This afternoon

[Weimdogman]

3 guys 7 pointing dogs
Hunted some of the same private ground i and 1 other guy limited out in on Friday afternoon. Today never hardly saw a bird for the first 45 minutes. Crp grass field and cattails.
We got a little split up because the other 2 guys aren't that familiar with the property and didn't listen to me when I told them to only go 100 yards then cut across. 1 guy went 125 yards then cut across cussing the whole way as he was on a slough where the the water level comes up and then drops after the ice has formed. You break thru a thin layer of ice and hope to land on ice not open water.The other guy had to walk a quarter mile around as he found the open water under the ice.

Anyways after that we started to have a few hens sit and Roosters flush wild. As the one guy approached the 7 acre food plots he flushed about 20 roosters and knocked 1 down. I knocked 1 down pass shooting and should have at least 2 more but my gun can only hold so many shells.

We got to the area where some wild flushing birds had landed and we scratched out 2 more. The one guys drat made a hell of a 175 yard retrieve in the cattails. We finished walked out thru about 10 acres of brome/sedge and picked up 2 more birds. We had all 7 dogs pointing/backing on the first bird. It was a hen that would hold then move 5 yards , then hold again . Covered about 20 yards and had 4 dogs locked on her when she flushed at my buddies feet. The 2 roosters weren't quite as exciting but we're pointed and tracked by 2 or more dogs each. I dropped 1 of the roosters and there was some commotion at the retrieve. My buddy has a young drat who likes to steal retrieves and my 2 males can get a little "possesive". The other buddies male drat also thinks every bird is his. Both decided it wasn't worth it as they have tested those waters before. So now I had my 2 male dogs holding a bird . After the drats left, Willie can be told to give from a distance so he let Delio get his retrieve. Something I need to work on.

 

[Limitless]

That is a lot of dogs.

 

[Weimdogman]

Yes and 1 other observation about our hunt is they were all young birds we shot. I was thinking they were small as they came into me and I pass shot the 1. No flare nares all wild birds. I guess the older birds have escaped hunters for months or years so ....

 

[That1uncle1776]

Yes and 1 other observation about our hunt is they were all young birds we shot. I was thinking they were small as they came into me and I pass shot the 1. No flare nares all wild birds. I guess the older birds have escaped hunters for months or years so ....

Excellent work...I dont even know 7 dogs.
Ive only been getting the bigger "older" birds since the temp drop. Public land though. I wish there was a better way to store this info on the forum. Then compare private late season compared to public.

 

[Weimdogman]

Excellent work...I dont even know 7 dogs.
Ive only been getting the bigger "older" birds since the temp drop. Public land though. I wish there was a better way to store this info on the forum. Then compare private late season compared to public.

When hunting public it does seem that the majority of birds harvested are young. After months of hunting lots of those young birds are gone.

Another factor is the birds are now months older then they were in the beginning so will be bigger. The birds we harvested yesterday probably weren't fully colored in October. And keeping with the theme of harvesting young birds first , I have 2 pieces of prime ground that had not been hunted until the last week. Having friends who are serious about deer hunting has it perks.

 

[Weimdogman]

3 guys and 4 dogs today. I ran 2 and my buddy ran 2. We had a contractor with us who had a great hunt. Got his 3 birds and got to see some good dog work. I never hit 1 bird solid all came down as runners.1 came down and both dogs were right there. My female took off down a deer trail and and I expected her to come back with it. A couple minutes went by and she came back to the original spot where my friend had brought his 2 and told them to hunt dead. My female ran a couple small circles and took off down the path again. I told the guys she will find that bird if we give her a few minutes. Sure enough she came back with the bird. The contractor said amazing. I said she is very good at trailing wounded birds. 7 years and hundreds of birds will help with that.

We started in the cattails next to a plowed corn field. Saw about 40 birds all flushed wild except 3 hens. From there we just hunted the grass and sedge and picked our limit up 1 bird at a time. Most birds were pointed and repointed numerous times so it was pretty exciting following the dogs. When we were done I said to the contractor I know the way we hunt is hard work but it sure is fun. He said it's a blast.

 

[Weimdogman]

Did have a funny thing happen on 1 of the other birds I knocked down. Some others have probably seen the crazy show of a crippled rooster hopping up while a dog or 2 are trying to grab it. Bird hops up dogs miss grabbing it and bird buries itself and then the dogs are so excited , think sensory overload , that the dogs have trouble relocating in a area full of fresh scent.

Well I had my 2 dogs in this circus act and when I walked up the bird again hopped up but this time ran thru my legs and off in the grass. I could see the grass moving and knew where I saw it last. The dogs were so excited they were searching where they last saw the bird between my legs. I walked to where I saw it last and called them over to fetch. Well I actually was standing on the bird so I reached down and pulled a very much alive rooster out from under the grass.

