Cockers!

[jetjockey]

I got to hunt over some great field bred Cocker Spaniels this weekend and I was reminded that those little dogs are pheasant MACHINES! It also reminded me how the AKC can ruin great bird dogs.  They looked nothing like AKC show Cockers, and we're nowhere close to AKC breed standard, but man those little dogs could hunt.  Watching them put bird after bird in the air was nothing short of amazing.  I watched one track a run I g rooster for almost 100 yards before it out it in the air.  After I killed the bird, that little dog returned the bird to hand nearly 125 yards back to the handler in tall thick grass.  They have hearts the size of lions.  If you ever get a chance to hunt over one, I highly recommend it.  They are awesome little dogs.

[wildweeds]

Field cockers are cool little dogs,I saw one at last years sportsmans show and was the only one who knew what it was,there were lots of guesses as it being a cross bred Brit.Turns out the guy rescued her and that she was a really good little hunter.Great little dog for an older hunter I think,small enough to not throw out a back loading into the truck,small enough to live in town or motorhome with,don't eat as much as a big dog,but as you say BIG hearts.We actually have kind of a celebrity field cocker guy here in washington who lives in the Islands,He's done quite a bit with his cockers in amateur competition .He makes a trip each summer to train with Tom Ness at Oahe kennels in North Dakota.

[AWS]

I just love those little field bred English Cockers, I hang out at AKC Spaniel Hunt Test and see them do some very good water work also.  Great little upland dog.

When I was a youth we used to still see a few  American Cockers in the field on grouse and pheasants.  One of the movers and shakers in the early AKC Spaniel Hunt Test program was from Burien and put some field titles on her Americans.  The Leinehans(spl?) out of CA used to breed a line of field bred Americans.

[Blackjaw]

I think my two field bred cockers are about to go on strike with the way I have been shooting lately. We have managed ~15 roosters so far this season, but have probably missed at least that many.

[Backstrap]

I'd love to see pics of your English field bred Cockers. My boy is out of Covey Flush kennel in Georgia. He loves to hunt, run and swim, and as mentioned in other posts, has the heart of a lion. Very gentle and loving. He likes long walks on the beach, and is intact if you have a high quality bitch you plan to breed.

[jetjockey]

There's a lot of good cockers from down here in GA.  They use them to flush quail while the pointers stand completly staunch.  The classic hunt down here still uses pointers to find birds and hold them, while the cockers flush and retrieve.  Some of the brambles and cover down here is so thick that there is no way you could flush birds without the cockers or other flushing dogs.

[Blackjaw]

Sorry it took so long to reply. Here is a pic from last Nov. of Nigel and Duke. Nigel is from Paul McGagh in N. Dakota and Duke is From Simon Tyers (England).

[Backstrap]

Thanks for sharing. Those are nice looking dogs. How old is the tan one? It Looks like they get the job done!

[Blackjaw]

The tan one (Nigel) is 5 now. Duke is 3. I'll probably make it over to E Wa one more time before pheasant season closes, I'll try to remember my camera.