extend season?

[10Key]

The last couple of years, January gets here and it seems we have just hit our stride in the field...then the season ends. We spend most of our time afield in December and January, choosing for several reasons to avoid most of October and November. What are the pros/cons for extending the season through the end of January, maybe even mid-February? The survey is out from WDFW and is open for a couple more days, so I thought it is a good  time to discuss.

[JLS]

What are the pros of skipping October and November?  I know chukar hunting in October can bring snake activity still, but I don't see a downside to hunting birds other than that.

I'd rather give the birds a break when it's cold and snowy and they are most vulnerable.

[bobcat]

When I used to hunt birds, November was my favorite month to hunt. I could hunt all of November and skip the rest of the season. October is often crowded and the weather too warm. November is perfect. By the end of December sometimes much of the cover has been flattened by snow and much of the areas I hunted earlier in the year would be void of birds.

[AspenBud]

I'd rather see rifle season stuffed into 15 days in November and gain 15 for grouse in January.

[Forks]

Sure wish it went till the end of the month this year. Only had one good snow hunt for roosters. Nothing like sweet revenge this time of the year.

[T-Bone]

I wish that WDFW had left the pheasant season's end on the MLK Holiday with the quail, chukar and Hun seasons' end. A late season rooster is a hard won prize and the extra week did little to negatively impact the population, but did allow for that chance harvest of a rooster.

Tom

[BIGINNER]

When I used to hunt birds, November was my favorite month to hunt. I could hunt all of November and skip the rest of the season. October is often crowded and the weather too warm. November is perfect. By the end of December sometimes much of the cover has been flattened by snow and much of the areas I hunted earlier in the year would be void of birds.

    I can never understand where the hell they go

[Heredoggydoggy]

When I used to hunt birds, November was my favorite month to hunt. I could hunt all of November and skip the rest of the season. October is often crowded and the weather too warm. November is perfect. By the end of December sometimes much of the cover has been flattened by snow and much of the areas I hunted earlier in the year would be void of birds.

    I can never understand where the hell they go

They go into my back yard! 

[AspenBud]

When I used to hunt birds, November was my favorite month to hunt. I could hunt all of November and skip the rest of the season. October is often crowded and the weather too warm. November is perfect. By the end of December sometimes much of the cover has been flattened by snow and much of the areas I hunted earlier in the year would be void of birds.

If you're talking ruffed grouse, there is a second fall shuffle that often occurs some time in October. That can increase your odds of running into them in a month like November. Generally by December they start bunching up again which can make it harder to find them, but also more likely you'll get into a brood when you do.

[mossback91]

I like hunting em later in the snow......they hold up better and are lower in bigger groups!! Now that I don't have a dog I like snow so I can track em too!!

[jackson7]

personally, I do not like hunting when it is warm. I would prefer upland to open later and add the time to the end of the season. my 2 cents

[Dhoey07]

We had a heck of a last hunt on the snake yesterday. We put up 20 birds unfortunately all but 3 were hens. With that ratio, I'm not sure if we should extend the season 

[boneaddict]

The last couple of years, January gets here and it seems we have just hit our stride in the field...then the season ends. We spend most of our time afield in December and January, choosing for several reasons to avoid most of October and November. What are the pros/cons for extending the season through the end of January, maybe even mid-February? The survey is out from WDFW and is open for a couple more days, so I thought it is a good  time to discuss

As conservationists, we should ask what the reason would be to extend the season.  Overpopulation of birds that need trimmed?  Pretty sure that's not the case for upland..

[JLS]

The OP never did say why he's just hitting his stride in January and avoiding October/November.  I for the life of me can't figure out the pros of skipping those times, other than you are trying to hunt other big game seasons also.

[Dhoey07]

The OP never did say why he's just hitting his stride in January and avoiding October/November.  I for the life of me can't figure out the pros of skipping those times, other than you are trying to hunt other big game seasons also.

Because it's down right hot in October. It's tough to hunt pheasants when your dog is tired after an hour cause the heat