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What to legally do with a hen!
- Thread starter goldenboy
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Start a new thread or just pay attention to what they are about:thumbsup:.:cheers:
HolyMoses
New member
If I am not mistaken, some pointing dogs are trained to break immediately at the flush, and if a dog is quick enough, or the bird gets hung up while flushing, there is a chance that the dog can grab the bird. So while it is certainly more of a flushing dog problem, I would bet that there is a pointer or two out there that has grabbed a hen once in a while.
HolyMoses
New member
I remember a trip where a live rooster got caught in the crusty snow by one of the dogs and it ended up in the beer cooler only to be released very unexpectedly at the end of the day!
had a similar experience with a mallard in the back of a pickup truck one day LOL!
AtTheMurph
Well-known member
I had a Bobwhite do the same thing in my garage. It was like trying to catch a mouse with a million hiding places.
mustistuff
Banned
dogs
you are mistaken!! pointing don't have to be trained to break at the flush, never seen one that didn't do it naturally, hopefully they don't do it before the flush. a bird that gets tangled up in the flush is a caught bird, if it struggles it is a dead bird, if not, then maybe it can be released for another day.
cheers
you are mistaken!! pointing don't have to be trained to break at the flush, never seen one that didn't do it naturally, hopefully they don't do it before the flush. a bird that gets tangled up in the flush is a caught bird, if it struggles it is a dead bird, if not, then maybe it can be released for another day.
cheers
HolyMoses
New member
Interesting. And here I thought that most people trained that natural instinct to break at the flush out of their pointers and trained them to hold steady to at least the shot.
Right you are! I have never seen a pointing dog NOT flush with the bird. It's training to be "steady to shot", and it's cousin "stop to flush", makes the difference, in pheasant hunting. Most of my pointing dogs 'hup" themselves, by pointing with head up, when birds are running, requires a pat on their head to move them up, while you are in shooting range. It's the only way to hunt pheasants, besides watching birds flush, or run out of the area. Stop to Flush, is a safety procedure to keep the dog safe from being shot by some nimrod shooting at a low rising bird. Some people think a dog who breaks at flush, is a better retriever. Or is un-trained otherwise. I think it is how committed the pointing dog is to retrieve, either way. Some are great, some are so-so, even if forced broke. Really highly trained flushers are spectacular, I'd hunt over any one, Like with pointing dogs, most dogs we are exposed to are partially trained, a few of the niceties omitted. One thing I can assure you of, a pointed bird is a whole lot easier to shoot!
ditchparrot19
Member
Apologies for going in yet another direction, but not even that is an absolute, dyed-in-the-wool certainty. It depends upon the individual.
There are people who struggle with shooting pointed birds. Most of the time it has to do with the anticipation of what's going to happen -- they start mounting the gun upon seeing or hearing anything and never acquire proper focus on the target before they pull the trigger. Some of those people are much better on flushed birds that take them at least somewhat by surprise, even though those birds usually get up farther away from the gun. That's often simply because the first thing the people do is acquire the target visually before they start their gun mount, and every move after that comes a lot more naturally.
There are so many variables and changing circumstances in these endeavors that certainties are pretty much nonexistent. All anyone can do is try to get the percentages as much in their favor as possible.
Ranger Rick
Member
One time in SD I walked in on my setter's point, stomped all over the place trying flush a bird that wasn't flushing. Dog stood staunch the entire time while I'm going in circles around her. Finally stepped on something unstable under my boot. Step back, look down and there's a hen quivering. I broke it's back. Darned right I left it. I hate to waste game, but I'm not getting a fine for something like having that hen in my vest. My dog didn't catch it and I didn't shoot it, but it was mine by accident, sure enough.
And to you flusher boys, who don't think pheasants hold tight! They sure do, just like some will run 1/4 mile ahead and fly out. I've had roosters I could see in the grass at my feet, told my buddies to get ready and had to kick him to flush.
I've met one warden in SD and he couldn't have been more professional and courteous. Not like our WI wardens at all, a few of whom I've met who were real jerks. In SD it was late in the day and I was enjoying a beer, sitting on the tailgate, with 20 roosters in the back of the truck right next to me. My other 6 guys in our party were walking a road back to the truck when the warden pulled in. After checking my license and counting birds, he was waiting for the rest of the guys to come up. A bird flushed and was promptly shot. The warden said something to the effect that it better be all for us, as we had our limit. Sure enough, they all emptied their guns at the same time. Warden stayed and chatted with us for a bit while we enjoyed cold one.
