Shotgun/Brittany Help!

[Shorthair]

There is nothing like hunting birds over a pointing dog on a crisp fall morning. Train the dog as others have mentioned, have you introduced it to birds, noises, etc?
A pump will be very versatile, you should consider a 20 gauge as well as a 12. I carry a Browning White Lighting with 26" barrels in 20 gauge behind my shorthairs, best shotgun money I ever spent.

 

[Durangogun]

Beautiful shorthairs, Shorthair. I appreciate you posting the picture. Great condition! Terrific intensity! You can see it in the photo.

PVP: Do you have a picture of that Brittany? I'd love to see your pup. (Or anyone else who has a picture to post--I agree with an earlier poster who said it's really about the dogs. And agree, further, with a man who said somewhere else that he'd sooner go hunting without his gun than without his dogs.)

Here's that CZ Bobwhite (12 ga.) One of my setters--Freckles, and a pair of grouse we got on the ridge above our home.

 

[PVP]

Lily Grace

Hi Guys, thanks for all the replies. As of Saturday morning I still haven't decided what to do yet. After going to the park, and letting Lily Grace "hunt" for an hour (walk through the woods while she drags 25' of check line), I stopped by the local gun store and looked at a Charles Daly 20 gauge o/u used for $450. I figure why go buy a pretty gun if I'm most likely going to drop it in the mud anyway? Thought I had my mind made up on the new Franchi at Dick's, but it may be to new. Then I was back to thinking the new 870 Express Combo, it'd be new, but not terribly expensive. If it tends to get trashed a little, no big deal it's only $600 or so. Then today I was thinking, hey if I get used maybe I can get two! Then I saw the Colt 1911 National Match in the case....

anyways here's a couple of pics of my Lily Grace, 10 months young.

Couldn't figure how to get Lily's pics to show up without being clicked on, oh well...

 

[dgludwig]

^ The very definition of hopeless if not hapless it would seem.

Let us know how many birds you drop with that new National Match.

 

[dgludwig]

Durangogun: Love your setter. Mine (Kate) looks like your's only she's black and white. My first "real" bird dog was a German wire-haired pointer (Rufus). As great a hunting companion as he was, following his death I "graduated" to an almost all white English Setter (Abby). Abby spoiled me so much that I vowed that an English Setter would always be the breed I hunt with forever more.

Don't get me wrong, I love most any hunting dog. I've just become more partial to dogs with tails...

 

[Durangogun]

Thanks dgludwig--I agree regarding setters.

Great looking Brittany, PVC!

 

[dgludwig]

Its an Ithaca bored skeet and skeet with 26 inch barrels.

Nice looking Ithaca, olddrum1. As an aside, I graduated from Central Missouri State University back in 1972. I take it they still have the statute of that old hounddog in Warrensburg?

 

[Shorthair]

Cute pup, PVP. Gonna have a lot of happy memories coming....
Never felt undergunned with a 20, so good luck. Try out a lot of them, shoulder them, and concentrate your search on finding something that fits you. It'll more than likely last a lifetime, and a couple hundred dollars one way or the other will be long forgotten as long as it you enjoy shooting it.
Thanks for the kind words, Durangogun. I love setters, but not patient enough to deal with the longer coat. For my GSPs I like the smaller lines, not a fan of a GSP over 70 pounds. Here are a couple more:

 

[olddrum1]

Yes dgludwig, That hound is still on point. Everything there is stll about the same. The college went through its ten year name change. Its now CMU. They actually thought enrollment would increase by dropping State out of the name. I was there about the same time as you.

 

[Dave McC]

Darn.

Seeing those Shorthairs brought back some memories.

I've hunted over lots of dogs, but GSPs have owned my heart for decades....

 

[dgludwig]

The college went through its ten year name change. Its now CMU.

I actually received two diplomas for the same degree: one said Central Missouri State College and the other said Central Missouri State University. I thought that was pretty cool at the time. But, now a third name? I think I'll write the college/university and see if they'll give me a third diploma.

And I'm pleased to learn that ol' Drum still watches over the town. Pretty neat story, that.

 

[Shorthair]

Dave McC, thanks. GOOD GSPs also are my favorite, bad ones I've seen too many of, unfortunately.
Let's hope PVP posts some pics of his Brit in the field in a couple of months.

 

[LanceOregon]

Well, the Charles Daly would be a downgrade in quality from the Franchi, besides not looking as nice.

