Pheasant Hunting

I will be out there this year bird hunting in NH. Going after pheasants, grouse, and woodcock.
 
I really wish opening day for pheasant and archery deer were on the same day. Now I'm forced to hunt opening day pheasant or do nothing. Id much rather sit in a tree Saturday, then hit the bird fields during the week. I've almost been shot too many times with all the weekend idiots running around trying to get a kill and throwing safety to the wind.
 
warpig said:
I'm guessing its full of a-holes wearing bells, howling at the moon, and throwing sticks and stones?
I would actually pay to see you guys do that. Video the reactions of the other hunters....
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Not everyone can afford an expensive hunting dog, (or has the time to train or take care of said dog for that matter).

I see where you're coming from as far as what is considered "traditional" upland game hunting. However it sounds like you think pheasant hunting should be reserved for only those who have dogs. Is it a lot easier to flush pheasants when you have a trained hunting dog? Yes. Will those who have the dogs look at me like I'm a d!ckhead on Oct 18th when I'm kicking shrubs and making noise? Yes, and I don't give a damn.

In the two places I plan to go for pheasant, the folks with dogs usually pack it up fairly early in the morning so my plan is to let them do their thing and then go hit the fields. I know one group of guys with dogs and I went out with them once, but I felt like I was sort of imposing on them. Is the act of trying to bag a pheasant in a stocked field with no pointer/ flusher any different than hunting waterfowl with no retriever? If we're talking sportsmanship, it seems to me that hunting with only yourself and your gun is more sporting than using dogs that can pick up the bird's scent and lead you right to it.
 
warpig said:
I'm guessing its full of a-holes wearing bells, howling at the moon, and throwing sticks and stones?
I would actually pay to see you guys do that. Video the reactions of the other hunters....
Click to expand...

You what the funniest part is? I didn't pay $800 for a pure bred anything dog nor did I pay $1000s in training and I still take my two bird limit home....
 
warpig said:
I'm guessing its full of a-holes wearing bells, howling at the moon, and throwing sticks and stones?
I would actually pay to see you guys do that. Video the reactions of the other hunters....
Click to expand...

Its more like 100 dudes crammed into a 5 car parking area waiting for sunrise. The second sunrise comes its off to the races, it doesn't matter if you flush a bird and have a bead on it, expect a volley of shotgun fire to fly over and past the sides of your head from people anywhere from 5 feet to 50 yards away from the bird. Now if the bird actually goes down, that's when the fun begins as 5 different guys start arguing over who actually hit it.[hmmm]
 
ace7644 said:
Its more like 100 dudes crammed into a 5 car parking area waiting for sunrise. The second sunrise comes its off to the races, it doesn't matter if you flush a bird and have a bead on it, expect a volley of shotgun fire to fly over and past the sides of your head from people anywhere from 5 feet to 50 yards away from the bird. Now if the bird actually goes down, that's when the fun begins as 5 different guys start arguing over who actually hit it.[hmmm]
Click to expand...

And that's why I haven't hunted pheasant first light. I don't want to be in that crowd. There will always be some surviving birds after the orange army has left for the day.
 
JCV said:
I'm gonna hunt pheasant with my dog. She's not a bird dog, never trained her to be and won't retrieve lol. She listens though so I plan to let her run close by me and hope one of us trips on a bird.
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So, you're gonna be one of those guys that shows up with a pitbull or some other mutt, that wants to bark, race around and fight with the dogs that some poor shmuck like myself spent $$$$ and time training? Awesome.
 
Booked my hunt at Addieville in RI again this season. 3 hunters to a field with guide and dogs runs about $250-$300 per person (tip the guide!). It is not cheap but a damn good venue. As I stated before I set this up for my son and myself 6 years ago and told them we were safe and good with shotguns, but had never been hunting and they took care of us. A darn good place with good people.

I went out to the stocked WMA fields once and it was a bleeping joke, too many damn people. It was the hunting equivalent of the scene from Jaws where the all the guys are getting in their boats to get the shark.
 
