tips for a solo hunter and no dog
- Thread starter alan
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i hunt without a dog. Im buying a puppy in the spring. The advice about dont take your eye of the bird is good advice. If you connect with one, watch it fall, take a second to calm down but dont take your eye off of that spot. Secondly, you can use slightly lighter ammo, as most of your shots are going to be really close, I put a post on this site a few weeks back with some questions about ammo and shooting birds to close. I destroyed two roosters hunting without a dog because i was soo close when the bird flushed and was using high brass 2 3/4 1 oz 7 shot. destroyed them. If you have the opportunity to let it fly a few seconds, def. let it. Good luck, hit all the edges and walk in zig zags, eventually something is going to come bursting out of the grass right in front of you.
Until my fiancee got me Morgan, I always hunted w/o a dog. When you're hunting the walk and pause method do it in a side to side method so that you may go 100 yds. in one direction, 5 steps at a time with a count of 3 in between and then you walk 5 steps at right angles to your previous line and go 100 yds back the same way along the line you just walked. At the turn walk 5 steps again at right angles. It takes you forever to go through a field but it makes the birds go crazy as the predator apparently misses them and moves off only to come back again a little closer.
They only run when something is making enough noise to mask their movements. If you're running a ditch don't just walk along it. Walk out into the field about 15 feet or so and comeback to the ditch every 10 feet or so.
Here in Calif. there is also a specific plant that they like to use as cover. It's a bushy plant that grows on the levees in the uniform cells we have out here. I've hidden on the levees near them and had birds fly out of adjacent fields and right to me. I'm sorry I can't describe it better but look for the same plant always being where you see birds going to. Sounds stupid I know.
The same duck hunters that showed me the plant I can't describe also told me that you can make a chirping noise with your lips that sounds like a young or female pheasant. It seems to make them less likely to run because there is a non scary sound associated with the rustling noise they hear. I make about 4 chirps by blowing air across my lips like I'm trying to whistle every so often as I walk along. I put my upper lip over my lower lip that I've tucked in a little.
lastly, I found that a big uniform field was a good place to do that walk pause method. It is best if you have a green ground cover like Vetch or Milfoil with dry waist high weeds. If you shove birds out of a field sit down and wait when you've run the field.They will almost always fly or run back into the field within 20 mins. They are there because they like it. If there is a ditch around the border they will fly/hop across the water to get back to their field and they are hard to spot doing it.
They only run when something is making enough noise to mask their movements. If you're running a ditch don't just walk along it. Walk out into the field about 15 feet or so and comeback to the ditch every 10 feet or so.
Here in Calif. there is also a specific plant that they like to use as cover. It's a bushy plant that grows on the levees in the uniform cells we have out here. I've hidden on the levees near them and had birds fly out of adjacent fields and right to me. I'm sorry I can't describe it better but look for the same plant always being where you see birds going to. Sounds stupid I know.
The same duck hunters that showed me the plant I can't describe also told me that you can make a chirping noise with your lips that sounds like a young or female pheasant. It seems to make them less likely to run because there is a non scary sound associated with the rustling noise they hear. I make about 4 chirps by blowing air across my lips like I'm trying to whistle every so often as I walk along. I put my upper lip over my lower lip that I've tucked in a little.
lastly, I found that a big uniform field was a good place to do that walk pause method. It is best if you have a green ground cover like Vetch or Milfoil with dry waist high weeds. If you shove birds out of a field sit down and wait when you've run the field.They will almost always fly or run back into the field within 20 mins. They are there because they like it. If there is a ditch around the border they will fly/hop across the water to get back to their field and they are hard to spot doing it.
Spence
New member
I'm gonna guess that plant that you can't remember was a Marijuana plant... lol Because that whole Hen chirping noise has got to be the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.
Those same duck hunters may be sitting in their truck laughing when they see you walking like that and chirping to yourself....
Just my .02
Those same duck hunters may be sitting in their truck laughing when they see you walking like that and chirping to yourself....
