Past hunters

I know quite a few and have met hunters I the field that hunt without dogs , some do alright as far as putting birds in the bag .
I 'be also seen guys driving around in vehicles looking for pheasants in the ditch and on the road.
However , this rate two different types of people IMO!:cool:
We often meet dogless hunters and invite them to hunt with us .
Some gladly accept and others decline .
Hunting rough out a fob dies not automatically make a hunter lazy or less of a hunter !
One must remember that many cannot afford a dog or live where they are not allowed dogs, or cannot put in the time needed for furry friends.
Got myself. , if I could not hunt pheasants over a dog I wouldn't .
I love hunting them but where I live I have to travel a very great distance so it is not practical.
DHT
The guy has to dogs. And lives on an acreage, so its not the lack of dog is lack of caring for the sport.
 
The guy has to dogs. And lives on an acreage, so its not the lack of dog is lack of caring for the sport.

I don't know why he would even bigger to get his butt off the couch to even bother driving around looking for birds if that is the case!:Maine I stated those that simply drive around are not the same as those that actually walk the fence lines and hedgerows !
DHT
 
I'm i reading things right? Are some of u actually stating that by not hunting over dogs u therefore are showing no respect for the sport ? If so I am truly amazed at your lack of class. If I miss read then my bad and carry on.
 
I'm i reading things right? Are some of u actually stating that by not hunting over dogs u therefore are showing no respect for the sport ? If so I am truly amazed at your lack of class. If I miss read then my bad and carry on.

No, I think the the remarks about hunters having no respect for the sport is directed toward those that too lazy get our of their vehicle to shoot a bird, etc.
I know a few older hunters that cannot walk and hu t from their truck , but they do get out of the truck to shoot.
DHT
 
If a guy went deer hunting unprepared and lost a wounded deer because of it would be irresponsible or disrespectful?

I don't know how you could really define what unprepared is, for you, you have your idea maybe, but that does not mean it is my standard. don't know where you are going with this, don't think many people shoot stuff just to say they shoot stuff and watch it run or fly off. dogs are truly wonderful but they are not fool proof in fact some days depending on several factors they can hardly smell anything it seems

cheers
 
I have retired my 2 dogs from hunting this yr. I don't find it less sporting to chase birds on foot, just much harder!!!! I already miss the dogs at work, but same time hard to get new pups with such low pheasant numbers around here. I don't like hunters that drive around but that is there deal. I don't like preserves also, but some people like them. In Nebraska its a habitat problem mixed with farming practices not a you shot them lazy problem.
 
This hits close to home. First, I hunted pheasants for years without a dog. My folks wouldn't allow me to have one. And if, God forbid, there were ever some reason I couldn't have a dog I would still hunt pheasants without one.

I think it's equally sporting to walk out into a bunch of CRP and try to kick up a rooster as it is to follow my dog's nose and see him flush one. As much fun? No. But still hunting.

Here's where I have a problem. I just got back from a week in MT pheasant hunting with my dog. On 3 different days I was walking in BMAs that were visible from the road. These lazy #$*holes would literally tail us for miles, waiting for my dog to flush a bird and then hop out of the truck and go see if they could kick it up.

The last time it happened we found a great field. My puppy was birdy and working a hot scent when these idiots pulled over on to the shoulder literally no more than 50 yards from where we were. :mad:

Of course a huge rooster flushed at that point and I couldn't shoot as it flew right over their truck. The guy in the passenger side hopped out and went after it even though it landed in private property that I doubt he had permission to be on.

Then my dog flushed a 2nd rooster that flew between us and the truck. I swung on it and as soon as the truck was well out of the sight picture I dropped it. I'm well aware of the pattern my gun shoots and the truck was not in any danger but they got a good look down my barrel as I was swinging on the bird and if it was a new hunter (or me 20 years ago) all excited at the flush it could have ended badly for everyone involved.

Is this birddogging a common occurence or am I just unusually lucky? It's happened once or twice when hunting around home but this was the first time it happened consistently and the drivers were so blatant about it. Curious as to what others have experienced.

It's not illegal but it sure feels unethical and poor hunting ettiquette to me. I hope I'm not coming across as a yahoo with a shotgun. I've never had any sort of an accident or even a close call with a firearm. But I was tired of seeing my puppy's first wild roosters getting poached. We were walking over 10 miles a day to find birds and working hard for every one.

