Upland Bird Newbie

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438]

I belong to a local sportsman's club, which offers bird hunting - stocked pheasant, chukars, partridge.

 

I have never hunted birds, ever.

 

I have no dog, and no shooting buddy.  I do shoot clays from my own thrower, and occasionally with a friend (a non-hunter).

 

I'd like to try some pheasant; given my crazy work schedule, I'll probably be deciding on short notice to throw my gear in the Jeep and head to the club for a couple of hours on a weekday.

 

Practical suggestions?  I'm OK on guns and shells.  Any advice on how to work birds alone with no dog?  The terrain is hilly and wooded, but also includes some open fields and a tree farm.

 

Much appreciated.

 

LL

[Pat Riot]

This may sound silly but I have never had a hunting buddy or a hunting dog that was trained to hunt so to roust Quail I used to toss handfuls of pea gravel into the brush.

 

It didn't always work. Sometimes they would stick to the ground and scurry but sometimes it does or did work.

 

I forgot to mention that purists / bird hunting snobs frowned on my method.

[Knarley Bob]

When I didn't have a good dog, one year I went 9 for 9 on roosters. 9 up 9 shot and 9 taken home.

Work slow, and don't walk in a straight line. Zig zagging, and stopping often. Making the noise of a flushing bird with your lips works well. It's hard to describe, but after stopping for a second or two, doing that does it to a bird on the edge of flushing. Kick the snot out of cover that looks real good, some times they hold tight.

When a bird goes down, mark where it dropped and walk right to it. If another bird flushes, disregard it, you have one down, you are on a mission to retrieve it. If it went down dead, it will be there. Often where you marked will be a bit short of where it really is. Birds tend to like certain spots, remember them. You will notice from year to year those "favorite" spots may not be in the same spots. In the snow, watch for tracks, sleeping spots and poop. Fresh sign, be on alert. No sign, keep moving. There is a learning curve, soon you'll be comfortable hunting with out a dog, or a buddy. You will be a better hunter for it.

Good luck, like to hear how it works out.

Hope this helps, I really do

Knarley

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

I have never hunted stocked birds. 

Wild pheasants usually will flush well out ahead of you. Especially if they have been hunted before. 

[Knarley Bob]

21 minutes ago, Knarley Bob said:

Don't know what happened here

 

[Knarley Bob]

34 minutes ago, Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 said:

I have never hunted stocked birds. 

Wild pheasants usually will flush well out ahead of you. Especially if they have been hunted before. 

Wild public land pheasants are used to being hunted are used to:

Slamming of doors, slamming of actions, people talking, yelling at dogs, kids or each other.

Hunting alone you DO NOT slam car doors, or slam your action shut. Quiet is the key. If the birds don't know you are there, quietly walking up to shooting range is a whole new game. By the time they realize you are there, you ARE there! I have slid in behind other hunters, and killed birds they walked right past.

Stealth brother..............

[Subdeacon Joe]

59 minutes ago, Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 said:

I have never hunted stocked birds. 

Wild pheasants usually will flush well out ahead of you. Especially if they have been hunted before. 

 

Or wait until you are about two steps past them and then flush, flying directly away from your back.

[J-BAR #18287]

Do you have friends at the club who can steer you to where the birds are likely to be?  It will save a lot of walking.  The birds seek cover near food sources like any other animal.  Sometimes you can identify places they frequent by tracks, scratchings, and droppings.  I hunted pheasants in the open high plains of southeastern Colorado as a kid;  we would look for them with binoculars, just like scouting for deer.  Remember a lot of that pheasant is tail feathers;  try to pattern his head, not his body!

[Shotgun Clay]

Take a 16 gauge classic double, say an Ithaca or Parker.  The birds will flock to you to have the privilege of being killed by such a fine weapon.

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438]

On 9/30/2017 at 12:32 PM, Knarley Bob said:

When I didn't have a good dog, one year I went 9 for 9 on roosters. 9 up 9 shot and 9 taken home.

Work slow, and don't walk in a straight line. Zig zagging, and stopping often. Making the noise of a flushing bird with your lips works well. It's hard to describe, but after stopping for a second or two, doing that does it to a bird on the edge of flushing. Kick the snot out of cover that looks real good, some times they hold tight.

