Waterfowling dogs

[Firebird]

The big mergansers are not palatable. I was carrying a common merg by the feet one time and the sculpin fish were coming out his beak in various levels of gross so you can guess what the meat is like. The little (hooded) mergs will eat fish but also commonly Russian olive seeds and acorns where we get them. The one Steve killed-I mounted for him and it had snails and Russian olive seeds and some unrecognizable seeds in it. I suspect they don’t taste very good either. Most my waterfowl get turned into jerky and it is always good.

 

[CJW]

Our mergansers are nasty too but my BIL will eat them like a chicken drumstick. It's disgusting. My sister refuses to cook them for him anymore because they stink up the house. I've been out of duck hunting for quite a while until this year but next year all mergansers get a pass. I still have two in the freezer to try and mask the flavor of.

I was just wondering if they managed to taste decent anywhere. Guess not.

Nice looking dogs BTW.

 

[Woodcarver]

Mergansers are good when diced and added to gumbo or chile. Otherwise, inedible.

Chessies are arguably the strongest swimmer and toughest cold-water, cold-weather retriever. But, as has been pointed out several times, they are a challenge to train. If we didn't raise Labs, a Chessie might find a home here. I've only encountered 1 chasing upland birds, but he seemed to hold his own with the Labs and GSPs chasing pheasants.
If I hunted big, open, cold water, a Chessie would be at the top of the list; so would a professional trainer.

 

[Wemshie]

Greetings from Norfolk!!

In response to your query, ever considered a poodle?? Amazing wildfowling dog!

 

[264]

Heres my waterfowl dogs. Weimeraners dog Styer and bitch Uschi Mainly used on ducks and geese uschi is on her second season and is doing okay but Styer intimidates her on retrieves So being worked separately.
We have two be very careful on where we let them retrieve as saltwater crocs are a problem
Styer is a very good retriever who will bring to hand, or back and drop at feet then after another Heres a few pics.

Uschi's first retrieve, teal over decoys

waiting

big morning on the rice Styer

Styer looking / waiting for skeins of geese to come in over rice

bag for morning

hard too find in the rice with out a dog

black duck 1 of a pair both retrieved

 

[264]

Geese landing in back ground

Very hard retrieve

styer at the local reserve

Chris with Chessa , Chesapeake won't retrieve............

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

@Tucketed mentioned pudelpointers. I saw a hunting TV show several years ago on this breed. Looked very interesting. I've had several black labs and been around many over the years and they are great dogs too.

Breed Profile: German Pudelpointer - Gun Dog

A high-functioning & versatile breed, the German pudelpointer is well equipped to excel at pointing & retrieving on both land or water.

www.gundogmag.com

 

[Tucketed]

@WAB, sorry for the delay. Mine and other Pudlepointers I have hunted over love to navigate tough cover. Mine was at home in the briars as much as fields. My daughter was concerned due to his briar cuts. In the field he does run long if he can see me. He adjusts his work nicely for different cover. Grouse close but Pheasant can be long. He is careful and good about bumping.He has extremely large prey drive out hunting and never wants to quit. He turns off at home or can be a clown around guests. I have to say I am lucky man to be placed with him. I wish I was upland hunting him more but our move to Florida last July limited him to quail and not the best pointing bird, snipe. I have had Brittneys and GSPs plus a half a dozen Labs, loved them all but my Tiller has stolen my heart and soul. They are wonderful versatile bred though I have not shot waterfowl over him. Look them up they are tremendous retrievers on the water. They are sweet and easy to train. They have not been bred for anything but hunting and if interested you typically have a few years on lists to acquire.
Ed

 

[Tucketed]

@WAB, if interested look up Bob Farris, Cedarwood Kennels, he has a book or two and is well known. Once he gets to know your a dog hunting guy he can help guide you to some good breeders.

