ayano3 Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 I have a dog, but I am not suggesting everyone needs one, but I would like to know your opinions on the importance of a good dog (or access to) for Wildfowling and what do you think is the best breed for the marsh. I have a Fox Red Lab bitch, great colour as you cant see them in the dark and half light. Strong swimmer and has a good coat for the water and cold. In my opinion the Lab is the best dog as an all-rounder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 (edited) Its important , but not vital , but I almost never go wildfowling without a dog. Having a dog with me is half the fun of wildfowling. If you have not got a dog then a lot of thought will have to go into where and when you go fowling. You need to pick a site where there is not too much thick cover to lose a bird in and where full creeks do not present a problem retrieving birds. Also you will need to pack up before deep dusk or you will not find anything you shoot. I have had some great tide flights laying on my back in short spartina islands on neap tides in a strong wind. With no creeks within 300 yards any bird I shoot is going to fall in shallow water or mud and should be easy to pick. With very limited cover its impossible to hide a dog in such places. I also feel it is not very fair to ask a dog to hide in a wet muddy gutter for 3-4 hours on open mudflats in cold wild weather. At the moment I use a black lab and she does a very good job , but my last dog was a golden retriever who was a brilliant fowling dog. I do not realy think there is a lot between them except for looks and perhaps goldens have a style that labs lack. I know a lot of fowlers use springers and get on well with them , but when I see one wet , muddy and shivering in the bottom of a creek for hours on end I do wonder if they are really suitable. Edited April 12, 2012 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reabrook Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 I use Labs both black and believe that colour is irrelevant if they keep still. I have used Springers inthe past and had some good ones but it's difficult to get one of a decent size these days. As for fowling without out a dog I understand not everyone is in a position to keep one but for me I think a dog is essential. Even on flat featureless marshes a wounded duck or goose can easily outrun a man though I take Anser's point about the welfare of a dog insuch conditions. Some clubs are now going down the line of insisting that a dog is either with each party of fowlers or in one club I know of every fowler has to have a dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pole Star Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 I have a dog, but I am not suggesting everyone needs one, but I would like to know your opinions on the importance of a good dog (or access to) for Wildfowling and what do you think is the best breed for the marsh. I have a Fox Red Lab bitch, great colour as you cant see them in the dark and half light. Strong swimmer and has a good coat for the water and cold. In my opinion the Lab is the best dog as an all-rounder. Every wilfowler shooting over water should have a dog ! its a must & here is a good reason . A shooter of many years & also a bird watcher who lives across the loch from me here in Orkney is now a non shooter ! why ?. As his house is surrounded by good cover & vegetation & close to the loch edge he just got sick to death of wounded geese turning up to die slowly in his garden ! . Read Alastair Mitchels book on goose shooting & he will give your an account of why Sir Peter Scott gave up wildfowling ! GET A DOG ! if you want shooting to continue rather than give amo to the anti's ! . Pole Star Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kelly Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 Years ago I lived in a tiny flat and couldn't have a dog. I used to go wildfowling on a big river estuary. I never lost a bird, but I had to be very selective with my shots. More often than not I'd go out and see plenty, but never get to fire a shot at them as they would have landed somewhere I couldn't get at them. It can be done, but I'm so glad to have a hound now, for many reasons. Still need to be a bit selective with your shots though because I know my spaniel would probably not do well trying to retrieve a bird from the middle of a fast flowing winter river, but he can cross ditches to get to bits I couldn't get to on my own, and has a better nose than me for the ones in the reeds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reabrook Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 The trouble being Tim not everyone is as admirable or selective as you hence I tend to lean on the side of Polestar - going fowling get a dog - end of. At the very least go with someone who has a competent dog. I've seen idiots with dogs leave birds before now because Rover doesn't swim or doesn't like widgeon or whatever spurious reason. A few years ago I settled into a small backwater for a morning flight. Just on daylight upturns Mr Considerate complete with a lab and springer in tow. After moaning I was in his chosen spot he sauntered off upstream. Two minutes later I heard a double shot but couldn't see where he was. A few minutes after that a dead mallard floated by in the main river. Rather than lose it I sent the lab for it, to which back he came screaming that it was his