Raise a Toast
 

Our first setter after 30 years of Labs. Decoverly’s Raise a Toast “Raisin” We get her, started, in about three weeks. A wee little thing at 43 pounds.

Cheers! Too early for whiskey, but I will raise my coffee

Beautiful setter Andy. I currently hunt 3 females. They finally mowed the hay fields in back of the house, so now I can run them in the mornings.

Thank you Harold. I'm fortunate I mowed some of my fields and the pond is nearly full. The plan is to run her there, and my one lab will be a dedicated duck dog as he's not a great upland hunter so he gets pond time.

There is nothing, and I mean nothing, like walking in on your own setter rigid on point, you carrying a Parker. Andy, the adventures you will have..,

Thank you Garry! I've hunted over a lot of other folks setters/GSHP/EP and I love them, but have a very soft spot for Labs. The reasons?

1. Tough beyond nails
2. Low maintenance: hose them off and don't bother drying
3. Tough beyond nails
4. They are always puppies
5. Tough beyond nails
6. They can swim in icy swollen lakes and just shake it off and, like a Parker, just keep on going. And they can RETRIEVE

No criticism of other dogs, but I love all dogs whether flushing or pointing. God made their lives short so we could enjoy more of them in our lives (paraphrased from Gene Hill).

Gracie on rigid point. She did her job but the woodcock chickened out exiting behind the trees. I saw him for the flush and he was gone...





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Dean, when my dog of a lifetime "Duck" was alive and in his final year, he would hunt and not hear me, being totally deaf. One time I tried to "head him off at the pass" to prevent him from getting totally lost. The wind was in his face from where I was in a muddy creek bottom. As I worked my way downhill I flushed a mudbat up towards him about 15 yards, he was still ~30 yards by his bell. I remained silent and as he worked his way towards me he became very birdy scenting this bird. That damn bird RAN through that underbrush down towards me, past me, and cut to my left and held about 15 yards away until he flushed him. I missed. If anyone tell you Timberdoodles don't RUN, call bull on it. That was an easy 35 yards that bird walked/ran right past me like a penguin. It's my story and I'm sticking by it. Sorry you missed, I know how it feels all too well.

Beauty

I am a Brittany fan, but those setters sure are good looking