Don't give up just yet!

Looks like another good hunt Nate. I sent you a PM on the chokes, thanks. I was going to ask you too, what kind of dog is that with you and Gunner there?
 
Hello Nate,

A great picture:coolpics: and it appears you had an exciting day in the field. It looks like one of your birds today has at least a 23 inch tail feather.

I would guess you saw more pheasant hunters today due to the fact that they have probably already harvested their deer for the year and our now back to hunting pheasants:p. The other reason is the weather!:) What a great winter we are having for the birds so far.

I hope Gunner and the other dog did not come into contact with the coyote--even if it was after you shot it. They carry Parvo virus like no other and it can easily be transmitted to your dogs. I was given this piece of advice by a veterinarian who was also a bird hunter on one of my South Dakota adventures.
 
KBell said:
It looks like one of your birds today has at least a 23 inch tail feather.

I would guess you saw more pheasant hunters today due to the fact that they have probably already harvested their deer for the year and our now back to hunting pheasants:p. The other reason is the weather!:) What a great winter we are having for the birds so far.

I hope Gunner and the other dog did not come into contact with the coyote--even if it was after you shot it. They carry Parvo virus like no other and it can easily be transmitted to your dogs. I was given this piece of advice by a veterinarian who was also a bird hunter on one of my South Dakota adventures.
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Morning -

I bet you're darn close on the 23 inch estimate. I haven't actually measured yet . . . just compared it to what had been largest up until yesterday's hunt. It's no 26 or 27 incher, but . . . :)

:cheers: on this year's winter so far! Fingers crossed this pattern holds, and is followed by a relatively dry spring.

As for the crowds, I wonder if the fact that the protected reserves opened up yesterday too -- given the last day of duck season was on Thursday? I did see a number of guys hunting them. Only heard one other guy shoot though.

I hear you on the coyote precaution. I should have been more clear above . . . we didn't kill either the quail or coyote. I passed on the quail as I only saw the one, and my buddy peppered the coyote at about 30 yards.
 
Hello Nate,

What the heck are you and I doing home on this beautiful Saturday morning of pheasant hunting? Seriously, I have a deer to finish processing(my son's) and a family christmas party later today. I posted pics of the long spur boys that I have. Enjoy!

P.S. Those coyotes are more resistant(go figure) to the Parvo and carry it quite often and transmit it most in their saliva and stool. I called my Vet friend and confirmed this.

I forgot about the reserves opening up.:eek: I do not hunt them most of the time. More traps from our fur-hunting brothers in there and size make me "re-think" hunting these. I now have three roosters and a hen on our family farm. Grove trail pics verified this morning! If this keeps up, I might have 5 pheasants on this 400 acres by close of the season!:)

I posted long spur pics under the Bang n Away thread. Please check them out.

Ken
 
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Resting Gunner today . . . his feet always get really cut up during longer hunts. And I had a three hour workout planned for this morning, so no hunting for me.

Heading over to check out your pics in the other thread . . .
 
I hear you Nate. Have you considered using the pad boots that our friends use in the southern areas? A South Dakota friend always uses them on his dogs who hunt 4-5 days per week. He swears by them.

I won't be back out into the field until Monday. Term papers and semester grades will keep me in the den tomorrow. Enjoying a great tasting deer loin with my son tonight. It is good to be a hunter!:)
 
KBell said:
Have you considered using the pad boots that our friends use in the southern areas? A South Dakota friend always uses them on his dogs who hunt 4-5 days per week. He swears by them.
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I have . . . and Gunner didn't really get accustomed to them.

They were properly fitted -- per package guidelines -- but still managed to work themselves off while afield. It seemed the snow/ice would render the velcro ineffective. I've since read how many say duct tape is required, despite how each product is marketed.

It seems the vast majority of Gunner's foot issues come between his toes, as opposed to cut pads, split nails, etc. The skin between his toes gets rubbed raw, the affect being oozing, redness, eventual scabbing, etc. And of course I can't put anything on them to speed up healing as he'll just lick it off.

Suggestions anyone? Perhaps your dogs experience the same?
 
Hello Nate,

Sophie doesn't get the raw spots between her toes, but does suffer the occasional cut and torn pad. I use Vet gel and Vet glue for those.

