# For the Hunters out there



## JimS (Jan 2, 2007)

I don't hunt upland game...but Golden's are versatile. They aren't just for water fowl.


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## bizzy (Mar 30, 2007)

Thanks. I'm familar with the breed just not thier hunting abilities.


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## ty823 (Feb 7, 2006)

I'm not a serious hunter, as most of our trips out just turn into long nature walks, but goldens can make great upland hunting dogs. From what I've seen, they don't have quite as much speed and power as a Springer or Lab when it comes to busting through the brush, but they are generally more graceful and obedient in the field. I've hunted over some other (properly trained) goldens that were just awesome.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

My former husband only did upland birds-he hated duck hunting! He always picked one of my boys (since the girls were intact) and worked and trained them for upland hunting. They did very well at it, and he hunted constantly during the season.


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## bizzy (Mar 30, 2007)

Thanks for all the great replies.


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## HovawartMom (Aug 10, 2006)

What about getting both.
Yr golden will retrieve yr pheasant but he wasn't bred to flush them.


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## bizzy (Mar 30, 2007)

getting another dog more for hunting is an open option. I was just trying to get an idea of the upland abilites of the golden. I know flushing is not thier primary breeding purpose which is why I asked the question to see how many do. Kinda of a, is this a pointless hope thinking they could be a flush trained. Training is needed regarless but are you working against nature and asking something of them that they just aren't or just somthing they do less often then retreving.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

I think a GR could do it, and if you want an obedience dog I assume you will be going to working lines anyway


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## greg bell (May 24, 2005)

Goldens make superior pheasant dogs... if you get one from good field lines they will bust brush with the best of the springers out there... I have hunted over goldens for years for both duck and pheasant. Goldens have exceptional noses... I have shot lots of pheasants over my goldens... 
just make sure you get one from good field lines.. unfortunately, the hunting instinct has been bred out of many of the lines... 
and dont just take some breeders word for it... plus you want all the other things you would want in a golden.. primarily health and temprament..


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

If your golden is from a field background, it will be a superior pheasant dog and occasional duck dog with very little additional training. This is the primary role the Golden Retriever was created to fill. 

As Greg mentioned, those instincts have been let go in a great deal of the breed, so looking for a dog with the right pedigree is important if you're planning on taking it afield.


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## TheHooch (May 9, 2007)

Swampie!!!!!!! Good to see ya!!!

Hooch


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## kellange123 (Apr 13, 2007)

Daisy does pretty well with pheasant hunting. It is her first season. She is just learning to sniff them out and that she has to stay close.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

Vixen got her first chance to work by herself this afternoon, without mom, dad, or grandma to follow around. She did a great job in her first solo performance!


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

Great picture of Daisy with her catch.


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## bizzy (Mar 30, 2007)

congradulations


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## kellange123 (Apr 13, 2007)

Swampcollie said:


> Vixen got her first chance to work by herself this afternoon, without mom, dad, or grandma to follow around. She did a great job in her first solo performance!


Great job Vixen! Looks like you had a good day at the hunt!


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## bert (Aug 11, 2008)

Looks great  going to start my golden training this week, we will see how it goes


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

Swampcollie said:


> Vixen got her first chance to work by herself this afternoon, without mom, dad, or grandma to follow around. She did a great job in her first solo performance!


My husband would be so jealous to see this! Good for Vixen!

To the person who started the thread: Go with a breeder of field goldens.
They are stronger and have much more energy! Plus of course the desire to retrieve birds! Our golden Max was a field golden and still my husband's fave dog of all time. My heart dog (not because of his hunting but his heart)He lived to hunt and retrieve birds. He tore through fields like a maniac and had the scars to prove it.
















Sorry, I had to post his picture. : )

Gunner and Selka were bred for obedience. They are great retrievers but even though Selka will retrieve birds, his heart's just not in it. Gunner is gunshy.: (


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## bizzy (Mar 30, 2007)

Thanks debles. Thats the conflict I want another obediance dog. That will be the dog pirmary "job". But the future hubby likes to hunt phesants but only has the chance to go once or twice a year. So I was trying to find that "perfect" mix. Just enough birdyness for a few random hunting trips but a good OB dog. I will admit just purely on looks I like the thicker coated larger boned goldes than the wiry fieldly ones. But thats just looks. I was just seeing if I could get a two for one deal. A dog to do both rather than getting two one for hunting and one for me.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

bizzy said:


> Thanks debles. Thats the conflict I want another obediance dog. That will be the dog pirmary "job". But the future hubby likes to hunt phesants but only has the chance to go once or twice a year. So I was trying to find that "perfect" mix. Just enough birdyness for a few random hunting trips but a good OB dog. I will admit just purely on looks I like the thicker coated larger boned goldes than the wiry fieldly ones. But thats just looks. I was just seeing if I could get a two for one deal. A dog to do both rather than getting two one for hunting and one for me.


