Huntin in the MT snow...

I thought I would post a few photos from today's hunt in the snow. Not tons of birds but I had a great hunt. I killed two roosters and cleaned up someone's crippled goose. This seems to happen about 50% of the time when I hunt along the river. I hate to leave cripples, even if they aren't mine. #4 steel kills them dead. The temp was 20 degrees and the wind was blowing 30 mph, the good news is that the chinook winds (snow eating), started 40 degrees this afternoon. The birds were in the snow and the thickest brush or bulrush, no surprise (and out of the wind of course).
 
Yes, I shot #6 steel for years but have changed to #4 a year or two ago. Both have worked great for me. I used some #2 years ago with terrible results (just my experience).
 
I have never shot quail with steel, however, I would look at 6s or 7s, pattern both and also consider weather you are over a pointer or flusher. With a double barrel you might load one of each. If there is a chance of pheasants, I would go with 6s (that is what I do in areas with hungarian partridge).
 
Thanks for the pics BC. Nice looking country. And your dog looks very happy. Need to get my girls out again this weekend, they are dying!

JS, the dog came home, ate, and has been sleeping even since. Hunting in snow is hard work for man and dog! :cheers:
 
Nice pics. Your into some nice cold weather pheasant cover there.:thumbsup:

Sounds like MT is going to have some dry and thawing weather the next 10 days.
GOOD for the birds.:10sign:
 
Yes, the thaw is on 40 degrees right now and suppose to be 50 this weekend. In the chinook zone, if you like to hunt in the snow you usually need to go right away (it doesn't last long). The toughest roosters of the season to hunt are the ones a week after thaw, they spread back out into some mariginal habitat and want to run and flush wild.
 
Yes, the thaw is on 40 degrees right now and suppose to be 50 this weekend. In the chinook zone, if you like to hunt in the snow you usually need to go right away (it doesn't last long). The toughest roosters of the season to hunt are the ones a week after thaw, they spread back out into some mariginal habitat and want to run and flush wild.

I hope that's the case :) I remember well the Winter of 2010-2011:eek: Heavy snows in Oct, deep snow below zero temps until April.:eek:
Killed off a lot of Game.:(
 
I hope that's the case :) I remember well the Winter of 2010-2011:eek: Heavy snows in Oct, deep snow below zero temps until April.:eek:
Killed off a lot of Game.:(

Ya, the roads have pretty well melted off already and the forecast for the weekend is 50 degrees (of course it is the one weekend I plan to hunt elk, a suspect HUNT will be the key word).
 
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