The Remington 870 Express is pretty much the bottom of the basement in terms of US shotgun manufacturing. If you get a 870, at least get a better grade than the bargain basement Express model.

That Beretta 391 Urika II that I linked to earlier for $700 is one excellent deal if you want a quality shotgun. Have you handled many autoloaders? Most better stores have the Beretta 391 in stock to checkout.

.

 

[dgludwig]

The store in my area is selling the Beretta 3901 for $599.99. A pretty good shotgun for the money from what I hear.

 

[lsbbigdog]

Look into Lanber o/u Shotguns. Made in Spain and a really nice gun for the money. I picked up a new one at a local shop for $650.

 

[WacosSon]

I absolutely love Brittanys and have been considering getting one for a while. My question is this: are they as good in the water as they are in the field? Wifey won't go for a lab cuz of their size. I got her used to the idea of the brittany, but are they as good in the water? I mainly duck hunt....

-WS

 

[lsbbigdog]

I've been looking into getting a dog for pheasant hunting. We have a small house and a small (3ksq') fenced yard and a 3 yr son. I would love to get a lab but I think the breed would be to big for us . I think a small female Brit would work for us.

 

[Scorch]

My question is this: are they as good in the water as they are in the field?

Brittanys are a "versatile breed", meaning they are not bred to just be just pointers or retrievers, they are supposed to be able to "do it all", but Brittanys are not known as "water dogs". Mine love the water, but many do not. I think it's an individual dog preference.

My two cents worth: Brittanys are the best upland dogs I have ever hunted over (I have owned American Field Setters, Weimaraners, and now Brittanys). If you intend to just hunt ducks, you may be better suited for a Boykins Spaniel or a Water Spaniel. If your intention is to hunt geese, pick something bigger.

Brittanys are very high energy, so expect to have to work or walk them every day. Brittanys that are kept penned are notoriously troublesome, Brittanys that get worked a lot are very easy to handle and well-mannered. I own two Brittanys, and I walk them at least 1 hour a day. They have great dispositions and are very tolerant of children.

 

[dgludwig]

I've been looking into getting a dog for pheasant hunting.

The first thing you have to decide is whether you want a pointer or a flushing dog. Both have their advantages and disadvantages but most of us are strong advocates of one or the other.

 

[PVP]

Shotguns and Brittanys

Isabbigdog, Scorch is correct, the brittany is very high energy. Like Scorch, I also walk Lily 4 miles, every bloody day, just to keep her psyche in check. If it's miserable out I'll throw a frisbee around the backyard for a solid half hour not letting her take much of a break in between throws. It's really tough to even get her winded. Once she's had her daily walk she's good to go, calm and piece of cake. A regular couch potato. She spends most of the night asleep next to me on the recliner. Oh yeh, one other thing, I'm self employed, Lily comes to work with me and has the run of the shop. She mugs it up with salesman, truck drivers, UPS guy and her boyfriend the trash guy. Don't know why, but she loves him, and she can hear and recognize his truck 3 streets away.

I don't know how Lily would do if she had to be crated for 7-8 hrs. I tell her everyday how lucky she is, and my next life I'm coming back as a brittany.

Now shotgun stuff, today I went to Dick's with the intention of buying a Remington 11-87 20 gauge in wood. I had 10 crisp $100 bills folding in my wallet. Oh yeh, one other thing, the reason I have 10 crisp $100 bills in my wallet is I had a real sweet spinning bike that I just sold. I couldn't see myself walking with Lily for an hour, and then jumping on the spinning bike for a quick workout. So, I said I think I see a new shotgun in my future! So anyways, Dick's just had the 11-87 in synthetic, I really wanted something nice looking. Then I saw in the case on sale, $350 off, a Franchi 720 auto for $750. Anybody have any experience with these? Lance, they had one of the Baretta 391's there, but I think it was close to $1000 though (plus it was synthetic). I guess what I'm struggling with is, what is a good compromise shotgun that I could use mostly for birds, but with the possibilty of other things like deer ect.? Or, am I correct in thinking there is no such thing. I'll end up getting something for each application, and I might as well get the correct gun for each and put a gun safe on my Christmas list for next year? So if my immediate need was upland type hunting, go with an o/u like the Franchi, and then worry about deer hunting if and when that comes up? Thanks for all your help guys I really do appreciate it, I'm usually very decisive, I just didn't want to plop down $800-$1000 and then say man I should have got the Wingmaster or 11-87 or 391 or the sweet looking Citori, hey, I can dream can't I? Thanks again!