I'm looking to adopt out my 4 year old setter Max(out of Full Blast) into a good hunting home, not just a home where he'll be hunted a couple times a year and be stuck in a kennel the rest of the time.
Max isnt making it as a grouse dog, while I kill grouse over him every year, he is just average in the grouse woods. He is a good woodcock dog, and I think he would excel on pheasants with a little experience. He struggles on occasion to keep track of me in the grouse woods, requiring more handling(calling/whistling) than I'm used to doing. Woodcock cover isnt as thick and big, so he doesnt have the problem there. In pheasant fields where keeping contact is easier, I dont think that would be an issue. But he is not an opening day dog, where everyone is working small fields, he wants range out, 50-100 yards and find birds. He is solid and honest on his points, and wont move unless a bird runs will out from under his nose.
Negatives other than mentioned above is he doesnt hunt will with bigger groups and other dogs, tends to start following other dogs around, especially my other dogs. He has a health issue of keeping weight on, but I finally have that solved with a supplement after spending $$$ with the vets and no results. With not getting him up to his ultimate weight, he doesnt have the stamina for hunts over 2 hours, especially multiple days in a row.
Max is a kennel dog, but is house broken, no problems when staying inside my cabin. And he likes to be around the person who is feeding him. He is ideally suited for the casual 1-2 days a week hunter, not a balls to the wall hunter.
If Interested, I can show Max on wild birds on a couple weeks when the woodcock arrive back in my area of the state. I was waiting to put this post up as I prefer to show on wild birds instead of planted birds which he hasnt seen since he was 6 months old. I'm located in central Pa. Number to call or text is 814.321.1339