Has anyone had any luck hunting partridge (ruffed grouse) with a dog? What kind of luck? What kind of dog?

[99explorer]

Has anyone had any luck hunting partridge (ruffed grouse) with a dog? What kind of luck? What kind of dog?

[jestr1]

Used to hunt with a lab. She passed away a few years back. New one is kinda spastic still. Still a bit young but she might learn. Have had good luck with pheasant and partidge.

[Jere Smith]

English Setters or Pointers,Brittney,Cockers,Labs GSH, all good for either.

[Robert Ewing]

I've hunted with my Brittanys on Chukar,Hungarian Partridge,Pheasant and Quail.In a feild trial,The younger one as a pup held point on a Woodcock .I don't they would have a problem making a adjustment to something new.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

I use labs. They flush em and I shoot them out of the trees with .22

[007]

I go with a buddy of mine from time to time who has a brace of top notch German short hairs that are excellent on grouse. He also takes them to Michigan each fall for grouse and woodcock. On my profile is a picture of a grouse fan and his Red Label. He's a regular gun slinger with that Ruger.

[MLH]

Much more fun (and much easier) with a good dog to find birds ... before and after shooting at them. There are pointers and flushers. Everyone love a great pointer. Have to stay on your toes with a flusher. Good luck with getting some dogs to retrieve, though.

Fellow grouse hunters have English Setters, GSPs (German Shorthair Pointers), Brittanies, Springers, Gordon Setters, and Labs. I've seen some other breeds at dog trials, like German Wirehaired, Griffons, Vizslas, English Pointers (my dad's favorite), and Weimaraners ... also Boykins. For various reasons I am considering an English Cocker Spaniel. Also different lines and colors within each breed.

You have to research as each breed and, sometimes, line, has different characteristics. Also, field trial dogs tend to run fast, hard, and long - not usually optimal for hunting grouse where they hang out - in thick woods.

[mitchw]

MLH -- I've had the pleasure of hunting over an English Cocker a couple times now, both pheasants in Iowa and sharptails/huns in montana. They're a beautiful breed, and they seem to have the heart to overcome their short legs. The small size seems like it would be a great asset at times. I'm currently hunting ruffies with my 100 pound labrapeake (3/4 registered lab, with a chesapeake somewhere back in the woodpile).
If you go with a flushing breed, they need to work close. I've never hunted ruffies over a pointer, although mine ends up locking up on point on about 1/5 of the birds we find.

[blackdawgz]

All the old heads say there never was a real pa'tridge dog.