Show me your setters. - Page 6

Big D · 09-15-2015, 08:46 AM

If you're thinking of getting a Chessie, don't forget the 2 x 4 to get his attention. (But once you get his attention, he doesn't forget)

Steve Hodges · 09-15-2015, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

Grace today in a practice session.
Today was much cooler, it had rained last night and everything was damp and a slight breeze was blowing steadily.

I sure hope she does this well in the grouse coverts in a couple of weeks.

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Dean, what was she pointing, planted birds or wild?

Dean Romig · 09-15-2015, 01:06 PM

Quite frankly Steve, we don't have any wild gamebirds around here anymore and no place to plant pen-raised birds for training purposes (I'm also in a 'no discharge' zone) so we work on mourning doves (a "songbird" in MA) and field sparrows and starlings. The mourning doves don't seem to have as much scent as do the sparrows and starlings.

I can't wait to get her on grouse and woodcock!!!!!

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Jon Sheets · 09-21-2015, 07:22 PM

Abigail's Highland Sunrise, then and now. Oh how quickly they grow up! This will be her 6th season. Where did the years go?

Quail1 · 09-21-2015, 09:48 PM

My buddy Phantom holding a late season Chukar.
He would have been 12 this year.

Jäger · 09-22-2015, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Dallas

If you're thinking of getting a Chessie, don't forget the 2 x 4 to get his attention. (But once you get his attention, he doesn't forget)

Do you have one? How do you like it and what's its attitude like?

Dean Romig · 09-22-2015, 11:37 AM

I think the 2x4 reference explains it pretty well...

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Big D · 09-22-2015, 12:34 PM

Michael - No- I don't have a Chessie. I have imported my last two Labs from Britain/Scotland. I like the calmer disposition of the British dogs. Chessies are hard-headed, tough dogs. If I had to make a living shooting and retrieving ducks, I'd have a Chessie, but for the average weekend warrior, I think they are a handful Oily coat which repels water well, but also stinks in the house if not cleaned regularly. From my experience, they are a one-man dog. Fiercely loyal to his owner, but distant, and even a bit menacing to outsiders. A man who brought his Chessie to the same Tower shoots that I worked at paid a lot of vet bills to owners whose dogs got torn up by "Pump".
I suspect I will get a bit of flack from those who have had great luck with Chessies, but for me - "No Thanks"

Quail1 · 09-22-2015, 06:18 PM

I had a female Chesapeake 30 years ago.
Buff was an amazing retriever. She would dive 6-10 below the surface to get a duck or dummy. Could mark 3 ducks down, and would NOT give up on a lost bird.
She would only release a duck or goose to me and would growl at anyone that attempted to take a bird from her. With me she was affectionate as any dog that I have ever owned, but if anyone else called her name, she would look in the exact opposite direction and not move.

Gary Laudermilch · 09-22-2015, 08:21 PM

Well, I hate to contaminate this thread on setters but cannot resist. I had a golden that was one great duck dog and would dive without hesitation. On numerous occasions I thought I'd have to go in after him for fear he'd drown trying to get a cripple. Once we were hunting a weed choked pond and crippled a black duck. Rip went after it but it repeatedly would dive when the dog was just about to grab it. This went on for so long I made my way around the pond, took my waders off and prepared to get wet. Just then the duck made a dive and Rip went under after him in heavy vegetation. Just as I started into the water he emerged snorting like a pig, but he had that damn duck in his mouth.

As good a duck dog as he was, he was an even better wild pheasant dog. In his career I only know of one cripple that escaped him and that was because it ran through a woven wire fence where he could not pursue.

When he was 7 I moved from pheasant country to grouse country. He made the transition without hesitation. The first fall we hunted grouse we were working around a swamp when I could not hear him running. I thought he must have found a porky or something so I went to investigate. I found him in heavy cover standing stock still and staring at the ground. Upon close inspection I noticed a woodcock sitting about 3 feet from his nose. He looked up as if to say - It's a bird, I have no idea what kind and it does not fly. What do we do now. I flushed it and shot it and he retrieved it. From then on he hunted them with as much vigor as grouse.

Good dogs are good dogs no matter the breed.