|
Post by hank77 on Oct 2, 2010 0:02:53 GMT
Headed out today for pheasants as long as the rain held off early. Met up with the usual suspects and took the wife...slow going due to the wet weather and heat. Tama blew his wad early and lost his mojo quick due to the heat, 6 guys, 4 dogs and limited flushes, we would push a piece and someone would come in behind us and clean up...very frustrating.t Our group got 5 birds, and me and Mike were skunked, first time in about 5 years thats happened. My wife, Ditzy McGee, forgot her license in her turkey vest so we took off early and went to lunch to give Tama a break. Hit another site around 4:00, just me and Tama, (Ditzy left her boots on the porch and filled them with 3" of water ;D)... let him go at his leisure, he managed to get up a good sized rooster but limited retrieval route and long shot so I let him fly...safe for another day. Tama is aging and I fear a new pup, whether it be another Lab. or English Setter is coming sooner than I thought...breaks my heart but such is life in the uplands. On call all weekend so tomorrow is out, Tama deserves a day off, will try to get out real early Sunday morning before the calls come in, then next Friday, pheasants, woodcock and partridge beware! HANK
|
|
|
Post by NHGriff on Oct 3, 2010 19:02:37 GMT
Can't believe you went out in that stuff! I went out yesterday and put up two Grouse in the first 15 minutes. I didn't shoot at the first one because the dog broke point. I really wanted to kill that bird...but if I do he won't ever learn the consequence of not being steady to flush. I think he was just excited because it was his first wild bird and we got into them just 50 yards from the road. The second bird he was steady for but it got up behind a tree so again no shot. I didn't buy a pheasant stamp this year...I heading to Kansas in December and I just don't care for shooting pen raised birds. Can't wait for the leaves to fall so I'll have better shooting lanes. Also it was a little hot on Saturday for the dog after running for 45 minutes he needed a cool down. Went to another covert and didn't get any flushes there. So I'll give these a rest and hit them up next week some time.
Best of luck to you Hank!
|
|
|
Post by hank77 on Oct 3, 2010 20:11:04 GMT
NHGriff, wow! 2 grouse in the first 15? Thats awesome! Didnt see any grouse but the woodcock were like mosquitoes, they were everywhere. Friday wasnt bad early and late, in the middle luckily I was watching the back of my eyelids. ;D Went out this morning real early with a friend who just got a Lab. pup, but I had him leave her home, I wanted Tama to be "on" not playing. He did well and we walked our fannies off, got to a hedgerow in the center of some cut corn and he punched up a rooster, it flew the wrong way of course so I saw where it flew to and took off running with Tama in tow...had my buddy stand as a blocker as I had to go out on an island in the middle of a river. Tama worked for 5 minutes and up came the rooster 10 yds. in front of me, whiffed on the first shot and hammered him some #4's at 30 yds. DEAD BIRD!!! I was wrong! The bird came down in flight and my buddy finished him off. Wrong again! Damn thing got up and ran into the woods where 2 guys and 2 dogs ground shot it...pissed me off a bit, not that they shot it, just not a fan of ground shooting, especially when you dont know where my dog is. That was it for the day, Tama was far and away better today, and after he got up that bird he was full of piss and vinegar and wanted more birds! Still, Tama's days are slowly coming to an end and I too am tiring of pheasants and would like to chase wild birds, woodcock and grouse mostly...looking at a Llewelyn Setter or English Setter..my wife is hung up on Yellow Labs. but, we have a camp in Columbia and a pointer is more versatile up there. NHGriff...what size gun do you prefer for grouse? I am looking at 20 and 28 gauge...decisions decisions!! Goodluck! HANK
|
|
|
Post by NHGriff on Oct 4, 2010 12:23:34 GMT
Hank,
I hear your pain about tough Pheasant. It's amazing what they can take and still run. I never shoot a running bird and just let my dog track it and run it down. He was trained to track a running bird on foot scent and has come back with a bird after a 400 yard running retrieve.
For Grouse I carry a Rizzini .20 gauge over and under. It has 28 inch barrels and very light to carry. My buddy hunts with a .16 gauge SxS that he shoots very well on Grouse. We both switch up to 12 ga for Kansas Pheasant. I had a Llewellin Setter before my Griffon and loved to watch him work birds. He was wonderful on upland birds but not fond of water at all. If you do get a pointer your shots will be closer so you will be able to go down a guage and you'll be more prepared for the shot as you will be doing the flushing. Get the setter and you won't look back. They are wonderful in the house, as long as you get them enough outdoor exercise. Plus they are smaller than the average Lab which I find handy.
|
|
|
Post by hank77 on Oct 4, 2010 23:18:11 GMT
NHGriff, Thanks for the info, I am leaning towards a 20 OU, Ruger Red labels are beautiful but have a low comb and I prefer a higher comb. Looking at a CZ, more in my price range and the customers I run into on my HVAC service calls that shoot really like them, for the price and the lines. Showed my wife a picture of a Llewellin last night...not good. Will work her a bit, al in good time. Hank.
|
|
|
Post by NHGriff on Oct 5, 2010 3:00:45 GMT
Here's a couple more Pic's of my old dog Brownie. He was only about 40lbs soaking wet but ran like a big dog. Gus and I will be out after ducks tomorrow morning. Good luck to you.
|
|