Flusher owners

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brad0861
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Flusher owners

Post by brad0861 » Mon Mar 07, 2011 3:48 pm

Hey, been going through this site. Just wondering where all the flusher owners on here are? Seems to be everyone has a pointer. Anyone use flushers for upland anymore. I have a lab and a springer, can't say enough about the versatility of these two breeds and I can't wait to get home to start training again.

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nikegundog
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Re: Flusher owners

Post by nikegundog » Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:15 pm

I'm owned labs for almost 30 years and just got a springer a few months back. Avid pheasant, goose and duck hunter from MN. Not a whole lot of flushing guys on here, but a lot of good information regardless.

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DougB
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Re: Flusher owners

Post by DougB » Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:32 pm

I've got a nice little field bred Springer. She's 10 and I would like to get another. Wife says no (she said no to this one also). Does the 48 hour rule still apply.
I grew up hunting flushers, mostly labs. Then a brother got a quality ESS female. Now all my brothers have ESS. The family discount was pretty good, and the dogs are just smart and full of drive. They are also cute and fluffy. If you need a chick magnet, the ESS does it.
Why own a dog? There's a danger you know,

You can't own just one, for the craving will grow.

There's no doubt they're addictive, wherein lies the danger.

While living with lots, you'll grow poorer and stranger.



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brad0861
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Re: Flusher owners

Post by brad0861 » Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:52 pm

Yea, they do seem to get quite a bit of attention, my ESS also demands a lot of attention. If you go to pet my lab the ESS will come over and put his head under your hand untill you pet him instead. I blame this problem on my wife, way too much attention when he was a pup. lol. Seems to be less and less of them out there these days though, have been seeing a lot of boykin owners out there though. Wondering how these dogs compare to the ESS?

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Redfishkilla
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Re: Flusher owners

Post by Redfishkilla » Tue Mar 08, 2011 6:40 am

Sure like to see some pics of ya'lls ESS.

bently
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Re: Flusher owners

Post by bently » Tue Mar 08, 2011 9:52 am

I have 1 ESS. He is 4, i got him when he was 2. I am more of the started/finished dog mindset. I am currently debating if i need another ESS or lab. Mainly for my current dog to have a buddy during the day when he is bored in the backyard. He is also jealous of me petting another dog. I have babysat a couple of dogs for a day or two. At first I thought "Great, now they will play and not need my attention that much" - that lasted for a couple of hours. Then it was back to both of them wanting me to pet them all the time. Oh well. it's good to be wanted! :D
Here he is enjoying the snow.
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crackerd
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Re: Flusher owners

Post by crackerd » Tue Mar 08, 2011 12:27 pm

brad0861 wrote: ... Seems to be less and less of them out there these days though, have been seeing a lot of boykin owners out there though. Wondering how these dogs compare to the ESS?
Springers are the gold standard of spaniels, Boykins are the bomb as a retrieving spaniel. Their temperament is 100% spaniel, but beyond hupping to flush steadiness, often they are trained to far higher levels for retrieving. Such as multiple marks and blind retrieves (which springers could master, too, if the emphasis were placed on that instead of what they do afield).

MG

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Re: Flusher owners

Post by Neil » Tue Mar 08, 2011 3:05 pm

Most know I am a proud Boykin owner, never have less than 4 adult dogs.

I field trial Brittanys with some success, but if it is upland birds I want (other than wild quail) I pull a Boykin out of the dog trailer.

I have seen some really nice springers in the field, and have long said, the way most people hunt their pointing dogs they would do better with a good flusher.

Neil

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ACooper
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Re: Flusher owners

Post by ACooper » Tue Mar 08, 2011 6:36 pm

Neil wrote:Most know I am a proud Boykin owner, never have less than 4 adult dogs.

I field trial Brittanys with some success, but if it is upland birds I want (other than wild quail) I pull a Boykin out of the dog trailer.

I have seen some really nice springers in the field, and have long said, the way most people hunt their pointing dogs they would do better with a good flusher.

Neil
I plan to test this theory sometime in the not so distant future.

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brad0861
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Re: Flusher owners

Post by brad0861 » Tue Mar 08, 2011 7:11 pm

The last duck hunt with my springer in 2010
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Re: Flusher owners

Post by Killer Instinct » Tue Mar 08, 2011 11:16 pm

I have 2 Field Bred ESS - couldn't stop at just one. Both are flushing fools and are a joy in the home (high maintence sometimes though - they always want to go outside even when it's -20 - Brrrr!)
.·´¯`·... ><((((º> Tammy ·.¸. ><((((º> .·´¯`·.

