I recently had the opportunity to answer a question of a young 20 something would be hunter, who was contemplating a lifetime of upland hunting. The young guy got a taste of pheasant hunting on a long weekend, had more than typical success, became enamoured with dogs, the birds, the places. Question was this, Should I decide to get involved 100% , buy dogs, train them, make the effort at travel, time, and expense, buy specialized clothes, expensive guns, explain the affliction to a puzzled wife, doubting friends. This isn't the way it was phrased, but whether he knew or not, it's all in there. I am ashamed to say, I was only mildly supportive, and I'm sure dissapointing to the questioner. I am not sure anymore that I am doing anyone a favor in advocating a commitment to what has become more and more obviously a disappearing past-time. Despite my deep and abbiding love for all things upland, in particular quail hunting, I fear we are a couple of bad years in a row from being out of business. No need to talkme off the ledge, I'll hang in there. Justdon't know if I want to be responsible for another addict, risking divorce, with a kennel full of dogs who will live their whole life and see a handful of birds. So tell me, What do we say, besides join Pheasants Forever!
Advice to someone contemplating the upland hunting life.
- Thread starter oldandnew
- Start date
IMO, people who dive head first into hobbies spending money and suddenly large amounts of time on it while their spouse is left wondering what happened tend to not last in the hobby and are out within 2-3 years. Now this is based on mainly what I've seen with regards to my drag racing and fish breeding hobbies I've been in for years, but I've also seen it a few times with hunting where someone buys a fancy gun, fancy clothing, and then a few years later they just aren't getting used anymore.
I think you did good to temper the enthusiasm (or at least that how I read your post).
I think you did good to temper the enthusiasm (or at least that how I read your post).
cockrocker
New member
you should have told him to hunt a dozen times and then ask you the same question............. I think it would have answered itself by that time. You've either got it or you don't, the passion that is.
then again...maybe he asked his wife to marry him after the first date, after more than typical success
, and he became enamored of her, the date, the romantic moonlight......but he probably waited after a dozen or so dates before he made the "100% lifelong commitment" that he is considering in hunting.
tell him to get a good dog anyhow, even if the wife leaves him, he'll still have a faithful companion and friend
then again...maybe he asked his wife to marry him after the first date, after more than typical success
, and he became enamored of her, the date, the romantic moonlight......but he probably waited after a dozen or so dates before he made the "100% lifelong commitment" that he is considering in hunting.tell him to get a good dog anyhow, even if the wife leaves him, he'll still have a faithful companion and friend
you should have told him to hunt a dozen times and then ask you the same question............. I think it would have answered itself by that time. You've either got it or you don't, the passion that is.
then again...maybe he asked his wife to marry him after the first date, after more than typical success
tell him to get a good dog anyhow, even if the wife leaves him, he'll still have a faithful companion and friend
The perfect response.
koja48
New member
I'm contemplating moving east when I retire. But, as paltry as Washington State is re: Pheasants, I'll never give-up the passion. As I told my young partner yesterday after our second day of many miles & his obvious disappointment with finding no birds, "It's a passion. Fairly inexpensive now too, since I already have good gear, a great pup who is well on the way, fine shotguns, and lots of ammo. Since I get shots so rarely, my only expense now is the occasional can of Stealth to wipe my shotties down, fuel, dog food, and a pair of boots every season. Just watching my pup hunt & one raucous Rooster climbing out of the cover makes it all worthwhile." I'll quit hunting when I quit breathing & not a moment sooner. That would make one helluva photo: An old codger in a 4WD Little Rascal with a Rooster . . . it ain't about the harvest, it's all about the experience (or to paraphrase, the real treasure is in the journey, not the destination.).
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cockrocker
New member
hey Koja, I grew up in edmonds, hunted moses hole, ellensburg (back in the day), beverly/mattawa as our "home grounds" all the time. birds there are definetely earned birds. I left the area in 97 and we were having some decent seasons in those years....but a good weekend to us would be a few roosters bagged, a great weekend would be if you got your limit one day! We had alot of friends hear our stories and ask if they could go along and hunt with us. we were very selective, but usually most of the guys we took, were so tired and dissapointed with what they considered "lack of results" they never went again. To us it is all about the experience...not the number of kills we got. The dog work, the sunrises and sunsets afield, the smell of the cold barrel on the shoulder as you walk with all senses at defcon 4 waiting in anticipation for the longtail to flush..................it's not for everybody I guess, but thank God I was born with this addiction!!!!
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I took my cue from your wetland burning and why tthe fence lines must go, threads. I suppose we should'nt be left alone unsupervised with a bottle!!!
southernblues
New member
I'm contemplating moving east when I retire. But, as paltry as Washington State is re: Pheasants, I'll never give-up the passion. As I told my young partner yesterday after our second day of many miles & his obvious disappointment with finding no birds, "It's a passion. Fairly inexpensive now too, since I already have good gear, a great pup who is well on the way, fine shotguns, and lots of ammo. Since I get shots so rarely, my only expense now is the occasional can of Stealth to wipe my shotties down, fuel, dog food, and a pair of boots every season. Just watching my pup hunt & one raucous Rooster climbing out of the cover makes it all worthwhile." I'll quit hunting when I quit breathing & not a moment sooner. That would make one helluva photo: An old codger in a 4WD Little Rascal with a Rooster . . . it ain't about the harvest, it's all about the experience (or to paraphrase, the real treasure is in the journey, not the destination.).
