collar bell for setters/pointers

stevoman

after a debate we had recently about collar bells for the setter/pointing breeds i said i would share my experience of using mine that i got recently.

i had the dog out with it on her the last few days and apart from being a bit shocked by it for the first few minutes of it she is working away with it fine.

it came into its own the other day when she was hunting in very high sedge and i could'ne see her for the life of me. i could though keep track of her moving around about 40 yards from me and when she stopped and set i could fine her with ease. when i got to her, there she was set rock solid with a cock right under her nose.

i was out again yesterday and again she set with it and found her. when the cock started on th move she went it and it eventually got up ahead of her. i have also tried it in heavy cover for which i will hunt for woodcock and have found it excellent in knowing where she is and knowing where she is hunting and i can relax and dont need to keep chasing and wondering has she taken off after a hare or anything.

personnally i would recommend it for heavy cover for woodcock and very heavy sedge grass where you can see them. you can keep in touch with the dog and let her do her own thing without holding her back with the whistle.

mallards

Where did you get it Stevoman and have you any pics?

Mallards

stevoman

i ended up buying from cabela's in the states. hers the ling for you of the one i bought...

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=&id=0006473614576a&navCount=0&podId=0006473&parentId=&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=QZ&rid=&parentType=&indexId=&cmCat=netcon&cm_ven=netcon&cm_cat=Google&cm_pla=cabelas%20collar%20bell&cm_ite=netcon&hasJS=true

this particular bell you can hear up to around 60 yards. it is not heavy and the dog doesnt seem to mind it once she hunting. i know they are quite popular on the continent and america but not here or the uk.

my reason for using it is i dont have a springer and i would like to be able to let my setter hunt for woodcock in cover without me interfering and running after her. also in high grass on bogs it will be invaluable, a few time i lost my setter last yearin this high grass and couldnt find her and got annoyed. more often she was on a bird and i was blowing the whistle lookinfg for her back. more often than not i was holding her back.

its worth the few bob if you want to try something new.

shipping is $20 though, so i wouls suggest ordering three of them or so for friends who also would like to try. thats what i done.

i'l take a few pics of her hunting with it on her this weekend and post them.