Labradors may be by far the most popular wildfowling dogs but the powerful Chesapeake Bay retriever is tailor-made for the job.
LOOKING DOWN AT me as I write is a splendid drake pintail, a memento of a wildfowling excursion in February 1989 with fellow Shooting Times contributor Mike Swan. Mike shot the pintail and presented it to me afterwards. It had been retrieved perfectly by his golden retriever. Mike has always had golden retrievers, so it was completely unmarked and instead of eating it I decided to have it mounted.
That particular expedition was memorable because I nearly lost my chest waders in the Medway mud. The conditions were challenging, but at least I had been sensible enough not to take my springer. Though a good swimmer, she wouldn’t have been a match for the mud and the tides.
The last thing you want on a wildfowling trip is a dog that you are worried about. A good fowling dog has to be not only a powerful swimmer, but one that has strong survival instincts and an ability to look after itself. I have been wildfowling in Scotland, England and Wales, but I’ve never been a true wildfowler, possibly because I have never owned a suitable dog for the job. Over the years I have met several English springers that were accomplished performers on the foreshore, but they were in a minority.
By far the most popular foreshore dog is the Labrador, and deservedly so. If you look into the Labrador’s history, you will discover that the dogs we know nowadays are all descended from North American animals that were used for both wildfowling and fishing.
Denne historien er fra August 31,2016-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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Denne historien er fra August 31,2016-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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United we stand
Following United Utilities' decision to end grouse shooting on its land, Lindsay Waddell asks what will happen if we ignore our vital moors
Serious matters
An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning
They're not always as easy as they seem
While coneys of the furry variety don't pose a problem for Blue Zulu, he's left frustrated once again by bolting bunnies of the clay sort
Debutant gundogs
There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting
When the going gets rough
Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
In this excerpt from the 60th anniversary edition of the BDS's Field Guide To British Deer, Charles Smith-Jones considers the noise they make
A step too far?
Simon Garnham wonders whether a new dog, a new gun and two different fields in need of protection might have been asking too much for one afternoon's work
Two bucks before breakfast
A journey from old South London to rural Hertfordshire to stalk muntjac suggests that the two aren't as far detached as they might seem
Stalking Diary
Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill
Gamekeeper
Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside
