Paco:

The author is Tom Huggler, his articles appear regularly under "Eastern Encounters", the information regarding Tom says he is a Michigan freelance writer who has written several award winning books and videos about hunting pheasants, woodcock, etc.  His e-mail is HugglerTom@cs.com.  I would agree that Retriever Jounal and Pointing Dog Journal are excellent publications.

Posted By Rhenee Fadling on 10 Mar 2010 06:34 PM

Paco:

The author is Tom Huggler, his articles appear regularly in PDJ under "Eastern Encounters", the information regarding Tom says he is a Michigan freelance writer who has written several award winning books and videos about hunting pheasants, woodcock, etc.  His e-mail is HugglerTom@cs.com.  I would agree that Retriever Journal and Pointing Dog Journal are excellent publications.

 

Posted By Paco on 15 Mar 2010 05:45 PM
This article came up on the versatile.com forum and wow,they are really different in their opinions over there.
I was starting to think those days were over, guess not.

To each there own I guess. The thing I find interesting is that whether you call it "education", "celebration", "promotion", "bragging" or just plain "one upsmanship"... the dogs don't care one bit!!!

Is it the dog's honor being defended...or the owner's?

I agree Rob, same deal with tests and trials are they for the dog or the owners?

As a  long time pointer guy who played the field trial game for a number of years. Know as a matter of fact you won’t change some of these guys minds no matter what!

A couple a 3 weeks ago an 82 year old  long time friend who still runs pointers in a few trials asked me if I’d shoot a few quail over his field trial dogs.  He’d picked up some penny bobwhites and worked 4 dogs, 3 finished dogs and one derby dog that has some go and potential in the field trial game. My buddy Lance came along just to watch. He’s a long time pointer guy as well but has seen enough of Pi to know she’s the real deal.

We finished up and there were two dozen quail left over. Ralph said do you what you want with them, work Pi on them or release them. I put out a couple of birds and turned her loose. In a few minutes she was locked up tight so I raised my hand to call point. She worked both birds clean.

I later asked Lance what Ralph said about Pi. He chuckled, then said he told Ralph, I was raising my hand like a field trailer calling point. Ralph commented she’s sure holding point for a long time…then he had to add in for a LABRADOR.  In Ralph’s mind there is only one pointing dog and it better be white with very few markngs and no sickle tail.

I released the other birds near the slough and a feeder, with any luck some will make it through spring.

I got a call from him last Friday, he’s worried all the wild quail have the avian flu. OK and TX got hit pretty hard with it and quail numbers are down big time. He and two field trialing buddies had spent the 3 previous days at the ranch running pointers and setters off horseback. He said they didn’t find a single covey, only 3 singles and worked it pretty darn hard. I told him, it’s the dogs you had down. Pi found 2 coveys in a 30 minute walk the week before, there’s plenty of quail around.  He didn’t buy it and never will.

Posted By Paco on 16 Mar 2010 05:45 AM
We all are a bit different and I for one am glad of that.When I lose my passion for my dogs,cover me up about six foot down.
Someone amongst the naysayers asks a good question,and it gets an answer.If giving out some info asked for smacks of "my dogs better than yours"or somehow a need for approval ,I guess that's how you choose to take it,can't do much about that.
Most of what are on the dog forums is quite boring,see it as you like.I like a little more spice.
Heck I think it would behoove some here to read Jeres Posts over there.
I tend to celebrate my dogs(and others),they aren't around all that long.

Now Frank we all have passion for our dogs, Heck I have got a couple i would put up against any dog. But the Pointing guys think there dogs can do everything, and they are the only ones that should be in the upland. and when the labs top them in the run and gun events it leaves a bad taste in there mouth. You wont change there minds about labs weather they point or not.