Just a birdhunter

big steve46 · Post by **big steve46** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 6:14 am

Each to their own but I don't care about shows and I don't care too much about trialing. I'm just an old birdhunter who had a great E.Setter who among other great hunting accomplishments retrieved 2 quails at the same time. Can you top that?

wannabe · Post by **wannabe** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 6:35 am

Does it count if they swallowed the first quail and retrieved the second?

Post by **ezzy333** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 6:52 am

Ive seen a few dogs do it. More astounding to me is being able to point a bird with one already in their mouth. Wouldn't think they could smell another.

Ezzy

Coveyrise64 · Post by **Coveyrise64** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 7:12 am

Big Steve46 wrote:

Each to their own but I don't care about shows and I don't care too much about trialing. I'm just an old birdhunter who had a great E.Setter who among other great hunting accomplishments retrieved 2 quails at the same time. Can you top that?

Nothing wrong with being just a birdhunter.

I think that is the reason most of us got started with hunting dogs. I try to extend my hunting seasons by traveling to other states but even that doesn't satisfy my desire to spend time with the dogs. By NAVHDA Testing and AKC Hunt Tests I can extend my season even into the summer. I once had a dog bringing back two birds and stop to try and pick up a third. Three birds down normally doesn't happen but I had a little help from my hunting buddy on the coveyrise.

Coveyrise64

Buckeye_V · Post by **Buckeye_V** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 7:21 am

More astounding to me is being able to point a bird with one already in their mouth. Wouldn't think they could smell another.

I witnessed this myself at a trial this spring. My dog's sire used to do this in Derby stakes. Point, chase and catch a bird and while bringing bird back or while still running with bird in mouth point another, spit the old bird out and give chase to the new bird.

SteveB · Post by **SteveB** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 9:29 am

I was at a friends house training last week working on FF and his dog brought back 2 bumpers at a time more than once while working on force to pile.
Steve

RuttCrazed · Post by **RuttCrazed** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 9:48 am

I have a shorthair who was retrieving a wild rooster and turned on a dime and pointed another, she was a little confused on what to do first when I shot the second rooster.
The same dog also waded chest deep into some flooded cattails to point a mallard hen.

She has been a great dog, inspite of all my training

Rut

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 10:16 am

These retrieving story's are great!

My dad and I were duck hunting two years ago with our brittany doing the honors of retrieving. Well my dad shot a hen mallard. She fell in the creek, we released the brit for the retrieve. The mallard was still alive and kept diving under. My brit got tired of swimming after her and got up on a rock and watched the hen mallard dive. Well she dove in went under water and retrieved her. It was really neat even though the water wasnt all that deep! My dad still tells folks about her diving under to retrieve that duck.

Gotta love days like that, that you get to share with your dad.

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 11:08 am

have seen some great ones. i probably wrote this already, so bear with me if you have read it. the mother to my current trial dog was a so-so retriever in her youth, and then kind of turned it on.

i was hunting her one day near a slough hole, a bird got up, i shot it, and it landed about 40 yards out in the muck. dog immediately went after it. as she progressed, it became apparent that this retrieve was a serious and possibly deadly mistake. the slough hole was in the process of drying up, but the muck was wet and very deep. our state d.o.t. says they have excavated some of these to build roads, have gone down 200' and still not hit bottom.

so as the dog went for the bird, she began sinking deeper with each step, and struggling to stay up. i tried to call her back, but to no avail. i had visions of reporting back home that i had come back without the dog.

when she got to the rooster, she hit the worst of the stuff and when she grabbed it, everything, rooster, dog, and all, went under, out of sight.

i was desperately looking around for a big log or something, knowing it would be stupid to try go out there. i would go down too.

all was suddenly still, no movement on the surface of the muck. then, after what seemed like an eternity, a paw came up, then a nose with a bird attached, then another paw. somehow she got herself back up on the surface and turned around, then struggled back to shore with that rooster. she walked up and delivered it to hand like it was no big deal.

we quit for the day, it was late anyway. no more risks.

snips · Post by **snips** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 11:30 am

Nothing wrong with that! Gives great memories. I saw a Setter once get 2 birds in her mouth and was coming back when she passed a 3rd, she could not stand it. She tried and tried to get it too. On the way back one kept falling out. I did not remember that until your post, it was a hoot watching her cramming all those birds in her mouth. I guess she did`nt think she could make another trip.

big steve46 · Post by **big steve46** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:26 pm

Very nice stories and I'm sure we want to hear more. The same setter that I had for many years that I talked about earlier also did point another quail while he had one in his mouth but I'm sure he was sight pointing. It really doesn't count as a 2 bird retrieve if the dog eats the first one unless the dog regurgitated the first bird into your hand.

