Stamina of DD vs Field bred lab

[Minneguy]

Well it's true that a dog bred for upland hunting (a pointer) will help with the grouse, if you're doing 70% waterfowling, a lab can do nice work on grouse as well... Remember grouse dogs are made by experience, not their breed. But ultimately it's up to you!

Do you hunt grouse with your springers?

[gonehuntin']

I hunted grouse with my labs and they were deadly. I think a good case could be made for the fact that pointing dogs find more birds, but you shoot more over a flusher.

My DD wears a vest constantly while waterfowl hunting.

[Minneguy]

I hunted grouse with my labs and they were deadly. I think a good case could be made for the fact that pointing dogs find more birds, but you shoot more over a flusher.

My DD wears a vest constantly while waterfowl hunting.

Thanks for your insight! Is it the extra range of a pointer is the reason they find more birds? And why do you say you shoot more birds over a flusher? Is jt because any bird that they bump up is likely to be in range, whereas with a pointer it may be 60-150 yards away if they push a little too hard? What made you switch from labs to dd?

I appreciate every bit of insight, info and opinion I have been getting about this.

[mnaj_springer]

Well it's true that a dog bred for upland hunting (a pointer) will help with the grouse, if you're doing 70% waterfowling, a lab can do nice work on grouse as well... Remember grouse dogs are made by experience, not their breed. But ultimately it's up to you!

Do you hunt grouse with your springers?

I've hunted everything I can over Springers, including grouse. And grouse with a flusher requires a little more planning, for example... I may go through a section of the woods simply trying to push birds towards and edge where they'll hold better, then I'll work that edge and hope they flush into the clear stuff... I've even seen some intelligent spaniels get on scent then push, almost herd, towards the gun (but that is experience, not training)

But I have springers because 70% of what I do is upland birds, 20% is small game (rabbits and squirrels) and the last 10% is puddle jumping for ducks.

[gonehuntin']

Thing with with hunting grouse with a pointer is that they may point one 150 yards away. If the bird holds until you get there, they are jittery as heck and may flush a ways out. With a flusher, as soon as he starts making game, you're on his tail. The speed of the tail tells you how close the birds is. When it goes up, your close and ready. I just feel you MAY get better shots over a flusher.

Of course if a pointer points close and you see him, you can try and circle him and pinch the bird, giving you some great side shots.

[Minneguy]

Well it's true that a dog bred for upland hunting (a pointer) will help with the grouse, if you're doing 70% waterfowling, a lab can do nice work on grouse as well... Remember grouse dogs are made by experience, not their breed. But ultimately it's up to you!

Do you hunt grouse with your springers?

I've hunted everything I can over Springers, including grouse. And grouse with a flusher requires a little more planning, for example... I may go through a section of the woods simply trying to push birds towards and edge where they'll hold better, then I'll work that edge and hope they flush into the clear stuff... I've even seen some intelligent spaniels get on scent then push, almost herd, towards the gun (but that is experience, not training)

But I have springers because 70% of what I do is upland birds, 20% is small game (rabbits and squirrels) and the last 10% is puddle jumping for ducks.

And also, who doesn't love a happy go lucky springer lol. I never thought of pushing the running grouse towards the open, but that makes sense!

[Minneguy]

Thing with with hunting grouse with a pointer is that they may point one 150 yards away. If the bird holds until you get there, they are jittery as heck and may flush a ways out. With a flusher, as soon as he starts making game, you're on his tail. The speed of the tail tells you how close the birds is. When it goes up, your close and ready. I just feel you MAY get better shots over a flusher.

Of course if a pointer points close and you see him, you can try and circle him and pinch the bird, giving you some great side shots.

You know, that's a good point! I have almost always seen grouse run or flush instead of hold. I wonder if it makes a difference, the type of cover they are in, whether they will hold or run or flush. The nice thing about a flusher, is the bird has less of an option to run. I have seen grouse sneak away from hunters on foot before. I have very little experience with wild pheasants, but it seems like they might do the same?

[Grange]

Thing with with hunting grouse with a pointer is that they may point one 150 yards away. If the bird holds until you get there, they are jittery as heck and may flush a ways out. With a flusher, as soon as he starts making game, you're on his tail. The speed of the tail tells you how close the birds is. When it goes up, your close and ready. I just feel you MAY get better shots over a flusher.

Of course if a pointer points close and you see him, you can try and circle him and pinch the bird, giving you some great side shots.

You know, that's a good point! I have almost always seen grouse run or flush instead of hold. I wonder if it makes a difference, the type of cover they are in, whether they will hold or run or flush. The nice thing about a flusher, is the bird has less of an option to run. I have seen grouse sneak away from hunters on foot before. I have very little experience with wild pheasants, but it seems like they might do the same?

in my experience early in the season grouse tend to run more and at late season grouse tend to flush earlier. I was out this morning with my father and our dogs. The first 45 minutes or so we found a lot of woodcock that held well, but had to relocate multiple times for the grouse. It was clear they were running. As the rain became steady rather the grouse didn't nearly run as much and we found large groups. A couple coveys were at least 10 birds and they flushed from the ground and trees. I personally believe a good dog fast moving pointing dog can minimize the running and early flushing because they seem more apt to pin the bird.