Loosing birds

Goosemaster

Goosemaster

Well-known member
I never used to lose all that many birds, but as I've gotten older, I have started to lose a lot of birds. I lost 18 birds this year! What is the secret to not losing birds?
 
gim said:
Better combination of ammo and choke in your shotgun. Stop using that cheap crap with a full choke.

And make better shots. That part is easier said than done.
Click to expand...
I don't ever use non-magnum loads, I do use shells that I've had for years, but they are not cheap shells. I do use a full choke in my sweet 16 because it is a fixed choke. In my 870 I use improved cylinder. My 20 gauge side-by-side is full and
modified. I'm not going to spend $40 for a box of shells. Exclamation.
 
Goosemaster said:
I don't ever use non-magnum loads, I do use shells that I've had for years, but they are not cheap shells. I do use a full choke in my sweet 16 because it is a fixed choke. In my 870 I use improved cylinder. My 20 gauge side-by-side is full and
modified. I'm not going to spend $40 for a box of shells. Exclamation.
Click to expand...
The shells don't matter if you can get them to flush close enough that the wad hits them.
 
I get it, ammo is expesnive. I still think a better combination of shotgun, choke, and ammo would increase your kill percentage and reduce cripples.

I don't know how good your dog is at tracking. I've lost 1 rooster the past 3 seasons combined, and none this past season. Obviously the breed, genetics, drive, and training all affect dog work.
 
gim said:
I get it, ammo is expesnive. I still think a better combination of shotgun, choke, and ammo would increase your kill percentage and reduce cripples.

I don't know how good your dog is at tracking. I've lost 1 rooster the past 3 seasons combined, and none this past season. Obviously the breed, genetics, drive, and training all affect dog work.
Click to expand...
I have a 1-year-old black lab male, who I bought from a lady in Saskatchewan, who is not a a breeder but has had several litters, and his dad came out of Lewistown, Montana, and hunted a little bit. My 11 and 1/2-year-old yellow lab came from Helena Montana, not a breeder, but a guy who had had a few litters. I paid $300 for my yellow lab, and $700 for my black lab puppy. Now these two dogs have gotten a lot of feel time. Not much training, just hunting.
 
Goosemaster said:
I have a 1-year-old black lab male, who I bought from a lady in Saskatchewan, who is not a a breeder but has had several litters, and his dad came out of Lewistown, Montana, and hunted a little bit. My 11 and 1/2-year-old yellow lab came from Helena Montana, not a breeder, but a guy who had had a few litters. I paid $300 for my yellow lab, and $700 for my black lab puppy. Now these two dogs have gotten a lot of feel time. Not much training, just hunting.
Click to expand...
How much tracking training is actually needed with labs? Toss some treats in the grass point at them and give them a hunt command.
 
I’ve realized most of the time it’s hunting in to thick of cover, me not watching exactly where it falls and not charging immediately, ( especially if you are shooting flushes that aren’t off the nose and dog didn’t see) even if the dog is on it. I’ve learned to be proactive at getting the bird immediately and not relying entirely on the dog. I try to put ourselves in the best position for both of us to succeed and be realistic about our capabilities. And for me that’s hunting cover that improves our chances and hunting stealthy for close flushes. That’s where I’m at
 
Last edited:
I think most of the birds that I lost this year, were with that old Browning full choke. I just love that gun so much. It's just such a beautiful gun and it looks it just. It's just so so cool but it's fixed full choke.
 
Springer22 said:
I’ve realized most of the time it’s hunting in to thick of cover, me not watching exactly where it falls and not charging immediately, even if the dog is on it. I’ve learned to be proactive at getting the bird immediately and not relying on the dog. I try to put ourselves in the best position for both of us to succeed and be realistic about our capabilities
Click to expand...

That1uncle1776 said:
How much tracking training is actually needed with labs? Toss some treats in the grass point at them and give them a hunt command.
Click to expand...
True, they love to eat, my dogs are family pets, and are never in a crate or or a box or a kettle or anything like that.
 
