Squirrels

[Dave C 63]

Just wondered if anyone uses there Gundogs on Squirrels, either hunting up and treeing or just retrieving.

 

Dave.

[eddiej35 10]

my dog retrieves them no probs,just try to make sure they are 100% dead or they wont retrieve another one once they get bit.

[Dave C 63]

What breed do you hunt with eddie and do you find it useful the dog hunting them up or do you only use them foe retrieving.

 

Dave.

[Contender 0]

Most of my dogs will retrieve squirrels no problem but as Eddie says they really should be stone dead as they are otherwise nasty things. My dogs are labs and then a cocker. A good retrieving dog should really retrieve anything as long as it has been shot regardless of size or smell.

 

Natasha

[Marty_J 1]

 

Just make sure its dead like Eddie says

[comanche 3,038]

I've only ever owned one dog of the proper gundog breeds-a springer about 25years ago .Even when I was a keeper I used a lurcher or on more formal days a collie .

Whatever breed I've always found squirrels excellent for training young dogs for early retrieving lessons on warm and cold game though. They are just the right size and balence.

[Dave C 63]

My old GWP didnt care if they were alive or dead, he used to enjoy dispatching them for me, but he never was that soft mouthed, he caught a few on the ground as well in his day.

 

Dave.

[Holland 0]

My ESS hunts for them and then gives a single "yap" and stays by the tree pointing until I come to shoot it!

 

I don't know where he got this from, as it wasn't something I trained him to do!

 

The first time he retrieved a squirrel it was still alive and he got bitten.

 

Since then he always gives them a hard bite before bring them to me.

 

Before you all start, I no this is not the way to do it, and i'm sure it can make them hard mouthed.

But mine will bring back a running cock pheasant, head up everytime, and rabbits he catches also come back alive!

 

Maybe we should have more confidence in our dogs, and trust they know what they're dealing with.

 

H

[Dave C 63]

Well said H.

Thats the difference between an all round gundog that faces alot of Vermin and a Gundog that only retrieves Game.

 

Dave.

[welshboy454 3]

Before you all start, I no this is not the way to do it, and i'm sure it can make them hard mouthed.

But mine will bring back a running cock pheasant, head up everytime, and rabbits he catches also come back alive!

 

Maybe we should have more confidence in our dogs, and trust they know what they're dealing with.

 

H

 

Yes I think they have more intelligence than we credit them with.

My springer will bring back a cock alive fine as long as it doesn't flap/try and spur him. He will hold it hard enough to stop that. Same with a scratching rabbit.

[Mickey Finn 3,014]

My old GWP didnt care if they were alive or dead, he used to enjoy dispatching them for me, but he never was that soft mouthed, he caught a few on the ground as well in his day.

 

Dave.

 

Dave, my DDs the same. It's in the squirrels best interest to be dead before he gets to it. lol.

He's learned to tree on his own as the squirrels near where I live are at about plaque numbers. Otherwise he's pretty soft mouthed.

 

ATB