When a bird goes down, mark where it dropped and walk right to it. If another bird flushes, disregard it, you have one down, you are on a mission to retrieve it. If it went down dead, it will be there. Often where you marked will be a bit short of where it really is. Birds tend to like certain spots, remember them. You will notice from year to year those "favorite" spots may not be in the same spots. In the snow, watch for tracks, sleeping spots and poop. Fresh sign, be on alert. No sign, keep moving. There is a learning curve, soon you'll be comfortable hunting with out a dog, or a buddy. You will be a better hunter for it.

Good luck, like to hear how it works out.

Hope this helps, I really do

Knarley

 

Bob:

 

Muchisimas Gracias, compadre!

 

I'll let you know.

 

LL

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663]

LL,

 

I strongly recommend using dogs.  If the preserve offers guides and dogs, I'd use them.  Or, find a bird hunting friend who has dogs.  Preserve birds in my experience tend to hold tighter and can be walked right past.  Dogs really shine on preserve birds.  Generally, you're paying for all the birds put out whether you bag them or not. 

 

Another plus for hunting with dogs:  they're a greatly added joy to upland bird hunting.

 

Good hunting!

 

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663]

On ‎9‎/‎30‎/‎2017 at 9:32 AM, Knarley Bob said:

When I didn't have a good dog, one year I went 9 for 9 on roosters. 9 up 9 shot and 9 taken home.

Work slow, and don't walk in a straight line. Zig zagging, and stopping often. Making the noise of a flushing bird with your lips works well. It's hard to describe, but after stopping for a second or two, doing that does it to a bird on the edge of flushing. Kick the snot out of cover that looks real good, some times they hold tight.

When a bird goes down, mark where it dropped and walk right to it. If another bird flushes, disregard it, you have one down, you are on a mission to retrieve it. If it went down dead, it will be there. Often where you marked will be a bit short of where it really is. Birds tend to like certain spots, remember them. You will notice from year to year those "favorite" spots may not be in the same spots. In the snow, watch for tracks, sleeping spots and poop. Fresh sign, be on alert. No sign, keep moving. There is a learning curve, soon you'll be comfortable hunting with out a dog, or a buddy. You will be a better hunter for it.

Good luck, like to hear how it works out.

Hope this helps, I really do

Knarley

Knarley, were you hunting preserve or wild pheasants?  I suspect wild birds.

 

I also used to hunt wild pheasants without dogs and had some good success. 

 

ROOSTER!  ROOSTER!!

[Knarley Bob]

1 hour ago, Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663 said:

Knarley, were you hunting preserve or wild pheasants?  I suspect wild birds.

 

I also used to hunt wild pheasants without dogs and had some good success. 

 

ROOSTER!  ROOSTER!!

Yup, the wild ones. I have hunted preserve birds, I had to kick a hen to get her up, I yelled HEN!!! Then gave her the boot.

I have also hunted behind So- called "Bird" dogs, I'd rather be on my own. All the yellin', and hoop-la......good lord get me out-a-here!!

I started Pheasant hunting be fore I was allowed to carry a cap gun, behind some "Real" bird dogs, I guess I'm a snob. But there ain't nothin' worse than hunting behind a "bad" one.

Knarley

[Hillbilly Drifter]

I hunted grouse in the Appalachian mountains over  my dogs for years. One of them was the finest bird dog I ever saw. I guided on some preserves for a bit. not the same and sometimes down right lame, but it may be the only way some get to bird hunt and in that it is good. Enjoy your hunts!

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663]

3 hours ago, Knarley Bob said:

Yup, the wild ones. I have hunted preserve birds, I had to kick a hen to get her up, I yelled HEN!!! Then gave her the boot.

I have also hunted behind So- called "Bird" dogs, I'd rather be on my own. All the yellin', and hoop-la......good lord get me out-a-here!!

I started Pheasant hunting be fore I was allowed to carry a cap gun, behind some "Real" bird dogs, I guess I'm a snob. But there ain't nothin' worse than hunting behind a "bad" one.

Knarley

Yah, Knarley, I dislike hunting behind poorly trained dogs also.  I've had a couple of decent bird dogs; Lizzie and Jake, that I think you would have enjoyed hunting with.

 

Jake and me.

 

Lizzie

 

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Nice looking brace, Birdgun.   Those Brittanys are a special breed.