Final Day Results

EPointer=Birdss

Well lads another season over with.
How did the last day go or did ye get out????

Got a flaking pheasant so nice finish.
Icing on the cake was my 11 month old pointer brought the Pheasant back to my hand for first time without command so looking forward to next season already!

Hope the recent rain didn't put too big a dampner on the day!

What was end of season tally?
Personally;
Got 14 Cocks
8 Woodcock
11 Mallard (Including September obviously)
3 Tufted Duck
1 Rabbit

Happy enough considoring was training young dog for most of the season.

macadam

Did'nt get out today had to work, but got out yesterday to a friends land as G.C. only lets us out on saturdays.

Got one cock and a rabbit 1st rabbit in 3 years, my ESS wont retrieve and ran right over the shot rabbit cant understand as she worked brilliant all season , she went out to collect the bird lifted it and left it.

Any ideas lads, she did scratch her eye last week collecting one of five cocks we got.

Great season never got wet any sat or sun and plenty of birds.

EPointer=Birdss

[quote=

Got one cock and a rabbit 1st rabbit in 3 years, my ESS wont retrieve and ran right over the shot rabbit cant understand as she worked brilliant all season , she went out to collect the bird lifted it and left it.

Any ideas lads, she did scratch her eye last week collecting one of five cocks we got.
quote]

Stange that. Would she retrieve fine up until now?
I think back to basics using a dummy & in a controlled environment. (No distractions etc) & work her up to birds again.

Best of luck with it mate! Don't give up on her yet just yet. Long off season there to work on her.

macadam

No she is here to stay, think the eye scratch in very thick cover may have done her harm.
I will leave her rest for a couple of weeks and then back to the dummy birds and will work her up to retreive in thick cover again.

pullandbang

Didn't get out on the 31st as I usually do but was out the last Sunday of the season. Myself and my mate got a cock each so it rounded off the season nicely. In fact just ate one of them tonight and it was delicious as usual.
I kept the tails for fly tying and they are at least 6 inches longer than the other tails I have from earlier in the season.

Pity it has to end but looking forward to some clays now.

Vegeta

Went out Saturday for a evening flight hoping to get a mallard.

I got 10..........cold fingers, the wind on the lake would cut you in half. Ah well that's how it goes I suppose. Lovely evening to be out and just happy to get out as things have been busy lately.

I had a chance at 1 pair of black and white diver but didn't fire as I thought they were too far for me. My brother beside me fired one shot at the trailing bird and it went down stone dead. Guess I need some work in the off season. Out went Jasper our black lab and brought him back no problems.

Great evening

EPointer=Birdss

Vegeta wrote: »

I had a chance at 1 pair of black and white diver

Great evening

What are these? Are they tufted ducks? I got a few of these this year but at the begining I wasn't 100% sure as to what they were as they usually don't come out our way. I googled them.
Nice eating bird! I'm getting more & more into the duck shooting now as well. Great craic if there dropping in to you! Just need to work on a dog to retrieve from water Mate has a stone mad springer who's great in water, but he wont sit still so not much use! He needs to work on him!

Thinking of getting a Black lab. How are they as all rounder? I.e. Duck but tip along a ditch of in through cover when after pheasnats as well??

Vegeta

EPointer=Birdss wrote: »

What are these? Are they tufted ducks? I got a few of these this year but at the begining I wasn't 100% sure as to what they were as they usually don't come out our way. I googled them.

Yup that's them.

Thinking of getting a Black lab. How are they as all rounder? I.e. Duck but tip along a ditch of in through cover when after pheasnats as well??

Our lab is very much a dog for the lake, happily stays close, walks to heel all day no bother etc etc. Funnily enough we shot the only woodcock of the season over him. He was trained as a dog for field trials so hunting is not his strongest point but we didn't really want him for hunting, we needed a solid shore dog. Super obedient.

Saying that he does have an excellent nose, better than some springers and cockers we've had and we have shot pheasant over him.

One of the lads we go shooting with has another lab who is more of an all rounder, great hunter, excellent on water but he's not as steady for hide shooting etc.

If you got one with a strong hunting instinct they'd make a fabulous second dog. Fantastic for the shore/hide shooting. We'd be lost without our fella

Still think you need a dedicated "hunter" as well though, we have an english setter for that

stevoman

I had a cvery dissapinting yeat to be honest. shot 5 mallard, 8 snipe , 3 woodcock and 2 cocks. missed two more cocks also.

i cant honestly say my dog did the business for me this year. and woodcock got up wild and snipe and pheasents also. i took her out on the last day and she rose a fierce amount of snipe but would hold a set to save her life. she was running in on them putting them up and then setting when they rose. did it all backways.

i dont know if its the fact that she is a year and 7 months or that she just wont cut it. i think i'l get a springer for next year. would suit the cover im hunting anyways.

EPointer=Birdss

Vegeta wrote: »

Yup that's them.

Still think you need a dedicated "hunter" as well though, we have an english setter for that

Have the english pointer for hunting! A miller to say the least! He would not leave a bird in the country behind him at 11 months! I will probably work on him for another season & get him 100%, then go for the Lab. Heart set on one at this stage but head over heart I think first.

Would you recommend field trial stock or from working strain?
I've no intention of trialing, all rough shooting for me thank you very much.

P.S. Bring your Lab up around rabbits & he wont be long going in around cover etc