Anyone still Hunting?

I'm planning to head out every weekend till the end of the season. Probably going to hunt Sheboygan and Fond du Lac counties. Haven't had any luck in WI yet although I haven't spent enough time hunting here. Went on a trip to KS and CO pheasant and quail hunting. It was my first time west and it didn't disappoint. Now it's back to mostly stocked birds.:( It was amazing to watch the transformation in my dog. All the bird contact really helped her. Good luck to everyone who is still getting out.

Lee
 
I'm going to take Tinker out to some areas I have permission to hunt, but not looking to shoot anything that pops up. I want her to have as varied a first season as I can manage. The place we'll go has wetland, muck, cattails heavy brush.

Some years ago, it was fruitful to hunt a couple of times during season, but I stopped dropping birds as the numbers dropped. I've got exclusive rights to hunt pheasant there, but I'd like those birds that can survive to reproduce.

The owner says he's seen a bobcat-like creature at a distance this past year, so predation may have gotten more severe in recent years.

She'd be out, learning; I'll be out, walking slowly.
:)
 
Lee192233 said:
I'm planning to head out every weekend till the end of the season. Probably going to hunt Sheboygan and Fond du Lac counties. Haven't had any luck in WI yet although I haven't spent enough time hunting here. Went on a trip to KS and CO pheasant and quail hunting. It was my first time west and it didn't disappoint. Now it's back to mostly stocked birds.:( It was amazing to watch the transformation in my dog. All the bird contact really helped her. Good luck to everyone who is still getting out.

Lee
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Those trips you take where your dog can get into 100's of birds in a week, really make a big impact on a bird dog. You can learn more in one week on a trip like that than in a whole season in WI.
 
shorthairs4life said:
Those trips you take where your dog can get into 100's of birds in a week, really make a big impact on a bird dog. You can learn more in one week on a trip like that than in a whole season in WI.
Click to expand...

I noticed that this year with my 3 year old, last year he was making great progress and this year exploded with potential. I can see the rest of his years are going to be stellar as long as I keep working with him. The key has been bird exposure IMO, and i've been blessed to have been in prime pheasant country as it's helped with his grouse hunting too...such a blast now hunting behind him. My 6 month old has gotten the same, and he's already put up birds this fall.

I have a family farm in NW WI and the pheasant numbers have been growing steadily in the past 10 years there, same with turkey. So much so we've started hunting turkey there now. I'm the only one in the family with hunting dogs so nobody's been out for the pheasants yet...
 
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Still going

I just hunted eldorado the last couple days with little to show but fun regardless. Ill hunt right up till the end. Crossing fingers for snow, just enough.
 
Out this morning. Really nice day, and all by myself. A little snow is nice, but boy I'm getting spoiled with this weather.
 
Nice picture, T.

I called DNR's upland game folks yesterday and this morning got a call back. I had left a message, saying I presumed they wouldn't be releasing any more birds after the deer season.

Person calling back said they'd made the last release this week, and that there were a lot of birds out there! With the unusual weather, it may be that there's some hunting left on State hunting areas.


I took Tinker out today, and sadly, the lots of birds weren't around here, but I was pretty careful about where we went. From Thursday to Sunday is an antlerless deer hunt, and I'm not comfortable on public land when folks with rifles are around.

She did a determined trail on one rooster from bottom land to a copse of pines on the top of the property, but the bird flushed when it came to the farm road.

However, it was about perfect weather (not for December in Wisconsin, of course) to walk about with a shotgun and a bird dog. It was about 50 degrees and very light wind, the sun came out lighting up what had been a pretty bleak landscape. Tinker is maturing and investigating areas with a much more deliberate and intense attitude, if fresh scent is there.

It's been a good season for her, for me, and to a lesser extent, to Mick who lost hunting time to the puppy's first season exposure.

He and I went out yesterday and he popped 5 jake turkeys, one of which flew about 10 yards over my head, and yes, I was tempted, but restrained myself. :)

:thumbsup:
 
We went out this morning and hunted an hour and a half. Didn't flush a bird but we did recover a full in tact 10 pointer skull that will probably end measuring in the 150's.
I'll try again tomorrow.
 
Still hunting

I hunted the Zeloski unit south of Lake Mills last Friday. My buddy got one and missed one. They stock on Thursdays I think? Interesting area but too much marsh, and that's where all the birds get pushed. I still like Goose Lake off BB better, even though I darn near drowned there in a drainage ditch. If you hunt there, don't try and walk on water like I did. Goose Lake is closed after 2pm so it doesn't get hunted by the first shift guys during the week. That helps us old retired guys.
 
mgorvi said:
I hunted the Zeloski unit south of Lake Mills last Friday. My buddy got one and missed one. They stock on Thursdays I think? Interesting area but too much marsh, and that's where all the birds get pushed. I still like Goose Lake off BB better, even though I darn near drowned there in a drainage ditch. If you hunt there, don't try and walk on water like I did. Goose Lake is closed after 2pm so it doesn't get hunted by the first shift guys during the week. That helps us old retired guys.
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Trust me when I say this; "Save walking on water for Jesus". I had drainage ditch attack me this year as well.
 
Went to Bong this morning and got my two birds. Great conditions and Sage hunted really well. It was however a ZOO there with all the guys.
 
Still Stocking?

Gorvi,

What is goose lake like? Any upland cover? Zeloski can get tough to hunt with that 10 foot tall weed that grows so thick in the marsh. Birds just run and run. Are they still stocking?
 
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