Enough with the numbers!

T

Tfmdl

Member
I have been hunting/traveling to hunt pheasants since the age of 27, i am now 55. I traveled to eastern Nebraska in the 80"s and 90"s and killed more than i could ever imagine,coolers full, but it wasn't that fun.It was who could kill his limit first,who shot the most,who shot first. My dad,uncle,cousin and brothers made it into a competition instead of time enjoyed.By no ones fault,it just happened.For the last 7 years we have traveled to South Dakota, Ohio has no birds. Its a smaller group now, my uncle has passed,cousin and brothers don't come either. We hunt public land, and walk some ditches,this year we had a father,son, and grandpa. It was the boys first trip,12yrs old, and a great kid,good shot, and the heart and soul of his grandpa.When the boy killed his first cock bird the smile was big enough for the space shuttle to see! and his grandpa and dad were the bigger smiles. There are birds in S.D. we hunted 10 days, total and saw more than expected, and missed a lot.It was the first time for a long time that i couldn't tell you how many birds we killed, it didst matter we got the most important one!We got home Wednesday. When my dad left to go home, he said he hopes he can make it next year. he"s now 78 and it hit me like a sledge hammer,the thought of my dad not traveling with me to hunt was unimaginable. So i leave you with this:
Hunt for the Hunt,not the numbers killed.Enjoy the people, the dogs, the crazy things that happen on trips, because time flies bye and you cant stop it or slow it down,enjoy your Hunt! And to the South Dakota pheasant population: watch out theirs a young man from Ohio that has South Dakota on his mind 24hrs a day!
 
:cheers:

This is how and why I hunt. I never would've started without the closest people in my life introducing me and i'm constantly in awe of our beautiful country. Never take a single moment for granted, it could be your last hunt. You hit the nail on the head, and as an example: last weekend I had numerous chances to fill a limit. Was close to getting back to the truck with one in the pouch and some amazing dogwork to watch when a younger rooster flushed. Hit it but not cleanly and ran up with the dog to track it down. Thought I lost it, but overshot the location...was watching my second dog when I look behind me and my older dog had busted back and was on top of the bird. We found it and was so proud of my training and the dogs work. I ended the day there and we sat on the tailgate for a few before heading home. It's never about the numbers, its the experiences that always stick in my memory. Even when there are misses, there's something beautiful to take away from that. Just stop and look around once in awhile...
 
Spot on Tfmdl!!! Am also 55, and hunted the field's of S.D. For 27 plus year's. Have had year's of incredible success, and year's of frustration. Would not trade those memories for anything in the world. In fact this was our probably our toughest year, but had one of our best time's.
 
My shorthair was pointing two rows into soybeans left for hunters. I walked in front of him a few feet. Nothing. When I looked back, my dog crept ahead of me and went on point. I walked in front of him. Quail started whistling to each other and flushed.

I don't recall mounting my shotgun. A quail fell. Then a second one. Two good retrieves.

Another life long memory.
 
Tfmdl said:
I have been hunting/traveling to hunt pheasants since the age of 27, i am now 55. I traveled to eastern Nebraska in the 80"s and 90"s and killed more than i could ever imagine,coolers full, but it wasn't that fun.It was who could kill his limit first,who shot the most,who shot first. My dad,uncle,cousin and brothers made it into a competition instead of time enjoyed.By no ones fault,it just happened.For the last 7 years we have traveled to South Dakota, Ohio has no birds. Its a smaller group now, my uncle has passed,cousin and brothers don't come either. We hunt public land, and walk some ditches,this year we had a father,son, and grandpa. It was the boys first trip,12yrs old, and a great kid,good shot, and the heart and soul of his grandpa.When the boy killed his first cock bird the smile was big enough for the space shuttle to see! and his grandpa and dad were the bigger smiles. There are birds in S.D. we hunted 10 days, total and saw more than expected, and missed a lot.It was the first time for a long time that i couldn't tell you how many birds we killed, it didst matter we got the most important one!We got home Wednesday. When my dad left to go home, he said he hopes he can make it next year. he"s now 78 and it hit me like a sledge hammer,the thought of my dad not traveling with me to hunt was unimaginable. So i leave you with this:
Hunt for the Hunt,not the numbers killed.Enjoy the people, the dogs, the crazy things that happen on trips, because time flies bye and you cant stop it or slow it down,enjoy your Hunt! And to the South Dakota pheasant population: watch out theirs a young man from Ohio that has South Dakota on his mind 24hrs a day!
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Excellent post. The guy that posted the thread "Wasting time in South Dakota" in the SD forum needs to read this. It's certainly not all about the number of birds you see and/or harvest. Granted it is more fun when there are some birds around but don't base your experience on that number.
 
