Counting a limit
- Thread starter Wirehairs
- Start date
kansasbrittany
Banned
I typically count all lost birds toward my limit. It helps motivate a guy to keep looking or check again on the way back by!
quail hound
Moderator
What is a unrecovered bird? We have so few wild birds left here if we shoot one we are finding him. Last year we spent an hour and a half looking and finally recovered my bird (still alive and running). I would probably hang it up for the day if I lost a bird.
Lost birds are a good day ruined. One day many years ago, in the rainwater basin of Nebraska, second day of the season, early morning, I let my setter out to pee, and was still getting my gear on next to Federal WPA, dog brought me a wounded young rooster, put him in the car, turned around she brought me another, then another. Never got my gun out. My partner watched in amazement as she brought out two of his three bird limit, all cripples unable to fly. He walked in with his dog and it picked up #6 in a plum thicket down the road a few yards. We loaded up and went home. I guess all those wounded birds piled up in that deep ditch next to road overnight. Never have seen anything like it since.
I have lost 2. One was my buddies shot that he said he watched fall, and he may have. It wasn't a clean shot and the bird ran off in a little more than 2 acres of crp. We brought a dog out to help look for it from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dog couldn't find it. Found some dead hens that a coyote got, but thats about it. Another one was in a very, very flooded river and my uncle's dog would not retrieve it. She followed it trying to for about an hour, but wouldn't go out to the middle. Thankfully some guys fishing said they would get it. One did and tried to bring it back to us. We told him to keep it and he was actually pretty thankful. We did count those towards our limit.
Last edited:
martydavis
New member
A limit counts as bird in hand to me. I'll spend a long, long time looking for a downed bird, but if I don't find it I continue hunting. I've picked up many a wounded bird and added it to my game pouch and I figure that evens the score. I hunt at an Illinois DNR put-n-take every weekend. Downed birds are usually hawk bait (as well as stupid, pen-raised, recently released birds.)
On my few wild bird hunts I don't believe I've ever lost a bird.
On my few wild bird hunts I don't believe I've ever lost a bird.
Spence
New member
Go ahead and start flaming me for it.... but I sure don't count lost birds in my limit. It happens... I do spend a good deal of time looking for "lost" birds, and a majority of those times they are found. But every now and then one slips by.
I'm sure all the internet perfect hunters are going to flame me for that. But be honest... you've never done it??? highly doubt it...
When you drop a couple legs on a bird and he sails over the hill side, do you count it??? if you do good on ya and to each their own. Those birds will end up food for something, so as far as I'm concerned it all works out. But I will tell you that if I'm a bird short and I lost one earlier in the day and I have the shot I'm sure not going to pass.
there's my honest .02
I'm sure all the internet perfect hunters are going to flame me for that. But be honest... you've never done it??? highly doubt it...
When you drop a couple legs on a bird and he sails over the hill side, do you count it??? if you do good on ya and to each their own. Those birds will end up food for something, so as far as I'm concerned it all works out. But I will tell you that if I'm a bird short and I lost one earlier in the day and I have the shot I'm sure not going to pass.
there's my honest .02
kansasbrittany
Banned
And I for one appreciate the honest response. No, I don't count a bird toward my limit if it was flying the last time I saw it. If it hits the ground while I can see it, I do count it toward my limit. I don't mind stopping a bird early for a :cheers: anyway.
Oh, and since we're being honest, there was a time I wouldn't have considered counting a lost bird toward my limit. I would search for a couple of minutes then go on about my business. Now I spend enough time looking for downed birds that I don't often have the decision to make......taking more sensible shots on average has improved my knock down to find ratio too
Oh, and since we're being honest, there was a time I wouldn't have considered counting a lost bird toward my limit. I would search for a couple of minutes then go on about my business. Now I spend enough time looking for downed birds that I don't often have the decision to make......taking more sensible shots on average has improved my knock down to find ratio too
uplandgameadventures
New member
No Worries Spence
As long as you make an honest effort to find the bird and the dogs are coming up with nothing, it's gone. I can't imagine anyone on here firing back at you for saying it. I've done...it sucks...but what do you do?
More than one occasion, we've dropped a bird in tall grass or cattails, the hunting party has triangulated the spot...see feathers...and no bird. Usually the dogs are there first too but if that area has bird trails and scents all over, how is the dog supposed track one bird running? We all know a pheasant can run fast and can be a hundred yards away before your hunting partner has in you inline with the mark you walked in from.
I have a lot of faith in our dogs and they have come up huge and have saved us many more potential lost birds in the past. A 30 yard radius should be good enough to stomp around in looking for a bird and a little common sense in observing your dog(s)...if they are constantly wanting to take off I usually let mine. It's 50/50 chance they'll come back with it.
On opener, I watched my bird run to the smallest clump of grass and burrow under that grass...it's amazing how they can disappear - and 20" of tail too. Fortunately, that was just a small clump and I got lucky. That bird ran over 20 yards in short grass. Any other CRP field, chances are that bird would be chicken hawk bait.
As long as you make an honest effort to find the bird and the dogs are coming up with nothing, it's gone. I can't imagine anyone on here firing back at you for saying it. I've done...it sucks...but what do you do?
More than one occasion, we've dropped a bird in tall grass or cattails, the hunting party has triangulated the spot...see feathers...and no bird. Usually the dogs are there first too but if that area has bird trails and scents all over, how is the dog supposed track one bird running? We all know a pheasant can run fast and can be a hundred yards away before your hunting partner has in you inline with the mark you walked in from.
I have a lot of faith in our dogs and they have come up huge and have saved us many more potential lost birds in the past. A 30 yard radius should be good enough to stomp around in looking for a bird and a little common sense in observing your dog(s)...if they are constantly wanting to take off I usually let mine. It's 50/50 chance they'll come back with it.
On opener, I watched my bird run to the smallest clump of grass and burrow under that grass...it's amazing how they can disappear - and 20" of tail too. Fortunately, that was just a small clump and I got lucky. That bird ran over 20 yards in short grass. Any other CRP field, chances are that bird would be chicken hawk bait.
kansasbrittany
Banned
This is the most accurate and concise post in this thread.
I'll still count it toward my limit. I'm understanding these days that I like the post-hunt rituals as much or more the hunt itself. Nothing better than having a half day left w/ no responsibilities other than finding where to hunt the next day
Besides, I haven't had to worry about stopping b/c of a limit for quite some time now........
You guys can shot a limit.
I guess us guys who never shoot a limit must then be declared as someone who always counts downed birds in limit.
To me is it making a valid effort to retrieve the bird is the key, if make valid effort and cannot retrieve bird then do not need to count in limit. Valid for someone with a dog versus someone without a dog can be completely different.
I guess us guys who never shoot a limit must then be declared as someone who always counts downed birds in limit.
To me is it making a valid effort to retrieve the bird is the key, if make valid effort and cannot retrieve bird then do not need to count in limit. Valid for someone with a dog versus someone without a dog can be completely different.
Thanks Deacon i was starting to feel guilty (not) Valid effort as u say is the key, 20 min with dogs is about it for me then on to the next one.........:thumbsup:
(not) Valid effort as u say is the key, 20 min with dogs is about it for me then on to the next one.........:thumbsup:You guys can shot a limit.
To me is it making a valid effort to retrieve the bird is the key, if make valid effort and cannot retrieve bird then do not need to count in limit. Valid for someone with a dog versus someone without a dog can be completely different.