I don't know why anyone would want to hunt upland birds with anything but a "pointing dog".
Some people consider it unsporting unless one is using a net for catch and release. Some like to decoy birds to the gun, some like a pointing dog to pin them down, some like to ground-swat them or shoot them off a limb..... and some like the thrill and sport of a surprise flush.
I have both. While I love the efficiency of my big running pointer (Dr.Drew can vouch for how big) and I'm constantly amazed at my pointer's ability to smell a bird at over 100 yds in the right conditions, I still find my Lab a thrill to shoot upland birds over. You have to pay attention, and frankly, she puts more pheasant in my bag in heavy cover of SD. The Lab and I are a good team together on upland birds. No matter that I'm using a "duck dog" for upland, I have a good time doing it.
I guess those 4 old boxes of 1 oz 28ga in the garage that someone gave me will just stay there. I know they'll pound me in my 5lb 10 oz Repro and I'm not going after flying moose anytime soon.
