Dog catches hen. Now what?

I have had my lab catch a few over the last couple years and leave them not feeling good about it! :mad:
I hunt with one of my brothers friends who has a springer "Boomer"and that thing will catch almost 1 hen everytime i have hunted with him!
Im with alot of you guys it sucks but it sure is not worth the risk of getting caught with a hen versus going home without a bird! Think of it as if u hunt predators u are fatting them up before u go shoot them after pheasant season is over, i know this year ill be killin a yote or two in my favorite pheasant spots in sw minne been seeing way to many tracks and signs of them damn things!:mad:
 
ND too!

moellermd said:
Just talked with SD GFP they said it is up to the local CO with what they want you to do. My local guy said it happens, leave them in the field.
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I checked with ND G&F and stated the same thing. There are no provisions to include a hen with your limit despite it not being shot. Said also, bird could have been shot by other hunter, dog catches it, Warden inspects and finds pellets...now what???

I won't take my chances even though it's a painful decision to leave a bird for coyote bait.
 
My dogs catch a few every year, both rooster and hens.

If the hens are alive and look like they are in good shape, I release them.

If they are dead or hurt bad, I keep them.

If I know they have no shot in them, I am prepared to tell the game warden exactly what happened and willing to show them the evidence of not being shot.

I would like to think I game warden would look at the evidence and either confiscate the bird or let it go. I might be wrong but I have a hard time just chucking a bird in the bushes to go to waste.

That's how I feel, don't think there really is a right or wrong answer here, it's a difficult situation to be in.

Hope the last few weeks (at least in MT) find you successful!
 
What about a road kill? Say your out scouting a week before season, back roads, a rooster flies into your truck?
Or the vehicle ahead of you hits a couple roosters while they try to cross, still flapping right on the side of the road, is it legal to pick them up?
 
My dog has caught 4 this year. Its sad but i let them go and hope they make it. They are all alive but a couple of them could not fly that well. I hate to waste them but the ticket is not worth the hastle.
 
yesterday my little female came back with something- a hen- I took it- told her to get as I dropped it behind me

have had it happen a few times- can't see any reason to keep it- dead or alive- drop it when the bird dog is not paying attention
 
Ranger Rick said:
Normally with a good, staunch pointing dog you don't have to worry about the dog catching birds. I've had birds hold so tight I stepped on them, or saw them hunkered down and had to actually kick them to flush.
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I've taken a couple of pointed hens out myself trying to kick'm up. I try to leave them lay, but it's hard to convince Ruby do to the same.
 
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Ranger Rick said:
Normally with a good, staunch pointing dog you don't have to worry about the dog catching birds. I've had birds hold so tight I stepped on them, or saw them hunkered down and had to actually kick them to flush.

One of my brothers has a friend who owns a field trial springer. They guy asked him to hunt at a hunt club a couple times. The dog caught almost every bird planted and then the guy wanted my brother to pay for his share of the birds, most of which no one got a chance to shoot. My brother doesn't go with that guy any more.

On one hunt in SD we were waiting for local friends to show up to hunt with them on their property. Across the road was a big hunt club property. A SUV loaded with guys pulls up to hunt the road and ended up walking a big corner of the hunt club land, flushing dozens of birds out of there while trespassing. One hen hit a power line, snapping it's neck in the process and the guys lab retrieves it to him. We were wishing for a warden to pull up about then. Would have served them right to get pinched for possession of a hen.
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I saw a rooster do that once in Iowa it hit the power line in a farmers barn yard made a couple of flips around the wire and fell to the ground. The farmer then came over and chewed us out for shooting too close to his property. We told him we didn't shoot but I don't think he believed us or just wanted to leave it wasnt his property we were on but he did have guests at his home hunting that then hunted his property.

My female now is 9 we make one trip out west a year and she has caught 3 roosters no hens to date. Maybe she knows we don't kill hens? I am hoping she never catches another pheasant but if she catches a hen I will release it none of the roosters were hurt except the breast had a few small bruises. Even if the hen was dead I would release it.
 
When this has happened & the bird was unable to fly away (thankfully, those occasions have been rare), I have left the bird. Rules are rules & the bird isn't wasted . . . other wild creatures have to eat, too.
 
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