Post by **ezzy333** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:45 pm

Does it have to still be alive? :roll: :roll:

Ezzy

big steve46 · Post by **big steve46** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 10:31 pm

Izzy. Doesn't have to be alive. If you would learn to kill your birds instead of just crippling them, it would be a moot point.( just kidding)

big steve46 · Post by **big steve46** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 10:40 pm

Ezzy, sorry I misspelled your name. By the way, we know that a setter makes the prettiest point usually, but just for the fun of it, which breed do you all think makes the ugliest point or is beauty just in the eye of the beholder?

AHGSP · Post by **AHGSP** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 10:56 pm

big steve46 wrote:just for the fun of it, which breed do you all think makes the ugliest point?

SPINONE!

Buckeye_V · Post by **Buckeye_V** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 6:00 am

SPINONE

Post by **Ayres** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 3:03 pm

big steve46 wrote:Ezzy, sorry I misspelled your name. By the way, we know that a setter makes the prettiest point usually, but just for the fun of it, which breed do you all think makes the ugliest point or is beauty just in the eye of the beholder?

Must be in the eye of the beholder, because I find no point more beautiful than seeing a vizsla lock up.

The short coat allows all the muscle definition and intensity to be easily seen. The facial expression shows an unrivaled determination and concentration on the quarry and task. The rust color mixes yet contrasts perfectly with the early fall cover. And if you get a little sunlight glinting off the side... perfect!

Post by **ezzy333** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 3:25 pm

Steve in my mind breeds don't point, dogs do. I think a pretty point is your opinion, otherwise everyone would agree. I have seen few points that weren't pretty. The one thing that does standout in my mind is intensity. Just awfully hard to be pretty without it. With that in mind many Labs just don't display it well and I do have trouble thinking of them as a real pointing breed but more of a stop till flushed type of dog. Most of the other breeds all can be beautiful but aren't always. I think the high tail adds something but the real beauty is the unwaivering stare and rigid body, many times in a awkward position, that makes your heart sing and your knees weak.

Oh please God, Just allow us all another trip to the field to see our dogs freeze, quiver, mark, and retrieve one more bird to hand. Now thats real beauty!

Ezzy

phermes1 · Post by **phermes1** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 6:08 pm

Prettiest point: Vizsla. MY Vizsla

Ugliest: Yep, Spinone.

big steve46 · Post by **big steve46** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 6:27 pm

Ezzy, I tend to agree with you as to what constitutes a pretty point. I do like a nice tail but it does not have to be 12 o'clock. Rigidity and unwavering concentration are highly important. Being just a dumb old birdhunter from the Midwest, I have no idea what a Spinone is. Like you, I do not remember an ugly point as long as it was made somewhat well. However, one might be tempted to speculate that one or two breeds are fairly ugly no matter what they are doing.

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 6:34 pm

I may be different than you all but I like the point that you see high on a hill that is way off in the distance like you would see in a all-age type course. Some of these dogs are just amazing of where they find birds and how long they will hold them with the extreme intensity. But like you all have said I don't remember an ugly point, they are all great! Any time I am out training, hunting or at a trial i'm a happy camper to watch great dog work.

Post by **Ayres** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 10:09 pm

Fellas, my post was in jest. Of course I like seeing any breed lock up on point, and what I find beautiful in the picture is what I have highlighted most: intensity, concentration and determination.

But of course I'm going to advocate for my own breed. That's why we always make jokes about tail length and color.

big steve46 · Post by **big steve46** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 10:42 pm

Steven, nice comments and nice dog that you have pictured. Only partly a smart alec when I ask this question " Do people ever ask you if your dog is a coonhound. No disrespect intended.

