Hunting dog poll

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What is the best all around hunting dog breed?

  • Labrador retreiver

    Votes: 22 34.4%
  • Golden Retreiver

    Votes: 1 1.6%
  • Beagle

    Votes: 22 34.4%
  • Spaniels

    Votes: 11 17.2%
  • Poodle

    Votes: 1 1.6%
  • Setters

    Votes: 5 7.8%
  • Great Dane

    Votes: 2 3.1%

  • Total voters
    64
Barney. 1970 - 1986

Barney was part beagle, part springer and mostly something else.

She was my hunting dog when I was a kid growing up. She hunted rabbits, pheasants and fox. We worked hard to keep her off the deer but unfortunately, she chased a few of those as well. We were lucky because deer were not plentiful in my area during the Barney Era.

She was clearly the best all around hunting dog for a teenager growing up. Unfortunately, her pedigree will probably never be duplicated.

I'm a lab guy now and appreciate good breeding and disciplined obediance and field training. I don't have the energy for another Barney but I sure cherish the memories of growing up with him.
 
Too many ways to hunt with a dog. A straight retriever is an aid but not a "hunter". The dog I use for turkey hunting is really not useful for rabbits or squirrels or coon. An Airedale that tolls coyotes isn't realy useful for pointing grouse. I've had a lot of hunting dogs for different styles of hunting. The best "all around" was a 30 lb. mixed breed of beagle/spaniel heritage, ala "Barney" from above post, his name was "Dog". Best tree dog was a yellow blackmouth/ringneck *****, "Sandy". Best hound was a brindle Plott, "Green". I've had a bunch of retrievers but gave them all away to kids learning to hunt. My vote for best hunting dog is whatever gets it done for you! W
 
Any dog with a decent nose and most importantly, listens to commands.
 
Re:

cur_dog said:
They are not listed but the black Mouth Cur dog and Smoth Fox Terrier are great dog for hunting varmints/hogs and great dogs to go fishing with you.

Would not trade my cur dog or my fox terrier for any dog on that list. Just MHO!
Read your post and couldn't resist looking further. Black mouthed cur? How big is your dog? It was very interesting reading. I lost my lab back last April and told myself no more dogs but don't think I will hold out. :think:
 
Re:

Moose said:
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

What he said :D I've got another Toller since my original post, he turned 2 on Saturday. Just spent 3 weeks in SD hunting phez, think he has the hang of this pheasant thing now. He takes his job very seriously LOL.

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Had Beagles from the time I was 12 until my last one passed when I was 52, best family pet there is and a good one will hunt until they cant go anymore..miss not having them but theres no where to hunt anymore.
 
dbowling said:
Had Beagles from the time I was 12 until my last one passed when I was 52, best family pet there is and a good one will hunt until they cant go anymore..miss not having them but theres no where to hunt anymore.

dbowling, I had, and hunted beagles as well years ago on the Wa coast, We would go out on Whidbey island to the naval base, we had to buy a little 5 dollar permit or something like that to hunt the land, Giant Blackberry brush piles, and a million cottontails! I bought a little male beagle from a man in Illinois, he was an AWESOME little Rabbit dog! I had 4 at one time. They are great little dogs! Seeing you mention Beagles Brings back a lot of great memories i have with them
 
I bet my beagal-deer hounds up against anyones pack. Zero cold trailing and will find a wounded deer and bark until we find him/her. Dad has raised them better and better over 50 years.
 
Had Beagles from the time I was 12 until my last one passed when I was 52, best family pet there is and a good one will hunt until they cant go anymore..miss not having them but theres no where to hunt anymore.
We are very blessed to have permission to hunt these 500 acres adjacent to our little 5 acres. You would very much enjoy a deer hunt with us and our pack of 5.
 
What about the Heinz 57? I,ve been called a dog many times and though perhaps a strange breed I have done well in my 64+ years taking deer squirrel rabbit grouse duck quail geese groundhog and an occasional tree.
 
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I bet my beagal-deer hounds up against anyones pack. Zero cold trailing and will find a wounded deer and bark until we find him/her. Dad has raised them better and better over 50 years.

Around here if a beagle runs a deer, it either gets an education or gets shipped south were it is legal to let your dogs run deer.
 
It really depends on what kind of hunting? My favorite HARD CORE hunting dog was my little 15# Female Jagdterrier, She was BRUTAL :) Me and a Friend Killed 130 Rats with her and Another Dog 1 night in Commercial Egg production Barns. This little Dog killed SEVERAL BIG Raccoons all By herself, While the Big Hounds Stood back and Bayed :D My Little Ace of “Spade” was a MONSTA!! She was killed by American Bulldogs/Catch Dogs in BC
 
It really depends on what kind of hunting? My favorite HARD CORE hunting dog was my little 15# Female Jagdterrier, She was BRUTAL :) Me and a Friend Killed 130 Rats with her and Another Dog 1 night in Commercial Egg production Barns. This little Dog killed SEVERAL BIG Raccoons all By herself, While the Big Hounds Stood back and Bayed :D My Little Ace of “Spade” was a MONSTA!! She was killed by American Bulldogs/Catch Dogs in BC
We had around 20 sow and a boar growing up. We raised and sold the pigs when they were around 40 to 45 pounds. Dirt pens and pasture with small slabs of concrete. Eventually, dad built a weening pin, that was over a small solid concrete pin with a floor, walls, and roof. Anyways, we had large wolf rats tunneling under it and the other slabs. We got smart. We would smoke them out and have us some fun with our 22 rifles and one particular beagal, Goofy. He hated rates 2ith a passion. He would get him one every time. But one hunt, a big black got by him and Goofy followed him into the woods. Then we heard Goofy hollering? He came back with a big chunk of meat missing from his nose and the rat survived, lol. Man I miss those days. We had an awesome childhood.
 
Pretty dog man
Thank you.
We used to train bird dogs in years well gone by. Trained them for obedience, show and for the field. Always steady to wing and shot. Those Gordons were NOT field trial dogs, but traditional Gordon Setters. Easily trained. Loved the slow close working Gordons for grouse. The "Old Man's Dog" ;)
 

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