[patton1]

I am curious for the pros/cons observation for those that have hunted WILD pheasants with pointers and flushers. My lone expeience would say that a flusher MAY have an advantage but the area of SD we hunted the birds were skittish for both styles. They rarely held for point, but they also rarely held for flush for that matter. It is my inexperienced belief that for a guy that only makes it out once a year may have better luck with a flusher as the learning curve is shorter for the flusher than a pointer trying to figure out the wild bird game in a week. I do think both styles do suffer from sensory/scent overload when they encounter the amount of scent you encounter in SD. My wirehair had bugged out eyes and a smile from ear to ear. This seemed to make his hearing go away for a few days.
On a side note, I was reading a Ben O Williams book (major pointer guy) felt that Labs were the best for pheasants based on their retrieving skills.

With pen raised birds it really is a different story as they tend not to run so much.

 

[golden dude]

IMO match the type of dog you have to the type of cover you prefer to hunt. I prefer to hunt slow-med speed. so my goldens in heavy cover, kept close is a perfect match.

Steve

 

[metalone67]

From what I've learned from both ends, freinds go every year, the guys with flushers come home with more birds.
A fast close working flusher, 30 yrds in, with a good nose will produce flushes.
What pointers guys have told me a pointer must hold point well so the movement doesn't make em run off.
Im waiting for the day to get my girls on some wild birds. They are fast, hard and very good noses. One has winded birds at 30+ yards.

 

[scott furbeck]

It really depends on the cover and how you like to shoot. My friends have pointers, britts and setters, I have a golden. I cannot cover the ground nearly as quickly, so if a 80 acre CRP field is what you are used to, go with the pointers. I like to hunt up close and around the edges of terrain changes, so my dog suits me well. Having said that, I really like walking up on a nice point and my dog will honor their points. It is generally easier to shoot a pointed bird than a flushed one.

Standing crops and drives ... a good marking flushing dog is much better, but I really do not prefer to hunt that way. I do like to hunt "with" my dog and we watch each other, hunting with a big ranging setter is a little different... the setter is much more into his own world with you following behind.

A few birds, dogs, and friends..... always a good time.

 

[Dave Flint]

There's no contest, a flushing dog is far superior to a pointing dog on pheasants for several reasons. First as you alluded, a flushing dog can learn everything he needs to know about his job working on planted birds and the knowledge he gains in training (using the wind, trailing running birds, etc.) is directly transferable to wild birds. A pointing dog can learn a lot about his job on pen raised birds but he will almost certainly have quite a learning curve when he encounters a wily rooster that has eluded fox, coyotes, & hawks his whole life or he wouldn't be there for you to find.

Secondly, a pheasant is frankly the easiest game bird to hit. On those occasions when he will allow himself to hold for a pointing dog, the shot becomes anti-climatic for a gunner who has the ability to shoot. A flushing dog presents the bird for a more enjoyable, sporting shot.

Finally, although a rooster pheasant is relatively easy to hit, he's incredibly resilient. I've seen many birds clobbered only to discover they didn't stay where they fell. Flushing breeds are typically far superior to the pointing dogs in trailing cripples & coming up w/ the bird.

While I prefer a pointing dog for quail and woodcock, (it's a toss up for me on ruffed grouse), the pheasant is simply the "raison d'être" for the flushing dog.

 

[patton1]

Dave,
Very well argued..The learning curve argument is one I see being valid....Curious to see your prefance for type of flusher, but that could open a whole new can of worms...

 

[David McCracken]

My American Water Spaniels (flushers) have (what I believe) are far superior noses to most other breeds (the #1 drug dog in the Country is an AWS). Their nose, coupled with the fact that they hunt close has produced a bunch of pheasants on our trips to the Dakota's. Of course, JMO. :razz:
Professor

 

[Dave Flint]

Dave,
...Curious to see your prefance for type of flusher, but that could open a whole new can of worms...

I've personally owned & hunted pheasants w/ 4 labs, 2 goldens, & 2 springers. The best pheasant hunter of the dogs I've owned is a toss up between the golden in my avatar & my current springer. The golden was the most versatile dog I've ever owned but the springer has more endurance.

That being said, one of the most impressive pheasant dogs I've hunted over was a cagey old labrador. His innate lab intelligence had been honed over the years to such a state that he seemed to know exactly where the birds would be & didn't waste a step.

 

[DSMITH1651]

A friend we hunt with allot is a hard core pointer guy, It work grate until about Nov. 1 after that the roosters just wont hold for a point. Also a guide we know in SD keeps his pointers within 30 yds just for that reason. it gives the clients time to get to the dog before the bird runs off or flushes out of range. we kept track last year how meny birds fell to the pointers and the labs, the labs were responsible for over 90% of the harvest. even the pointer guys one lab out did the 5 pointers. now this is not saying the pointers are poor dogs they are in fact vary nice dogs but by the time he can get to the dog, the bird is normally ether a hen or gone.
Duane