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Rpm150
PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2018 6:37 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Dec 2018
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I’ve been considering getting an Irish setter puppy to hunt over, was wondering if anyone had one they hunt over?
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byrdog
PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2018 7:17 pm  Reply with quote
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I had a Red Setter for 8 years. He was the smartest dog I ever hunted with. He was a calm attentive gent who also made me a great friend. He died of brain cancer in
2000,He is sorely missed.

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Ted Schefelbein
PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2018 7:39 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 19 Jun 2004
Posts: 1480
Location: Mpls, MN.

When I was a kid, we had Irish Setters. My Mom had a showdog that would hunt, would not retrieve, but he would usually find the bird for you. He was really too big, but he had a big heart to go with his 120 lb frame. I had a castoff female that was left in her fenced yard when the Army family that rented a house in our neighborhood moved off. She showed promise, I thought, until the vet informed me he was 99% sure she survived distemper as a pup, and couldn’t smell much. He was correct, of course, and while she got very excited when she saw a rooster, she couldn’t find them.
The last one would have been the best, about 40 lbs of all age dog that was killed with a broad head arrow to the neck by a neighbor, when he was a year old. He was coming along so nicely.
I’ve had Gordon’s and English Setters since then. I remember the Irish Setters as clowns in a dog suit, so much personality, and fun to be around. The Gordon was by far the best bird dog, was also the guard dog of the bunch. The English Setters wouldn’t hurt a fly, were very enthusiastic hunting dogs, but did not have the brains or talent the Gordon did. The Gordon would point birds other dogs missed. He retrieved birds I thought I missed. He didn’t point hen pheasants.
I’ll only own a Setter. I figure I have one more left in me after my current English heads for the rainbow bridge, and plan on another Gordon.
Best of luck to you.

Best,
Ted

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Rpm150
PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2018 7:47 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Dec 2018
Posts: 21

Ted Schefelbein wrote:
When I was a kid, we had Irish Setters. My Mom had a showdog that would hunt, would not retrieve, but he would usually find the bird for you. He was really too big, but he had a big heart to go with his 120 lb frame. I had a castoff female that was left in her fenced yard when the Army family that rented a house in our neighborhood moved off. She showed promise, I thought, until the vet informed me he was 99% sure she survived distemper as a pup, and couldn’t smell much. He was correct, of course, and while she got very excited when she saw a rooster, she couldn’t find them.
The last one would have been the best, about 40 lbs of all age dog that was killed with a broad head arrow to the neck by a neighbor, when he was a year old. He was coming along so nicely.
I’ve had Gordon’s and English Setters since then. I remember the Irish Setters as clowns in a dog suit, so much personality, and fun to be around. The Gordon was by far the best bird dog, was also the guard dog of the bunch. The English Setters wouldn’t hurt a fly, were very enthusiastic hunting dogs, but did not have the brains or talent the Gordon did. The Gordon would point birds other dogs missed. He retrieved birds I thought I missed. He didn’t point hen pheasants.
I’ll only own a Setter. I figure I have one more left in me after my current English heads for the rainbow bridge, and plan on another Gordon.
Best of luck to you.

Best,
Ted


Thanks for the reply. I had an Irish when I was growing up, from birth to 18. “Rusty” never hunted with him a day in my life. I’ve been spending a lot of time researching for people who are breeding field Irish setters and that seems to be a difficult dog to find. Lots of show dogs though! I love the look of the breed and hope to get a taller male since I’m on the tall side myself. I have a golden retriever now who’s strictly a house dog, and I love dearly but her being short for her breed has been her only characteristic I don’t care for. I’ve been getting a lot more into bird hunting and have my heart somewhat set on an Irish. Thanks for the insight!
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Ted Schefelbein
PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2018 7:57 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 19 Jun 2004
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Location: Mpls, MN.

The best bird dog Irish Setters came out of Europe, then and now. I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if you had to expand the search to outside the US to get a dog that was intended for hunting.
The breed is particularly well thought of in Russia, South Africa, Sweden and Ireland.

https://www.kusa.co.za/Documents/Clubs/Newsletters/24.%20Setter%20News%20-%20Historical%20Article%20Irish%20Red%20Setter%20in%20Russia%20November%202016.pdf

Best,
Ted

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Chicago
PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2018 9:36 pm  Reply with quote
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My first bird dog was an Irish out of field stock. He was a great dog but lacked the skill sets of the English and GSP I have owned. A couple of friends run good Gordon’s and I don’t think they are any better than their English counterpart. I think finding a good Irish will be a lot more difficult than finding a good English or Gordon. Select your breeder carefully and hunt over their stock. If they will not let you hunt over their stock move on to the next breeder.

