Any advice for a novice with no dog?

[519vx]

ya, the hot spots are where the truck stops. really, i'm not against that kinda hunting if that what ya got, do it.

cheers

Unfortunately for many of us, that is all that we do have. If it weren't for stocked birds, I wouldn't own a bird dog nor be a bird hunter. I'm excited as heck that in a month, I'm making my first trip to South Dakota to hunt prairie grouse and wild pheasants....because I cut my teeth on and have to rely on State stocked birds. The only other distance trip I did for wild birds was about 10 years ago when I went with a former in-law to a farm in North Dakota. We saw a LOT of birds...it was great...so great that my dog caught 3 of those wild birds over that weekend without me having to fire a shot. She had only caught 2 non-cripples over her hunting lifetime on PHG in Wisconsin, so what does that tell you?

While maybe it isn't the same as chasing truly wild birds, its not as easy as "where the truck stops". Even a released bird that has been chased, flushed, shot at, and escaped predators for a period of time becomes a tough target.

 

[thornton]

Newbie here, I've been searching around for advice on hunting without a dog but I haven't had much luck - sorry if this has been covered....

Read to learn about any bird, it's habitat, it's history and it's tradition...this would wisest if in addition to or, better yet, apart from Internet massage boards.
Apply what you subsequently discover.
Be it pheasant or grouse or XXX, no rocket science is involved in their hunting.

I started hunting ruffed grouse w/o a dog....good way to really know the bird and it's needs/preferences throughout the season.
That path is not better, not worse...just different and, for the largest part, less than if a dog is present.

Do not get a dog until you are prepared for all that a dog requires.

 

[Matt33]

Do not get a dog until you are prepared for all that a dog requires.

I agree. Actually, I have two dogs but not what you would want in the field (i assume). They are 7 and 8 year old beagles. I haven't even thought to bring them into the field for a couple reasons:

1. They are very timid around the gun and i don't want to freak them out; and
2. I wouldn't want them to mess with other hunters/dogs.

The 7 year old has flushed grouse for me while on a regular walk through the woods (not hunting) before but way out of range, obviously because she has had no training at all (but she has fun with it so I do too).

I could probably take them out in the field while keeping them on the leash (without a gun or any intention to hunt) just to see how they sniff them out but, again, I wouldn't want someone else doing that to me when I'm hunting - so I don't. Also, I don't want to push them into doing something that would make them freak out (around the gun). I just never even considered my current two dogs as an option - but i'm OK with that.

Does anyone disagree and think that these two beagles could be of any use?

 

[mustistuff]

beagles

some where around here i have a pic. taken in colorado about 1973 of two limits of birds taken over a female beagle named daisy. not only would she find them, route them out but when you shot them she would retrieve the birds to you. actually being about a 15 lb. dog she dragged the pheasants back by their neck. what a wonderful experience we had with that dog.

cheers

 

[thornton]

...Does anyone disagree and think that these two beagles could be of any use?

I don't know of any dog, hunting or not, that isn't of use.
Simply depends on what you desire and what satisfies.

My first dog was a beagle....whether a rabbit dog or a generalist, beagle use falls to what works for you.....their music is special.
Naturally, there must be some hunting genetics that opportunity can develop.

Beagles for ruffed grouse?....not for me but I can see a place for an in-control beagle re Preserves or state-release areas and particularly with pheasants.
But it sounds like training would be required all around and a solo hunt would be best first.
I would consider scratch hunting any Preserve or any surrounding huntable acreage, especially following a big release day or shooting period.

 

[mustistuff]

daisy

one thing about the beagle i hunted with, it was no work to keep up with her. and find them she did. think if you search your history of the dog you just might find that pheasants was one of their original uses before rabbits came into vogue. when a pheasant took off running it was a hoot to hear her howl as she was tracking it. one retrieve she made was well over 200 yds. on a crip., dragged it all the way back, at the time we were hunting cut corn, that was quite a job getting through those stalks

cheers

 

[quail hound]

I've seen beagles, jack russels, pit bulls, german shepherds and mongrel dogs being used with success as bird dogs.

One of my favorite stories is coming off the hills after an unsuccessful day of chukar hunting with only a jack rabbit that I shot out of sympathy for my hard working dog. On the way back to the truck I met a couple guys running three beagles. I asked how they did. "Didn't see one damn rabbit but we got three chukar." I had to laugh as I pulled that big jack out of my vest and told them "no chukar for me but I shot this rabbit my dog ran for me." They gladly traded their chukar for my rabbit and I gave them the drop on the cotton tail holy grail just a few miles down the road.:cheers:

 

[Remington44]

Matt, I hunt in put and take areas with out a dog my self.. I would go and check out and see where you are planning on hunting.. Check to see if they have any planted corn.. Where I hunt at they have a few corn fields and leave a few corn rows on the outside standing.. Every time I have hunted the standing corn rows I have always shot birds.. Like the other guys said.. Just walk slow and stop at times.. And always be ready because they can flush up at any time.. I've even had them flush up behind me after I walked passed them.. Good luck and if you don't get any birds the first time or couple times don't be discouraged! You'll get em' eventually.

 

[Tbear]

Bob must have been reading you mind......
http://www.pheasantblog.org/the-dogless-pheasant-hunter-2/

 

[870-Lefty]

I agree. Actually, I have two dogs but not what you would want in the field (i assume). They are 7 and 8 year old beagles. I haven't even thought to bring them into the field for a couple reasons:

1. They are very timid around the gun and i don't want to freak them out; and
2. I wouldn't want them to mess with other hunters/dogs.

The 7 year old has flushed grouse for me while on a regular walk through the woods (not hunting) before but way out of range, obviously because she has had no training at all (but she has fun with it so I do too).

I could probably take them out in the field while keeping them on the leash (without a gun or any intention to hunt) just to see how they sniff them out but, again, I wouldn't want someone else doing that to me when I'm hunting - so I don't. Also, I don't want to push them into doing something that would make them freak out (around the gun). I just never even considered my current two dogs as an option - but i'm OK with that.

Does anyone disagree and think that these two beagles could be of any use?

I have had several beagles over the years, starting in 1986. Some of them would track and flush a running pheasant and some would not. None of them retrieved, whether it was a rabbit or pheasant. I will be hunting some of PA's state game lands this year with 2 beagles hoping to bag a few released birds.