Glasgow Grin said:
So, you're gonna be one of those guys that shows up with a pitbull or some other mutt, that wants to bark, race around and fight with the dogs that some poor shmuck like myself spent $$$$ and time training? Awesome.
Click to expand...

Actually yeah she's a pitbull.
Won't bark, or chase other dogs.
I've hunted with pointers and labs that have gone through extensive training that STILL don't behave in the fields.
Sooooooo........yeah. See ya there!
 
Glasgow Grin said:
So, you're gonna be one of those guys that shows up with a pitbull or some other mutt, that wants to bark, race around and fight with the dogs that some poor shmuck like myself spent $$$$ and time training? Awesome.
Click to expand...

I have rarely seen a dog behave in the pheasant phields any different than this description. It doesn't matter if it is a Brittney Spaniel, English Setter, Mutt, Coon Hound, or Toy Poodle.

And does EVERYONE have to name thier dog "Bailey"?

I don't use a dog - and I usually get my limit. From the dogs I've seen while out hunting, they are more of a handicap than a help.

Don't flame me on this and tell me how great your dog is, please. I've probably never seen you or your dog. Not all dogs are bad, not all cops are bad, not all liberals are bad, not all cole slaw is bad, not all flashlights are bad but I don't want to hunt with any of them.

Hunt where the birds are, not where you think they should go based on pictures of the Dakotas.
 
45collector said:
QFT.

And some of the other hunters you meet in these areas act like it's their own private land.
Click to expand...
Last year I did go on opening day. To one of the smaller WMAs out western part of the state. It was actually not crowded at all. 2 groups total when we got to the parking lot (so 3 including us). Shot the breeze for a few minutes waiting for "go time". 10 minutes before sunrise another truck shows up with two older guys and 2 dogs. They came over to us with a generally crappy attitude (which I didn't get at all cuz opening day of pheasant season to me is a great day even if I don't even see a pheasant.......cool air.......long walks in the fields.......its just awesome) and started talking shit right away. "We've been coming here for 20 ****ing years and every year on opening day there are more and more of you guys showing up"! I ignored them at first......then they proceeded with "I don't know why you guys come here anyway......they don't hardly stock this anymore......." I turned around and said pretty gruffly....."oh yeah then why are you two here". He chuckled a bit and said......"yeah you'll see there ain't nothing in here". Anyway............my group of 4 guys with NO dogs spooked up 4 hens in about an hour........bagged 1 of the four (yeah.....I whiffed.....a couple times :) and one of the other groups came out during our coffee break with 6 birds (limit for the 3 hunters) and 2 rabbits! Yeah........suuuuure they don't stock it anymore.


My point is......we all have to share. Just cuz you've been hitting the same spots for 20 years doesn't make it your field.
 
derek said:
I love the guys hunting public land complaining about other hunters. [thinking]
Click to expand...

I hunt the public land.....and don't complain about it. Sometimes the pheasant stocked wmas are crowded as hell........I just move on to try another one. It is......what it is.......
 
Glasgow Grin said:
So, you're gonna be one of those guys that shows up with a pitbull or some other mutt, that wants to bark, race around and fight with the dogs that some poor shmuck like myself spent $$$$ and time training? Awesome.
Click to expand...

I have seen plenty of 'trained' bird dogs that needed to be left home. I will take a well-acclimated mongrel (or non traditional breed) that listens to most of the bird dogs any day.
 
Glasgow Grin said:
So, you're gonna be one of those guys that shows up with a pitbull or some other mutt, that wants to bark, race around and fight with the dogs that some poor shmuck like myself spent $$$$ and time training? Awesome.
Click to expand...

[frown] snob

- - - Updated - - -

dgrafton said:
I have seen plenty of 'trained' bird dogs that needed to be left home. I will take a well-acclimated mongrel (or non traditional breed) that listens to most of the bird dogs any day.
Click to expand...
yup
 
Glasgow Grin said:
So, you're gonna be one of those guys that shows up with a pitbull or some other mutt, that wants to bark, race around and fight with the dogs that some poor shmuck like myself spent $$$$ and time training? Awesome.
Click to expand...

