I have trudged through the fields hunting Pheasants as a much younger person when there were Pheasants to trudge after and I have busted through the Alder thickets for Grouse all with out the benefit of a dog, but no more. I enjoy a fine shotgun ALMOST as much as good dog work. If you companion is well trained you both will spend more time hunting birds instead of each other. Then there is the issue of finding birds as the worst dog has a better nose than we do (Dean may be an exception
) and what about the cripples that the dog can find far better than us. I can recall on more than one occasion where the dog has returned with a bird that I though was missed. Last but not least is the pride in hunting with a companion you have trained and cared for possibly for years, given and received unconditional love and respect for each other abilities and faults.
At the end of the day an "Armed walk in the woods" is better than no walk in the woods but a walk in the woods with a fine shotgun and your best friend scouring the cover for scent...priceless.