Good Hunting,
Mike
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Riflemeister
PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2018 5:41 am  Reply with quote
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I run an occasional field trial with a guy who runs a couple of Red Setters. One of his dogs does it very well, while the younger dog not so much. Both dogs are out of the same hunting stock. They both have a white patch on their chests which is not something I remember from the Irish setter, perhaps that is or isn't significant. They both lack the extremely long, flowing coat of the show dog Irish setters. Bottom line to me is they look like it could be a crap shoot on getting a good one. I intend to stick with GSP's.

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pudelpointer
PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2018 9:58 am  Reply with quote
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Google Paul Ober Celtic Irish setters. I have heard good things about his dogs. They have been competing in the northeast cover dog trials and doing fairly well. Andy Weik the ruffed grouse biologist for the northeast has one. Andy is a great guys would probably share his thoughts with you. My cousin had one as a kid big dog full of energy couldn't control him was funny to watch he busted 100's of Pheasants when we still had them. He would chase them to the horizon and come home 6 hours later. Knowing what I know now we might have been able to make him a decent gun dog. I have a Dick Brenaman cover dog setter right now along with a Pudelpointer and will always have one in my string best grouse dogs I've ever hunted with.
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Upland Carpenter
PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2018 10:52 am  Reply with quote
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pudelpointer wrote:
Google Paul Ober Celtic Irish setters. I have heard good things about his dogs. They have been competing in the northeast cover dog trials and doing fairly well. Andy Weik the ruffed grouse biologist for the northeast has one. Andy is a great guys would probably share his thoughts with you. My cousin had one as a kid big dog full of energy couldn't control him was funny to watch he busted 100's of Pheasants when we still had them. He would chase them to the horizon and come home 6 hours later. Knowing what I know now we might have been able to make him a decent gun dog. I have a Dick Brenaman cover dog setter right now along with a Pudelpointer and will always have one in my string best grouse dogs I've ever hunted with.


My brother had one of Paul's red setters 15yrs ago. Had we been better trainers, I think the dog would have been a peach. Despite us, he was a decent dog.

Last I heard though, Paul had lost his kennel license due to a number of infractions related to poor conditions. That was a few years back so he may be producing litters again, IDK.

How was your season Jan?

Marc

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PatrickB
PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2018 4:54 pm  Reply with quote
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You might want to connect with Berg Brothers Setters in MN as they have done some Irish/Red Setter breeding. They certainly are a well known English Setter breeder and have the insight and contacts to assist with Irish/Red Setters.
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Hootch
PostPosted: Fri Dec 21, 2018 7:55 am  Reply with quote



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about 40 years ago, when I was in Jr. High,teacher/coach had one. Nice dog, but not great hunter, and scatter brained. But I have no idea of this dog's pedigree, could have been from non-hunting line, who knows, also, no inclination of the training it received.
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byrdog
PostPosted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 8:49 am  Reply with quote
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Red Setters have the white chest marking. I think the red Setter is more field oriented.
my dog was an excellent water dog.

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Pine Creek/Dave
PostPosted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 9:29 am  Reply with quote



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Gentlemen,

The real Irish Setter is a beautiful dog, there was a man in Scotland was raising some real fine hunting dogs for quite some time, nice personalities around the home and good in the Grouse woods also. Real nice article on him in one of the magazines a while back. There is also a man up in Canada who has a nice Irish Setter Kennel, nice part of an article on his dog also in the SSM a while back. His Setter dog was pictured holding a Woodcock it had retrieved.

Pine Creek/Dave
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Dave in Maine
PostPosted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 2:02 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Sep 2010
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One of my uncles had a pair of beautiful Irish Setters he hunted over, but that was back in the late 60s. When he had to give up shotgunning because of a detached retina (a big deal and not fixable in those days, at least not like it is today) the dogs went down the road. I always liked them.

To Ted's note about their being liked in several Euro countries, I'd add that they're liked in France, too. Go look on Naturabuy (chiens d'arret) and you'll always see a few red setters for sale. There's a family over in NH who advertise occasionally that they breed hunting red setters, but my impression is they love their dogs so much they'll find it hard to let them go.

For me, I've only ever had Gordons and that's the way I'm planning to go in the future, though I would not exclude an Irish.

But, how could you not like this pup? https://www.naturabuy.fr/Vends-chiots-setter-irlandais-LOF-rouges-item-5138276.html


Last edited by Dave in Maine on Sat Dec 22, 2018 2:06 pm; edited 1 time in total

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duckdup
PostPosted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 2:06 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Feb 2018
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Location: West-central Missouri

Lots of talk of Irish but no pictures??????????????????????

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