GSP, GWP or ESS

temujin

Hi, thinking of getting another dog mainly for cover(mainly dense woodcock country,what it will be doing will be tough) and retrieving and kind of an alternative to a spaniel..i' ve heard that GWP or GSP are excellent and just wanted to see what people thought and if i should stick the springers or any other breeds. thanks

tfox

Why do you wanna change from springers ? for heavy woodcock cover they wont be beat

temujin

tfox wrote: »

Why do you wanna change from springers ? for heavy woodcock cover they wont be beat

just would like to try something different

deeksofdoom

temujin wrote: »

Hi, thinking of getting another dog mainly for cover(mainly dense woodcock country,what it will be doing will be tough) and retrieving and kind of an alternative to a spaniel..i' ve heard that GWP or GSP are excellent and just wanted to see what people thought and if i should stick the springers or any other breeds. thanks

I have a GWP and an 2 ESS and to be honest the ESS is a way better dog for hunting thick cover. The GWP hunts fine but I much prefer hunting woodcock with the springers, they hunt ever bit of cover regardless of whether they get a scent in it or not.

I just feel more condident that the springer has hunted evr bit of cover, whereas the pointer runs and stops when it gets a scent of game.

Last Sunday I was out with the pointer and she stopped pointing a cock in thick briar, she was locked on point when I got to her. Next thing the cock ran out through the briar and into a plantation and flew up through the trees I fired and missed. I just felt that had I the springer hunting close, the springer would have flushed the cock without giving the cock a chance to think about how it was going to escape and giving me a better chance with a snap shot.

But if its a dog for woodcock and thick cover its a springer that you want not a pointing or setting dog.

irish setter

what happens when the pointer locks on in heavy cover and you can't see or find her???

deeksofdoom

irish setter wrote: »

what happens when the pointer locks on in heavy cover and you can't see or find her???

I can't find her, thats what happens.

garyc007

its hard to beat the springer when it comes to heavy cover. but my friend has a nice german ponter bitch,shorthair, shes fairly good on them too but just get stuck into the cover quite as well. i like to have the two of them out,leaves me fairly confident nothing will be missed between them

temujin

deeksofdoom wrote: »

I have a GWP and an 2 ESS and to be honest the ESS is a way better dog for hunting thick cover. The GWP hunts fine but I much prefer hunting woodcock with the springers, they hunt ever bit of cover regardless of whether they get a scent in it or not.

I just feel more condident that the springer has hunted evr bit of cover, whereas the pointer runs and stops when it gets a scent of game.

Last Sunday I was out with the pointer and she stopped pointing a cock in thick briar, she was locked on point when I got to her. Next thing the cock ran out through the briar and into a plantation and flew up through the trees I fired and missed. I just felt that had I the springer hunting close, the springer would have flushed the cock without giving the cock a chance to think about how it was going to escape and giving me a better chance with a snap shot.

But if its a dog for woodcock and thick cover its a springer that you want not a pointing or setting dog.

fair point.
out of curiosity why do some people prefer the cocker to the springer..never had one either so just would like to know??

pheasntstalker

ive no experience of cockers what so ever!! i can only qoute from other lads that have cockers is they,re tempramental buggers, and a little harder to train and need more time spent with them also they can be snappy with other dogs, as ive said i know sfa about them only from what ive bein told, im a springer man all the way:D:D:D you just cant knock em!! ;)ther could be somone here that are more well versed in cockers or hunt cockers would be better eperienced of them