You're not one of those guys that runs those obnoxious beeper training collars on their dogs, bleeping all damn day, are you? Man, what is it with THOSE guys?!
 
As a dog guy and trainer I can say a "good" dog is great. I think most people out there (WMA's) think if the bought a hunting breed it is a hunting dog. Most put little effort into training. Even the ones who spend money on training never follow up. Saying that I will be heading out west with a group of guys for a bachelor weekend. We will be going out Saturday and I will be happy to just get out with my new dog (8 months). We will be staying in Peru, any suggestions on WMA's in the area? I have Internet searched but I have never been out that way. Any experience/knowlage would be great.
 
45collector said:
Not everyone can afford an expensive hunting dog, (or has the time to train or take care of said dog for that matter).

I see where you're coming from as far as what is considered "traditional" upland game hunting. However it sounds like you think pheasant hunting should be reserved for only those who have dogs. Is it a lot easier to flush pheasants when you have a trained hunting dog? Yes. Will those who have the dogs look at me like I'm a d!ckhead on Oct 18th when I'm kicking shrubs and making noise? Yes, and I don't give a damn.
Click to expand...
I meant no offense. I also hunt birds without a dog - both grouse and waterfowl. Also agree that it helps make noise to flush. Reading everyone's post above when people were talking about trying to imitate dogs, all I could imaging was people in dog costumes foaming at the mouth.
 
60 buckscash said:
I found my best results hunting dogless was to get to the far end of the field and act as a blocker. That and working 10' into the edges of the field.
Click to expand...
Being at the end of the field, are you in the danger zone of the craziness? I have not been to an WMA at dawn, but I heard that its not the most careful place.
 
warpig said:
Reading everyone's post above when people were talking about trying to imitate dogs, all I could imaging was people in dog costumes foaming at the mouth.
Click to expand...

Well I'm not that crazy. [wink]

I suppose if I were really serious about upland game I would just spend the money and time on a well-trained dog. However, I've never even tasted pheasant so I'd like to take one on my own first and cook that sucker up, see if I like it, before I'd get into the dog world. With waterfowl (I salivate at the thought of grilled duck breast) I know I can take birds without a dog no problem, (I have a kayak and a devoted waterfowl hunting motorized blind boat that I spent over $100 putting together) so there's no need for me to get a retriever for waterfowl.
 
Ive hunted with a dog and without a dog. Personally watching the dog work is 99 percent of the fun and reason why i hunt. Whatever dog as long as it listens and has somewhat of a nose and instincts can hunt. Ive seen large poodles to mix labs all be great dogs

I just had to put my shorthair down but im a member of a club that has a preserve license. Lots of members enjoy you just going along with them and dont even care about shooting birds. Most of the older guys would rather just let the kids shoot.

I do very little public hunting anymore and when i do its after crowds have been thru. With a dog you still have success

The best deal around is to find a club that stocks their own birds and join it. For 50 bucks and 8 hours of work a year its the best hunting around. Not to mention all the perks of rifle range, archery range, skeet and trap.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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boilermaker said:
Not sure if serious?
Click to expand...

Oh he's serious. There is a guy that hunts up in Groveland/Gtown that has one of those (crane pond area). Holy crap........all you can hear all damn morning......BEEEEEP .............BEEEEEEP. OMG is it frigign annoying.
 
45collector said:
Well I'm not that crazy. [wink]

I suppose if I were really serious about upland game I would just spend the money and time on a well-trained dog. However, I've never even tasted pheasant so I'd like to take one on my own first and cook that sucker up, see if I like it, before I'd get into the dog world. With waterfowl (I salivate at the thought of grilled duck breast) I know I can take birds without a dog no problem, (I have a kayak and a devoted waterfowl hunting motorized blind boat that I spent over $100 putting together) so there's no need for me to get a retriever for waterfowl.
Click to expand...

You're on the Cape right? Maybe we can squeeze a couple hunts in. I don't have a dog either, but two guys usually have much more success than solo.
 

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