Is It Just Me?

C

CowboyBirdDogs

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Is it just me or does anyone else find it extremely annoying to see 15 hunters and 7 labs plowing through every WIHA in the state? Why do they just dump 2 guys on ATVs and the rest be blockers? Where is the fun or challenge in that? I am an OOSH, but I hunt with no more than 3 guys and 3 dogs at a time. I just don't get the whole cock blocking strategy at all.
 
ElectricShorthairs said:
Is it just me or does anyone else find it extremely annoying to see 15 hunters and 7 labs plowing through every WIHA in the state? Why do they just dump 2 guys on ATVs and the rest be blockers? Where is the fun or challenge in that? I am an OOSH, but I hunt with no more than 3 guys and 3 dogs at a time. I just don't get the whole cock blocking strategy at all.
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I prefer hunting with just a few friends.
 
Because for a lot of guys it's all about killin' as many birds as possible, rather then seeing good dog work. And that is the most efficient manner to shoot as many birds as possible.
 
Then they just need to go to a tower shoot and leave the birds to the real hunters who enjoy watching great dog work, to me, it's a cheap way of hunting. And it's really frustrating to pull up to a field and see 4 trucks with 8 guys and 6 labs or mutts, and then 5 walking down a road. Give me a break.
 
i prefere to hunt with just a few guys you make more memmories that stick with you and it's not a conjested mess of 15 vehicles everytime you go to the next field
 
3 or 4 guys is a decent number. We normally split up, 2 and 2. I just enjoy the simplicity of it. But seeing all those guys yelling at each other as they "hunt" and watching their dogs run around with their heads cut off an knowing they shoot a ton of birds that way sucks. Makes me wonder how much better the hunting might be if this method wasn't used or allowed.
 
Those types of groups walk by a lot of birds. The fat labs and fat hunters miss a bunch. The ones they leave are the ones my gordons and I shoot. Those groups usually have their guns thrown back over their shoulder and the dog is either right beside or right behind them.

I was coming out to the truck with my limit of roosters last year on the day before Thanksgiving. A pickup pulled up and ask how I did so I told him. He said that 1/4 section had been hunted twice that day by big groups and couldn't believe there were any birds left. The funny thing is all four birds held for a point and 3 of the 4 were old birds. Now how many hunters do you think those birds had let walk by in their life?

Well I'm off to Finney county to close on 640 acres of ground I bought. It has 2 half mile wind breaks, 240 acres Wrp, 130 acres grass, and 265 acres of farm ground. I saw about a dozen pheasants 2 coveys of quail and 15 or so mule deer the weekend I looked at it. I'm pretty excited as I've always wanted to own a farm out there.
 
That is good to know. These guys are shooters not hunters. And congrats on the awesome place!

fsentkilr said:
Those types of groups walk by a lot of birds. The fat labs and fat hunters miss a bunch. The ones they leave are the ones my gordons and I shoot. Those groups usually have their guns thrown back over their shoulder and the dog is either right beside or right behind them.

I was coming out to the truck with my limit of roosters last year on the day before Thanksgiving. A pickup pulled up and ask how I did so I told him. He said that 1/4 section had been hunted twice that day by big groups and couldn't believe there were any birds left. The funny thing is all four birds held for a point and 3 of the 4 were old birds. Now how many hunters do you think those birds had let walk by in their life?

Well I'm off to Finney county to close on 640 acres of ground I bought. It has 2 half mile wind breaks, 240 acres Wrp, 130 acres grass, and 265 acres of farm ground. I saw about a dozen pheasants 2 coveys of quail and 15 or so mule deer the weekend I looked at it. I'm pretty excited as I've always wanted to own a farm out there.
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While I agree with you, ES, who are you to say who any group should hunt, within the legalities? I don't have anyplace to tell someone how to hunt, no matter if I agree with it or not.

I suppose that's the great thing about this country.

I will hunt with one or two other guys typically. I only shoot pointed birds, no matter how many I put in the air, if the dog doesn't point them, I don't shoot them.
 
Carptom1- LOL don't let them hear you! They may do it!

V-John- I was merely complaining about real hunters losing birds to these guys, that's it. They pay their money and can "hunt" how they want. :rolleyes:
 
Careful there fsentkilr...I'm represent that fat guy club; however, me and my skinny GSP Taz don't miss many...:D
 
As I've said before, I think it's a cheap way to "hunt" as well. Seeing twenty guys holding hands walking through a 1/8 section just urks me. The phrase "fair chase" comes to mind.

Some guys will argue that they hunt in large groups because of family get-togethers. That's understandable, but you don't have to comb a field for birds to do so. Split up your massive group, and share stories afterward. That's what it's all about anyway - at least to me.
 
To each their own I reckon. If we're not careful, we'll end up with the 'my side by side is the only gun that is really needed for hunting, a true sportsman wouldn't need an autoloader'.

I myself have hunted in the groups of 10 or 12, thats the only way I knew how growing up. The last 10 years or so we've switched to hunting with small groups, usually topping out at 5, often times with just 2 or 3. We don't put the numbers of birds in the air that we used to, but we often are done hunting by noon with our limits now.
 
