Another quality non-shedding duck, upland game, blood tracker, and shed hunter dog is a Pudelpointer. You might check them out as well.
Winter is here. Who’s hunting?
- Thread starter Carl
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William Reinicke
Active member
Ive actually already looked at them. I remember seeing poodles in hunt tests when I played those games. Obviously takes the right gene line as many are not hunters. I wonder how well they do with real cold though? I do think a labradoodle would have that grit to break through ice to fetch a duck.
Wyatt Russo
Member
I’m impressed with his nose and abilities with little to no training on my part.
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William Reinicke
Active member
They have no doubt the instinct, but does he jump off the shoreline full sprint in freezing water to get a bird or does he tip toe in? I know that there are no 2 dogs alike but I do question that grit in the breed. I question how smart labs are all the time, all they know is retrieve. I swear they would run through a brick wall if they had to in order to get a tennis ball. I will never forget seeing my last lab plow through a barb wire fence to get a teal. I mean no shits given, she went right through it full speed. I had to stitch up her nose, and all she did was let out a little quick bark and then got through and picked up the bird. What was weird, she just picked up another on the other side of that fence about 2 min before that one was shot. Now my little girl now has an incredible nose as well. Her predecessor didnt have the best but had a marking ability that was like none other and she could take a blind retrieve out to 200 yards pretty consistently. This one solely relies on her nose and if she gets birdy, I absolutely trust she is about to find something.
Im not much of an upland guy and have never killed anything worth eating with 4 legs. Ive fallen in love with the art of trickery. I think thats what bird hunting is for me. I love the ability to hit a 5 note and get a hen to talk right back or watch a small flock put their wings away instantly. I love doing my best to build the best decoy, that can't be bought. I love the interaction you get with the birds when it comes to waterfowl. Then of course good fun dog work. But there is nothing worse than a dog that tip toes in the water or is unsure about that go to pick it up. Thats my worry with poodles. I do believe they probably make awesome upland dogs and even blood trackers. I think I would have to hunt over a couple poodles before I bought one. And unfortunately, I am basing all my bias off seeing them in hunt tests many years ago, never the real thing.
Throw a tennis ball or bumper and off he goes full speed in cold water per FL standards. Drop a duck in front of him and he’ll look at me to see if I’m going to get it. Definitely better at upland game!!
William Reinicke
Active member
Lol he would end up a home buddy with that kind of attitude. I bet he could be trained to pick up a duck though and I have seen that breed in hunt tests have no problem with picking up the bird. Just took twice the amount of time to get to it. Have you ever had him out on upland? I feel like with a good nose, they would do great. I just have no desire to walk up birds and shoot them, I kind of feel like it takes that trickery element out of it.
I have done my fair share of doves, and they're alright but I dont even get excited for that anymore. Knew an old man who owned a dairy here just on the outskirts of the city. It was technically within the county of the city. He had a bad pigeon problem, so much so the feds came in and threatened to shut it down if he didnt get them under control. He didnt want to go the poison route so he asked if I would shoot them. I was a young kid who was a daring little soul, but I wasnt dumb. I took the documents to a lawyer first and he said there was nothing that could be done and we would win every time in court if I were be to arrested for discharging a firearm on the property. Technically it is illegal to discharge a weapon in that county. Well he supplied ammo and I shot it damn near every weekend for 8 years up to Covid. I was put in cuffs so many times and harrassed for the first few years but they never made it to the substation with me in the back seat once I showed them the documentation in the office. I did agree to go to the substation downtown and meet with the chief and explained exactly what was going on. They got pretty cool with me after that meeting.
We sat down one evening and figured I had killed ~65-70k pigeons off that property during that time. When Covid hit, dairy business got rough. He was a tough old man that wouldnt accept any help. I damn near had to wrestle him off a trencher in 95 degree weather because I was afraid he was going to die of a heat stroke. I offered help all the time because I could see him struggling, never let me. One day they found him in the office, and he gave up on life. I was so sad and even to this day wish he had accepted just a little help. The things I would do to share one more cold beer over the smell of shit on the dairy with him. He was a fantastic human being. Ever since then, just dont have the desire to chase dove or pigeon or upland really.
