlfdg; 09-17-2009 at 08:22 PM.
#6
Probably not. I'm not saying you can't be successful without a dog, but these sporting dogs are bred to find birds. You simply cannot compete with them.
I hunted years for birds here in NH and was fairly successful. Since I have been hunting over my 7 yr old Springer, the number of birds taken has increased significantly. He flushes far more birds than I ever would, especially hunting pheasants which would rather run than flush. Most Springers are relentless, mine included, and they will stay on that bird, under the nastiest conditions, until that bird finally decides to flush. If I was hunitng alone, that bird would hold tight and I would probably never know he was there.
I hunted years for birds here in NH and was fairly successful. Since I have been hunting over my 7 yr old Springer, the number of birds taken has increased significantly. He flushes far more birds than I ever would, especially hunting pheasants which would rather run than flush. Most Springers are relentless, mine included, and they will stay on that bird, under the nastiest conditions, until that bird finally decides to flush. If I was hunitng alone, that bird would hold tight and I would probably never know he was there.
#8
After hunting behind dogs for 10 years, I don't think I would hunt birds without a well trained dog. There is a difference; quite noticeable. Also, there are a good conservation tool - find the birds once they are down but not dead.