Just my .02
I know I shouldn't have mentioned that plant without a name but this is supposed to be about providing information. It's the best I can do about a description.
As far as the chirping sound, pheasants like all gallinaceous birds, are flocking birds that call to one another when they get separated from others. Maybe you've never used a quail call or hunted turkeys but calls work and you can do the same thing with pheasants too. Sounding like a young pheasant does in fact work. See the pictures of two days limits for two guys. It may look like 11 but there are 12. My friend had a dog and I didn't.This was from a heavily hunted state wildlife area in Calif.
If my description of the chirping is the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard, you've lived a sheltered life. Kind of reminds me of when people insisted the earth was flat.
Oh,and those duck hunters? They hated pheasants because of everyone walking around and screwing up their decoying. Called them buzzards and hunted them only mid day on sunny days. They were cleaning their two limits(6 birds) they'd shot that day without dogs also on a heavily hunted public area when they told me about the plant and chirping.
As far as the chirping sound, pheasants like all gallinaceous birds, are flocking birds that call to one another when they get separated from others. Maybe you've never used a quail call or hunted turkeys but calls work and you can do the same thing with pheasants too. Sounding like a young pheasant does in fact work. See the pictures of two days limits for two guys. It may look like 11 but there are 12. My friend had a dog and I didn't.This was from a heavily hunted state wildlife area in Calif.
If my description of the chirping is the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard, you've lived a sheltered life. Kind of reminds me of when people insisted the earth was flat.
Oh,and those duck hunters? They hated pheasants because of everyone walking around and screwing up their decoying. Called them buzzards and hunted them only mid day on sunny days. They were cleaning their two limits(6 birds) they'd shot that day without dogs also on a heavily hunted public area when they told me about the plant and chirping.
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Spence
New member
Lol... naw, havent lived so much of a sheltered life. But that ranks right up there with the rooster crow call they sell. And yes I've hunted turkey, I never said that calling birds didn't work. But Pheasants?? If you want to walk around the field chirping and it makes you feel better by all means don't let me stop you....
Because that's how I got close enough to them to shoot them. If you need a video to be courteous...it ain't going to happen.
I'm surprised at how you are willing to speak with great authority about something you've never thought of and acknowledge works for other members of the same bird family but for some reason known only to you, doesn't work on pheasants. If the only things that you think work in the hunting world are those that you've used , in spite of what you say, you've lived a sheltered life.
Believe it. Don't believe it but please don't be rude when showing how little you do know.
I'm surprised at how you are willing to speak with great authority about something you've never thought of and acknowledge works for other members of the same bird family but for some reason known only to you, doesn't work on pheasants. If the only things that you think work in the hunting world are those that you've used , in spite of what you say, you've lived a sheltered life.
Believe it. Don't believe it but please don't be rude when showing how little you do know.
Spence
New member
ok bossman... before you go and assume how much I may or may not know about hunting let me clear a few things up for you... I've heard of guys using the rooster crow call, did it work for them?? no.... as far as I'm concerned its just another gimmic to make a couple nickels.
I'm pretty sure most of us have all walked up on pheasants and damn near stepped on them. Were we all using this chirping method?? no. does it mean it doesn't work? of course not... does it mean it does work? nope.
Also I'm sure those released birds that you are hunting in California act a little different than the ones elsewhere.
Sheltered life... lol I don't even need to begin to explain all this to you. If you'd like me to in a PM 'd be glad to, but i could damn near guarantee I've hunted many more species of birds than most here. Not at all tryin to toot my own horn, but if you're going to assume things you don't know I'll put it out there. I've just been blessed enough to spend a little time in parts of the country where I was able to hunt these birds.
And once again like I stated before this is just my .02 So take it how you will.
I'm pretty sure most of us have all walked up on pheasants and damn near stepped on them. Were we all using this chirping method?? no. does it mean it doesn't work? of course not... does it mean it does work? nope.
