Really enjoyed all your bird photos this last fall D3. Not surprised at all to see you over on The 'Fuge....same avatar and everything.
Couple of questions for you and any other pointing Labs owners out there. I am interested in the pointing Labs as I have gotten back into duck hunting a little bit, but would still hunt upland 90% of the time afield. Trying to get my Springer to sit still and be quiet in a duck blind was the main reason I quit duck hunting 8 years ago (other reason: their meat is crap and I hate cooking them). She gets cold easy too.
Hard to argue with the potential of a pointing lab. Not only would they be better for the sometimes waterfowler, but if a dog is savvy enough to get ahead of a covey of running Huns or pheasants and pin them down until I get there I would be all over 'em. I'm getting tired of chasing my Springer over hell and gone.....sometimes they just won't hold and it's push, push, push all day.
Do you keep them in shotgun range just in case they do flush something, or do you let them run 100 yards ahead, knowing they will hold the birds until you arrive?
What about the training? Is it easier than or the same as training a Shorthair, Brit, etc? I've never trained a pointer, but they appear to take more time, money, and effort to train than your typical flusher. You know, fishing rod and bird wing, the WHOA thing, lotsa live birds, retrieving, etc.
Finally, where did you get your pointing Labs, if you don't mind me asking? I know there is a guy in Ellensburg that raises them.
Ike