Tbear
UPH Master
Like the driftless area? I here them fly fishing a lot. Grouse as well.
2015-16 Hunting Reports & Pictures
- Thread starter Tbear
- Start date
Like the driftless area? I here them fly fishing a lot. Grouse as well.
mnaj_springer
New member
I got out yesterday morning and boy was it fun. Just like I thought, they held really tight. We had hen after hen flush from almost right underneath us. After all that we flushed a rooster, who by the sound of it, struggled to get out of the cover, but we missed. Total whiff.
I was out with a guy new to bird hunting. The close flushes and excitement... I think he's hooked.
I was out with a guy new to bird hunting. The close flushes and excitement... I think he's hooked.
Quick question for all you avid pheasant enthusiast.......I'm quite new to the sport so my question is......How quiet should I be when walking through the fields? I have a 10 year old black lab and an 8 year old springer and they do a good job for not pheasant hunting often. I do speak commands to them in the field and I'm wondering if that spooks the birds making them run ahead or hunker down.....thanks for the help.
Tbear
UPH Master
I would say be as quite as you can. During late season I have seen birds flush 100-200yrds out because of a door being shut hard. If you need to talk to your dogs to keep them in range than that is what you have to do. I would talk as little as you possibly can. I run e-collars on both of my dogs and they are trained to recall to the beep so I hardly have to talk to them at all.
GustavDaGSP
Member
Made it out west yesterday beautiful weather. Lost count of birds out in the middle of the fields picking/scratching for food, one spot counted 11 Roosters 7 Hens. Hunted public and birds held tight ended with 4 Roosters all came out of or near Heavy cover. Planning next hunt can't wait late season is a love hate birds are smarter takes good dog work and good shooting 
. I think that's what keeps me going late season one late season bird is always worth all the work it takes to get it.
:cheers:
. I think that's what keeps me going late season one late season bird is always worth all the work it takes to get it.:cheers:
mnaj_springer
New member
My springer is trained to sit and recall on whistle commands. So I am as quiet as I can be but my whistle is an acme 211... It's a quieter whistle.
BRITTMAN
Well-known member
Made it out west yesterday beautiful weather. Lost count of birds out in the middle of the fields picking/scratching for food, one spot counted 11 Roosters 7 Hens. Hunted public and birds held tight ended with 4 Roosters all came out of or near Heavy cover. Planning next hunt can't wait late season is a love hate birds are smarter takes good dog work and good shooting
:cheers:
I always think back to say 6 - 10 years ago and how many birds you would see in the fields after a good snow. Mild winter, mild spring ... hoping.
GustavDaGSP
Member
I know exactly what you mean (BRITTMAN) I was telling my two buddies that hunted with yesterday who I got into pheasant hunting this same thing. I hunt with these two now whenever they call got one started about 5 years ago and the other this is his 3rd year.
05-06-07 were great years Hopefully someday we can get back to those numbers they hear my stories and think im full of BS when I tell them the amount of birds you would see in a day like yesterday back then.
:cheers:
GustavDaGSP
Member
Nice have Fun Trevor!
Don't you need a pointer to hunt Bob's and double guns to be proper right? (LOL) Tell Nana I say Hi :cheers:
Around spring valley.
Rooster Shooter
Member
Got December three bird limit today!!
What a great day in the field, hunted mix of public and private. Saw tons of birds out and about feeding. Shot three roosters, two were real monsters!!!! One had 25 inch tail and 3/4" spurs, other one had 24" tail with a giant head. Birds were relating to red willow/cattail mix. Dog made an amazing retrieval on a wingtipped bird, lesson learned, trust your dog always!!!:cheers:
What a great day in the field, hunted mix of public and private. Saw tons of birds out and about feeding. Shot three roosters, two were real monsters!!!! One had 25 inch tail and 3/4" spurs, other one had 24" tail with a giant head. Birds were relating to red willow/cattail mix. Dog made an amazing retrieval on a wingtipped bird, lesson learned, trust your dog always!!!:cheers:
lovenstein
New member
Going SW tomorrow morning for my 4th public land day trip. Any word on ice formation down that way? Sounds like birds are still sticking around edges of corn but also finding refuge in the dense cattails/sloughs - hoping we see solid ice tomorrow morning.
Goodluck lovenstein, hope you find birds. As far as ice formation anywhere SW I believe you will find very minimal, or very soft if any. My optimism was quickly deflated last weekend when going into anything that would carry even the slightest of water. Lot of rain SW MN this fall has many areas carrying more water than average from what I've experienced, and temps this week werent enough to make a large impact. Find patchy thick spots/shrubs on your walks, grovey areas i found holding birds as well, just gotta hope they dont fly out opposite side as you, which they will the more smart these birds are becoming. again, good luck and happy hunting :cheers:
Hunted that way the past two days. Saw 40 plus birds... All but one was in cattails.
The cattails are 75% frozen. You can be walking through them just fine, then all the sudden you're up to your knees in muck.
We got our birds, but we also had boots full of water.
Good luck.
The cattails are 75% frozen. You can be walking through them just fine, then all the sudden you're up to your knees in muck.
We got our birds, but we also had boots full of water.
Good luck.
lovenstein
New member
Walked most of the day today with a break for lunch in there mid-day. Saw a half dozen birds in some standing corn - flushed 50 yards out...saw a lot more birds in some cattails but all of them flushed towards the middle of the lake(not going to shoot a bird that I would never retrieve). Spent all day in the field. No birds in the bag. Couldn't have asked for better weather. We had fun and the dogs had even more fun. I absolutely love hunting.
Very pleased to see this many birds on public land in December. I'm hopeful for the future.
Very pleased to see this many birds on public land in December. I'm hopeful for the future.
FCSpringer
Moderator
:cheers: Yes, that's what I thought would still be going on. This warm weather did not help. I saw several birds the other day as well but did not hunt. Just after the snow. They did not come out till late in the day. All were in the cattails. About 3 PM they were out like ants. Next weekend we are hitting it hard again.Went out for a quick 2 hour hunt Saturday morning 45 mins from the metro and was amazed to have 3 opportunities at roosters. I bagged 1, passed on 1 as it was very difficult shot and missed another lengthy shot. Needless to say one of my best hunts of the year as far as birds seen and time spent hunting and this was the closest I've hunted to home all year. My dog continues to improve each time we're out and for being 15 months old I couldn't be happier. The birds I got up were all close to cattails or thicket. Seems like the heavy snow knocked a lot of the thinner cover down.