My springer turns 12 this week and I’m lookin into my next dog. I haven’t chased birds in a few years because I don’t have the time and any spare time has gone to trapping and bowhunting. So I had been looking into getting a hound and go chase coons.
The other side - Got a 6yr old boy and 4yr old girl and both love hunting/trapping. The boy is a hard charger and the girl is pretty chill. Lookin at my childhood and the kids I’ve mentored bird hunting is fast paced and is good way to get em hooked. Chasing coons at night ain’t the best for school either. I feel a little selfish wanting a hound and that another bird dog is the better choice for the family. Been looking into the versatile hunting breeds. I tend to pick hard charging dogs…. I’ve luckily been able to find ones that can turn it off around the house.
So what you guys think? Hound or bird dog? What’re your experiences and what you would recommend? Open any and all suggestions

when my kids were young they loved to go coonhunting with me. as long as there schoolwork was done they could go for a couple hours and I would bring them home and I would go back out. it gets dark early in the fall/winter so you can leave earlier and have them home in time for a good nights sleep.as they got older there were more sports and less time for hunting for them.i let them choose what they want to do. a lot of priceless memories and now I have a grandson that enjoys going. never did bird hunt so cant help you out there.

Maybe a Mt Cur. Tree squirrels and coons. They hunt a lot closer so at night you won't have to worry about chasing a hound for hours.

Todays Redbones seem to make coondog/housedog combo's.

I lived on a farm as a kid That was in the days that pheasants where as thick as fleas I had a springer when I was in my 20 ,s and 30,s That was some of the most enjoyable hunting I ever did .Now I have 2 Boykin Spaniels that are fantastic bird hunters and very good retrieving dogs if you duck hunt And my Boykins are wonderful house dogs I am very biased but if you have kids just starting into hunting I say get a bird dog and do some fowling

Be selfish and do what YOU want because then you'll have the drive to train the dog and it'll be more enjoyable for everyone.

I got family with a lot of ag land that’s laced with duck ponds. You have a pretty fun day chasing ducks morning/night and roosters during the day. My springer has retrieved a lot more ducks than pheasants. Usually in October. So if I went bird dog I’d want one that can pull double duty and and handle near freezing water. Also I’d like to find something that ain’t a cocklebur magnet. That’s my only gripe about my springers I’ve had

If you're looking for a lab just say so! Honestly it's hard to beat a lab for a family/bird dog.

I agree with treeing squirrels.

Everyone wishes for a dog that does not get loaded up with junk as they work the pucker brush It helps to keep any dog trimmed short unless your main goal is late season waterfowl .Also I use olive oil on their coat to make it easier to comb out .And no tangle dog shampoo helps also.

We have a redbone and a mountain cur. Both will tree squirrels all day and coon at night.

Hunting dogs and kids is illegal in the State of Georgia.

I agree 100%

Not much upland bird hunting here, no quail pheasant partridge grouse.

Waterfowl and dove.

So a friendly lab is my choice. Have two labs and two kids. Great family dogs!

John

English lab (only in black of course) for waterfowl and pheasants.
Old style black muzzle redbone hound for coon and squirrels.

Bird dog!

I agree and most of us are working people .But in my area at least here are plenty of regulated shooting
grounds and hunting preserves nearby that are a good option for getting kids started in bird hunting .They are certain to have some opportunities at getting shots at birds .At the same time if done right the kids will have some one to mentor them regarding safety .And another plus is your dog will get some on the job training. .

Get a mountain cur, squirrels by day coons by night, coyote, cats, good with kids. Cheaper than bird dogs.

I'm partial . My first dog was a beagle and bothered the worst and best rabbit dog I will ever have. For a few years she would not open up on trail or following one further than 200'. Untill one day she did balling tell out of ear shot and when she came back she was running 2 rabbits. Front that day on she would run them tell you killed them or they went in a hole. She never ran trash, and would not run with other dogs always worked out the trail herself.

That said I prefer larger dogs for in the house and love English setters and gremand short-haired pointers.

Gsp win for in the house due to much less sheading and they just have a special place for me. You can't beat the way they are built.