bird and he wanted his dog to pick it so I called her off it. The spaniel was at this time running amok 3 fields away so he tried his lab which had no interest other than in what the spaniel was doing. He then began throwing stones in it's general direct before cursing loudly that his dog was ******* useless and tramping back to his position whilst loudly protesting the parentage of his spaniel. He left long before me and I picked that bird dogging the tideline on my way back to the car. He had to go back the same way as me so could have done exactly the same or he could have just let me pick it for him in the first place. Either way he'd have got his bird. Thankfully I've never come across him since but if you recognise the story you now know I got your duck and it serves you right. If you haven't got a dog and need one to shoot your marsh I'm prepared to travel and don't charge very much. Glos WA Members need not apply!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudpatten Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 My club, the Langstone WA, was the first club in the country to introduce a "dog rule" some 30 years ago. In short,a member must be accompanied by a trained gundog. It does`nt mean he must own one, but he must be with,and within a sensible distance of, a dog owning fowler. As a concept it works well.The tideline is not running alive with cripples, teaming up with a dog owner engenders a spirit of cooperation amongst members and the provision of training and dog husbandry advice means that a significant number of new members have taken the dog owning plunge much sooner, and with considerable success,than is the case with many other clubs. Our rules also contain the provision to test the ability of a dog/owner should the combination be seen to fail too often. Dogs running amok on the marsh and failing to retrieve is a very rare occurrence. Towards the end of last season I was standing by the vehicles with a Chesapeake, A curly coat,two labs and a sprocker. All were sat quietly at heel with no fidgeting or fighting and their owners were equally well behaved. I would`nt want to force clubs to go down the "dog" route, but it has worked well for us. Fowlers dogs are often reputed to be amongst the worst trained in the gundog world. It does`nt have to be like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve0146 Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 In the club Im in you have to have a competent dog available. You dont have to own it, just have one with your party. I was shooting with someone 3 years ago and dropped a lovely high teal in the river, stone dead. His dog would not go in to start with. After throwing stones it finally went in, swam around for a bit and gave up. The owner swore about the dog all morning. This repeated itself later in the year with a goose, so I have now got my own to shoot over and dont rely on anyone. You can not be annoyed at a dog you have spent no time with and poorly trained it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reabrook Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 My club, the Langstone WA, was the first club in the country to introduce a "dog rule" some 30 years ago. In short,a member must be accompanied by a trained gundog. It does`nt mean he must own one, but he must be with,and within a sensible distance of, a dog owning fowler. As a concept it works well.The tideline is not running alive with cripples, teaming up with a dog owner engenders a spirit of cooperation amongst members and the provision of training and dog husbandry advice means that a significant number of new members have taken the dog owning plunge much sooner, and with considerable success,than is the case with many other clubs. Our rules also contain the provision to test the ability of a dog/owner should the combination be seen to fail too often. Dogs running amok on the marsh and failing to retrieve is a very rare occurrence. Towards the end of last season I was standing by the vehicles with a Chesapeake, A curly coat,two labs and a sprocker. All were sat quietly at heel with no fidgeting or fighting and their owners were equally well behaved. I would`nt want to force clubs to go down the "dog" route, but it has worked well for us. Fowlers dogs are often reputed to be amongst the worst trained in the gundog world. It does`nt have to be like that. Unfortunately the GWA have no rules that require a member to be accompanied by a dog but firmly believe it is something we should consider. I also quite like the idea of a competence test. The Welsh Club that I belong to requires each individual to be accompanied by a dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpk Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 Unfortunately the GWA have no rules that require a member to be accompanied by a dog but firmly believe it is something we should consider. I also quite like the idea of a competence test. The Welsh Club that I belong to requires each individual to be accompanied by a dog. Im also a member of langstone wa and having a dog is a pleasure on the marsh. Also 90% of the retrieving can be difficult and i don't know were i would be without my mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver pigeon 3 Posted April 14, 2012 Report Share Posted April 14, 2012 Towards the end of last season was the first time i had my own dog out on the marsh, and i was still very selective about what i shot at as he was still