Pheasant?

I braved the crowds for a few hours this morning too.  Quite a disappointment on the SGL's I was hunting.  Must have been 10 guys working this field and 1 bird was flushed and missed.
 
Talked to another guy who said the PGC stocked more birds for the youth hunt than the regular season on this particular SGL.

  Small game? Wow it has changed over the years around here. I was huntin with one of my sons today for the Jr. doe hunt & I was showin him some prime spots that held great rabbit & ringnecks in the past. He told me it came in today.
 
 I said you must be kiddin ? Nope it's in dad. Wow, not one hunter seen all morn. or eve.. Not one bark to be heard from a Beagle, not one car or truck seen drive past with dog boxes in the bed, no whistles too be heard,
no grandpaps, dads, uncles, friends or jr. hunters to be seen
 
  It wasn't that long ago when it was a great day around hear, like a holiday, but no longer.
 
  Oh well I gotta get back to the butcher block now. Don't forget coon & fox trappin comes in, in a few hrs.
 
    Crappy
 

i hunted my local hotspots all day with no luck. the wind was just killin' us. very little game to be seen. next weekend looks good

Jumping 17 rabbits in one day I can believe.But 17 flying rabbits? I'd have to see that!!! 

I went, with the corn as abundant and as high as it is, finding birds was hard.

 
 
A Co-worker and I hunted public ground on Saturday.  Darty pointed 10 pheasants an 1 woodcock from 8 AM until 11 AM. Here is one of them. 
 
The high winds, heavy cover, and heavy pressure had the birds nervous and some ran out from under the point even with the dog locking up probably 10 yards or more away.  We also managed to pull every dumb trick in the book.

Great pix!

I am surprised how many people follow the trucks. If they are that greedy then I expect they might not be safe to hunt around. I like some birds to hunt just like anyone else, but I will not hang out at the game farm and then follow trucks. If I had to hunt weekends and evenings only I would consider staying away from stocked birds altogether. I did get a couple more Thursday morning, without a crowd problem.

ORIGINAL: jlh42581

I hit toftrees yesterday thinking maybe it would be better then the first day. It was LOADED with guys and a guy practically shot me in the face. A bb HIT MY EAR! I wont be back, i dont care if you can walk on the backs of them, ill stay at the preserve where the people have some common sense.

 
Jeremy,
 
After spending time at the club, you don't want to ever go back to hunting public ground for a number of reasons, not the least of which is safety.
 
On the first day we were hunting at Raystown.  No matter where we went, there were groups cutting in front or actually hunting toward us.  There were a couple of groups that would purposely stand out in front about 100 yards and wait for you to flush pheasants toward them.
 
We actually had a group come from behind us, pull along side, and then start to pass us.  When I told them that the dog was on point, there response was -- "So" and they cut right in front of us, pushing the pheasant with them.
 
I am glad to see you weren't seriously hurt.  It goes to show just why safety glasses are always a good idea.

Man I hear ya! The first day at Golden Run , Shenango lake, was a zoo. Got there at first light and guys lined up blasting away at sillouttes in the sky. You could see flames out there barrels.

ORIGINAL: Trap Jaw

I was talking to a guy that I met on the SGL I hunted last Saturday and we came to the conclusion that they need to stock in the middle of the night or make a buffer time to let the birds(and more importantly the idiots) calm down.  He said it was a blood bath last Friday with guys just standing out in the field while they were dropping birds.  And then I get out to see if I can just find one so the dog can have some fun and there isn't squat.  God, I wish I lived in Warren Co. so that I could just hunt grouse.

 
I couldn't agree more.  Me and one of my buddies have been saying the same thing.  Plus if they see a parking lot full of guys keep going or how about throwing a crate out here and there rather than six in one spot.
We enjoy it when after hunting for a few hours and you are on your way back to the truck and you call the guys out that are standing in the parking lot and ask them when they are actually going to start hunting they just give you the dumb confussed look and say What do you mean. 
 
I like to just get the dogs out and run them as well.  Last Sat morning was pretty good since the rain and the wind kept most people in doors. 

mika you from around shenango area prospect area here.

ORIGINAL: fishenfool46

crappy that is why no bunnies or pheasants if you seen alot of fox

 
   Fishenfool,
 
there have always been alot of fox in this area, atleast for the past 23. Still some good cottontail around but not near the habitat for 'em. the farm equip. is just too good at the harvest anymore. Easy pickens for the birds of prey & cuttings when the chicks can't get out of the way don't help. The old equip. left the stalks waist high & only harvested about 75% of the crop.
 
   I haven't had any huntin dogs for the past 5 yrs., so just about gave it up. If I would get a dog or 2 I would def. raise 75-100 ringnecks for the area. A wet snow & the birds get a ice clump under their butt hole & can't fly, easy pickens for the fox.
 
  The Pheasant Chick & Egg Program is a good one from the PGC.
(LIP) Landowner incentive Program, no longer published????
 Is it still out there? Would of been nice to see it spread out by now.
 
  Crappy

Mika is getting better at flushing . She jumped two on Monday. I have to watch her, she gets real prancy when she smells one. Great fun.

ORIGINAL: Mikastorm

Mika is getting better at flushing . She jumped two on Monday. I have to watch her, she gets real prancy when she smells one. Great fun.

 
It sounds like you are well on your way.  It amazes me how many people do not pay attention to their dog's body language.  They are communicating with their tail, their eyes, their movements and telling you everything you need to know.
 
It is great to see that you and Mika are speaking the same bird language.