I hunted private and reliable pheasant cover for 2 hours in North Central Mo. today, Moved 4-5 roosters depending on whether one was a reflush. Solo, had two pointed dead to rights in cover so thick I had no chance to shoot, couldn't get the dogs to break point, all 5 even the nitwit pup. Got up while standing in , a smac stand, with blackberry under, and a plum thicket, ( like in the books and legends, went out the otherside. Saw additionally 5 hens, two of which were young, roosters pretty big, full feathered, I could see spurs on the flush on one. leads me to believe 2nd year and highly educated, one lead us on a 200 yard stop and point every 20yards, to end in the plum thicket. all birds eating grass hoppers in mature weedy crp, even with cut corn available. What is disturbing is ... no quail.... this place is the poster child for quail, no contact, little buggers must have taken it hard last winter, as feared. But, I do believe, the big birds came through better. Been out twice, once with the kids once today, in pheasant cover, and have seen more birds in Missouri, than youth day in Nebraska, and what my Farmer Friends say in NE Kansas. May be staying closer to home this year.
Opener
- Thread starter oldandnew
- Start date
I am reposting since this was lost yesterday for anyone who cares to read about my personal experience on opening day. We hunted Bilby on the North East side. Two guys with four experienced dogs and a pup hunted from daybreak until 1:30. We saw 12 hens, 4 roosters, and two covey of quail. The pheasants were awful jumpy. They broke on their own with no people or dogs close. The one rooster that was pointed ran a good 50 yards and busted. I saw one group in a thicket by a creek crossing 3 hens came out and a rooster at the end. It was a shot i could have made but would have had to be a pretty god one and of course I missed. One covey of quail was about 10 birds and the second was about 20 birds. There are definately birds up there, maybe a little less than last year but not as bad as the conservation report said, at least in my opinion. One thing I noticed was the abundant amount of weeds in the grass. It was worse than I have ever seen it, it was hard on the dogs as well as the people. All of this being said I will be back up there this weekend. Hopefully it wont be as crowded and we will be able to take our normal hunting route.
Thanks for posting again. This happened: http://www.ultimatepheasanthunting.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5681
Good post. I enjoyed reading it!
daboone
Member
On opener me and my dad took our good dog and 3, 18 month old "pups". Hunted from sunrise to about 5 pm and found 4 covies. Dropped 7 and didnt lose any! First covey had 8 birds, next covey 15 with some really young birds so we didnt shoot them, third covey flushed wild and had 7-10, and fourth covey had about 15! Was a fun day and one of the pups is extremely timid and didnt like the gunshots. Heading out again tomorrow.
Bonanza
North of Polo, I have hunted it regularly because it's close , 45 miles or so. I went last Sunday (youth), walked two hours in areas where I have found birds before, and did not have any contact. It is one of missouri's quail emphasis areas. Very wooded, hilly, and covered with blackberry, all fields grown up in cockleburr like they cultivated it. If you have long haired dogs, shave everything before you go, even the hair between their feet. Dogs will be cut to pieces. When you come out your vest and everything else will be covered with them. I personally am not going back, this year, cover is extreme, and IMO extremely low bird numbers, basically been that way for the last two years. Tons of deer and deer hunters, constantly looking at tree stands, can't swing a gun for fear of shooting some clown in a tree stand you can't see. They talk about habitat work, but way to much mature timber. If you think Bilby is heavy cover, it's a walk in the park compared to Bonanza's greenbrier and blackberries.If you go, post back, and let us know how you do. I suppose everyone should experience it once themselves, and it still beats staying home.
North of Polo, I have hunted it regularly because it's close , 45 miles or so. I went last Sunday (youth), walked two hours in areas where I have found birds before, and did not have any contact. It is one of missouri's quail emphasis areas. Very wooded, hilly, and covered with blackberry, all fields grown up in cockleburr like they cultivated it. If you have long haired dogs, shave everything before you go, even the hair between their feet. Dogs will be cut to pieces. When you come out your vest and everything else will be covered with them. I personally am not going back, this year, cover is extreme, and IMO extremely low bird numbers, basically been that way for the last two years. Tons of deer and deer hunters, constantly looking at tree stands, can't swing a gun for fear of shooting some clown in a tree stand you can't see. They talk about habitat work, but way to much mature timber. If you think Bilby is heavy cover, it's a walk in the park compared to Bonanza's greenbrier and blackberries.If you go, post back, and let us know how you do. I suppose everyone should experience it once themselves, and it still beats staying home.
daboone
Member
Central MO on public ground!