View Full Version : Upland hunters?
Any upland bird hunters around? How was your season?
I finally broke the slump and killed some chukar (wild). Also had some fun chasing blues, sharptails, and pheasants behind my two brittanys.
steyrman13
02-16-16, 20:24
I don't get to go as much as I would like due to cost. Around here you pretty much have to go to a preserve and pay lots of money for quail and some have pheasant. Over the hunting club 12,500 acres you might run into a cubby of 2 or 3 every 400 acres or so...:(
Plus my GSP is getting too old. He only last about 2 hours before he is staying at your heels rather than out in front. He is 11 years old.
Chased some Devil chickens (chukar) around with my GSP this year with not great success. A crappy day of hunting beats a great day of working though:)
Also did some blues and ruffed with good success, mostly on the road in to hunting and out.... Go figure.
Chased some Devil chickens (chukar) around with my GSP this year with not great success. A crappy day of hunting beats a great day of working though:)
Also did some blues and ruffed with good success, mostly on the road in to hunting and out.... Go figure.
It took me literally two years of trying before killing my first wild chukar (this year). Just figuring out where they are is half the battle. And im not above pulling over and putting the dogs on the ground if I spot a blue wandering near the road either.
I wish I was. About the only thing we have are morning doves. Which we had a decent few days of back in August-September. Bobwhites are now almost none existent in the wild. I'm thinking about paying for my father and I to go to a private preserve, but I'm worried it won't be "real". Other than that waterfowl is pretty much my favorite.
I spent the better part of fifty years chasing dogs and shooting the Bob White and would still. My dogs are gone and I have almost no place to hunt.
My last several years were spent Grouse hunting in the national forest. Grouse is a good hunt. They were still plentiful 10 years ago. I have not hunted them in that long so really can't say with certainty.
I still have the bug so may start up again if my son shows any interest.
superr.stu
02-27-16, 14:43
This year wasn't my hottest, granted I didn't get out as much as past years. My Brittany is getting long in the tooth and I try not to run her as hard as when we were younger. Had some good flushes on chukar and bobwhite, Pheasant was pretty disappointing this year, granted she has never been that great at pheasant. Best parts were I still probably have another season in her, and I used my 1955 Ithaca 37 all season that was my dads first gun.
Went quail hunting this weekend at our hunt club. The club also doubles as a hunting preserve for quail. We release birds usually around late July early August and throughout the season. The birds fly really well and its as close to wild hunting as you can get. We also manage the property to support birds after the season so we have a bunch of wild birds too. This past weekend 3 of us shot 45 quail. We had 6-7 coveys of 8,9,10 birds jump up on us. It was loads of fun. I'll quail hunt 3-4 times a year here.
Anyone have big plans for the 2016-17 season? I'm hoping to hit CO for Columbian Sharptails (maybe Ptarmigan if the dogs and I are in good shape), NE for Sharptails, and maybe ID for chuks, huns, and quail.
And of course the early part of the season Im going to go for a grouse slam in one trip....Dusky, Ruff, sharp, and sage.
Fullretard
03-01-16, 08:35
Anyone have big plans for the 2016-17 season? I'm hoping to hit CO for Columbian Sharptails (maybe Ptarmigan if the dogs and I are in good shape), NE for Sharptails, and maybe ID for chuks, huns, and quail.
And of course the early part of the season Im going to go for a grouse slam in one trip....Dusky, Ruff, sharp, and sage.
I hate that you have that much free time. It would make one hell of a road trip.
Start another thread when you go, and post plenty of pictures for those of us stuck in an office.
I hate that you have that much free time. It would make one hell of a road trip.
Start another thread when you go, and post plenty of pictures for those of us stuck in an office.
Lol I don't have a ton of free time, I just save my vacation to go hunting, and usually take comp time for holidays instead of OT (doesn't hurt to have a three day weekend every week either)
Only got about 40 days until the 2016-17 season is upon us. Should be a good season with all the moisture and mild winter conditions during the post season.
superr.stu
07-22-16, 18:42
Only got about 40 days until the 2016-17 season is upon us. Should be a good season with all the moisture and mild winter conditions during the post season.