Also I'm sure those released birds that you are hunting in California act a little different than the ones elsewhere.
Sheltered life... lol I don't even need to begin to explain all this to you. If you'd like me to in a PM 'd be glad to, but i could damn near guarantee I've hunted many more species of birds than most here. Not at all tryin to toot my own horn, but if you're going to assume things you don't know I'll put it out there. I've just been blessed enough to spend a little time in parts of the country where I was able to hunt these birds.
And once again like I stated before this is just my .02 So take it how you will.
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This whole thing is my fault for three reasons.
First, I shouldn't have talked about a plant without an accurate description of it. It's just that it was uncanny how the birds came to it for cover late in the day and ignored other areas.
Second, I should have realized that this site is read by a lot of people who may have difficulty with different concepts and techniques. Some people who have never hunted w/o a dog still think that they are the hunter instead of just the shooter with their dog being the hunter.
Lastly, you don't have to have manners to post on these sites. It is common to, in effect, call other people liars and themselves god like in their skills because nobody knows differently. Being closed minded to new concepts is all too common. I can't imagine what Spence would say if I described how I take a duck decoy, put a battery powered motor inside it that makes flat pieces of plastic spin where it's wing should be, stick a pole up it's behind and put it in a the pond to shoot ducks.
The use of pheasant calls have two components. Do they sound real and if so, so what? Yes, you can make every sound exactly the way that a rooster can make it. It major use is while hunting w/o a dog you call and every guy within earshot heads toward you following his dog and you shoot birds their dogs run to you. Strangely satisfying. There is another use that is best left a mystery.
As far as Spence's comments about released birds on California's wildlife areas, some birds are released on Class C areas for junior and lady hunters to shoot but the Class A areas, where those birds were shot, are the offspring of wild birds from Oregon planted in the 1880s.
http://books.google.com/books?id=0R...when were pheasants planted in calif.&f=false
Kansas seems to have planted their seed stock later in or around the 1920s:
http://books.google.com/books?id=Zu...when were pheasants planted in Kansas&f=false
I look forward to receiving a pm from Spence with his CV and unlike his response to my experiences, I will believe him.
First, I shouldn't have talked about a plant without an accurate description of it. It's just that it was uncanny how the birds came to it for cover late in the day and ignored other areas.
Second, I should have realized that this site is read by a lot of people who may have difficulty with different concepts and techniques. Some people who have never hunted w/o a dog still think that they are the hunter instead of just the shooter with their dog being the hunter.
Lastly, you don't have to have manners to post on these sites. It is common to, in effect, call other people liars and themselves god like in their skills because nobody knows differently. Being closed minded to new concepts is all too common. I can't imagine what Spence would say if I described how I take a duck decoy, put a battery powered motor inside it that makes flat pieces of plastic spin where it's wing should be, stick a pole up it's behind and put it in a the pond to shoot ducks.
The use of pheasant calls have two components. Do they sound real and if so, so what? Yes, you can make every sound exactly the way that a rooster can make it. It major use is while hunting w/o a dog you call and every guy within earshot heads toward you following his dog and you shoot birds their dogs run to you. Strangely satisfying. There is another use that is best left a mystery.
As far as Spence's comments about released birds on California's wildlife areas, some birds are released on Class C areas for junior and lady hunters to shoot but the Class A areas, where those birds were shot, are the offspring of wild birds from Oregon planted in the 1880s.
http://books.google.com/books?id=0R...when were pheasants planted in calif.&f=false
Kansas seems to have planted their seed stock later in or around the 1920s:
http://books.google.com/books?id=Zu...when were pheasants planted in Kansas&f=false
I look forward to receiving a pm from Spence with his CV and unlike his response to my experiences, I will believe him.