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brule
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Re: Flusher owners

Post by brule » Tue Mar 08, 2011 11:55 pm

I've got a lab that I use for upland and waterfowl. He's about 1 1/2 right now and pretty soon going to start the finishing touches on his training. I've learned a ton from this sight, which also gave me the itch to get a pointer. I've hunted over pointers before, but was always a lab guy. Now with the wife giving the go ahead to get a new dog I'm in the process of looking for a GSP. Going to be about year before I pull the trigger on one though. I want my lab to be complete before I get a new dog, as I am going to hunt them together.

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Re: Flusher owners

Post by nikegundog » Wed Mar 09, 2011 12:52 am

Brule, why do you want to downgrade? I know the economy is bad but seriously going from a lab to a GSP is like going from a corvette to a chevette.

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Re: Flusher owners

Post by gsp3333 » Wed Mar 09, 2011 1:09 am

nikegundog wrote:Brule, why do you want to downgrade? I know the economy is bad but seriously going from a lab to a GSP is like going from a corvette to a chevette.
WOW! That's a harsh statement nikegundog. I have both a Lab & a GSP and they are both great dogs. They each have thier own way of getting things done.
The Lab is like a 4x4, going threw everything at her own pace.
The GSP is like a rocket, going over everything at light speed.
Both great bird finders, just different speeds.

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nikegundog
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Re: Flusher owners

Post by nikegundog » Wed Mar 09, 2011 1:24 am

Wasn't trying to be harsh, purely in jest. :D

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Redfishkilla
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Re: Flusher owners

Post by Redfishkilla » Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:15 am

Thanks for the photos.

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crackerd
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Re: Flusher owners

Post by crackerd » Wed Mar 09, 2011 8:56 am

gsp3333 wrote:The Lab is like a 4x4, going threw everything at her own pace.
That may be your Lab, but most performance Labs' pace is - well, shall we say a fast enough pace to run down six of these this year

Image

not to mention their "flying" to a retrieve

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and turning up the tachometer even more for returning with it.

Image

Nothing that I've seen makes it any different in describing how they work afield as flushing dogs.

MG

brule
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Re: Flusher owners

Post by brule » Wed Mar 09, 2011 3:22 pm

Nick,

I really don't think its a downgrade by any means. My lab impresses me everyday we hunt. He's a small(50#'s), lean lab that is super fast, with great endurance, and huge drive. Made many goose and duck retrieves, with many flushed pheasants and retrieves.

I want a dog that is a bit better for grouse hunting, since I do quite a bit of it. And in my opinion the flusher just doesn't work that great in the grouse woods. And since I hunt most of the time solo for pheasants I think the combo of flusher and pointer is just going to up my bird percentages.

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nikegundog
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Re: Flusher owners

Post by nikegundog » Wed Mar 09, 2011 3:52 pm

Great idea, I have thought about it myself, especially now that I have two young boys. I just had to poke a little fun at a few of the pointing guys.

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Re: Flusher owners

Post by Neil » Wed Mar 09, 2011 5:18 pm

brule wrote:Nick,

I want a dog that is a bit better for grouse hunting, since I do quite a bit of it. And in my opinion the flusher just doesn't work that great in the grouse woods. And since I hunt most of the time solo for pheasants I think the combo of flusher and pointer is just going to up my bird percentages.
Other than those that also play field trial games, the most serious grouse hunters I know use flusher or retrievers as flushers. I am talking guys that try to limit every day of the season, and often do. If they thought a pointing dog would put more birds in the bag, they would have a kennel full.

Now these guys hunt so much they think like a grouse, could get more birds without a dog than I can with and they have flushers.

I do think pointing dogs have a huge edge on wild quail and chukar, but on the rest a flusher will most often equal more birds with less effort.

Neil

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Re: Flusher owners

Post by gsp3333 » Wed Mar 09, 2011 7:53 pm

crackerd wrote:
gsp3333 wrote:The Lab is like a 4x4, going threw everything at her own pace.
That may be your Lab, but most performance Labs' pace is - well, shall we say a fast enough pace to run down six of these this

MG


Didn't intend to say my Lab is slow, just not as fast as my GSP. Once again both great dogs.

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