Gonna be bitter sweet, dog hasn't had a good year, I'll probably only get 1 or 2 big hunts out of her before she needs to hang it up. Hoping to get one last run on quail, not sure how I'll hunt after, been running her since I was 16, and she was a pup.
Gonna be bitter sweet, dog hasn't had a good year, I'll probably only get 1 or 2 big hunts out of her before she needs to hang it up. Hoping to get one last run on quail, not sure how I'll hunt after, been running her since I was 16, and she was a pup.
What breed?
superr.stu
07-24-16, 21:12
What breed?
Brittany Spaniel
What a wonderfully crazy breed of dog! I have had three over the years and loved hunting over them. All of them loved to hunt as much as I do. Enjoy her while you have her!
Gonna be bitter sweet, dog hasn't had a good year, I'll probably only get 1 or 2 big hunts out of her before she needs to hang it up. Hoping to get one last run on quail, not sure how I'll hunt after, been running her since I was 16, and she was a pup.
Sorry to hear that. The last really good set of dogs I had was 20 years ago.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160726/d046a952155946fe4f5264b54b4b119d.jpg
The white dog had the best nose I've ever hunted over. The GSP was a great pheasant dog...get 'em holding tight in some love grass when it was cold, and he could snatch them himself. No shit, had days that the dog had more birds than me.
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Brittany Spaniel
A man after my own heart, I have two American Britts as well. Mine are only 5 and 4, but certainly don't look forward to the last hunt with them.
Have any of you guys ever used or owned a Boykin Spaniel?
I get home September 1 and dove season opens September 3!!!!!!!!!! That and duck hunting are pretty much the only bird hunting we have around me. Quail are almost none existent now. I'm hoping to get some land one day and try to start my own reintroduction program.
We have land in the "Flint Hills" region of SE Kansas.
Quail populations are a ghost of what they were 15 yrs. ago, but still "hunt-able"
Me and old "Belle" 3 years ago. That old girl was a hunter. Had to put her down last winter which was beyond tough.
Got her replacement a couple months later so Junie had a companion.
The pup shows promise.
Here's pup (Luci) and Junie after a bath and in the "big dog bed".
http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b434/huntershooter/belle%20dog/dad.jpg
http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b434/huntershooter/dogs/15c13a82-dd0d-462c-8100-4d0ec91e319d_zps4vqbfpsa.jpg
Gonna be bitter sweet, dog hasn't had a good year, I'll probably only get 1 or 2 big hunts out of her before she needs to hang it up. Hoping to get one last run on quail, not sure how I'll hunt after, been running her since I was 16, and she was a pup.
I know exactly what you mean. I waterfowl hunt a lot and last season was the last one I hunted with my old guy. He will be 13 this December and he was my first ever real hunting dog. Last waterfowl season was his last. He had a really hard time the last couple of hunts. He's completely deaf now and sleeps most of the day. Going to be a very sad day when he passes.
Have any of you guys ever used or owned a Boykin Spaniel?
I get home September 1 and dove season opens September 3!!!!!!!!!! That and duck hunting are pretty much the only bird hunting we have around me. Quail are almost none existent now. I'm hoping to get some land one day and try to start my own reintroduction program.
I've duck hunted with a couple of friends that have Boykins. They also run them in AKC Hunt Tests. Great little dogs. Only problems I've seen with them is on big geese. They can be a bit tough for them sometimes. Especially a cripple goose still full of piss and vinegar. Other than that I wouldn't hesitate to hunt with a Boykin.
I've duck hunted with a couple of friends that have Boykins. They also run them in AKC Hunt Tests. Great little dogs. Only problems I've seen with them is on big geese. They can be a bit tough for them sometimes. Especially a cripple goose still full of piss and vinegar. Other than that I wouldn't hesitate to hunt with a Boykin.