We met some locals in SD and hunted with them for several years until their ma sold the old family farm. One year one of the younger guys has this blonde along. She was easy on the eyes and could sure shoot, but half of them were hens, despite our yelling "hen" and then talking to her about it. The guys aunt was not happy and he sure heard about it later.
The next fall we're back and waiting for those folks at the old farmstead. Up pulls a SUV, 4 guys pile out and a couple labs. They had met the hen-shooting chick at Cabelas in Mitchel and she told them to go there and they'd be able to hunt. Again, that guys aunt was not happy with him. Anyhow, their dogs are running around and flush a hen next to the vehicle. It breaks it's neck on the power line, a lab retrieves it. The other lab then attacks my brothers Golden. We were really getting sick of these guys at this point and wishing a warden would pull up and check them with their hen.
It doesn't stop there, as they guys send their dogs into the private hunt club land across the road, into a grove of trees, despite our telling them it was private property. Birds flying everywhere. Those idiots load up and leave, to be followed shortly by a bus of paying clients for the hunt club. The group then hunts the club property and not one bird out. After they're done I'm talking to a couple of them, who have hunted there for years and always put birds out of that patch. I told them why they didn't this time. Man! They were pissed. Didn't blame them much myself.
And to you flusher boys, who don't think pheasants hold tight! They sure do, just like some will run 1/4 mile ahead and fly out. I've had roosters I could see in the grass at my feet, told my buddies to get ready and had to kick him to flush.
I've met one warden in SD and he couldn't have been more professional and courteous. Not like our WI wardens at all, a few of whom I've met who were real jerks. In SD it was late in the day and I was enjoying a beer, sitting on the tailgate, with 20 roosters in the back of the truck right next to me. My other 6 guys in our party were walking a road back to the truck when the warden pulled in. After checking my license and counting birds, he was waiting for the rest of the guys to come up. A bird flushed and was promptly shot. The warden said something to the effect that it better be all for us, as we had our limit. Sure enough, they all emptied their guns at the same time. Warden stayed and chatted with us for a bit while we enjoyed cold one.
We met some locals in SD and hunted with them for several years until their ma sold the old family farm. One year one of the younger guys has this blonde along. She was easy on the eyes and could sure shoot, but half of them were hens, despite our yelling "hen" and then talking to her about it. The guys aunt was not happy and he sure heard about it later.
The next fall we're back and waiting for those folks at the old farmstead. Up pulls a SUV, 4 guys pile out and a couple labs. They had met the hen-shooting chick at Cabelas in Mitchel and she told them to go there and they'd be able to hunt. Again, that guys aunt was not happy with him. Anyhow, their dogs are running around and flush a hen next to the vehicle. It breaks it's neck on the power line, a lab retrieves it. The other lab then attacks my brothers Golden. We were really getting sick of these guys at this point and wishing a warden would pull up and check them with their hen.
It doesn't stop there, as they guys send their dogs into the private hunt club land across the road, into a grove of trees, despite our telling them it was private property. Birds flying everywhere. Those idiots load up and leave, to be followed shortly by a bus of paying clients for the hunt club. The group then hunts the club property and not one bird out. After they're done I'm talking to a couple of them, who have hunted there for years and always put birds out of that patch. I told them why they didn't this time. Man! They were pissed. Didn't blame them much myself.
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Panhandle of Texas in my early 20's (about 40 years ago). I'm working for a large feedlot that owned several thousand acres. Clients would come in who owned cattle and boss would have me take them out hunting. Back then I was all about meat on the table. One days we have about a 6" snow with some freezing rain and the roosters couldn't bust through the crust for nothing. Dog kept catching them and I would reach down ring there necks and put them in my bag. Pair of clients finally had enough of not getting to shoot because the dog was catching the birds and complained. Next time the dog caught another bird I just turned to the guys and asked if they were ready and when they said yes I kicked the dog to make her drop the bird and they stood there dumb founded and almost let the rooster fly away before shooting it. They ended up shooting a couple more dog caught birds that day the same exact way. Bet they still tell the story.
Don
Don
david0311
Really??!!!! Kicked the dog??? Did it not occur to you to take the bird and throw it???
Really??!!!!
Kicked the dog??? Did it not occur to you to take the bird and throw it???
mnmthunting
Banned
This all happened some 40 years ago, eh?
I can remember places and hunts some 40 years ago also.
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