Buckeye_V · Post by **Buckeye_V** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 7:03 am

I've gotten asked that question more than once. I then educate them.

I've even been asked if my dog was a red lab. But, my FAVORITE was when this lady with her nose in the stratosphere asked if it was a "mixed" breed. Oh buddy..... She got a REAL education.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 12:19 pm

Buckeye_V wrote:I've gotten asked that question more than once. I then educate them.

I've even been asked if my dog was a red lab. But, my FAVORITE was when this lady with her nose in the stratosphere asked if it was a "mixed" breed. Oh buddy..... She got a REAL education.

That is a very nice mixed red lab.

big steve46 · Post by **big steve46** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 9:20 pm

To further complicate matters, why do certain breeds get their tails bobbed in the first place? I don't buy the old excuse about preventing tail bleeding!

Post by **ezzy333** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 9:26 pm

Big Steve,

Buy it from one that has fought that problem. However it may not be the only reason.

Ezzy

big steve46 · Post by **big steve46** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 10:15 pm

I know that E. Pointers and Setters can have tail bleeding also so why don"t we bobb their tails? Is it because some of us did not overreact over the years as som did? Perhaps there are other reasons such as it allows you to use shorter dog boxes???

Vizsla Vince · Post by **Vizsla Vince** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 6:33 am

Wagonmaster,
I was on the edge of my seat! What an adventure! Ever seen the Princess Bride?

Ayres,
That's the fun of owning a Vizsla (or two)! Not only are they spectacular gun dogs, but great conversation starters!

big steve46 · Post by **big steve46** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 10:10 pm

Enough about tail mutilation I guess, what else can we brag about or discuss? About 20 years ago while hunting with the greatest birddog I ever hunted with, my E. Setter Jack, after busting a covey and killing 2 and havin him retrieve them to me, a funny thing happened. He started trailing a single that was running and he trailed it into an open field with short grass. He was running at about half speed when he locked up in a twisted point that was pretty. I kicked the bird up but could not kill it because I had forgot to pump a shell in the chamber. I swear Jack turned his head and looked at me as if to say " You Dummie!"

big steve46 · Post by **big steve46** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:24 pm

I guess no one can top my story of 11 days ago? Perhaps my stories are just too boring. Maybe Mulerider needs to tell a truthful story if that's possible (just kidding).

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:56 pm

Its all happened to us. Our dogs seems to look back and shake their heads. Nothing to brag about.

big steve46 · Post by **big steve46** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 10:55 pm

Well then, maybe I wasn't used to see my dog give me that funny look because I rarely messed up. Humm. Others may have had the experience more often.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 11:46 pm

big steve46 wrote:Well then, maybe I wasn't used to see my dog give me that funny look because I rarely messed up.

Somone thinks highly of themselves :roll:

big steve46 · Post by **big steve46** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 6:37 am

Having a good sense of humor is important for us all.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:01 am

big steve46 wrote:Having a good sense of humor is important for us all.

A problem with web is that ou cannot tell how a person says somthing and how i read it and how you read it is different.

I was just joking and giving ya a hard time. No hard feelings.

big steve46 · Post by **big steve46** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 9:49 pm

I assumed you were joking. I never take myself too seriously regarding most things and I hope no one else does. Best Regards

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 7:13 am

A few years ago my brothers and I were doing alot of waterfowling. We were driving a road one day and happened to see a huge flock of northern mallards feeding in a stubble field. Better than a thousand of them. Even better, they were at the toe of a little hill, so we could sneak em and keep the hill between us. Better still, I happened to have my 10 gauge in the back of the truck, three shot auto. We did the sneak and got within 20 yards. When the flock went up.......click. I was so excited over the whole thing I forgot to put a shell in the chamber. Duhh.

big steve46 · Post by **big steve46** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 12:26 pm

Many years ago, while hunting my big E. Setter Jack with a couple of friends who had four nice E. Pointers, we had all five dogs locked up in a line at the same time. Beautiful but of course no camera. My dog of course, being a setter, was first on point and the others were doing a nice job of backing.

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