Article Database
These page is loaded with Featured Articles
Why Brittanys Are Popular Versatile Bird Dogs
Spend enough years behind bird dogs and certain patterns become hard to ignore. Some breeds draw attention because they are flashy. Some because they are specialists. And some because, season after season, they simply keep showing up in the hands of successful hunters. The Brittany belongs firmly in that last group. There is a reason you see them on quail plantations, in grouse covers, along pheasant edges, and on western walks where a dog needs enough heart to keep hunting and enough sense to stay connected.
English Pointer vs German Shorthaired Pointer
This debate always finds its way to the tailgate. Somebody swears the English Pointer is the finest upland dog ever bred, all speed, style, and bird sense. Somebody else leans back against the truck and argues that the German Shorthaired Pointer can do nearly everything a hunter could ask, from quail and pheasants to waterfowl and tracking. The truth, as it usually is in the dog world, depends on what kind of hunter you are and what kind of country you hunt.
Looking for a Pointer?
Few breeds have earned the reputation of the Pointer. Known for their speed, style, and natural bird-finding ability, Pointers have been a favorite among upland hunters for generations. Whether you are chasing quail across southern plantations, hunting prairie birds in the Midwest, or simply looking for an athletic companion with strong sporting instincts, the Pointer remains one of the most respected bird dogs in the field.
English Pointer or Pointer?
If you spend much time around bird dog folks, you'll eventually hear the breed referred to by two different names. Some people call them Pointers, while others insist on English Pointers. For newcomers to the sporting dog world, that can be confusing. Are they the same breed? Is one term more correct than the other?
Spaniel Bird Dogs
When most hunters think of bird dogs, their minds jump straight to pointers, setters, or retrievers. Yet for generations, spaniels have quietly earned a reputation as some of the most versatile and enjoyable hunting companions in the field. Compact, energetic, and eager to please, spaniels bring a unique style of hunting that combines close-working efficiency with an enthusiasm that's hard to match.
Changing Cover. Hunting Pheasants in Different Habitats.
Imagine observing roosters run ahead down rows of corn or milo until the birds reach the end of the field and then sneak into an adjoining wetland area, surrounded on one side by a golden field of short-grass prairie with brushy draws. This scenario has pheasant hunters in a variety of habitats. When hunting pheasants, cover can change over the course in a matter of minutes. Therefore, the hunting style pheasant hunters employ should reflect that. Pheasants will utilize every inch of habitat to their advantage if it helps them live another day. The court jesters of the Midwest are akin to adapting when fields get harvested or sloughs dry up. Hunting pressure pushes them out from one area to another. Hunters need to adapt to various habitats that pheasants use.
Best hunting dog breeds for upland hunting
There are several dog breeds that excel in upland hunting, and the best breed for you depends on your specific preferences and hunting style. Whether you’re flushing bobwhite quail in the piney woods of the Southeast, chasing sharp-tailed grouse across the grasslands of the Northern Great Plains, stalking ring-necked pheasants in the grain fields of the Midwest, pursuing chukar in the rocky terrain out West, or hunting ruffed grouse and woodcock in the dense young forests of the Great Lakes region, each breed is tailored to a different type of hunt. Finding the right one for your hunting situation can be key to success in the field.
Free Floating firing pins
Are you a safe hunter or shooter? Most people would say they are. Most people handle guns by not pointing them at other people and proper storage of firearms. Do you leave your shotgun loaded in the field or at home? If so this information is for you. Most shotguns have a cross bolt safety. Is it really safe while on safe? The cross bolt safety only keeps the trigger from being pulled. This doesn’t keep the shotgun from firing. Most shotguns have a floating firing pin, if the firing pin takes a jolt or hard hit it can and may fire. If the bolt is slammed forward the gun may go off. Not saying it will or not but it is a possibility. What if someone is walking ahead of you when this happens? What if you are in you vehicle and the shotgun is loaded and you hit and really bad bump or get in an accident? The shotgun could fire during this also causing damage to your vehicle or worse. Always keep you gun pointed in a safe direction. A direction that would cause minor damage to property and no damage to a person. Keep guns unloaded and bolt opened to the rear, so others can see you gun is unloaded when not in use, especially during transport and in the field before hunting. This is especially important when hunting in a group. Always be aware of your surroundings. Know where everyone in your hunting party is and only shoot when safe to do so. Be careful and enjoy the outdoors!
Continue Reading
Losing It
Harry Bain had been an all-age for-the-public pointing dog trainer-handler for thirty years. In that role he had lived in south Alabama, trained trial and hunting dog's mid-July through mid-September in North Dakota and traveled the major all-age trial circuit September through mid-March. Summers he had fished the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere until the last week of June when he readied for the trip north.
How much to puppies sell for?
I’ll occasionally get a phone call, text or email from someone asking how much money they should be asking for their puppies when listing them on Gundog Central. I have a ton of data that I’ve collected on dog prices over the years and decided to put together this quick list showing the average list price for puppies, by breed. I’ve also looked at the trending data for the past five years to see if puppy prices were rising or falling, but didn’t see a lot of movement for the most popular breeds. Below you’ll find the median list price for puppies, broken down by breed, over the past year. These are puppy prices only, it does not include started or finished dogs.
A Dread Problem and a Solution
Sam Teel and Booty Blevins had been partners ten years, never had a fight. They argued some about how to fix a problem, but each knew that was healthy. They didn't make much money, but loved what they did for a living, training and handling pointing dogs on the field trial circuit.
The Handoff
The year was 1955. Buck Reed had returned home to South Georgia from the war in Europe ten years before and embarked on his career as an all-age handler of pointing dogs as successor to his father, Sam, who had then retired from the same trade, turning his string over to Buck. Sam sadly died a year later of a heart attack, victim of the near universal curse of his generation, cigarettes.
The Dilemma
For Ben Reach, it was the perfect dilemma, the most ironic problem of his long legal career. And its solution the most surprising. It was a long time coming. And the solution was a total surprise to all concerned.
4 Ways to Stimulate Your Puppy’s Mind
A puppy’s brain and nervous system develops rapidly, much faster than their bodies. Sporting breed puppies have a lot to learn, so here are 4 ways to help stimulate their active minds.
