marking a bird down

Not sure, I usually have one or two dogs on the bird right away. If I head to the bird, I stay downwind of the bird and turn into the wind maybe 10-20 yards away to have a wider scent cone for the dogs…and I don’t want to introduce more scent into the area. But if I’m heading to a downed bird on my own, I guess I may overshoot the drop spot more often than undershooting the spot…but it’s rare that I’m heading to a downed bird without a dog or two. I spend a lot of time watching the dogs’ demeanor while searching for downed birds…and I listen intently when the dog’s aren’t visible…lots of audible cues as to what’s happening…this assumes I’m within 10-20 yards…when everything goes totally calm and still, the bird usually has been located…then the dog grabs the bird and wrestles it from the cover, like cattails, and that process is pretty distinct sounding…fun to listen to that whole drama. The dogs are the stars!!!
 
I'm blind in one eye so yes, I have trouble judging depth and such. So if the dog doesn't see the bird go down, I don't take my eyes off the spot. Like b.b. said above, I'll try and bring the dog in downwind, but sometimes, especially if its dry it can be tough. If I can't find him, I'll usually come back later and try again.
 
I have difficulty in a field of bluestem grass or cattail swale marking a downed bird at 30 to 35 yards.

How do guys who brag about shooting pheasants at 40 to 50 yards, or more, mark their downed birds?
 
I’m terrible at marking birds. When we were younger we did a better job. We’d even go so far as pointing our gun at it while directing another into it. If there were three of us the ends would both point at it while the middle guy walked in. Triangulating it
 
I try to find a reference on the horizon to mark the line, and do a decent job of finding the fall area. If no reference point is available, I'll put my hat where I shot from, then try and walk the correct line. I also stop maybe 10-20 yards short so I don't add scent to the fall area, even if I can see the downed bird. I want the dogs to find and retrieve the bird for the experience and as a reward.
 
John Singer said:
I have difficulty in a field of bluestem grass or cattail swale marking a downed bird at 30 to 35 yards.

How do guys who brag about shooting pheasants at 40 to 50 yards, or more, mark their downed birds?
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agreed John; marking birds can really be a challenge, especially if you down a bird and shoot at a second. As BB said, I heavily rely on my dogs to locate the bird; that said, if I feel the retrieve might be challenging, I'll mark the spot where I took the shot, with either my hat, if the cover is high & strong enough, or prop up my vest, etc. I also look at the horizon from where I shot, to see if I can align a tree, T-pole, building, etc. There have been past posts on birds that fly a long distance and drop dead. We've had this happen a number of times over the years, and picking a marker to walk to is key. Those retrieves can be particularly challenging, depending on the habitat they fall dead in.
As a side note, I've tended to find the bird farther than my original mark. Thankfully our dogs make up for my miscalculations. Doing a good job of marking downed birds well is a mindset, and part of my daily hunting routine.
 
Bob Peters said:
Do you find on average you're mark is too short of where he dropped or too far?
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I'm probably not as good at marking birds as I was years ago, before I had a dog. It's just not as critical anymore, most of the time. And if you don't use it, you lose it.

But on average, I'm probably a little short of the bird. Luckily, my dog isn't steady to wing or shot, does a pretty good job of marking them down, & usually has the bird in mouth by the time I get over near it. If not, I typically intentionally stop a few yards short of the bird, so I don't mess the area up for my dog. As noted in other comments, if I'm able to get downwind (& remember to), I'll position myself downwind.

Pin-pointing longer birds (40-50 yds) isn't that tough either, if for some reason it's necessary. I use the same concept as a 25-30 yd bird. Pick a very specific "landmark", say it to myself out loud (so I don't forget), & go for it. "Tallest weed next to the bent over cattail." "The dark brown stuff, just past the yellow stuff, in line with the left edge of that shelterbelt over there." Thou shalt not take your eyes off that landmark. That's the tough part, especially if another pheasant flushes on your way over. That doesn't happen often for me, but if it does, I try to reason quickly whether I can pay it any attention. How close to the 1st bird am I? How hard was he hit? Where, in relation to the 1st one, will I be likely to drop the 2nd one? Like I say, luckily it doesn't happen often.

Those gut-shot long sailers that drop dead 200 yds away? All you can do is try to get an idea how far it was, pick a good landmark in the distance, & go for it. I've recovered a surprising (to me) number of birds this way. One note. Make sure your landmark is tall enough. One bird this season came down right in line with a water tower "way over there". But on my way toward the bird, I got down into a low area & realized I couldn't see the water tower. Had to back up onto higher ground, find my water tower, & pick a taller landmark I'd be able to see from the low area. In all my years, that's the first time that had happened. The learning process of hunting pheasants never ends & is one reason I love it so much.
 
BrownDogsCan2 said:
I’m terrible at marking birds. When we were younger we did a better job. We’d even go so far as pointing our gun at it while directing another into it. If there were three of us the ends would both point at it while the middle guy walked in. Triangulating it
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We've used the "triangulate" method too, but never with pointed shotguns. The more angle between the two different lines, the better.

