season update

rascal

New member
how's everyone's season going.....things have been pretty good for pheasants this year...not finding near as many quail as what I did last year but more pheasants are making up for it....we were also still finding woodcock up till couple days ago...

Ace pointing covey of quail


Ace on another covey of quail



great day...IL mixed bag


Ace pointing an arctic woodcock

 
that IS depressing...hope you have a chance to get out...the way this weather is going it may get tougher and tougher to get out...
 
Rascal, you get it done man! Beautiful photos. Thank you.:thumbsup:
 
Nice birds and pup! great job on the pics. :thumbsup:
 
Glad youre doing well! I have not picked up a gun this fall. Depressing

Yeah that would depress.
Remember that walk in field you so much enjoyed last year?
Still there same stuff only worse, the new weeds grew up into the old weeds. :eek:
 
Yeah i do emember that field. I think about it weekly! My dogs are still beat up from it! I slept along those rr tracks for a few nights. Ahh the memories
 
I have not hunted Illinois in YEARS!!! I run my dogs in some fields around my house but following my dog's carrying a gun hasn't happened in a long time.
 
Had a very good day in IL this week and a very good a day in IN last week. Found a good number of birds and some really good hunting even if the weather sucked.

Saw over 35 birds on 2 properties in IN and double that easy in IL. Optimism...:)
 
Life's changed quite a bit...

and my 2 mutts both got old really really fast. Just not into walking fields w/o a dog.

Sorry to hear that. Have you considered tracking birds when the next snow fall hits? No dogs necessary.
 
Life's changed quite a bit...

and my 2 mutts both got old really really fast. Just not into walking fields w/o a dog.

It happens so quickly. It is not fair.

There have been times over the years, when friends I hunt with had to point out that my dog had slowed down noticeably. All I was seeing was my buddy, working its butt off, doing what we did so well together.

And going alone? Jeez, it doesn't seem like there is any point. It is not hunting without my dog.

I know I get too close to them, but I can't help myself; they become part of who I am.

Best wishes.
 
Murph....that's GREAT news....I have been finding pheasants...although sometimes they are just soo dang wild we can't get them to hold for points but we're getting our share. I'm really disapointed with the number of quail I'm finding or NOT finding this year...first week of season found 4 coveys and nothing since. guess I will be going to Kansas more than usual the rest of the season
 
Got out again last Wed for half a day. We put up about 35 birds and killed 5 cocks and one song dog.

Bird numbers seem to me to be a little higher than last year. Still not terrific but getting somewhat better.

As always the farmers who provide cover have good numbers and the guys who cut their cover down to look like any-suburb USA have nothing. (I just don't get why they do that.)
 
Time to live through others once again:rolleyes: Has anyone been out this past week or weekend? Stories and/or photos of wild birds would be appreciated thank you:D
 
Attaching a couple of pics from a hunt in Milford, IL this morning. Had a great hunt this morning, and to be honest, got pretty lucky. Five of us killed our 10 bird limit this morning in 4 hours. Really didn't see that many birds. Probably 20-25. We shot at 11 birds, and killed 10. Out of the 10 we killed 9 were killed over good solid points. For as warm as it was, the birds really held today. I guess if you put in enough miles, some days things just go your way. I only killed 1 bird, and it was a classic. Last 10 yards on the last ditch we were hunting. Dog locked up right at the end. He had pointed and broke at least 20 times on a 1/4 mile ditch we were hunting. My buddies dog on the other side of the ditch also pointed one and he killed it. Had 2 down on point in less than 15 seconds. Perfect way to end a really great day with some really good friends!!!!!!!

http://i968.photobucket.com/albums/ae168/ehudgens0526/20141221_110712_zpsbdb7d11d.jpg

http://i968.photobucket.com/albums/ae168/ehudgens0526/20141221_110732_zps27b57198.jpg
 
What a hunt! Very nice! Thanks for posting:thumbsup:
 
Did my last IL hunt this yesterday (Sheldon area). Windy but at least the cold held off until later.

5 of us hunted for about 2 hrs then 3 of us for the next couple hours. Started at a place we've seen 5-10 birds on every time and even saw cock standing on th edge of the grass as we drove by but didn't get up anything.

Headed over to a little patch (maybe 2 acres) with a pond and a few little brushy trees. Kicked up over a dozen. 5 hens shot up then the rest started going all around me. Missed twice on a really big cock as did my buddy to the left.

We both looked at each other in amazement. Simple shot 25yds out and we both unloaded two barrels and don't think we ruffled a feather. After I pulled the trigger the first time I was surprised that it didn't drop in a heap. He shot, I shot and he shot and off he went to the neighbors switch grass patch.

As my gun was unloaded another cock then two more shot up in what would have been easy misses again. Also had several more hens shoot up.

Next spot was dry. There is a shorter ditch across the road that looks wonderful but has never had more than one or two birds. Three of the guys decided to hunt that and me and another went to block it just in case. I got out to let my dogs work the end of the ditch when I saw the other hunters flush a bird. Maybe 300-400yds away.

Couldn't tell at first if he was flying towards or away from me then realized he was headed my way. So I went into full freeze and watched him glide my way fromt he other side of the ditch. Waited and he looked to be ready to settle down on that side just out of gun range when he had a change of heart and came over to my side giving me another simple 25 yd broadside shot.

Squeezed off one barrel and again looked in amazement as he kept flying unruffled. Squeezed off the second and he landed softly right on the edge of the grass and limped into the deep stuff. (wasn't sure I hit him with anything that shot either but he looked wounded.)

I ran right to the spot he went into the grass and dog went birdy right away. Raced around a little then went on point 6 feet from me and pointing right at me. At first I though he was asking for some direction but he held and just stared at me. I looked down and the bird was sitting tight right between my feet and looking up at me. That'll be one I pluck!

Hunted two other ditches and put up 5 more birds. On the very last ditch dogs got birdy 30 yards from the road. Friends GP goes on point, my dog back then a coyote jumps up and takes off right in front of me. This time he got both barrels and I know I hit something Buddy got off a couple and I even had tome to reload and shoot two more times at about 50yds.

My little french pointer took off after it and we watched as they ran across a mile square field getting smaller and smaller but I could tell my dog was gaining ground so he wasn't coming back. Just hope that wounded song dog wasn't going to tear him up. He caught it after running at least half a mile and they tussled a little, as much as we could tell from that distance. Coyote limped towards a little bit of grass and my dog came back without a scratch. I'm calling that a kill and a good way to end the season.

Drove by the Milford sewage plant east of town and there is some town ground that has a really nice patch of PF grass. Was hoping to see some birds running around there as we have in the past.

Across the street is a picked bean field and maybe 20yds off the road was the biggest cock I've seen all year. I wish I had a good camera because he was awesome and he didn't give a crap that we were there, at least initially. Would love to run my dog through that grass and see exactly how many birds we could flush. I'd bet an easy 50 and maybe more. Have driven past that in the evening and seen several dozen getting ready to head back to roost.
 
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