When I used to travel in SD for business and could not bring my dog along I would ditch hunt. Here is what I would do. I would find a good ditch with harvested corn or beans. I would drop of an orange jacket on the fence, go back a 1/3-1/4 mile parking my vehicle on the opposite side of the ditch where I was starting. I would hang another "decoy" (orange jacket) off of my vehicle and start walking the ditch towards the first jacket. The jacket would hold the birds becuase they thought it was another hunter. I would then turn around and walk back towards my vehicle. It would usually take me 3-4 stops to get my 3 birds SD limit. Its the only way I would hunt without my dog with. Of course, as soon as it snowed 3-4" and all the snow drifts into the ditches, ditch hunting was over. Please don't confuse this with "road hunting". That is something entirely different.
quail hound
Moderator
Spence, you obviously are an inherently better hunter than those of us dumb enough to be born and raised in the golden state. You have no idea how hard we hunt for the few wild birds we get each year bossman. Your giving this guy crap for trying to offer some advice, and bragging about hunting more species of birds than most here? You're to modest.
Spence
New member
look the only reason I said anything about how many species I'e hunted and all that was because this guy is going to question my "hunting knowledge" this isn't my first rodeo bud.
And this is a forum, where you can disagree, and have differering opinions and thats ok. This whole chirping thing sounds all to like many stories told at the bar about how they convinced some guy to do something crazy while hunting in beliefs that he would be more sucessful... Just calling it like I see it.
And the beauty about places like this is, if you don't agree with what I'm saying you can simply move onto the next post. But this one inparticular I couldn't let go.... far to entertaining for me.
Calisdad
New member
Yes. What WERE you thinking?
You should have also known if I a guy is going to hijack a thread without adding anything to the original topic that he can't be taken seriously. You probably also know those battery operated decoys are so effective that we can't legally even use them the first half of the season- but don't tell anyone. I bet you didn't know the Navy invented the GPS so they could find their way out of Kansas. Seems they planted miles of hemp (aka: marijuana) so they could make rope and never suspected a tornado would spread that stuff all over the state.
1pheas4
Moderator
Calamari, I've used the "chirping" method several times though never when walking. I've sat down before, covered myself with weeds, and made the hen "chirp". I do have this on video with the results (limit of roosters). I'll look for the video and post it on youtube when I find it.
When making the hen "chirp" sound I've literally brought birds a couple of feet of myself. I've also used the "chirp" in early fall and had roosters starting to fight each other right in front of me.
Also, if you have someone drop you off at a corner of a field and they then hit the other end of a field the birds that are running your way will respond to your "chirp" by thinking you’re a pheasant that's in a "safe" place or on a "safe" route to escape the hunter on the other side.
Calamari, you are correct. Pheasants do respond to this call. All the more in the spring when the roosters are looking for hens. This is a great way to get close up video or pictures of roosters in the spring.
Also rooster calls work too, but best in the early season. This method is more of a "locator", though they will come in to this call too, especially in the evening--1pheas4
When making the hen "chirp" sound I've literally brought birds a couple of feet of myself. I've also used the "chirp" in early fall and had roosters starting to fight each other right in front of me.
Also, if you have someone drop you off at a corner of a field and they then hit the other end of a field the birds that are running your way will respond to your "chirp" by thinking you’re a pheasant that's in a "safe" place or on a "safe" route to escape the hunter on the other side.
Calamari, you are correct. Pheasants do respond to this call. All the more in the spring when the roosters are looking for hens. This is a great way to get close up video or pictures of roosters in the spring.
Also rooster calls work too, but best in the early season. This method is more of a "locator", though they will come in to this call too, especially in the evening
--1pheas4
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starter duck
New member
Bama like
sic'em :cheers: wish i would have known to chirp, reminds me of a time the guide said "we don't get many teal around here" as I was playing traffic cop on my whistle.... I stopped long enough to tell him to shoot the ones in the decoys we were fixin to work on the group (35)
sic'em :cheers: wish i would have known to chirp, reminds me of a time the guide said "we don't get many teal around here" as I was playing traffic cop on my whistle.... I stopped long enough to tell him to shoot the ones in the decoys we were fixin to work on the group (35)
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