Several have mentioned, in this tread and the other, those birds that flinch, fly for another 10-15 seconds, and fall stone dead. Sometimes those are easy finds, sometimes not. I lost one of those in SD this year because of unfavorable geography. There was an intervening "high spot" that was just high enough to block the final bit of the birds fall, and also obscured the tree on the horizon was using for line.

Interestingly, I've seen the sail-fall dead thing with quail too, but far less often. Or so I think. I've wondered if it happens more than we realize with quail, but it can be difficult to differentiate from a typical quail flight path.
 
When I was younger and didn’t have a dog, I was typically short on almost all my marks.
Now I just let the dog the work, I will mark the fall the best I can and not move after shooting. On the rare occasion my dog didn’t mark the bird, then I can run a good blind retrieve from my position. If I move then I might lose my line and struggle to locate the bird again. On tougher blinds I will try and have my dog take a line that brings him in downwind of the fall.
I tend to disagree with my opinions on staying out of the area of the fall so you don’t mess up the scent. If I need to help a dog locate a bird I get right in there and see if I can find sign of the bird going down there, such as feathers or tracks.. anything that can help. Dogs actually scent in layers , so they can easily distinguish the different scents in a particular area without an issue.
 
matto said:
We've used the "triangulate" method too, but never with pointed shotguns. The more angle between the two different lines, the better.

Several have mentioned, in this tread and the other, those birds that flinch, fly for another 10-15 seconds, and fall stone dead. Sometimes those are easy finds, sometimes not. I lost one of those in SD this year because of unfavorable geography. There was an intervening "high spot" that was just high enough to block the final bit of the birds fall, and also obscured the tree on the horizon was using for line.

Interestingly, I've seen the sail-fall dead thing with quail too, but far less often. Or so I think. I've wondered if it happens more than we realize with quail, but it can be difficult to differentiate from a typical quail flight path.
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I've always thought that it happens more than we think. I have seen them fall dead with a couple shot in the right place. I've seen them go down with both legs hanging and lost them. But the damdest thing I ever saw was I shot one to close first shot, second was plenty close enough with full choke 12. Both shots went low. It literally crested a rise with both legs dropped and intentions hanging out. Never found it!! I honestly think they are pound for pound the toughest bird to kill. I always try and look at their head when they go down. If they go down with that head up you better have a good dog! I hear guys say they never lose one without a dog. Ok sure. But they are doing the birds a great disservice without one. My dogs have found way too many 1/4 mile away. And quail I didn't even now I hit. Let's see them do that without a dog. Sorry a little off the subject.
 
I am pretty good at marking birds. Like shooting in general, I believe if you aim small, you miss small. I tend to pick out a singular object like a cattail stalk and never break eye contact with it as I approach. My dogs beat me to the birds most often, but if they don't come up with it I give them a bit of time to work before muddying up the area with my scent. After a bit I move exactly to my spot and call the dog in and have them hunt dead. I use flagging tape, my hat and sometimes shells to mark my original spot. A good spot helps, getting greedy and shooting the occasional in the air double proves that to me because you can't keep track of them both.

When we get one that is 'dead' but doesn't know it and fly's quite a way out we use the intersection of a few peoples spots to get to the dead bird. Over the years we have found some that were out 500-600 yards. Having a good dog getting down wind certainly helps
 
benelli-banger said:
Not sure, I usually have one or two dogs on the bird right away. If I head to the bird, I stay downwind of the bird and turn into the wind maybe 10-20 yards away to have a wider scent cone for the dogs…and I don’t want to introduce more scent into the area. But if I’m heading to a downed bird on my own, I guess I may overshoot the drop spot more often than undershooting the spot…but it’s rare that I’m heading to a downed bird without a dog or two. I spend a lot of time watching the dogs’ demeanor while searching for downed birds…and I listen intently when the dog’s aren’t visible…lots of audible cues as to what’s happening…this assumes I’m within 10-20 yards…when everything goes totally calm and still, the bird usually has been located…then the dog grabs the bird and wrestles it from the cover, like cattails, and that process is pretty distinct sounding…fun to listen to that whole drama. The dogs are the stars!!!
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With the labrador, you watch the tail, or listen.
 
How would you know? Pheasants are a lot tougher than people realize. That bird you think is a piece of Swiss cheese and deader than a doornail will still run 50 yards. And when they hit the ground they are so well camouflaged that you cannot see which direction they are headed.

You can run right to the spot they dropped (easy to tell in the snow) and there can be nothing there or it is dead 20 yards away.
 
John Singer said:
I have difficulty in a field of bluestem grass or cattail swale marking a downed bird at 30 to 35 yards.

How do guys who brag about shooting pheasants at 40 to 50 yards, or more, mark their downed birds?
Click to expand...
90% of the time one or both of my
dogs are at the spot within 10 seconds…they mark very well…but I mark as best I can by using specific items on the horizon or vegetation that is distinctive…just a matter of getting fairly close and being downwind of where the bird went down…leaving my hat where I shot is helpful.
 
westksbowhunter said:
I never found marking a downed bird hard at all. But one I shoot a double I can't find my butt.
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That's one reason I gave up the semi auto. I never did knock down 5 quail on the rise but killed three and four multiple times. Very few times I would find them all!
 
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