Hard-running dog vs. one of moderate pace makes a difference. I often run my springers with a buddy who hunts with a lab. The springers cover a lot more ground than the lab, who trots at a leisurely pace. In cool weather I'll switch dogs at about 3 hours, and they easily keep this up over several consecutive days.
My friend's lab has it figured out ... takes it easy on the edges of draws, watches my dogs work the deep cattail patches, then beats them to retrieve pheasants they dig out of the cover.
Jay