That will be a miracle in this day and age. Good Luck! My DH was hoping for that also but it didn't work out. We looked at some "field lines" before deciding on Selka and Gunner's breeder and they all looked so "hyper" and hard headed. I didn't want that for obedience! Iwill never use a shock collar! Nor will DH!


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## bizzy (Mar 30, 2007)

I kinda figured. I can't make my mind up on what breed I want to get next. I grew up with a golden and now own a mutt. But after being a groomer for several years I have developed a "wish list". LOL I will probably end up with a golden anyway.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

Vixen started out the 2008 season with a nice day. She had to go tunnelling under the grass to find and flush the bird, and her efforts were rewarded.


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Debles said:


> That will be a miracle in this day and age. Good Luck! quote]
> 
> I feel that is far from the truth. There are numerous lines out there proven in both field and obedience. I feel that would be the key, "proven" lines. This would mean going for a dog who's breeder is involved with showing their dog in multiple venues. If you like, the original poster may want to take a look at Vintage Goldens located in Texas ( http://www.vintagegoldens.com/ ). I know Anne does not breed often but am sure they could help direct you to someone who would fill what you are looking for .


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

Dad brag: Stoney, Tango's dad , is doing both. He is now WCX and SH, hard at work on MH. He is doing both, quite nicely, and he just turned 4 years old. AM CH HR Springcreek Everlore All Time Hi RN SH WCX VC BOSS CGC


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

AmbikaGR
I feel that is far from the truth. There are numerous lines out there proven in both field and obedience. .[/QUOTE said:


> FC AFC OTCH Topbrass Ascending Elijah OS/FDHF http://slideroll.com/show.php?s=754xwra6
> FC AFC OTCH FTCH AFTCH Can MOTCH TNT's Stanley Steamer UDX, WCX , MH, OBHF, FDHF, OS
> Am/Cdn OTCH FTCH AFTCH Tanbark's Orange Crush Am*** UDX, OBHF, Cdn MH
> OTCH U-UD Morninglo Fire in the Sky UDX4 MH NA NAJ WCX VCX OS (CH ptd.) CanCD


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## bert (Aug 11, 2008)

I am currently training my 5 month old golden for both duck & pheasant. pheasant training is very possible with a golden! I am currently using this book. http://www.amazon.com/Gun-Dog-Revol...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1225216401&sr=8-1 that i picked up on amazon for about $17 and so far it is working great.


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## tntatty (Sep 16, 2006)

This is probably three years late in answering but I just returned to Illinois from and eight day pheasant hunt in South Dakota. We had three GRs, a Cheasapeake Retriever and a Brittany Spaniel. The trouble with the spaniel was he had a tough time busting taller brush whild the goldens and the Cheasy had no problems. The GRs were excellent flushers and retrieivers. They all came from hunting stock and had been trained. But their natural ability to do flushing and retrieving was excellent. Cheyenne, my gr, slept for a week after we returned. She says, however, that she is ready to go back tomorrow.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

With the right dog, you shouldn't have any problem going both obedience and hunting stuff.

Janice Gunn is a great example -- she does both high level obedience and field work with her dogs: http://www3.telus.net/tntkennels/billie.htm


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I think a lot of goldens can do it all....

http://www.mirasol.org/Yogi.htm


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

I guess I mispoke earlier. I know if you do a thorough search, you can find good hunting/obedience goldens out there. My point was they are not easy to find or inexpensive.
Most of my goldens have been good hunters and great in obedience but only Max was excellent at both. Selka and Gunner can do both but hunting is not their true love.
In our area it was difficult to find a golden we liked for both. I am sure if we had hunted the east coast, like Tally's breeder, we could have had both. Unfortunately we didn't have that kind of money.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I know this is an old post, but I just saw it for the first time....I hope you enlarged and framed that photo and hung it somewhere prominent, it's absolutely stunning.




Swampcollie said:


> Vixen started out the 2008 season with a nice day.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

hotel4dogs said:


> I know this is an old post, but I just saw it for the first time....I hope you enlarged and framed that photo and hung it somewhere prominent, it's absolutely stunning.


She was nice enough to pose for me a few times this year. 

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k99/Swampcollie/IMG_0070small.jpg

She's layed up right now recovering from surgery, so her hunting season is over for this year.


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## goldlover68 (Jun 17, 2013)

*Golden's are Flushers....*

I am on my 5th field bred Golden. We live near KC, Missouri where duck hunting and pheasant/ quail hunting is really good. I have easy access to Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas on top of Missouri. All of my dogs have been field trained for duck hunting, but before that they were trained for obedience. Which is the foundation for further field training. They all are excellent flushing dogs. They work 40 yds. out, are easily controlled by the whistle, used for duck hunting also, have great noses and flush birds will in range. On top of that they are great retrievers and hunt running birds well...you could find no better dog for both obedience and upland game....


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