young. Even so i shot at a wigeon right on last light and thought that i had missed well behind, but the dog kept turning to look behind and whining so i sent him and what seemed like an age later, but probably only 3/4 mins he returned with a very lively cock wigeon. I would say that the bird had came down a good 70-80 yards from me and as it landed rather than dropped dead made no noise that i could hear, but the dog knew better! Even though i had always been out with people with good retrieving dogs in the past, this would have been one that i would not have picked as i was so sure that i had not pricked the bird so wouldn't have asked the dog owner to sweep the area. In my opinion all wildfowling should be carried out with a good dog available, ideally everyone should have a dog but a lot of people can't have dogs for one reason or other. My breed of choice is the Lab, i think it is very difficult to beat a good Lab out on the marsh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted April 14, 2012 Report Share Posted April 14, 2012 I don't have a dog, and I belong to Glos wildfowlers. I'm happy to accept the limitations it creates because I like being out there and getting a bag is a bonus. There is no prospect of me owning a dog and that's that. In any case, I know a lab who is coming on very nicely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zab10 Posted April 14, 2012 Report Share Posted April 14, 2012 i went 4 seasons without a dog and on the 4th i seemed to loose everything i shot on pm flights even although i was shooting areas at low tide and away from creeks etc , i simply couldnt find things in the dark / long grass to the stage i wasnt going because of it . so i made the decision and got another dog (already had a lurcher) and got a black lab and i can honestly say fowling without her isnt fowling anymore and i wouldnt be without so she is in the kitchen the now with her 8 pups one of which i will be keeping and bringing on so i have a dog to replace her with when her time is up , i know some people cant have one due to work etc and the sensible ones will do there best to find what they have shot so wouldnt frown upon them in any way but the idea with the english clubs where the shooting party must have a dog is a good idea and wish i could have had that option at one point . i had a few decent guys help me find things with with there dogs in the past and will help others likewise myself . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted April 17, 2012 Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 Man + Gun + Dog = Happiness Man + Gun + Dog + Marsh = Wildfowler Man + Gun + Dog + Marsh + Geese = Heaven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
washwildfowler Posted April 17, 2012 Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 i have seen many a flight ruined by fowlers without dogs . they shoot there quarry , then spend the next half an hour walking around on top looking for it with the result being the same 9 times out of 10 they loose it .... i also have seen a very good friend of mine swim for his first ever pink in very,very cold weather stripping down to his undies not a pretty sight and there not being alot of fat on him ... needles to say he has never been without a dog since .... so for me a dog for wildfolwing is a big must ...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ91 Posted April 17, 2012 Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 (edited) i borrow a dog if i can if not i am selective, very very selective i would love to have my own dog to take out with me but am in no position to give a dog the life it deserves i picked up 90% of what i shot last season, the other 10% was picked up by a fellow fowler who saw it fall when i thought i had missed. worse than a man with no dog is a man with an untrained dog. had 2 flights ruined last season due to a man with a couple of crazy cocker spaniels that were not in the least bit bothered about his shouting and screaming! until i can get a dog and give it the life it deserves i will have to sit and watch chances fly by, that doesnt bother me as it isnt all about the shots i take when i am out on the foreshore Edited April 17, 2012 by TJ91 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brown Sauce Posted April 17, 2012 Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 Just about to join the wentloog wildfowlers and a dog is not required. However, any shot taken must only be done so if the bird can be safely retrieved. Though I do completely agree that a dog makes fowling far easier and more fun. Early doors for me, so all shooting will be done with a full member and a dog will accompany us. Maybe a couple of seasons in, my children will be a little older and then a small black lab puppy might arrive for Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniel Posted April 17, 2012 Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 depends on the situation if you require a dog or not, but who else will listen to you moan when you miss that bird Mate from the club downed a Canada and where i thought it dropped instantly, in fact it carried on a few more yards and landed in the mud....far to deep for a human to get to, but he got his dog and it went straight out picked up the goose and returned with it.....so always good to have a dog with you and yes i prefer the Lab....my springers just want to hunt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.