 

[Limitless]

Did have a funny thing happen on 1 of the other birds I knocked down. Some others have probably seen the crazy show of a crippled rooster hopping up while a dog or 2 are trying to grab it. Bird hops up dogs miss grabbing it and bird buries itself and then the dogs are so excited , think sensory overload , that the dogs have trouble relocating in a area full of fresh scent.

One of my last Minnesota season birds did that. Stomped down all the snow, Honey searched the area and a ways away. I figured if he was close by, his scent would start to build. Sure enough, after about 10 minutes, she located him 3 feet from where we last saw him. He made a run for it, but she was faster.

Well I had my 2 dogs in this circus act and when I walked up the bird again hopped up but this time ran thru my legs and off in the grass. I could see the grass moving and knew where I saw it last. The dogs were so excited they were searching where they last saw the bird between my legs. I walked to where I saw it last and called them over to fetch. Well I actually was standing on the bird so I reached down and pulled a very much alive rooster out from under the grass.

That's one way to keep them from running!

 

[Miforester]

Weim, this is a common occurrence for me, have one on video from last year. I am amazed at how effective it is for them to throw the dogs off. One year I was in my baseball fielding stance only to have him run right thru me.....re-enforced why I'm not a major leaguer. Keep up with the reports living thru you guys now!

 

[Limitless]

Weim, this is a common occurrence for me, have one on video from last year. I am amazed at how effective it is for them to throw the dogs off. One year I was in my baseball fielding stance only to have him run right thru me.....re-enforced why I'm not a major leaguer. Keep up with the reports living thru you guys now!

2 years ago, one did a flip over Honey and I thought he tucked into some taller stuff nearby. Honey went past the tall stuff. I thought she was hunting something else, so called her back. Stupid me. The next weekend, we hunted the same spot. She went on point where we dealt with him before. I gave her the go ahead. He did another flip, but she was on him in a second when he ran after the flip.

I wonder if dogs close their eyes to protect against a talon spike?

 

[Weimdogman]

So I don't know the windchill but it had to be below zero this afternoon. 6 guys and 7 dogs. A older guy who could only block but he managed a bird. He and his nephew took the 9 birds we got as the rest of us have or had plenty.

Saw lots of birds but they were scattered and spooky. Did get 3 out of a little 2 acre slough. Could have 3 more but 2 flushed wild and the guys didn't believe me when my dog was on point on the very last edge. Guy says your dog is pointing where that rooster just came out. I said that is a very intent point there is a bird and there was a nice rooster.

 

[Limitless]

So I don't know the windchill but it had to be below zero this afternoon. 6 guys and 7 dogs. A older guy who could only block but he managed a bird. He and his nephew took the 9 birds we got as the rest of us have or had plenty.

Saw lots of birds but they were scattered and spooky. Did get 3 out of a little 2 acre slough. Could have 3 more but 2 flushed wild and the guys didn't believe me when my dog was on point on the very last edge. Guy says your dog is pointing where that rooster just came out. I said that is a very intent point there is a bird and there was a nice rooster.View attachment 10290

The windchill was brutal out there today. Get out on a lake, or up high, and that wind would go right through you.

 

[Weimdogman]

2 guys 5 dogs 75 minutes till end of shooting time. I got my 3 my buddy got the only 1 he had a chance at. I still am just knocking them down and it is making for some interesting retrieves.

Today was the first day we got birds out of the 7 acre corn food plots. Had probably 40 birds come out. At least a dozen roosters but everything flushed wild or was colorless. 1 big old rooster caught me off guard and cackled up a storm as I let him fly off. He was the last bird that flew out.

 

[Limitless]

2 guys 5 dogs 75 minutes till end of shooting time. I got my 3 my buddy got the only 1 he had a chance at. I still am just knocking them down and it is making for some interesting retrieves.

Today was the first day we got birds out of the 7 acre corn food plots. Had probably 40 birds come out. At least a dozen roosters but everything flushed wild or was colorless. 1 big old rooster caught me off guard and cackled up a storm as I let him fly off. He was the last bird that flew out.

That sounds like some fun corn.