Kind of had the same thought with the Boykins size, but we don't get a lot of geese. I've only been goose hunting once. For waterfowl it's mostly woodies, mergansers, gadwalls and mallards. I think a Boykin would fit my needs well. And they are so damn cute! Little fluffy puppies!
They would be great for all kinds of ducks. Good in a dove field also. Make sure you get one from good field stock. If you go to Retrievertraining.net/forums and then to the classifieds section there are good litters from time to time. There is a great litter there now but those pups are way expensive.
There is a great litter there now but those pups are way expensive.
Ugh yeah. Probably good dogs but I could buy my new shotgun and the Boykins I have been looking at for that price.
A good pup with a good hunting pedigree should run in the $750-$1000 range. Those prices for that litter are way out in left field. My current lab's parents are a National Amateur Field Champion sire and a Field Champion bitch and I paid that much for him. Only reason I did was that I also compete in field trials in the off season with my dogs and this was a once in a lifetime chance for me. Otherwise I'm not paying anywhere ner that much for a regular hunting dog. My first dog was $650 and he's been unbelievable these last 11 years.
Im more of a pointing dog guy, but those little Boykins have always interested me....English Cockers too.
Got out on Sunday 9-4-16 and found one group of sharptails. We were working with the wind so the dogs flash pointed right before they busted through the group. Me being undisciplined took two shots at non-pointed birds and missed on both shots....shocker. I'll be out and about this weekend looking for more. Sage grouse opens in a couple of weeks, and I'm hell bent for leather to bag one....just one.
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r166/jwpend/IMG_0094_zpsbyxnb0ii.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r166/jwpend/IMG_0103_zpspzvbk1gy.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r166/jwpend/IMG_0098_zps5qtllbxr.jpg
Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful land, beautiful dogs, and a good 'ol day out huntin'.
Always enjoy seeing pictures like these, they feel authentic in my eyes.
What kind of pack is that? Looks like a pretty quality rig.
Thanks, I'll be hitting it hard this weekend for sharptails again, hopefully it doesn't warm up so quickly this week. Word on the street is the blue grouse didn't have a banner year. The pack is an orvis sling pack. I like it because the hip belt hat molle webbing so you can configure it how you want it.
Thanks, I'll be hitting it hard this weekend for sharptails again, hopefully it doesn't warm up so quickly this week. Word on the street is the blue grouse didn't have a banner year. The pack is an orvis sling pack. I like it because the hip belt hat molle webbing so you can configure it how you want it.
Thanks for your reply!
Will hafta check that bag out, looks pretty comfortable, but sturdy.
I wish yah luck in your next trip out, I didn't take on the "upland challenge" this year, I know the next thing I have on my plate is opener for Small Game and Waterfowl. Not sure if I will take up waterfowl this year, it's a battle and a half without dogs and such.
Hard to say no when the Waterfowl opener is free for the weekend as long as you got a youth 15 or under with yah, though.
At the very least, nephew and I will be hitting up the HWTs for some Rabbits.
Love the Brits J-dub.
I've had a brace for 25 years, different dogs of course.
We have quail and Prairie Chicken in my neck of the woods- Flint Hills region of Kansas.
Nothing like hunting behind dogs.
The hunting becomes a sideline to watching the girls work.
Love the Brits J-dub.
I've had a brace for 25 years, different dogs of course.
We have quail and Prairie Chicken in my neck of the woods- Flint Hills region of Kansas.
Nothing like hunting behind dogs.
The hunting becomes a sideline to watching the girls work.
Couldn't agree more. I wouldn't bird hunt without dogs, and I doubt I ever live another day without at least one britt in the kennel. Despite their numb skull owner, they always suprise me with their natural ability.
No joke.
I'd like to have a $10 bill for each time one of my hunting buds refused to believe a point, or one the girls getting "birdy"
("There can't be anything in there") and have a small covey flush- while they stood there with mouth open and head up their ass.
I've learned to NEVER doubt their instinct.
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