Gundog tasks
Here are the four main gundog tasks.
1. Pointing: Pointing breeds are commonly used for hunting birds, such as quail and pheasants.
The dog will run out in front of the hunter in a wide circle and try to locate game birds by scent. When a dog is at point, it freezes, points its nose in the direction of the bird and holds up one of its front legs. The dog remains motionless until the hunter steps forward and flushes the bird into the air for a shot. Once the bird is down, the dog is commanded to retrieve.
Some of the well-known pointing breeds are:
- German Shorthaired Pointer
- Wirehair Pointer
- Gordon Setter
- Irish Setter.
Pointing breeds are also becoming increasingly popular with deer hunters, as they are very effective at locating and pointing elusive deer.
2. Flushing: Spaniels are a dedicated flushing breed and have a natural ability to locate, point and flush game birds. They rely heavily on their nose to scent birds and small game in tall grass. They hunt within shotgun range of their handler, working from left to right until a bird is found.
As a bird is flushed, the dog will immediately sit and observe the flight path. Once the bird is downed, the dog will mark the spot and retrieve upon command. Some of the common breeds are:
- English Springer Spaniel
- Cocker Spaniel
- Water Spaniel.
3. Retrieving: Retrievers get their name from their ability to retrieve game birds, usually waterfowl, that have been harvested by a hunter.
The dog is expected to remain still and calm as the ducks approach the blind. A well-trained retriever will watch and follow the hunter’s gun and mentally mark the location of each downed bird. Upon command, the dog will retrieve each bird and must also be able to respond to signals from the hunter. Some of the common retriever breeds are:
- Labrador Retriever
- Golden Retriever
- Chesapeake Retriever.
These dogs are great swimmers and enjoy retrieving birds from water.
4. Scenting and tracking: Beagles, Foxhounds and Bloodhounds are breeds of scent hounds. They use their nose to scent, track and find prey.
Deer, for example, can inhabit thick bush and are masters of concealing themselves. Many hunters have walked by deer hiding in thick cover, simply because the hunter could not see it. This is where a dog can be advantageous. When a dog catches a scent, it will remain motionless and point or crouch towards the direction of the deer. This gives the hunter time to carefully scan the bush and locate the animal before it slips away.
After taking a shot, sometimes the animal cannot be easily found. Ethical hunters will make every effort to recover the animal or apply a finishing shot. Dogs can be of great assistance due to their increased sense of sight and smell and can locate these animals quickly and more efficiently.
Hounds can also be trained to run the animal in the direction of hunters staged at certain locations. This technique works well for smaller game found in thick cover or areas that a hunter cannot walk through. Hounds are very energetic, sociable and prefer to hunt in groups, although they are just as well-equipped to hunt on their own.