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First wishing everyone on this site a Very Merry Xmas.48 in Tampa this morning. Rest of the Gulf and east coast is colder with north wind Sure wish I as was back in duck hunting territory.
Who’s hunting?
Pleases share pics so I can get my fix.
West coast is doing well with warm temps in the low 50's and Raining.
Got the new little single scull out this morning in-between showers and killed a nice limit of Birds.
Oregon right now has thousands of birds filling the bays and fields as water starts to puddle up pretty good on most fields.
Soon these birds will all but be gone once there is enough water in the fields to hold the birds there most of the day.
We have so darned many Sprigs here right now it's crazy and we can only take one. It's a darned disgrace the dept of wildlife has not given us more on the bag limit.
The Hunters here on the Pacific Northwest have been up in arms about the numbers and only being able to kill 1. We understand finally they are going to up that limit too 3 sprigs in the 25-26 season.
We actually have more Sprigs at this time than ever before and was using the excuse that the other flyways were down, so we had to honor those with issues as the population was skyrocketing basically out of control. With numbers the sportsman has been saying for the last few years.
So hopefully it pans out and it all goes through.
Nothing better tasting than a nice fat Bull Sprig at the dinner table.
William Reinicke
Active member
Pics or it didnt happen...
Is it 2 or 3 next year? I think it only goes to 2 in the central flyway, but if its 3 in the pacific, I may just work my way that way and play a little. Im with you, sprigs are one of the better eats. Nothing better than a combo mallard/pintail limit either.
Hi William
Yes, they are proposing 3 for the Pacific west coast. From a Bio I spoke with when Brant hunting in Humboldt everyone was for the 3 Sprig.
Yes, if I have my preference its Brant (1) Sprig (2) Mallard (3) I don't usually shoot any other birds in my old age unless it's a Canvas back or Red Head. We have just about most Varieties here on the west coast of Oregon.
Wish we had Black Ducks as I'm sure they are a good eater also.
Yes, they are proposing 3 for the Pacific west coast. From a Bio I spoke with when Brant hunting in Humboldt everyone was for the 3 Sprig.
Yes, if I have my preference its Brant (1) Sprig (2) Mallard (3) I don't usually shoot any other birds in my old age unless it's a Canvas back or Red Head. We have just about most Varieties here on the west coast of Oregon.
Wish we had Black Ducks as I'm sure they are a good eater also.
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William Reinicke
Active member
Im with you almost to a tee on your priorities for birds.... except I have only shot one brant in my life. Just dont get them in the central flyway.... except lost ones. Love a good redhead shoot! Keep posting up, love to see success across the country.
Hi William
Yes, Brant is on the east coast of the US and the west coast. The Atlantic on the east and Pacific Black brant on the west coasts of the US.
I'm sure Now and again they will cross paths of a few and we have shot Atlantics on the west coast on very rare occasions, and I'm use now and again a few might stray to the east coast also.
In Oregon we have one of the nicest bays on the west coast, but lacking eel grass those birds but just a few might stop pick a little here and there then off they go to their next stop Humboldt Bay.
Born a raised in Humboldt until I got out of the Military in 71 was one of the most birds I enjoyed hunting. then moving to Oregon in 71-72 I try to make a couple trips a year to Humboldt to hunt Brant.
They are a lot of fun when decoying in their big flocks and as they whip around and ball up just a site to see.
If you ever get the chance, you should do it once and you'll probably get hooked.
I love sculling on them also as I can pick the nicest birds of a flock and kill big adults.
They are really a unique little sea goose that has made their way up and down the coasts for literally decades.
Yes, Brant is on the east coast of the US and the west coast. The Atlantic on the east and Pacific Black brant on the west coasts of the US.