Springer22 said:
I’ve realized most of the time it’s hunting in to thick of cover, me not watching exactly where it falls and not charging immediately, ( especially if you are shooting flushes that aren’t off the nose and dog didn’t see) even if the dog is on it. I’ve learned to be proactive at getting the bird immediately and not relying entirely on the dog. I try to put ourselves in the best position for both of us to succeed and be realistic about our capabilities. And for me that’s hunting cover that improves our chances and hunting stealthy for close flushes. That’s where I’m at
Click to expand...
I've actually noticed better success with the opposite approach.. If my dog sees a bird down or has a general mark, I'm usually better off just holding tight and letting him have at it. It seems that the times I've run up to the mark it almost interferes with the scent.

If a the bird is dead on impact, there's not rush to get up there anyway, but if its running or burrowing (a lot of times the case), then there's no chance I'm going to find it anyway, so why interfere with the dog or potentially contaminate the scent/area?

That's how I approach it.
 
I cut my lost birds this year by focusing more on my shots. You think you have to be so quick, but honestly roosters give you a pretty long time to shoot unless they get up at 30 yards with wind. Take extra time, get out in front, and pull the trigger. I also started double tapping whenever it was safe. Unless the bird folded hard with a limp neck, it got another shell before it hit grass. Whether that second shot hits it or not, I do not know. I'm with Springer as well. I haul ass to the down point as my GSP is a tiny girl and she may have been watching another bird fly away, or maybe didn't see it fall. I get to where I think it was and stand still so I don't mess up the area with my scent. Then I pay very close attention to her body language before deciding whether to follow her away from my mark or not. I hunt thick thick cover most of the time as well.
 
cyclonenation10 said:
I've actually noticed better success with the opposite approach.. If my dog sees a bird down or has a general mark, I'm usually better off just holding tight and letting him have at it. It seems that the times I've run up to the mark it almost interferes with the scent.

If a the bird is dead on impact, there's not rush to get up there anyway, but if its running or burrowing (a lot of times the case), then there's no chance I'm going to find it anyway, so why interfere with the dog or potentially contaminate the scent/area?

That's how I approach it.
Click to expand...
Yeah I may have mispoke a bit. If my dog sees it down she is on it and is locked in. At that point I’m watching the dog and it’s a blast.

I was mostly referring too birds my dog doesn’t see( and that seems to happen a lot) that’s where I need to be proactive for sure. My pup hasn’t shown the highest success rate in finding birds she didn’t see and that’s where I almost always blame myself for that lost bird and it’s frustrating
 
MNMEAD said:
I cut my lost birds this year by focusing more on my shots. You think you have to be so quick, but honestly roosters give you a pretty long time to shoot unless they get up at 30 yards with wind. Take extra time, get out in front, and pull the trigger. I also started double tapping whenever it was safe. Unless the bird folded hard with a limp neck, it got another shell before it hit grass. Whether that second shot hits it or not, I do not know. I'm with Springer as well. I haul ass to the down point as my GSP is a tiny girl and she may have been watching another bird fly away, or maybe didn't see it fall. I get to where I think it was and stand still so I don't mess up the area with my scent. Then I pay very close attention to her body language before deciding whether to follow her away from my mark or not. I hunt thick thick cover most of the time as well.
Click to expand...
Yeah good point about paying attention about dogs body language, i haven’t quite figured out how much to trust my dog on tracking a lost bird, that’s something i think we will get better at with more experience together
 
Springer22 said:
Yeah good point about paying attention about dogs body language, i haven’t quite figured out how much to trust my dog on tracking a lost bird, that’s something i think we will get better at with more experience together
Click to expand...
It takes a long time. I've definitely picked up on some triggers after 2 seasons now. But she's also not yet 2 years old, so she is still learning a lot as well. Its part of the fun, as long as it doesn't end in frustration or wasted birds.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top