small game hunting?

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thunderpole
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2014/11/15 07:54:45 (permalink)

small game hunting?

I know its quote unquote deer season but has anyone been hunting the small guys? I've been killing a few birds and rabbits myself with my new o/u I love this gun!

I'd rather be lucky then good,but im to good to be lucky
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    DarDys
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    Re: small game hunting? 2014/11/15 09:05:11 (permalink)
    Have been out five times for pheasants. Everyone limited each time, but it took quite a while, there were few opportunities to suffer a miss, and only one trip where birds were pointed on the way out after we were done.

    With thanks giving as late as it can be this year, there are six (not counting youth) stockings instead of five, so the in season numbers per stocking is down considerably to get in the extra stocking date.

    In one area we hunt we knew there were only 240 birds for the entire county. We came to find out that in a fairly popular area that there was a total of 50 birds in a stretch of federal ground that runs pretty much continuously for about five miles. That isn't a lot.

    Studies show that the normal loss for pen raised, even flight pen, birds is 30% the first night. Couple that with those harvested on stocking days (we saw eight groups of hunters yesterday, three of which we knew and can confirm they have decent dogs and were killing birds like we were) and the folks out there today are looking for a whole lot of nothing.

    Odd as it may seem, we saw as many timberdoodles as we did pheasants (yes, they were in that type of cover, so the ragweed guys, especially without a good dog will have a nice nature walk today).

    The poster formally known as Duncsdad

    Everything I say can be fully substantiated by my own opinion.
    #2
    ray126
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    Re: small game hunting? 2014/11/15 09:54:17 (permalink)
    I grew up hunting the wild birds of Delaware, Chester and Lancaster counties.Flocks of birds.
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    DRod
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    Re: small game hunting? 2014/11/15 14:43:14 (permalink)
    Gave a half-hearted attempt at some Game Lands pheasants this morning for awhile.  More to get my lab some exercise than anything, since the couple of spots I like to duck hunt were not accessible to me this morning and didn't have time to go far this morning.  
     
    Second time I've been out for 'em this year, and did not put up a bird either time.  
     
    One of the biggest reasons I started hunting ducks 10 years ago was because of the lack of small game, other than squirrels, around where I live.  
    #4
    BeenThereDoneThat.
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    Re: small game hunting? 2014/11/16 08:04:37 (permalink)
    Farm fields in my area are still standing with crops making it difficult to find any bunnies or ditch chickens at this time.  Weather turning colder and holding the lower temperatures coupled with snow the past two days and more forecast for tomorrow, I fear, may have had a effect on the ditch chickens I've been seeing.  With archery season in the history books I'll be heading into the fields that have been harvested ('harvested'; where have I been hearing that word?) with my German Shorthair and Weimaraner.  Trust me, this is going to be interesting and I recommend all observers keeping a safe distance.
     
    I did get the hay off my field twice this past summer and I'm happy to say there was positive sign of more rabbits although, some evidence was not pretty.   In addition, this area contained a lot of hawks up until two summers past when I first noticed a growing flock of crows coming into the area.  Crows are still here, in sizable numbers at times, and I've noticed the hawks have dwindled to just one large bird this past summer and it remains.  You can sure tell when that raptor is in the area by the commotion the crows are raising.  (God Bless Crows)  Funny, since the hawk numbers have diminished I'm seeing a lot more chipmunks and squirrels too.
     
    We all know walking is some of the best exercise one can get and walking in field and forest adds to the workout.  That ain't gonna happen in my case unless, I carry gun or bow. 
     
    Hope to get a few bunnies and ditch chickens so I can try out recipes using a pressure cooker, let yinz know how that goes.
     
    DRod,  I have a beaver pond on the end of a field where I hunt deer and yesterday at dawns first light, that pond lit up with all kinds of quacking.  I'm not a water Fowler so one quack sounds the same as another but, it sounded to me like there was a bunch of mallards swimming out there or, Phil, Willie, Jas, Jeb and Uncle Si were hunting the upper end of the pond.  All kidding aside, I saw a flock of at least a dozen Drakes and Hens flying around the water.  Just an idea for places to hunt for your birds.
     
    Hunt Safely and Good Luck.

    Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you will feed him for a life time. ~Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie (1837–1919)~
     
     
     
      Old fisherman never die; we just smell that way. 
     
    #5
    thunderpole
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    Re: small game hunting? 2014/11/17 11:46:33 (permalink)
    I went out sat put up a lot of birds just not within range did manage one hen, probably gonna try it again sometime this week but mallards are on my mind as well

    I'd rather be lucky then good,but im to good to be lucky
    #6
    BeenThereDoneThat.
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    Re: small game hunting? 2014/11/17 12:21:33 (permalink)
    Wanted to get out this morning but, dab-nab-it the weather dudes hit 'er on the head for today..  I'm lookin' at 5" of heavy wet snow laying on my deck rails and it's still comin' down.  Lost our power 'bout an hour ago; no problem, got the generator running.  I'll be darned if I'll be without my Keurig coffee maker on a day like today.  If, I run out of gasoline for the generator, I have the old style percolator and I'll fire up the propane camp stove.  Should that fail................. I got lots of wood for a camp fire.  Man, that reminds me, there's nothing quite like roasting a baloney and cheese sandwich over an open fire and drinking a cup of fresh perked java. 
     
    If yinz will excuse me; I gotta go start lunch.

    Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you will feed him for a life time. ~Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie (1837–1919)~
     
     
     
      Old fisherman never die; we just smell that way. 
     
    #7
    tippecanoe
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    Re: small game hunting? 2014/11/17 15:55:33 (permalink)
    Seeing a lot of squirrels while wasting my time bow hunting.  Was gonna take the boy out this coming weekend, but he is signed up for a wrestling tourney in Parkersburg.
     
    Lots of coyotes in the area, thinking about getting after them this year.  Cousin trapped one right behind my folks, saw 6 one night spotting, and one the following night along with a bobcat.  Cat was huge, and the solo dog was blonde as could be.
    #8
    thunderpole
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    Re: small game hunting? 2014/11/20 13:39:34 (permalink)
    We got 4 man limits 2 days in a row in 3 hours heck yea! O yea no dog
    post edited by thunderpole - 2014/11/20 13:40:56

    I'd rather be lucky then good,but im to good to be lucky
    #9
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