I was wondering if anyone uses beagles for pheasant? I have always had labs and my current lab just turned 10 we still hunt but his age is starting to slow him down.last weekend I let my friend run his german and I just kept my lab at heel only sent him to retrieve acctually worked very well. and he was not sore the next day I have never been around beagle's before but was thinking about a small dogs to work brush with. are they trainable to work close or do they catch sent and go? I think a smaller dog would be easier to get the wife to agree (she does not like the 2 big dog idea)I am thinking wrong? any thoughts would be appreciated.
beagle for bird
- Thread starter pumpgun
- Start date
I am not sure how a beagle would do on birds, I have never thought of them that way. I have used them for rabbits and coons with great success though.
If you don't want to go the 2 big dog route, a Brittany Spaniel would be a great dog. I used to have a Springer and a friend had a Brittany and they were great on all the birds we hunted. (chukar and pheasant mostly)
Of course, if all else fails, you could go with a miniture (15" or so) poodle. Don't laugh...they make great bird dogs if you want to train them up.
bob
If you don't want to go the 2 big dog route, a Brittany Spaniel would be a great dog. I used to have a Springer and a friend had a Brittany and they were great on all the birds we hunted. (chukar and pheasant mostly)
Of course, if all else fails, you could go with a miniture (15" or so) poodle. Don't laugh...they make great bird dogs if you want to train them up.
bob
Jayhawker27
New member
I used to hunt with an older gentleman who used a pair of beagles for pheasant hunting...they were great...especially down in the thick stuff that would stop larger dogs cold.
They were great little flush dogs, only downside was their inclination to chase fur now and again...
They were great little flush dogs, only downside was their inclination to chase fur now and again...
Redfrog
Moderator
I hunted pheasants with beagles and did well.The area was hunted hard by hunters with 'bird' dogs. Often I would work a field that had just been worked and we would come up with birds.
I found the beagles would bay on rabbits, but go silent on pheasants till just before they flushed. They would 'go birdy' on pheasant scent and we would keep up till they opened u. Mount your shotgun , because the birds were about to flush. They would also retrieve . They worked well in our area because the birds would run and the beagle would put the pressure on them to flush. They worked the heavy cover well also.
The downside with beagles is a training issue. Start young and be absolutely positive they will come when called, every time .
I found the beagles would bay on rabbits, but go silent on pheasants till just before they flushed. They would 'go birdy' on pheasant scent and we would keep up till they opened u. Mount your shotgun , because the birds were about to flush. They would also retrieve . They worked well in our area because the birds would run and the beagle would put the pressure on them to flush. They worked the heavy cover well also.
The downside with beagles is a training issue. Start young and be absolutely positive they will come when called, every time .
My beagle loves pheasant hunting. I dropped at least 6 birds in the tall grass this season and never would of taken them home without Winstons nose.
My best pheasant bird dog was a beagle/springer mixed mutt.
http://www.predatormastersforums.com/for...283#Post1702283
My best pheasant bird dog was a beagle/springer mixed mutt.
http://www.predatormastersforums.com/for...283#Post1702283
Omnivore
New member
The BEST flushing end production dog I've ever hunted pheasant with was a beagle. (I've pheasant hunted a lot of days/years with a lot of dogs) With the hound nose she didn't miss many. She was fantastic, especially in heavy cover or with runners. There were many times she would come out a mouthful of feathers (tail feathers mostly) this was of course after they finally took flight. She was low enough where she could get under the milo leaves before they turned the field. She was really good at keeping in range.
She however did not fetch the birds. Locate the downed bird yes, fetch nope unless it was a ball then all day. She also didn't bark (bay, howl, what ever you call the sound beagles can make) when pheasant hunting for some reason.
The downside to beagles is the desire to follow the their noses without any thought of....well...anything, so they aren't "running away" as much as they get lost after trotting around all day when they got loose. A lot have real bad problems with howling. This paticular one didn't. Several others we had had no interest in Pheasants.
So the are all Beagles good pheasant dogs? No way, but the few I've seen that would do it exceled at it paticularly this female and she lived to the ripe old age of 15 and was always ready willing and able until she got around 11.
She however did not fetch the birds. Locate the downed bird yes, fetch nope unless it was a ball then all day. She also didn't bark (bay, howl, what ever you call the sound beagles can make) when pheasant hunting for some reason.
The downside to beagles is the desire to follow the their noses without any thought of....well...anything, so they aren't "running away" as much as they get lost after trotting around all day when they got loose. A lot have real bad problems with howling. This paticular one didn't. Several others we had had no interest in Pheasants.
So the are all Beagles good pheasant dogs? No way, but the few I've seen that would do it exceled at it paticularly this female and she lived to the ripe old age of 15 and was always ready willing and able until she got around 11.
RRPP223
New member
I'm a lab owner but when I want to watch a good flushing dog it's a Brittany. Owner of the property I hunt brings along his bob tailed (lost to a car) house beagle who's a lot of fun but he's got rabbits in his blood and always ends up on his own chase. Stumbles over a pheasant sometimes too.