 

[MMAL]

I owned four labs before my first chessie. I will not be going back to labs. Most of the information said about them is true. My chessie knows what to do and how to do it. It is always the question of if he will do it when I want it done. He knows it is a crime but he will do the time if need be. Not sure it was mentioned but they have the chessie grin, not gonna tell you what it is but you know it when you see it. Great dogs and with the proper breeding, have a motor that will not stop due to being tired or cold and a great hunting companion. BTW my chessie was an inside dog with four kids. IMO, can do everything a lab can do but better, not more polished, just better.

 

[norfolk shooter]

Greetings from Norfolk!!

In response to your query, ever considered a poodle?? Amazing wildfowling dog!

Hi mate,
Where in Norfolk at you?? I did think of a poodle but didnt think there was much in terms of working poodles in the UK

 

[norfolk shooter]

I owned four labs before my first chessie. I will not be going back to labs. Most of the information said about them is true. My chessie knows what to do and how to do it. It is always the question of if he will do it when I want it done. He knows it is a crime but he will do the time if need be. Not sure it was mentioned but they have the chessie grin, not gonna tell you what it is but you know it when you see it. Great dogs and with the proper breeding, have a motor that will not stop due to being tired or cold and a great hunting companion. BTW my chessie was an inside dog with four kids. IMO, can do everything a lab can do but better, not more polished, just better.

The grin has been mentioned to me and I have seen pics online!! What makes yours smile??

 

[jdemocko]

My first dog was a Chessie. I was young and single and hunted hard. Spent a lot of time with her. She was one of the best all round dogs I ever owned. Great cold water duck dog and amazing nose for Pheasants. Iowa had a great population of birds back then. Now with kids, a job and less time I have been hunting Red coated Labrador retrievers. Excellent dogs that don't require quite as much attention.

 

[Longwalker]

If all I hunted was ducks, I'd get a lab. But I like a dog that can point upland birds and track furred game animals too, and a European Versatile breed dog is better for that. Most labs are nice to live with, some are pretty high strung in the house. I wouldn't own a Chesapeake. They work very hard, but are just too "sharp" for me. Pudelpointers have been mentioned. I've had two, and really liked them. Hard workers and easy to live with. I currently have a young Deutsch Drahthaar and expect he will be as good as a Pudelpointer. My Pudelpointers were unfazed by cold water, even retrieving beavers nearly as big as themselves.

 

[norfolk shooter]

If all I hunted was ducks, I'd get a lab. But I like a dog that can point upland birds and track furred game animals too, and a European Versatile breed dog is better for that. Most labs are nice to live with, some are pretty high strung in the house. I wouldn't own a Chesapeake. They work very hard, but are just too "sharp" for me. Pudelpointers have been mentioned. I've had two, and really liked them. Hard workers and easy to live with. I currently have a young Deutsch Drahthaar and expect he will be as good as a Pudelpointer. My Pudelpointers were unfazed by cold water, even retrieving beavers nearly as big as themselves.

Nice dog. In the UK we get many VERY highly strung Drahthaars the things can be outright nuts. Pudelpointers are are VERY hard to find in the UK too

 

[Longwalker]

Interesting. Local breeders can have a big influence on a breed. "Nuts" is a good thing to avoid.

 

[Frank Ragle]

@norfolk shooter check out a Pudlepointer. I have a had 6 lovely labs but my current Pudlepointer, Tiller is an unbelievable partner at home and by far the most intelligent dog I have ever owned. They are as good in the field as they are on the water. My son and I both own one and I wish I had known this bread decades ago .
Ed

View attachment 392914

Every pudelpointers I've come across are great dogs. Most are hard hunting well prior to their first birthday. Definitely worth looking into as well.

 

[WAB]

Does anyone have a recommendation on good pudelpointer breeders in the US?

 

[Frank Ragle]

Does anyone have a recommendation on good pudelpointer breeders in the US?

Cedarwood kennel in Idaho. Though any breeder on pudelpointer.org should be excellent due to the high standards imposed by the parent organization.

 

[Longwalker]

+1 - the dog in my photos above was from Cedarwoods.