Amen brother!
I'm 23... and I wouldn't give up my bird hunting for anything in the world! I've shot sages, huns, sharpies, duskies, phez, and ruffs... Didn't get my ptarmigan this year, but am adding more by the state. A bobwhite or scaley is in the future... maybe even a NE chicken.. saw a bunch before but.. super wiley!
My brothers hunt birds too... bottom dove pic.
My brothers hunt birds too... bottom dove pic.
Why did you tell him that????
It's the drinking afterwords is what it's all about!!! Oh Yea !! Getting away from work! If you are lucky enough to have a dog(s) they are a hoot and being with your hunting buddies What more can a man ask for????
Pheasants if you get a few that is the iceing on the cake!!
Boy you sound like a man who would be a hoot to hunt with....just kidding!
It's the drinking afterwords is what it's all about!!! Oh Yea !! Getting away from work! If you are lucky enough to have a dog(s) they are a hoot and being with your hunting buddies What more can a man ask for????
Pheasants if you get a few that is the iceing on the cake!!
Boy you sound like a man who would be a hoot to hunt with....just kidding!
1pheas4
Moderator
O&N, hunt clubs and state sites with released birds are the future.
People who ask me "where can I hunt" always get the same answer. "Hunt clubs, state sites, or travel out of state."
The last of these will fade too. We will be left with hunt clubs and state sites.
I'm tired of giving those answers. I'm really tired of it.
Let me take another turn and put this out there. We have identified many issues and problems hitting us in the face.
I would like to suggest we start talking about solutions--if any. Let's start small and work our way up. If we start too large we'll paralyze ourselves and get no where.
We have to start becoming pro-active. If not, we will loose it all. There has to be solutions. Right
People who ask me "where can I hunt" always get the same answer. "Hunt clubs, state sites, or travel out of state."
The last of these will fade too. We will be left with hunt clubs and state sites.
I'm tired of giving those answers. I'm really tired of it.
Let me take another turn and put this out there. We have identified many issues and problems hitting us in the face.
I would like to suggest we start talking about solutions--if any. Let's start small and work our way up. If we start too large we'll paralyze ourselves and get no where.
We have to start becoming pro-active. If not, we will loose it all. There has to be solutions. Right
1pheas4
Moderator
To go off of my last post, I would like to give you an example of what one person can do/will be doing.
I'm hoping to have my Pheasants Forever committee ready to take over banquet affairs by next year. With the little free time I have available I hope to start focusing more on habitat improvements and less on our PF banquet.
Here's what I'm already starting and hope to build upon within my county.
1. My county is full of rural homes with 5, 10, 20, 50 acre yards with mowed grass. My goal is to get willing land owners to convert their yards into a wildlife paradise. My chapter has already converted a few such yards into warm season grasses,shrubs, and food plots. Pheasants are using these yards as safe-ways and are successfully reproducing on them too. Wild birds!
2. We've all seen those old over grown fields of reed canary grasses--they've been there forever and a day. The ground is too soft or wet for crops, but just right for pheasants.
Unfortunately most of these fields have not been burned and are 100% worthless to pheasants and other wildlife due to being over grown.
If we can burn these areas it will once again turn such fields into nesting habitat. Better yet if we can convert them to prime warm season grasses they will aid in wintering cover too.
3. How about those road ways in Illinois? We've managed to get the state to finally leave the ditches uncut until mid-summer. Why not year round? This one will take some work with state officials but we can change this. If left alone year round the birds can finally use these routes to get from one field to another. ---We all know how fragmented habitat is hurting birds right now. This is a very real solutions to the problem.
These are just a few ideas I'm working on. Again, I'm one person. Imagine what could happen if we all get involved some how.
I'm hoping to have my Pheasants Forever committee ready to take over banquet affairs by next year. With the little free time I have available I hope to start focusing more on habitat improvements and less on our PF banquet.
Here's what I'm already starting and hope to build upon within my county.
1. My county is full of rural homes with 5, 10, 20, 50 acre yards with mowed grass. My goal is to get willing land owners to convert their yards into a wildlife paradise. My chapter has already converted a few such yards into warm season grasses,shrubs, and food plots. Pheasants are using these yards as safe-ways and are successfully reproducing on them too. Wild birds!
2. We've all seen those old over grown fields of reed canary grasses--they've been there forever and a day. The ground is too soft or wet for crops, but just right for pheasants.
Unfortunately most of these fields have not been burned and are 100% worthless to pheasants and other wildlife due to being over grown.
If we can burn these areas it will once again turn such fields into nesting habitat. Better yet if we can convert them to prime warm season grasses they will aid in wintering cover too.
3. How about those road ways in Illinois? We've managed to get the state to finally leave the ditches uncut until mid-summer. Why not year round? This one will take some work with state officials but we can change this. If left alone year round the birds can finally use these routes to get from one field to another. ---We all know how fragmented habitat is hurting birds right now. This is a very real solutions to the problem.
These are just a few ideas I'm working on. Again, I'm one person. Imagine what could happen if we all get involved some how.
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pheasantaddict
New member
1pheas4, you're right we need solutions.