 

[A5 Sweet 16]

Good reports, guys. I was unable to hunt Saturday, when the weather was nice, but did Sunday afternoon when it wasn't. Hunted ditches (& a couple pretty small chunks of WPA) so I didn't have to be out for long stretches (fingers wouldn't have handled that well). Had to shoot at 6 roosters to get 3. So the fact that I got 6 shots is great. Shooting in that much wind when I'm all cold & tight isn't great. Interestingly, in 3 instances, we flushed large bunches from big thickets. Probably over 100 birds total. Among them, I only saw like 5 roosters. The 3 roosters I got were loaners in cattails in the ditch. We saw very few hens in the cattails, I guess because they were finding big thickets. I'm quite certain most of the roosters must've been hanging out in big, old shelterbelts, where they could be completely out of the wind, in a little sun, & almost feel warm.

 

[Limitless]

Good reports, guys. I was unable to hunt Saturday, when the weather was nice, but did Sunday afternoon when it wasn't. Hunted ditches (& a couple pretty small chunks of WPA) so I didn't have to be out for long stretches (fingers wouldn't have handled that well). Had to shoot at 6 roosters to get 3. So the fact that I got 6 shots is great. Shooting in that much wind when I'm all cold & tight isn't great. Interestingly, in 3 instances, we flushed large bunches from big thickets. Probably over 100 birds total. Among them, I only saw like 5 roosters. The 3 roosters I got were loaners in cattails in the ditch. We saw very few hens in the cattails, I guess because they were finding big thickets. I'm quite certain most of the roosters must've been hanging out in big, old shelterbelts, where they could be completely out of the wind, in a little sun, & almost feel warm.

It was sunny that day. Just darn cold.

Thanks for saying you missed 3, but I don't believe it.

 

[Weimdogman]

So this afternoon 3 guys 6 wound up dogs. Brutal weather the previous 4 days coupled with needing a break so the dogs were a little keyed up.

Wore those boss gloves again today 15° with a widchill of -1. They just aren't warm enough.

Had 1 of my dogs on point on the very edge of crp/picked cornfield. My friend and his 3 dogs had just been thru there and the guest we had with us was.only about 10 feet away from the point. He was following the other guy away I called his name and pointed at the weim statue. Now there was almost no cover at this spot because snow had drifted.off the field and was a hard drift. If the dog wasn't doubled over with his nose 4" off the ground i would have been skeptical. I walk in and kick right in front of the dogs nose and out comes a rooster between me and the guest. As my back was turned i go turn around and slipped on the packed snow. Right on my ass but it was comical that I am laughing as the guy shoots the bird. He and the other guy who turned when he heard the shot are looking at me and wondering what happened. I was not hurt.

So my female runs and grabs the bird and makes a 1/2 circle coming to me. She has a grip on the birds breast and right wing. The left wing is flapping in the death spasms. Bird was evidently heart shot as blood was spraying everywhere. Dogs face was covered and I got a pretty good spray also.

Now a while later me and the guest are walking along a row of big cedar trees when he stumbles a bit. I look at him and see something zigging away from is in the short grass. I asked what happened he says I just stepped on a cottontail. I said well you hurt it so pick it up and put it out of its misery they are good eating.

Guest is from down south and asked what the hell the giant white rabbit is that he saw?
Said he wasn't sure he enough gun to shoot it. He knows we don't shoot anything on the ground , he was joking.

 

[Weimdogman]

Hunted for 90 minutes me and 2 dogs. Saw 40 birds. Probably 10 were properly adorned. Points only on 3 hens. Didn't fire a shot but still a enjoyable hunt.

Heading to hunt a friend's ground today. Never been to his place before but I have been assured there will be plenty of birds. Getting close enough will be the problem. 3 guys and 7 dogs so...
Today is the first time all season I will be hunting before 2pm. That's funny for me to think about.

 

[Weimdogman]

Had a great hunt. Saw 200 birds and enough flushed in range for us to limit out in 90 minutes. Points on roosters are fewer then on hens but the dogs don't seem to mind.

The wind sure made it feel cold and made it way harder to get on birds .

The guy who owns the ground was hunting a young lab and a old lab. The young lab was a little wild and the old girl was a real plodder. A plodder until a bird went down and then she was suddenly young again. Rewarding to see how it amped her up.

I did notice how much faster my other friend and I hunt. Anytime we go with new people it
always slows us down. And the new people often comment about our pace.

 

[Weimdogman]

Had a funny thing happen out there today. Buddy and I were 120 yards apart. I walked thru a tree belt and he walked around the end. There was about 5 yards of grass before a mowed strip. That grass runs slightly down hill and I see his dog on point. I motioned at him and a hen came out then a rooster. He hit the rooster then hit it again. It came down somewhat between us but 50 yards out front. My dogs raced there and milled around for about 5 seconds. Buddy yells and has the bird. Now he isn't any closer the I am so I can't believe he has the bird. We finished I asked him how he had that bird? He says my other dog was ahead of us and almost caught the bird coming down. So she grabbed it and raced back before the other dogs even got there.