Cold conditions better they say

B

Bob Peters

Well-known member
A guy on the radio said he really likes the last week of the season. He said that if it's colder like 20s and 30s the birds feed more. So does this mean they're walking around more laying down scent? And also they don't flush wild when it's cold. I didn't know what to think.
 
Birds are generally more predictable late in the year than early. Usually snow and weather has knocked down most of the marginal cover, road ditches, etc.,. Crops are out. It's easier to figure out where the birds will be, less places to hide out in picked fields, etc.

In my experience late season usually means flushing many more birds, but birds in the bag are tougher to come by as they are smarter, flushing wild, and harder to sneak up on in groups.
 
They'll flush wild in ANY weather, especially late season, when it's colder than crap. Generally, I haven't noticed birds feeding more in 20-30 degree weather. If all else is normal, they usually just feed twice a day. Maybe more if it's REALLY cold, like considerably below zero. When I really notice them feeding more/longer is the day before a blizzard.
 
I hunt a place in Central Montana that's state land, that always has roosters in snow. Most people don't think it has birds.
 
I would believe that the late season cold weather might prove to actually be a time that they do seem to feed more. They are burning more energy to stay warm...so they are out eating more & feeding longer, the daylight is shortening the days, so they have less time to eat, so that is taking-up more of the day for them. The snow really does seem to encourage them to hold tighter with hopes that you walk-by. We had a few inches of snow Sunday, it was great hunting with most flushes close.
 
Bob Peters said:
A guy on the radio said he really likes the last week of the season. He said that if it's colder like 20s and 30s the birds feed more. So does this mean they're walking around more laying down scent? And also they don't flush wild when it's cold. I didn't know what to think.
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Birds are like any other animal, they know how to survive. How to survive in the cold is to walk around as little as possible, fly directly from roost to food, eat, fly to day roost and hunker down in the sun to conserve calories.

The last part is what makes them extra killable late season. They put down a huge scent pocket and hold tight mid day. But if you get too late in the season and are just hunting smart birds youll find them extremely wiley.

Never hunt a sunny warm day with no wind late season, theyll be standing in field edges and run like a roadrunner.
 
My dogs, especially my youngest, hunt best when it’s below 35-40, especially if it’s sunny out…I can kill birds in any weather, but it’s easier when the dogs are at their peak performance...moisture helps a lot as well, including snow.
 
benelli-banger said:
My dogs, especially my youngest, hunt best when it’s below 35-40, especially if it’s sunny out…I can kill birds in any weather, but it’s easier when the dogs are at their peak performance...moisture helps a lot as well, including snow.
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I agree. My dogs (goldens) are not cut out for long hunts in 60+ weather. However, they will go all day if it is below 45 or so all the way down to deep negative wind chills.
 
benelli-banger said:
My dogs, especially my youngest, hunt best when it’s below 35-40, especially if it’s sunny out…I can kill birds in any weather, but it’s easier when the dogs are at their peak performance...moisture helps a lot as well, including snow.
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What difference does the sun make? thanks in advance
 
My idea of a perfect pheasant hunting day: 30 degrees, overcast, slight breeze (always oncoming haha), and four or five inches of fresh powder snow.
 
The older I get the more I enjoy a warm winter day in the 50s. Birds loafing mid day out in the short grass. If you can figure out a way to pinch them they are a lot of fun. It’s supposed to low 60s this weekend that’s too much.
 
remy3424 said:
Makes a dark dog even hotter. Even GSPs, with that short coat, heat up as hard as they work with temps close to 50. My new GSP is black and he heats up even quicker that my last one that was mostly white. The sun is not their friend in warmer temps.
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My last springer was almost 100% dark brown. He didn't handle warm, sunny days near as well as a dog with more white fur. Consequently, I'll never own a dark brown one again. On Ace, if he's been in the sun, it's amazing the difference when you put your hand on his white fur vs. his brown fur.
 
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