I also agree with you 100%. However, in my world I know for a fact that part of the comaraderie and for sure the Returning Visitor Rate is all about the bird numbers ultimately.

We also have to remember how we all acted when we were 16 and when we are 50. Being a sportsman comes with many phases. I think to get to the "sunset" phase a hunter sometimes has to go through the "Kill Em" phase first.
 
UGUIDE said:
I also agree with you 100%. However, in my world I know for a fact that part of the comaraderie and for sure the Returning Visitor Rate is all about the bird numbers ultimately.

We also have to remember how we all acted when we were 16 and when we are 50. Being a sportsman comes with many phases. I think to get to the "sunset" phase a hunter sometimes has to go through the "Kill Em" phase first.
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Well said Chris!

Sunset phase= the appreciation phase......
 
It's all about expectations. Hunt close to home on public land, you might be happy shooting one bird all weekend. South Dakota has positioned themselves as the top pheasant hunting destination and with that comes higher expectations. A guy might drive 10-15 hours bringing a large group. If they don't see birds they will and should be disappointed. It's hunting not shooting. We all get that but good numbers and a full cooler make for a more enjoyable trip.
Even guys in the "sunset" phase are disappointed if the one hunting trip they could go on didn't have good bird numbers.

All my comments are geared towards guys that put the time in to plan a quality hunt. If you didn't put the time in it's your own fault.
 
Numbers numbers numbers --they all mean something. Start with the easy ones--I'm 68 and have been hunting pheasants for 63 of them, if you count going along with dad early on. I've gone thru that time for to many of those years when filling the limit was the goal above all. 15 years ago I meet and married the love of my life---it didn't hurt that she owned over 900 acres of good pheasant ground in south central SD and was willing to let me improve some of it for wildlife habitat.

It has been a lot of work and we have spent a lot of money (as Chris said in one of his posts--good quality pheasant habitat is expensive) but the rewards have been many and worth all the work and costs.

I get great pleasure when others get the chance to hold their 1st rooster--mostly they are young but this weekend a newcomer to the sport got his 1st rooster at the age 0f 30 or so---he to had the great big smile.

After all these years these things are what matters not the numbers
1. Friends
2 Watching the dogs work
3 Seeing the joy of others
4 Teaching newcomers that they really should go stand over by ( select item )
because that's where the old rooster will fly over and then having it happen
that way.

Darn got into the numbers again.

I consider myself to be a lucky man in that I get to watch the fruit of my work on habitat 365 days a year---It's a good feeling.
 
SDJIM said:
Numbers numbers numbers --they all mean something. Start with the easy ones--I'm 68 and have been hunting pheasants for 63 of them, if you count going along with dad early on. I've gone thru that time for to many of those years when filling the limit was the goal above all. 15 years ago I meet and married the love of my life---it didn't hurt that she owned over 900 acres of good pheasant ground in south central SD and was willing to let me improve some of it for wildlife habitat.

It has been a lot of work and we have spent a lot of money (as Chris said in one of his posts--good quality pheasant habitat is expensive) but the rewards have been many and worth all the work and costs.

I get great pleasure when others get the chance to hold their 1st rooster--mostly they are young but this weekend a newcomer to the sport got his 1st rooster at the age 0f 30 or so---he to had the great big smile.

After all these years these things are what matters not the numbers
1. Friends
2 Watching the dogs work
3 Seeing the joy of others
4 Teaching newcomers that they really should go stand over by ( select item )
because that's where the old rooster will fly over and then having it happen
that way.

Darn got into the numbers again.

I consider myself to be a lucky man in that I get to watch the fruit of my work on habitat 365 days a year---It's a good feeling.
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Well said Jim. I owe you a phone call. Will try to touch base tonight. Things have been crazy around here with the family and getting ready to head out to see you.
 
markvan said:
Well said by ALL !!!! It is about the HUNT and not the kill
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I agree- not numbers, but getting a few I'd nice. It isn't a competition, and I don't hunt with competition freaks. Those kind of people, are usually unethical boneheads.
 
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