doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Birddogs, guns, etc.-what's your pleasure and why?

Springers, of course! Dad raised 'em, I've had one most of my life o/t the college years. Lively, versatile, great companions and absolute retrieving machines.

Dad also was a diehard double man, shot a Meriden and was deadly on South Dakota roosters and prairie grouse. My favorite gun tends to be the next one, currently a 20 ga. RBL but I've got my eye on a 12 ga. SKB 280.

Waterfowl are a lifelong addiction (alas, a semi-auto does better there) but Colorado ptarmigan and Nebraska sharptails and prairie chickens will fill twenty plus days of my fall season again this fall.

An aside, why don't the ammo companies offer more 7's?

Steve

So us hand loaders have a reason to feel smug and superior.

Because it is what I did growing up, sitting on a bucket in a fenceline between a cornfield and a large stand of pines on a warm September afternoon with just a hint of fall and a Lab at your side, waiting for those feathered fighter jets to flit by and make sure you used all your shells trying to limit out. Mourning doves are one of the great tests of shooting flying.

Back then it was a Mossberg 500 20 ga. with a Polychoke and a 10# trigger pull. Now if I could still go there (time travel required unfortunately), I would be equally happy with a Perazzi 20 ga. or a Fox 16 ga - both with 30" barrels and Mod/Full chokes.

But now I am quite happy on a wet November day after the leaves are down following a Brittany after wary grouse and unpredictable woodcock, or working with a pointer and a cocker putting up Gentlemen Bob from the tall stuff under those Georgia pines - 16 ga. Fox and 20 ga. Arrieta for those respective tasks, both choked Sk/loose Mod.

I don't think that there are any best dogs for hunters. I have seen good and bad dogs of every bird hunting breed. Actually the same could be said for coon dogs, too. There are lots of good dog owners out there that can bring out the best in a certain dog, and there are lots of owners who will Never own a good dog, no matter what they pay.

My personal experience has been with Labs, viszlas, Gordon Setters,German shorthairs and German wirehaireds. My two favorite dogs were both German Wirehaired pointers. Their disposition, talent, and personal relating to me was what I wanted in a dog at that time. One did everything right at age 3 1/2 months, the other took a year longer, but they ended up the same in my eyes. Their range was perfect for me, their pace was "smart" and they could hunt all day. Wonderful hunters and companions. I have had three others of the same breed that were not nearly as good with me. Unfortunately, both of those really good dogs are gone and I am hoping for one more good companion for the next 10 years. I'll be lucky if that happens, and if not, I still have two dogs for hunting companions that I can enjoy, but not maybe quite as much.

My thought, too, is that the best dogs are the ones that get the most chances. They need lots of chances.

SxS 16 gauges, pointers, and either chickens or roosters.









Click on the last image for video.

Steve, how'd you post that video? Very cool!...Geo

Geo., I uploaded the video to Photobucket and it imbeds just like the photos do. Cool!

BTW, Wingshooter shot the video with a tiny little pocket camera. It's neat to have. Also, that is his Ideal I'm shooting. You know, a $6500 "loaner."

Hey Steve, I did it too! Had no idea that was possible...Geo

Click on image for video of five thousand or so mallards lighting in our decoys after the six of us seen hiding under "grass skirts" had limited out. Foggy morning in a Saskatchewan peafield:



DISCLAIMER: Note to PETAphiles, no animals were harmed in the filming of this video!

Awesome! We may have to start a new topic for videos next.

'Fraid if we did that Mister Dave might fire us all for using up too much of his bandwidth!...Geo