Solo hunting advice.
- Thread starter waggs
- Start date
Downtown Bang!
Member
Look for Walk-in Area's with crop fields included in the parcel. They usually have smaller isolated pieces of cover. Small cattail sloughs surrounded by marsh grass. Shelter belts. Small setions of CRP usually 40 acres or less. Waterways and temporay wetlands that can't be farmed and are full of weeds etc. etc.
The Game Production Area's can often be huge expanses of habitat and hard for a solo hunter to hunt. However, if there is a lot of diversity in the habitat within the GPA you can target the edges and transitions.
An hour or so before sunset you can also hunt the edges of big WIA CRP fields that are adjacent to harvested crops. I try to target these areas that are also close to the section roads where the birds can get grit.
Good Luck.
DB
mnmthunting
Banned
My trips are almost all solo. Bang gives good advise.
The dog is the best start.
I like the thick cover, birds hold better, much better.
You don't want "running to the end of the field birds" when hunting by yourself.
When you get in a patch of good heavy cover, just stand a while let the pup work as long a he/she wants to. A roosting pheasant has no scent trail and takes a lot more work for a dog to find, then say a moving or feeding bird.
I like a big chunk of grassland, with areas of taller stuff with patches of weeds, sweetclover etc. Try go from one heavy cover piece to the next.
Good Luck.
The dog is the best start.
I like the thick cover, birds hold better, much better.
You don't want "running to the end of the field birds" when hunting by yourself.
When you get in a patch of good heavy cover, just stand a while let the pup work as long a he/she wants to. A roosting pheasant has no scent trail and takes a lot more work for a dog to find, then say a moving or feeding bird.
I like a big chunk of grassland, with areas of taller stuff with patches of weeds, sweetclover etc. Try go from one heavy cover piece to the next.
Good Luck.
uplandgameadventures
New member
I would just add when hunting alone with a dog, use the wind to your advantage. Unless the shelter belt is manageable size, hunt down wind side and hope that your pup will catch scent in the breeze and allow for a good sneak and plan of attack. Otherwise, too big of a shelter belt might proove frustrating in getting a shot off.
Neil
www.uplandgameadventures.com
Neil
www.uplandgameadventures.com
wesslpointer
New member
Two Dogs
Hunt two pointing dogs, one big runner, the other a close sweeper. Let the big runner go deep then ecaller "buzzer" him "in" let him hunt to you. You now have a Minnie drive. Great FUN!!!!
Prairie Drifter
Well-known member
Waggs, I mostly hunt alone. I do like to use more than 1 dog if that is an option. I would say for you to imagine you were herding sheep. Use the dog and your own noise to "herd" the birds along the edge of the patch you're hunting towards corners or open spots in the cover. They will often lock up in those places and the dogs will get them pointed. A benefit of hunting alone is that you can be quiet. That helps a lot in getting close to the birds before they know you're there. Never park close to where you think the birds are going to be. Work to that area from the far side using the wind to your advantage. If you've hunted for a number of years, your feet will take you to where the birds are. I like to work terrace channels in CRP as the birds seem to spend a lot of time there. Waterways work the same way. Don't worry about the size of the cover. You can hunt anything a big group can. You have to use the wind and make more passes, but you also only need 1 limit, and that's easier to do. You do have to place yourself well in order to get good shots. You may have to hustle to get to the right spot in time. I still make grade school mistakes at times. It's from not paying attention. Hunting alone does seem to bring the predator out in you!
FCSpringer
Moderator
Good advice. You will most times do better alone. The only thing is that you have to be carefull. If you get hurt, well your alone. Always tell someone where your going. And keep the phone in your pocket.
On a calm sunny day, the birds will likely head for the food plots right away. WIA's or CRP patches next to private-land food plots are a good place to go if you don't have access. Find the areas with the thickest cover and hit them during the last hour of daylight. Point the dog into the wind and stay with it. If your dog has a good nose it will find and flush the birds. However, for this to work, you must have worked with your dog long enough to be able to read what the dog is doing.
wesslpointer
New member
Thanks
Ive tried to explain to people for years That you Heard Pheasants into cover where they might hold like you herd sheep to a pen. THANKS
Let's try this again. My previous response was deleted.
As I was saying... A MI state land rooster is a myth. Doesn't exist. You have a better chance of finding a lepruchan or unicorn.
I know what you mean though waggs. I too have a state land spot that will hold the odd rooster. Such spots are worthy of protection.
Back to the tips. While I typically agree, that there's no reason to be after them before 9:00, I'm thinking of making an exception for a new spot I have to hunt this year. The birds are REALLY running out of the end of the field on us. It is only a 20 acre pot hole with marginal cover. Would hitting it at dawn while they're still roosting make them less likely to run?
RoosterTim
New member
If I may add some tips on this subject (I hunt about half of the season alone) is that you might try:
Hunting waterways and weed patches backward. Many hunters hunt them from the road to the center of the field. Try to push them back to the road as it can be a block for you. Check local regs and becareful of which way you are shooting.
If hunting a large CRP area hunt the edges first and try to push the birds to the center so you are making a circle motion or zig zag the area into the wind if at all possible.
When you dog does go on point don't approach the point from behind the dog or from the side but get infront of the point and work back to the dog so the bird thinks that it is trapped and must fly.
Hope these tips are useful. Be careful and have fun.
Hunting waterways and weed patches backward. Many hunters hunt them from the road to the center of the field. Try to push them back to the road as it can be a block for you. Check local regs and becareful of which way you are shooting.
If hunting a large CRP area hunt the edges first and try to push the birds to the center so you are making a circle motion or zig zag the area into the wind if at all possible.
When you dog does go on point don't approach the point from behind the dog or from the side but get infront of the point and work back to the dog so the bird thinks that it is trapped and must fly.
Hope these tips are useful. Be careful and have fun.