We all have our favorite gun dogs. And I'm not going to make this a pissing contest. We have our favorite dogs because they are the best suited to our particular styles and types of hunting. I'm not gonna piss on your Redbone. They are amazing dogs.
For me and mine though... we have labs. And we recently brought home our latest. Steyr's Bama Trooper. We call him Steyr. In the pic he's the big one in the back.
This one was a bit of a reach. His momma was a competition dog but his daddy wasn't. It didn't take to long to figure out he'd be just fine though. Both parents were on site when we went to see the pups. And I got to work the dad a little bit. First of all he was beautiful. Big... about 85 pounds... not big like my old chocolate lab Cas... but still solid muscle. I found a ball to throw for him. His instincts were all spot on. He'd sit at attention and wait for me to throw the ball and he exploded out. Fast. Took instruction.... learned... He did everything you'd expect of a dog for 10x the money. Julie was watching all this and I looked over at her and she just nodded. She could see it too.
I love labs. To me they are like water born tanks. There is no end to the work they'll do. They'll swim up stream all day long... and go back for more if you ask them. And... I love the fact that you can make almost anything out of them. No... they won't point as good as your high end pointer... but they can and do learn it... and often perform very well.
So... Now's your chance to brag. Lets hear about your Gun Dog.
A: SweetWater Georgia Brown... of all things.
T: Ghurka WarLord. Holy crap is this thing good.
F: two Steyr M40a1s. Just because.
14 comments:
A: Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel
T: Not yet, but soon I will be enjoying a Marlboro
F: Taurus PT 1911
German Shorthaired Pointers are God's gift to mankind. Gentle with kids, love quail, pheasant, chucker, etc...
I figured out what the fuck is wrong with people. In today's world, people don't travel. You wouldn;t believe the amount of people I know that have never left the our county...not the state, not the country...the COUNTY. If people would just do what Nate does, and get on a bike and ride. Go see California, the Badlands, etc. After you travel, come back and tell me God doesn't exist...
Sorry, had to get that off of my chest tonight.
My brother and I were out this past February hunting a thicket that we scouted all fall long. A good covey of about 25 birds had been roosting there for months. Charlotte, our 4 year old Shorthair, went in and immediately locked into a tight point. Fully expecting a flush, we slowly walked in...nothing. Charlotte maintained her point as we passed her, I looked back and sure enough, about 3 ft in front of Charlotte, those damn birds were hunkered down. I signaled my brother, turned around and about had to kick those birds to flush. Two easy shots to my left, my brother had two shots dead nuts and then we hunted singles for another hour and both limited out.
RE
Nice. That's what I'm talkin' about. Good dog savin' you from being a dumbass and walking right past a whole mess o' birds
I took Willem, my 13 year old Shorthair, to South Dakota for a pheasant hunt. We go out Saturday morning and in the damn parking lot of the lodge, Willem locks up. I'm like, whoa boy, it's early, not yet...3 seconds later 2 roosters flush. Nobody is locked and loaded yet, but i look back and Willem has a damn rooster in his mouth. He snatched it on the flush. It's going to be a painful experience putting Willem down soon...
While I'd very much like to debate the point, I have to agree with you - labs are incredibly versatile, very intelligent and durable - all the live long day.
I'm also partial to the Bernese Mountain dog, but it ain't a hunting breed; it's made for herding. But smart, durable, strong and behaved generally.
A - 1792
T - Saving the cigar for tomorrow
F - Springfield XD .45
I like labs. There might be better dogs.
I lost mine a couple years ago. She was a mild mannered dog that went nuts when we went hunting. Good on pheasants and geese. Can't tell you how many times a crippled goose would sail over the hill. Dog would go over the hill, and in a few minutes she'd come back carrying it.
I almost lost her one December. A snow goose came down on the lake. She was about deaf, so there was no calling her back. She went out and fell through the ice. She got out and fell through again. Then she got herself out and came into shore. She curled up in the grass but was fetching geese again a half hour later. But that was about the longest ten minutes of my life.
Nate, do you still have your german shepherd? If I recall she was quite the guard dog according to you. Wasn't her name Bonita or something like that?
Yep. Bonita is still here... still on duty.
and you don't have to take my word for it.
Josh met her. Ask him.
That's good. I keep forgetting that serious hunters have dogs that perform different functions. Like Bonita guards the family and house, and Steyr gets to go with the boss on the hunting expeditions apparently.
Why would I ever think you would tell a tall one about Bonita? Are you suggesting that you are not a trustworthy fellow??
(you are now getting "the Look" via computer monitor)
German. Wirehaired. Pointer.
Nothing else comes close. I'm starting on my third one this year. It's hard to believe I've been hunting behind these exclusively for 20 years now.
Nate, how do you like the Warlord compared to the Spec Ops? I think the Warlord is Ghurka's best offering myself.
Res I think of the two of the like a blonde and brunette.
I see no reason to choose. I'll enjoy both.
My dog hides underneath the pedals of my truck when he hears gunfire. He can clear an eight foot fence though.
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