I'm sure Now and again they will cross paths of a few and we have shot Atlantics on the west coast on very rare occasions, and I'm use now and again a few might stray to the east coast also.
In Oregon we have one of the nicest bays on the west coast, but lacking eel grass those birds but just a few might stop pick a little here and there then off they go to their next stop Humboldt Bay.
Born a raised in Humboldt until I got out of the Military in 71 was one of the most birds I enjoyed hunting. then moving to Oregon in 71-72 I try to make a couple trips a year to Humboldt to hunt Brant.
They are a lot of fun when decoying in their big flocks and as they whip around and ball up just a site to see.
If you ever get the chance, you should do it once and you'll probably get hooked.
I love sculling on them also as I can pick the nicest birds of a flock and kill big adults.
They are really a unique little sea goose that has made their way up and down the coasts for literally decades.
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William I must have missed but were you looking for a PUP?
I used to raise Drahthaar pointer pups.
They are the smartest and most resilient to any kind of conditions and just work hard for their masters.
from a blind straighten cold Icey water time and time again until he has all the birds in.
Then on top of that for upland birds they are great dogs. point on a dime retrieve all the birds.
I have had Labs Great dogs as are German shorthairs great but stubborn most don't like the water and then there is the Drahthaar
I used to raise Drahthaar pointer pups.
They are the smartest and most resilient to any kind of conditions and just work hard for their masters.
from a blind straighten cold Icey water time and time again until he has all the birds in.
Then on top of that for upland birds they are great dogs. point on a dime retrieve all the birds.
I have had Labs Great dogs as are German shorthairs great but stubborn most don't like the water and then there is the Drahthaar
William Reinicke
Active member
Im not currently in the market for a pup. I have my current lab now and she is only 4 and a half, but most my dogs only hunt to about the age of 9 due to how much I hunt them. They just wear down quicker, and unfortunately most arent alive past the age of 12. Kind of a double edge sword, they lose their mind and angry at me if I leave them at home, but the cold and the amount of hunting really wears them down. I still have a few years at least with my current little girl.
My best friend who I hunted with for 11 years had Drahthaar's and they are a great breed. Kind of quirky dogs, but from all the draathars I have hunted over (and I have hunted over A LOT at this point), none have the same go a lab does. Now, you want to talk about blood tracking crazy dogs, I have witnessed some outstanding feats from that breed. I will never forget when my buddies brother called and said he had put a terrible shot on a deer and asked if we were anywhere near and had ol gruff in the truck. Took us about an hour and a half and we were at deer camp with his brother and we took his Draath, at the time, to the point of impact and we let him do what he did best. Tracked it about 2 miles and there it laid, a poorly shot buck in a big ol wood pile. Never would of found that deer without that dogs ability. We have a local breeder 60 miles south of where I live and I got in real good with the kennel owner. At one point he would ask me to hunt them and I could just show up and pick and choose and take them out to hunt. So not only have I hunted over my buddies, but I have also hunted over some just in the kennels. We lacked that bond, but that is a breed that just works and works hard. They dont have that lab drive though, and it isnt because they lack drive, they just use their nose way more than their eyes, and in turn it slows them way down in their retrieving ability.
Yes sir Labs are great dogs I don't take a thing from them. But when I was a younger man, I wanted a dog that would hunt over decoys and also upland bird dog that would point and retrieve.
You can get a lab to point but it's some work and the reason I started on Drahths.
The Bond is as you know very important, he has to be the best friend on both sides, and he will work hard for you.
But nothing at all against the Lab
You can get a lab to point but it's some work and the reason I started on Drahths.
The Bond is as you know very important, he has to be the best friend on both sides, and he will work hard for you.
But nothing at all against the Lab
William Reinicke
Active member
100% correct on the bond and I do wonder if the Draaths I hunted over lacked a bit of the trust on retrieves because of this. But even when my buddy hunted his, they fell back on their nose more than their eyes. They are fantastic dogs though.