Thoughts On The English Setter

[Andrew Beirne 78]

Are they falling out of popularity due to the likes of Brittany's or GSP GWP ... Personally I think they are very good dogs but saying that I only experience of hunting over English pointers and springers other than the setters... I trained up. My own bitch this summer she only has 4 birds shot over her but was very trainable took to retrieving no problem stay command no hassle,they have plenty speed to cover open moor when necessary I don't see why they aren't more popular... I'll put pictures of mine up tomorrow once I'm on the laptop

[stroller 341]

I have never seen one work and even show/pet dogs are pretty uncommon in the North east at least

[jessdale 416]

When I used to follow the Pennine foxhounds regular the huntsmen there had a llewellyn English setter that he worked with a peregrine falcon. She was a lovely small bitch that could cover the ground with serious speed. Very nice thing she was

[Andrew Beirne 78]

Heres a few pictures of mine from today the bitch is just rising 2 and this is her first proper season did nothing last season and the dog is six and has a lot of work done including work on grouse ... The two are fast dogs the bitch being slightly faster I have big hopes for her

This is the dog

 

 

The bitch

 

 

 

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I do apologise about the quality they don't stay too still for long and was holding a gun too

[VOON 1,317]

Nice pair, What lines are they?

[Mickey Finn 3,011]

Though a lot of bird hunters prefer a closer working dog. English setters are pretty popular for grouse over here. Llewellyn, Gordon, and Irish Setters less so.

 

ATB

[Andrew Beirne 78]

The man I shoot with breed them and has had his own line for 22 years .... They run the hedges no problem and will stay close enough as of yet I've never had them bounce birds always hold the sett ... But God they can range when they want on the hill

[david901 165]

Thanks for sharing Andrew.

 

What are they like when working woodland?

Do they range too far out or will they keep in touch with you?

I like what I have heard about setters.

Derry Argue used to breed his own line a while ago and the book he wrote gives some good information about them.

[Andrew Beirne 78]

When working woodland they will keep in check I mean obviously not as close as a springer but will never be too far away ... I think their very good dogs good coats very trainable dogs

[david901 165]

They sound an ideal hunting companion.

Out of curiosity how much would a well bred setter cost?

 

Cheers

[Andrew Beirne 78]

A well bred one with papers here would set you back a nice bit well into high hundreds

[david901 165]

I bet they are still cheaper than a Vizsla though

[harvey d 43]

I have never seen one work and even show/pet dogs are pretty uncommon in the North east at least

there are a few up your way get to a grouse trial in July and you'll see some nice one's

[Andrew Beirne 78]

I bet they are still cheaper than a Vizsla though

They may well be I don't know and if the person buying them thinks their worth what they're paying and their happy it's none of my business

[Flairball 141]

Nice looking Setters. I had a setter for some time, and he was a pleasure to shoot over. Here in the States they are quite popular, and there are a lot of different breeding lines with different characteristics, and style. Some setters work quite close, while other head for the horizon.

 

I've shot over some nice cover dogs that would cast out to 350-400 yards. That's a long cast in the woods, but these dogs were honest, and when you finally got in to their point there would still be a bird there. Being steady, competitive trial dogs, it was great to see them stand their point well after the flush, and shot. I took a drive through the North Yorkshire moors last month, and my friend and I discussed how great it would be to walk behind a nice, honest, big running setter Like that.