bunktheclown
New member
Anyone participating or volunteering this weekend for the Youth / Women's hunt at Nelson slough? Ill be there with my dog (Charger) helping out. Should be a fun couple days.
Nelson Slough Youth / Womens hunt
- Thread starter bunktheclown
- Start date
ditchparrot19
Member
I did it several times back when my step-son and then a neighbor kid were participating, but haven't been in a few years. It was always a pretty well-run event with lots of strong-flying birds. It's not one of those B.S. deals where everybody just walks in a line, either. A small group is given an area to hunt and you just get after it.
The kids are generally great, but as with any youth event, you sometimes have to put up with some jackass parents. Good luck in that regard.
The pinnacle of all youth hunts used to be the wild-bird deal in the closed zone at the north end of Little Dry Creek. Lord, what a glorious place! I've done that one three times and on the first two occasions the hunting was incredible. One year my Lab put up 14 roosters in the first hour.
Then the last time (probably 2010) it wasn't very good at all -- hardly any birds to be found. I don't know how it's been since.
The kids are generally great, but as with any youth event, you sometimes have to put up with some jackass parents. Good luck in that regard.
The pinnacle of all youth hunts used to be the wild-bird deal in the closed zone at the north end of Little Dry Creek. Lord, what a glorious place! I've done that one three times and on the first two occasions the hunting was incredible. One year my Lab put up 14 roosters in the first hour.
Then the last time (probably 2010) it wasn't very good at all -- hardly any birds to be found. I don't know how it's been since.
bunktheclown
New member
re: Nelson slough
Yeah jackass parents are what turn a great event into a disaster. I coached youth baseball for nearly 10 years and have seen the worst. I am a bit nervous in my dog is not the best retriever and I end up fetching more birds than he does at times. Should be a good workout before the opener. Hope to see lots of first bird smiles!
Yeah jackass parents are what turn a great event into a disaster. I coached youth baseball for nearly 10 years and have seen the worst. I am a bit nervous in my dog is not the best retriever and I end up fetching more birds than he does at times. Should be a good workout before the opener. Hope to see lots of first bird smiles!
I've been to both the Little Dry Creek and Nelson Slough hunts several times but not in awhile. The first time at LDC there were so many birds my friends dog ran away and didn't come back for 2 hours. It didn't make any difference because there were so many birds.
I'd heard that because of the kid getting shot at Nelson Slough that the hunts were at risk. I'm glad to see they continue. If Dale Whitmore is still doing it he's one of the real good guys at DFW.
I'd heard that because of the kid getting shot at Nelson Slough that the hunts were at risk. I'm glad to see they continue. If Dale Whitmore is still doing it he's one of the real good guys at DFW.
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ditchparrot19
Member
Yeah, I was trying to think of Dale's last name this afternoon and couldn't come up with it. As far as I know, he's still running it. If he weren't, the event would likely cease to exist.
Dale has fought for hunter access to public land I think during his entire career. He runs/ran the youth turkey hunts on the UC property too between Collins Lake and Smartsville. He fought to keep Butte Slough a Class C wildlife area when the adjacent land owner pulled a fast one with DWR. Although he lost that one he's consistently been a hunter's and especially a young hunter's good friend. Everyone going to that hunt should thank him for all he's done if he's there.
ditchparrot19
Member
Amen to that!
Have you ever seen what Nelson Slough looks like a week later when the regular season opens and anybody with a license can go out and pursue the leftover birds? The term "zoo" doesn't come close to doing it justice.
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bunktheclown
New member
Nelson Slough
I agree ZOO is an understatement. The KLSC fields are not too far away so we headed to Nelson slough for an afternoon hunt. Didn't even bother getting out of the truck.
-jb
I agree ZOO is an understatement. The KLSC fields are not too far away so we headed to Nelson slough for an afternoon hunt. Didn't even bother getting out of the truck.
-jb