birdshooter
Well-known member
Don't be so hard on yourself. The dogs are good with that as long as you give them something to retrieve once in a while.
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Curious...Hunter or Shooter?
- Thread starter dukxdog
- Start date
Don't be so hard on yourself. The dogs are good with that as long as you give them something to retrieve once in a while.
wisturkeyhunter
New member
Shooter.
I'll walk 10 miles in a day solo behind 2 dogs but at the end of the day if I haven't fired my gun I'm disappointed. Also I'll do whatever it takes to get birds. Mostly hunt with 2-3 guys and same number of dogs. If birds aren't holding for point we block or hit them from 2 different directions.
I've done the big groups pushing cover and it's not for me.
I'll walk 10 miles in a day solo behind 2 dogs but at the end of the day if I haven't fired my gun I'm disappointed. Also I'll do whatever it takes to get birds. Mostly hunt with 2-3 guys and same number of dogs. If birds aren't holding for point we block or hit them from 2 different directions.
I've done the big groups pushing cover and it's not for me.
Altillathedak
Member
75% of the time it's me and the dogs wandering the prairie. 20% of the time my wife joins us. 5% one or two guys tag along. Love the quote about legs get roosters. I put on a lot of miles in a Fall.:cheers:
BRITTMAN
Well-known member
The guys that buy a license and join in on the big group drive & posts - whether with guides or with family are not the typical shooter (hunter) that spends time on this site.
Very often all they need to hunt pheasants is a license, gun & shell (that can be provided too), and a safe attitude in hunting in large groups. They do not need to worry about dogs, dog care, hunting spots, bird populations, etc... Usually it only requires that one or two individuals do the planning. Nothing wrong with that because they are often there for the companionship as much as the shooting.
It appears that 90% (maybe more) of those participating on this forum will hunt solo or in small groups with DOGs.
Very often all they need to hunt pheasants is a license, gun & shell (that can be provided too), and a safe attitude in hunting in large groups. They do not need to worry about dogs, dog care, hunting spots, bird populations, etc... Usually it only requires that one or two individuals do the planning. Nothing wrong with that because they are often there for the companionship as much as the shooting.
It appears that 90% (maybe more) of those participating on this forum will hunt solo or in small groups with DOGs.
ditchparrot19
Member
Hunter. If I never again do the drive-and-block thing, that'll be fine by me. I just like to get off by myself with one or more of my dogs. Even if I go out with someone else, I'll usually go off and hunt solo because my pace is slow due to some physical limitations. For me, bird hunting never has been and never will be a social activity.
BeardedBeast
New member
Hunter. Usually just me and my two sons.
BritChaser
Well-known member
Boy are you in a pheasant sweet spot - SW ND. Had the pleasure of hunting around Scranton once. Never saw so many pheasants. The stubble was so short and thin one could see them out in the middle of about every crop field during feeding times. Only time I ever saw such a thing.
Crossing shot
New member
Hunter.
However, shooters do a great job introducing new people to the sport. Shooters bring a lot of money into the state of Kansas. Good for hunters even though sometimes you arrive at your location to find twenty guys hunting.
For these reasons, I would consider shooting.
However, shooters do a great job introducing new people to the sport. Shooters bring a lot of money into the state of Kansas. Good for hunters even though sometimes you arrive at your location to find twenty guys hunting.
For these reasons, I would consider shooting.
I've done my share of the big group hunting, our group opening weekend was close to 40, and I prefer going with just a few buddies and a dog (if someone has one). A group that size made it impossible to hunt the 4 large coveys of quail we saw, not to mention walking through a CRP field being able to touch the guy walking next to you. I'll take a trip with 2 or 3 buddies and a good dog over that any day.
I've been in on a couple of 10 - 12 person groups when there were a lot of birds surrounded. It can get pretty crazy and it seems like there is always someone who moves to fast and gets in the way or a dog that goes nuts and runs through everything. I usually hunt with 3 or 4 friends who work well together and have flushing dogs. It seems that pointer guys are better off on their own.
I once saw an outfitter with a group of 40 - 50 guys who surrounded a whole section and put the squeeze on it. We were watching from an overlook on the next section and were totally amazed. I don't know how many guides they had, but they did a good job of coordinating everything. There were hundreds of birds flushing and going every direction.
Jerry
I once saw an outfitter with a group of 40 - 50 guys who surrounded a whole section and put the squeeze on it. We were watching from an overlook on the next section and were totally amazed. I don't know how many guides they had, but they did a good job of coordinating everything. There were hundreds of birds flushing and going every direction.
Jerry
Altillathedak
Member
This part of the state is great for rooster chasin'. We really got lucky finding our spot to retire.
birdshooter
Well-known member
BritChaser
Well-known member
I do both, opening weekend is a family reunion. It is hard to have a family reunion by myself. We have done this for maybe 50 years. I love it when an uncle gets to hunt with his grandson and son. This year cousins from Kansas came and met cousins from other states for the first time. Having said that, my favorite way to hunt is with my dog a half hour before sunset.
Have hunted in large groups, with just my dogs and me and lots of numbers in between. Like most on here prefer there are more dogs than people but like the social aspect of hunting too. Nice to get your limit but is secondary to seeing good dogs and people work together and enjoy the pastime of bird hunting.
AtTheMurph
Well-known member
Mostly alone and small groups (2-5) but the occasional larger group of up to 12 depending on where we are hunting.
Toad
Active member
I would say I am a "pheasant enthusiast". Hunter, shooter, and dog man for sure. I don't claim to be great or even good at any of that stuff, but I love the adventure of following dogs.
You never know what will happen next. Maybe you're about to shoot your dinner, or you might also trip in a hole, or get stuck up to your waist in a snow drift, or slide your truck off a snot-slick mud road, or have "nature call" when you're a 1/2 mile from the truck. :laugh:
The rest of life is so automated and scheduled. Following dogs is just a semi-controlled chaos that we get to do a few months a year. It's the best. :thumbsup:
You never know what will happen next. Maybe you're about to shoot your dinner, or you might also trip in a hole, or get stuck up to your waist in a snow drift, or slide your truck off a snot-slick mud road, or have "nature call" when you're a 1/2 mile from the truck. :laugh:
The rest of life is so automated and scheduled. Following dogs is just a semi-controlled chaos that we get to do a few months a year. It's the best. :thumbsup:
PheasantWhisperer
Member
hunter
Definitely a hunter. And sometimes just the guide. Since I started doing the guiding thing it made me appreciate how good the dogs can be and how dumb people can be. People hunt differently, train their dogs differently, and look at bird hunting differently. As a guide, I do alot more educating on the hunt. Especially with young hunters or first timers. For example, Ive done hunts where two of the guys out of the group would sprint with their guns in hand to the dog on point to see who could get the shot first. While I like the competitive nature, I quickly told them why this is sort of frowned upon. By the end of the hunt they went from strictly shooters to hunters and had a greater appreciation for watching the dogs work.
Definitely a hunter. And sometimes just the guide. Since I started doing the guiding thing it made me appreciate how good the dogs can be and how dumb people can be. People hunt differently, train their dogs differently, and look at bird hunting differently. As a guide, I do alot more educating on the hunt. Especially with young hunters or first timers. For example, Ive done hunts where two of the guys out of the group would sprint with their guns in hand to the dog on point to see who could get the shot first. While I like the competitive nature, I quickly told them why this is sort of frowned upon. By the end of the hunt they went from strictly shooters to hunters and had a greater appreciation for watching the dogs work.