Pheasant Season 09 - How did you do?

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I remembered at 1am this morning that pheasant season opened today. I got all my gear ready, packed the car, and unsuccessfully tried to sleep a few hours, anxiously waiting for 6am to come. 6am came, I raced up to Monson's largest stocked area and proceeded to have a fantastic 4 hour armed walk [thinking] About an hour in, I busted a bird out of some thick brush, put him in my sights, and realized he was a woodcock... damn. About 2 hours in, I got into a battle-royale with a pricker bush and in the midst of my spastic flailing a hen flushed out, but I was so tied up, I couldn't shoulder my double. Other than that, no-one else in the fields saw another bird (besides a rooster that got torn apart by something with claws). How did everyone else fair?
 
...lol well lets see,

i fell into a hole about 3 feet deep that couldn't be seen because of the brush and briers

when walking in to the area a rooster was flushed by a dog toward us and his owner shot it, yes towards us.

when leaving, my friend and i had just talked to a guy who said his dog flushed 2 birds which he missed. we walk around the corner of the field onto the main path out of the WMA, i unload my shotty, i have the shells IN MY HAND putting them in my pocket. BOOM!! the guy we talked to missed another bird. the rooster flew right towards us, beside us and ahead of us right down the path in the direction we were headed. since i had just unloaded my shotty i didn't get a shot. the bird flew right down the path to a father and son who were walking in, the father nailed it. i learned a great lesson though, never unload till you get back to the car!
 
That sounds AWESOME! I would love to get into pheasant hunting, but I don't know the first thing about it. I have a golden retriever, and he and I went through some very basic "dog training for bird hunters" 8-week course last spring, but that was more teaching the dog to do land retrieves, water retrieves, etc. than actual "this is how to hunt birds". Could you guys recommend some good websites on hunting birds for the rank beginner?
 
I remembered at 1am this morning that pheasant season opened today. I got all my gear ready, packed the car, and unsuccessfully tried to sleep a few hours, anxiously waiting for 6am to come. 6am came, I raced up to Monson's largest stocked area and proceeded to have a fantastic 4 hour armed walk [thinking] About an hour in, I busted a bird out of some thick brush, put him in my sights, and realized he was a woodcock... damn. About 2 hours in, I got into a battle-royale with a pricker bush and in the midst of my spastic flailing a hen flushed out, but I was so tied up, I couldn't shoulder my double. Other than that, no-one else in the fields saw another bird (besides a rooster that got torn apart by something with claws). How did everyone else fair?

You didn't want to shoot the woodcock they are good to eat.
I went to the wma after I got out of work around one. Got beat up by the thorns had one shot a a hen but had the safety on woops. Also had another nice shot at another hen but it flushed over the water and I did not shoot because I wasent going in after it. All in all a good day to get out in the fresh air
 
sleeplessknight... reach out to a wingshooter on the board who is willing to take you out.

sparkey... unless you get 3 or more, there isn't enough meat for an appetizer. I don't take a bird unless I'm sure I'm going to eat it.
 
I hear you hicksonj I have seen to many birds shot and left that is also why I didn't shoot at that hen over the water today.
 
Moses and I went to Myles Standish; some birds were being taken in the first field. We got to another field and I watched as Moses worked. I saw his tail begin to wag so I knew he was on a bird. I walked closer and it was a Rooster sitting tight, the bird flushed; I have a tendency to shoot fast so I told myself to wait not to get too excited. I pulled the trigger and nothing, I forgot the safety was on, one click and a trigger squeeze the bird came down. As I was grabbing the bird a guy I shoot sporting clay with walked up to me, either my dog or his put up a hen, which he took. I called Moses and he came out with a rooster who had been winged. 12 minutes into the hunt I had my limit. It was fun but short hunt.
 
Bolton flats has always been a sh# H013.

either under water or filled with piles of cow $ht 6 feet high and that's all you smell, find yourself spending more time in the mud yelling at your dog to get out of the cow pile than you do hunting.
 
Brought the dog and shotgun out for a walk on Saturday afternoon and found a dead hen someone had shot but not picked up other than that nothing. I plan on hunting everyday except tueasday this week if anyone wants to go to Martin burns or Georgetown throw me a PM I would
much rather hunt with a couple of guys than by myself.
 
Has anyone hunted Bolton Flats? Last time I was there it was underwater. Is it hunt-able?

Water is "down" from where it has been in the past. Knee-high boots are still recommended. As for the fertilizer...stay North of Route 117 and you will be fine.

If you don't mind an exotic mixture of manure then the South side of 117 is for you.

Good Luck!
 
I went out for a few hours on Saturday. The dog flushed 3 in a row as soon as we got in but they were either too close to road or flying toward the club house so I let them all go. We saw 2 more on the way out that weren’t in any good place to shoot either, so the dog had a good day but I didn’t have to clean my gun.

This morning I put up only one, which flew toward the club house again, so again I didn’t shoot.

What I didn’t know this morning is its regular season for Canadian geese. There’s a pond where I’ve been going and a flock of geese are in it every day. They flew right over me three times this morning and it would have been an easy shot. I know now so I’ll have steel shot and a plug in my gun tomorrow morning.
 
Went out this morning for an hour which is about all my 11.5 year old lab can handle. He has an amazing nose! He put up three birds and I only could get a shot at one - which I missed! Rusty I guess..

This may be his last year in the field so I am determined to get him a few birds to chew on. Breaks my heart as he is in his glory when he's hunting through the golden rod but his body is starting to let him down. Will be back out for another try soon.
 
I'm going with my brother in law to Herman Covey on Saturday at sunrise. If anybody wants to meet up, we run the fields with flankers, blockers, and walkers. That would really busts the birds.
 
Went again this morning. Passed up one bad shot and flushed a hen that was smart enough to put a tree between us. I'm up to 7 for my dog, 0 for me.
 
i had a hen run into the trees and when i went after her i found out there were tons of boulders back there so no go there. then a had a rooster fly across the main pathway that hunters use to go from spot to spot and i did not feel good about the shot so i didn't take it.

so i settled for the one for now, good enough for me.
 
I'm going with my brother in law to Herman Covey on Saturday at sunrise. If anybody wants to meet up, we run the fields with flankers, blockers, and walkers. That would really busts the birds.

Love that place during the week but hate getting shot at by the portugese on the weekend. [thinking]
 
Got my first pheasants today.

Breasted them, put half in olive oil for now and the other half in a Chinese style drunken chicken marinade.

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Went to the club yesterday at the crack o' dawn in the rain. Saw only one about 5 minutes into the hunt that went home with my buddy.
 
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