I won't tell anyone how to hunt within the legalities, but there is definately a difference between a hunt and a shoot. My best buddies and I respect the 1 gun per bird mentality and don't "help" each other on their birds. If one gets away clean, that's how it's supposed to be. Some friends aren't to that level yet, and I'll not condemn them for that either. I do hunt with 1 or 2 friends from time to time, but I spend a lot of time alone with the dogs where I can make gradeschool mistakes and not have to relive it for the next year:) I just feel more in tune with the dogs (maybe more on their level) hunting alone. I can hunt fast, slow, stop and go, backwards, round and round, zig zag, or whatever and not cause anyone pause. Seeing greyhound busses dropping off 50 gunners on a 1/4 section just seems wrong to me. To me it's not about the kill, it's about the pursuit, the struggle.
 
Prairie Drifter said:
I won't tell anyone how to hunt within the legalities, but there is definately a difference between a hunt and a shoot. My best buddies and I respect the 1 gun per bird mentality and don't "help" each other on their birds. If one gets away clean, that's how it's supposed to be. Some friends aren't to that level yet, and I'll not condemn them for that either. I do hunt with 1 or 2 friends from time to time, but I spend a lot of time alone with the dogs where I can make gradeschool mistakes and not have to relive it for the next year:) I just feel more in tune with the dogs (maybe more on their level) hunting alone. I can hunt fast, slow, stop and go, backwards, round and round, zig zag, or whatever and not cause anyone pause. Seeing greyhound busses dropping off 50 gunners on a 1/4 section just seems wrong to me. To me it's not about the kill, it's about the pursuit, the struggle.
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Well put PD,

It boils down to a shoot or a hunt. I've been on hunts with 10 or 12 hunters with the blocking and beaters etc. I never found them as gratifying as hunting with 1 or 2 dogs and 1 to 3 hunters. But that's my opinion.:)
 
While I am not offended by the practice, the batallion hunts remind me to much of the army. If I wanted to take orders from people yelling commands, "no bird", "hen", speed up, slow down, blow the whistle a few more times. People to slow, to fast, dogs wild and confused. To paraphrase the great philospher, "seems like a marvelous hike spoiled". I hunt for recreation, I like to see new cover, explore, take my time, change strategy at a whim, basically allow for the age old teamwork of man and dog. I will concede that a lot of these are more of a once a year social event than a hunt. I doubt the effect on the pheasant population is to significant, If they get into quail it could be another story. Seems like at some point I remember either Kansas or Nebraska had a 14 person limit on group hunts, to eleviate this issue, don't know if it's on the books, or enforced, but one or the other used to have it.
 
Why the negatitivy on blockers? I have pushed a lot of birds to guys who have shot pheasants since the 1950's and well those guys really enjoy it. The smile on an old hunters face when he gets to be a field and knock down a rooster again is awesome. I would like your opinions again when you have hips or knees replaced or your heart just can't take a walk. Are you going to quit hunting or are you going to be like me and hope you have some younger hunting buddies that will still take you afield? I sure hope karma works for me and when I need birds pushed to me someone is willing to do it.
 
Wirehairs said:
Why the negatitivy on blockers? I have pushed a lot of birds to guys who have shot pheasants since the 1950's and well those guys really enjoy it. The smile on an old hunters face when he gets to be a field and knock down a rooster again is awesome. I would like your opinions again when you have hips or knees replaced or your heart just can't take a walk. Are you going to quit hunting or are you going to be like me and hope you have some younger hunting buddies that will still take you afield? I sure hope karma works for me and when I need birds pushed to me someone is willing to do it.
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I'm not sure what other's thoughts are regarding blockers, but I don't have an issue with that at all. I too have hunted with older gentlemen who have passed their prime and can no longer walk the fields. They still enjoy the scenery, comaraderie, and most importantly, the hunt. I get really disappointed if they don't see much action, because I know they would much rather be out walking with the rest of the guys.

This thread is more about guys that load the fields with hunters and dogs, and attempt to cover every square yard, which is something I dislike. I think this method stacks the odds in the human's favor, and doesn't promote "fair chase", which is something I really believe in.
 
Wirehairs said:
Why the negatitivy on blockers? I have pushed a lot of birds to guys who have shot pheasants since the 1950's and well those guys really enjoy it. The smile on an old hunters face when he gets to be a field and knock down a rooster again is awesome. I would like your opinions again when you have hips or knees replaced or your heart just can't take a walk. Are you going to quit hunting or are you going to be like me and hope you have some younger hunting buddies that will still take you afield? I sure hope karma works for me and when I need birds pushed to me someone is willing to do it.
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Good post. I agree, and I'm glad that you brought this up. I have used a walk/block technique in a group as small as 2... My dog and I walked, and a friend blocked the end of the draw. It was fairly effective for both of us, and I don't feel that it was unsporting in any way. The birds had plenty of opportunities to slip away, and almost all of them did.

I'm not a fan of big groups either, but live and let live. Somebody's got to keep the ammo companies in business.:laugh: More than 4 guys and it starts to feel more like a cluster #$%^ to me, but to each their own.

I am praying that this year my dad will be healthy enough to go pheasant hunting with us. Even in a best case scenario, he would most likely be a blocker, since he's not mobile enough to get far from the truck. I make no apology for that and I hope that any of you would do the same for a family member or friend.
 
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