Bird hunters love their dogs. These 4-legged hunters require training, time, patience, and exercise. When Great Dogs get what they need, Great Hunting is the result.
Bird hunters will debate what type of hunting dog species is the best. Black Labs are versatile, and pointers/ setters are beautiful. To each his own. A great dog does not have to be pretty, purebred, or expensive. They just need to listen and hunt.
In Europe, the best hunting animals were not always dogs. Pigs were often used to hunt birds. Some dogs were bred to simply chase birds or push them. It wasn’t until much later that dog breeding created dogs with more specific retrieving, pointing, or specific talents.
My favorite breed has been the German Shorthaired Pointer. They are strong, smart, durable, good house pets, and great hunters. My first shorthair was named Kriegie. She was a tough, but stubborn girl. My first 2 seasons with her were hard. My brother and I shared the expenses, but I did the training. The only problem was that I had not been trained.
Through trial and error, we figured it out. In Krieg’s 3rd season, we were walking along an edge of a cut corn field. Suddenly, Kreig cracked on a hard point! I walked over and flushed a ringneck. After the shot, I commanded “Dead Bird” and Krieg found and dropped the bird into my hand. That was the first time when it seemed like the plan came together. After that, Krieg became a hunting machine. We hunted 2 states for birds, and she really loved it. Kreigies best seasons were when she aged. For 14 seasons, pheasants, grouse, and quail were at her mercy. She taught me how to hunt and become a better shooter. Whenever I missed a bird, she gave me a look of dissatisfaction. She did her job and I failed. I rarely missed after getting those dirty looks.
My next dog was a shorthair we named Liebe. She was a great, fast, but stubborn hunter. If Liebe wasn’t hunting, neither was I. She never missed a bird. Her nose was impeccable and we hunted often.
Later I acquired a girl named Tessa who was great with birds but also chased deer. This was her demise when she chased deer across a road and was hit by a truck. Every dog has its own personality, strengths, and weaknesses. Some are better than others in certain skills. Once the master becomes trained to their needs, the dogs do well.
My wife came home with a giveaway mixed breed puppy. She was black and handsome. Part GSP and part Golden Retriever. Shelby was the best of both worlds. I had a black GSP named Coalby at the time, and they became a great hunting team. Later another giveaway adult Black Lab named Sheba joined my pack. No upland bird or duck was safe.
At one point, I was out of dogs. Age and time had caught up with them and hunting was done. A friend gave me a pup named Magnum. He was a GSP stud and became a great hunter. Mag was perhaps the fastest dog that I have ever seen. His nose was superb, and he loved to hunt and be with kids and friends.
Owning and hunting dogs is time consuming and hard work. Once you get the dog trained up, they age and cross the Rainbow Bridge. It’s hard to see them go. The only way that I know how to survive the grief is to get another dog.
Currently I have 2 shorthairs. They are brothers from different mothers and are 2 years apart. Their father was named Gunnar, and wis a strong and stubborn, big boy. Jag is his handsome son. Buddy came next. The breeder was closing his kennel and wanted his last pup to go to a good home. Shelby had just passed, and Buddy came into our lives. The breeder just called him Buddy because of his friendly nature. This will be his first hunting season and I am excited to see what he does. No bird in the back yard is safe around him. He spends half the day cracked on point stalking birds.
Jag and Buddy may be the last of my Great Dogs. As hunters age, it’s hard to do what needs to be done to train and own dogs. GSPs are sports cars and require a lot of time. Older hunters hunt slower and less often.
The good news is that Jag and Buddy stay within 30 yards when afield. They hunt as fast as I can walk. Both love being outdoors and spending time with me. The greatest thing about Great Dogs is that they just love to be loved and hunt birds with their master. When they are not hunting, they are nearby or on my lap.
“Hunt close!”
Montana Grant