A coaching friend of mine had an Irish Setter( I always thought it was the breed) that would develop much tenderness and raw areas between his toes when hunting. He would spray him up with the "Second Skin" product used to prevent or on existing blisters in athletes. It was always funny watching him prep Dane before a hunt, but the stuff worked. I believe since you are an athlete that you know people who can get you the second skin spray product. It does take a moment or two to dry but it should help Gunner with that rawness. Also, it is safe to use on Gunner as it is okay for human use.

Ken

P.S. I have had enough of quantitative methods and law papers for today. Heading out tomorrow for a morning hunt. Hopeful I will have good reports to post.
 
KBell said:
A coaching friend of mine had an Irish Setter( I always thought it was the breed) that would develop much tenderness and raw areas between his toes when hunting. He would spray him up with the "Second Skin" product used to prevent or on existing blisters in athletes. It was always funny watching him prep Dane before a hunt, but the stuff worked. I believe since you are an athlete that you know people who can get you the second skin spray product. It does take a moment or two to dry but it should help Gunner with that rawness. Also, it is safe to use on Gunner as it is okay for human use.
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Awesome! I already have some of the spray, and will give it a try when next afield on Thursday.

Thanks for the tip!
 
Hunting Tuesday

I just got done working for the year until spring and was thinking about doing some hunting here in central iowa tomorrow ( Tuesday). My puppy is too young to go hunting now and was wondering with the low bird numbers everyone says we have if it is really worth going out tomorrow? Any advice or opinions? Thanks!


Going to the family farm on Sunday for christmas in NE iowa and think i am going to walk some areas befor the family gets together.
 
Madison COunty said:
I just got done working for the year until spring and was thinking about doing some hunting here in central iowa tomorrow ( Tuesday). My puppy is too young to go hunting now and was wondering with the low bird numbers everyone says we have if it is really worth going out tomorrow? Any advice or opinions? Thanks!
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Can't get 'em if you don't go look for 'em!
 
Heading out for a half day hunt tomorrow, only 20 minutes from Des Moines. Will post how I do.
 
nstric said:
Heading out for a half day hunt tomorrow, only 20 minutes from Des Moines. Will post how I do.
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A fun hunt this morning. My buddy and I walked two fields, and saw 10 roosters and 12 hens. Gunner pointed 7 of the roosters . . . the others flushed wild. Most of the hens were pointed, or being tracked by the dogs.

Of the 7 roosters pointed, I walked in on 3. Three shots, three dead birds. All retrieved to hand.

My buddy walked in on 2, and uncharacteristically failed to bag either. He's normally an exceptional shot . . . far better than me. Today just wasn't his day.

The other 2 managed to flush in a way that I wasn't comfortable pulling the trigger.

About 2.5 to 3 hours afield.

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Nate, looks like another great hunt. Wish some of that snow was in Southern Iowa earlier this week. You have had a great season so far, congrats. The choke tubes came in the mail today. Thanks and have a Merry Christmas. It looks like I will be heading out 141 towards Coon Rapids on Saturday morning with the nephews. Hopefully we can run into a few birds.
 
Hello Nate,

Beautiful picture and nice birds! I was stuck doing honey-dos today and a little shopping for Xmas. Did you try the second skin on Gunner?

I will be hunting some public ground before Xmas. It looks like our bit of snow will be gone tomorrow. I don't mind that at all. Are you still seeing younger birds? What I hunted Tuesday produced younger birds. I still keeping track of the hen to rooster ratios. I will have a report at season's end. By the way I dropped in our home place today and saw the five birds that we have on trail cam. They are "bunched up" if you can call it that after our .5 inch of snow. No other tracks on our food plots.:mad: It is amazing how few birds my county has.
 
IA at heart said:
Nate, looks like another great hunt. Wish some of that snow was in Southern Iowa earlier this week. You have had a great season so far, congrats. The choke tubes came in the mail today. Thanks and have a Merry Christmas. It looks like I will be heading out 141 towards Coon Rapids on Saturday morning with the nephews. Hopefully we can run into a few birds.
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No problem.

I'll send you a PM with some hot spots up in that area.
 
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