Anyhow thanks for letting me vent. Hunting dogless is cool. Poaching a bird someone else's dog has worked hard to track and flush because you're too lazy to haul your butt out of the vehicle? You have earned my disdain and disgust. So go ahead, let me have it.

I really think people like that would be happier at a game farm. Why bother driving around all day? I honestly think if you're getting out and walking you're going to be more successful than 75% of the other hunters who complain about no birds. Okay I'm done. Trip report to follow when I have some time to download pictures.
 
If youre willing to go out into a 160 a of CRP without a dog, you define the word "hunting". All the rest of us are just following our dogs.:)
 
Is this birddogging a common occurence or am I just unusually lucky? It's happened once or twice when hunting around home but this was the first time it happened consistently and the drivers were so blatant about it. Curious as to what others have experienced.

I sure hope this isn't common. It's really bush league to say the least.

I've hunted SD, MT, and MN all in the past year and have seen none of this happen. Hopefully it was just a 1 time occurrence.
 
It's not illegal but it sure feels unethical and poor hunting ettiquette to me.

Extremely poor, no question. That's "slob hunting," plain and simple.
 
If youre willing to go out into a 160 a of CRP without a dog, you define the word "hunting". All the rest of us are just following our dogs.:)

Your right and even 10 acres is a lot for people without dogs. :D
 
I don't know how you could really define what unprepared is, for you, you have your idea maybe, but that does not mean it is my standard. don't know where you are going with this, don't think many people shoot stuff just to say they shoot stuff and watch it run or fly off. dogs are truly wonderful but they are not fool proof in fact some days depending on several factors they can hardly smell anything it seems

cheers
What I'm saying is you're going to lose birds without a dog that you wouldn't with a dog and everyone has to decide for themselves if they are OK with that.

Personally after hunting with dogs I'm not sure i'd be willing to go afield knowing I'm not as prepared as possible to recover ever bird I shoot.

To me losing any game no matter if it's bird or big game should be kept to a minimum and you need a dog to do that for birds. If somebody doesn't have time to practice with a bow should they bow hunt deer? Not everyone feels the same just how I see it.
 
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What I'm saying is you're going to lose birds without a dog that you wouldn't with a dog and everyone has to decide for themselves if they are OK with that.

Personally after hunting with dogs I'm not sure i'd be willing to go afield knowing I'm not as prepared as possible to recover ever bird I shoot.

To me losing any game no matter if it's bird or big game should be kept to a minimum and you need a dog to do that for birds. If somebody doesn't have time to practice with a bow should they bow hunt deer? Not everyone feels the same just how I see it.

I tend to agree. We as sportsman should go as prepared as possible. Hunting wild pheasants without dogs certainly increases the chances of not recovering the shot bird. Finding the pheasant to shoot is not the problem. I was in SD a couple weeks ago in some horrible conditions for a dog. We did lose a few that we were unable to find, but that number would have been at least doubled without the dogs. It is certainly something to think about. Nothing makes me sicker than putting a bird down that can't be recovered. When me and my boy's hunt, a lost bird is counted in our daily limit. Just what I do. Somehow that makes me feel a little better:)
 
Carptomi: you would have loved the "finds" Max had for Kirk. If there is anyone that should have a dog, it's him. I can think of several birds we had to find for him, after you departed...

It's especially difficult for the dog, if he doesn't see the bird fall - then the retrieve is based soley on our command -" dead bird."

Our two dogs, however, are the best at the find, with exceptional noses and prey drive.
 
When me and my boy's hunt, a lost bird is counted in our daily limit. Just what I do. Somehow that makes me feel a little better:)

Yep, I do that, too. For me, the limit is the number of individuals I've taken out of the general population rather than how many depart the premises in my vehicle.
 
Carptomi: you would have loved the "finds" Max had for Kirk. If there is anyone that should have a dog, it's him. I can think of several birds we had to find for him, after you departed...

It's especially difficult for the dog, if he doesn't see the bird fall - then the retrieve is based soley on our command -" dead bird."

Our two dogs, however, are the best at the find, with exceptional noses and prey drive.

Yea jon, if anyone needs a freaking dog it is kirk. Seems like we spend half our time looking for the birds he has on the ground:). I don't think he has ever found a shot he didn't like:)
 
Dogs are half the hunt

Half of the hunt is watching the dog work. I just wouldn't enjoy the hunt as much without one.
 
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