Thread: Pointer and Setter Trials

Originally Posted by EeeBees

from what I can gather they cannot hold pointer and setter wildgame trials in the South Island as there are no birds.

What sort of birds do they use? The heathen rabbiters put up quite a few of them rooster thing's the other week, didn't even bother swinging the gun on something so easy. Quails are in numbers not seen for a long time, and maybe the last year they'll be seen like it to with all the 1080 going out this year.

so how far down am i heading then ?

Originally Posted by EeeBees

from what I can gather they cannot hold pointer and setter wildgame trials in the South Island as there are no birds.

The SI is filthy with Quail. Plus if the NZVHDTA can find grounds to hold Tests on birds (pheasants), then the P&S can too.

Originally Posted by Wirehunt

What sort of birds do they use? The heathen rabbiters put up quite a few of them rooster thing's the other week, didn't even bother swinging the gun on something so easy. Quails are in numbers not seen for a long time, and maybe the last year they'll be seen like it to with all the 1080 going out this year.

now thats fully Tweed ! I try never to shoot a bird without having solid dog work done as numbers mean Fk all to me nowadays !! LOL

Yep, South Island live game trials would be crazy. Shooting trials on quail!

Silly part is it wouldn't be hard to make happen.

how many areas do you know that would hold coveys through an area of 4 -7 kms running say 7 dogs

You don't need that big of an area to run 7 dogs and get them all onto good numbers of birds, but some of the ground is steep. However I can think of maybe 5 offhand.

I just wish you trialling types would use the massive resource of rabbits, you could work your dogs for a month and not cover the same ground twice.

Originally Posted by Wirehunt

You don't need that big of an area to run 7 dogs and get them all onto good numbers of birds, but some of the ground is steep. However I can think of maybe 5 offhand.

I think it would be most appropriate if a NI contingent made its way south to test these grounds Wirehunt.....for research purposes of course :-)

Rabbits is the devil yes a jolly good trip to wirehairs fine grounds to give his quail a good thrashing

i'm heading there early next month, wires and spanners in tow.

Originally Posted by Wirehunt

I just wish you trialling types would use the massive resource of rabbits, you could work your dogs for a month and not cover the same ground twice.

The spaniel guys do, somewhere in Otago?

I was talking with Bob Whitehead {a spaniel man now }the other day and he mentioned they were off trialing in the south island -the south Island to those guys is the shizzzzz

Originally Posted by gqhoon

I think it would be most appropriate if a NI contingent made its way south to test these grounds Wirehunt.....for research purposes of course :-)

In fact when Bendigo were releasing pheasants a strong NI contingent did come down. The verdict: impossible to run a game trials too many rabbits. Yes there were plenty of quail and pheasants in the area, but I can still see one of the countries top Irish Setters disappearing over a ridge hard on the heels of yet another rabbit.