Dog’s first bird!

S

Sambo_1984

Member
IMG_3346.jpeg

I know most of the crew here has been around the scene for awhile and this achievement may get a few ‘yawns’ but I have to brag on my dog’s first bird. Wilson is 9 years old. I never thought about upland hunting prior to this year so Wilson’s been just a house dog. I started going to the pheasant release site since late September this year and was hunting with other hunters and their dogs. About a month ago I received some advice from some nice folks here on this page about how to get my older lab out in the field and enjoy a few years with him doing this upland thing. I had some pheasant wings and rumps that I attached to a bumper and have been playing in the yard with him and the bumper. He’s been doing great with retrieving it and bringing it back. I took him out to the release site a couple times and exposed him to the gunfire to make sure he was ok with it and everything seemed to be ok. Today, I put him on a check cord and let him work around the site. I saw a pheasant trying to escape through the tall grass and as soon as I pointed his nose in the path that the bird took away from us, Wilson’s light switch turned on and in 2 seconds he flushed the bird and I knocked it down but we couldn’t find it. Wilson promptly came over and located the bird for us and that’s the story. I’ve been out at the hunting site and had a blast getting birds with other guy’s dogs but nothing compares to getting a bird with your own dog. Thanks to all that have offered advice to me here!
 
If it wasn't for the dogs I wouldn't be hunting. Congrats on your first bird together! I have a 14 year old chocolate who cannot hunt anymore and a 2 year old coming into his own. Fun stuff to be apart of for sure. I get FAR much more enjoyment of seeing the "dog smile" on my pups face than I do pulling the trigger. Hope you have many more successful hunts together! (y)
 
As many have said it's all about the dogs! The more you take Wilson out the better he will get, they live for this. I hunted my lab with my pointers and she started to point birds! Thanks for sharing your story, look forward to many more.
 
brown dog said:
If it wasn't for the dogs I wouldn't be hunting. Congrats on your first bird together! I have a 14 year old chocolate who cannot hunt anymore and a 2 year old coming into his own. Fun stuff to be apart of for sure. I get FAR much more enjoyment of seeing the "dog smile" on my pups face than I do pulling the trigger. Hope you have many more successful hunts together! (y)
Click to expand...
I couldn’t agree more! Love the dogs!
 
Sambo_1984 said:
View attachment 6682

I know most of the crew here has been around the scene for awhile and this achievement may get a few ‘yawns’ but I have to brag on my dog’s first bird. Wilson is 9 years old. I never thought about upland hunting prior to this year so Wilson’s been just a house dog. I started going to the pheasant release site since late September this year and was hunting with other hunters and their dogs. About a month ago I received some advice from some nice folks here on this page about how to get my older lab out in the field and enjoy a few years with him doing this upland thing. I had some pheasant wings and rumps that I attached to a bumper and have been playing in the yard with him and the bumper. He’s been doing great with retrieving it and bringing it back. I took him out to the release site a couple times and exposed him to the gunfire to make sure he was ok with it and everything seemed to be ok. Today, I put him on a check cord and let him work around the site. I saw a pheasant trying to escape through the tall grass and as soon as I pointed his nose in the path that the bird took away from us, Wilson’s light switch turned on and in 2 seconds he flushed the bird and I knocked it down but we couldn’t find it. Wilson promptly came over and located the bird for us and that’s the story. I’ve been out at the hunting site and had a blast getting birds with other guy’s dogs but nothing compares to getting a bird with your own dog. Thanks to all that have offered advice to me here!
Click to expand...
I did not yawn, actually I'm pretty impressed. Great job from you and Wilson(y)
 
Congratulations. My black lab Jones made his first retrieve yesterday of a Hungarian partridge, and it was also the first bird retrieved while shit with my new 28 guage Gucci gun.Im proud of this 4 month old boy.
 
Great story, Sambo, but you gotta start the next dog much earlier. ;)

This was knucklehead's first bird, when he was 6 mo. old. He went on a firm point but there was so little snow on the ground we did not think there could possibly be a pheasant there. I figured it was a mouse or something.

He retrieved it great, but did not want to let go of it. I love that!. It means they want to GIT 'EM real bad.

 
Dutch got hers today!
So proud! She's a pound dog that didn't know how to sit 6 months ago. I hit one before this and it sailed and it was gone. This one sailed too but I woahed her, then when I was close I sent her in and she ran it down. I should probably use something other than #2 duck load. I have #5 hevi hammer but it just seems to stun them and I went #2. Glad she got it, her beard stuck out for the next 10 minutes lol.
PXL_20231209_172454092.jpg
 
Dont use the #5 hevi hammer, thats a little weak. Its #5 steel shot and #6-7 bismuth.

Steel 2s work great for pheasants, so do 3s. As well as straight bismuth 4s or 5s. Just make sure you choke down the #2 steel, not a lot of pellets in there. 141 in 1 1/8 2s, similar to the 150 in 7/8oz of lead 5s.
 
I use a modified choke. I usually use #3 but I got a good deal on#2, I always buy Kent. It's my duck set up and I fold em. I'm not new to pheasant, just has never been my focus. Probably not used to how they fly, more sporting clays in the future I guess.
 
Marshstalker said:
I use a modified choke. I usually use #3 but I got a good deal on#2, I always buy Kent. It's my duck set up and I fold em. I'm not new to pheasant, just has never been my focus. Probably not used to how they fly, more sporting clays in the future I guess.
Click to expand...

You need a lot tighter pattern for pheasants, as you need multiple pellets to bust through the backbone or to hit that little stubby neck and head hidden behind the bird as it flies away. About the opposite of how ducks fly, with ducks you can quite easily sneak one-two #2 shot in the flank or breast to the vitals, or one pellet to the big exposed head and bring it down dead. I duck hunt first as well, and its amazing what a pheasant will take and keep on going compared to a mallard.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top