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

[Forks]

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 

The flip side is i'm happy to hear you put up 17 hens in one day. It will only take two roosters to service them for next year.

[Dhoey07]

My thoughts exactly, should be good next year 

[10Key]

Hope you have submitted your thoughts to WDFW, no matter how u feel. As for us and why we don't hunt early, its just too hot for the dog, too much "other" stuff going on and damn snakes are out through Oct. For us, it would be nice to have more cooler weekends to hunt. If that means we wouldn't be able to hunt until Novemeber in order to hunt all of January, I'm all in.

[jetjockey]

That's the exact reason guys get into trials. Trials are a great way to extend the season, and damn near run year round. You just have to get used to shooting a blank pistol instead of a shotgun.  Eventually, it becomes more about the dog work than meat in the freezer

[AspenBud]

That's the exact reason guys get into trials. Trials are a great way to extend the season, and damn near run year round. You just have to get used to shooting a blank pistol instead of a shotgun.  Eventually, it becomes more about the dog work than meat in the freezer

NSTRA shoots birds.

[jetjockey]

True, but NSTRA isn't what one thinks when they think of field trials. NSTRA and BDC are never run on wild birds either.  A lot of trials, at least out here, are run on wild birds, or a combination of wild birds and released birds.  Down here, you can hunt birds one weekend, and a couple weeks later, run trials on those same birds.

[AspenBud]

True, but NSTRA isn't what one thinks when they think of field trials. NSTRA and BDC are never run on wild birds either.  A lot of trials, at least out here, are run on wild birds, or a combination of wild birds and released birds.  Down here, you can hunt birds one weekend, and a couple weeks later, run trials on those same birds.

Tell that to someone who runs a dog in NSTRA events. 

If you want to see an argument, put a bunch of NSTRA trialers and Coverdog trialers in the same room together.

[jetjockey]

I've been to several NSTRA trials.  I use to be the walker for someone limited to a golf cart/Rhino due to being handicapped (that's actually a good thing about NSTRA).  I know their opinions, but t still doesn't change anything.  The winningest NSTRA dog will never make the Brittany Field Trial HOF, even though the NSTRA people have pushed for it.  The trial people just dont consider NSTRA trials real trials.

[bracer40]

True, but NSTRA isn't what one thinks when they think of field trials. NSTRA and BDC are never run on wild birds either.  A lot of trials, at least out here, are run on wild birds, or a combination of wild birds and released birds.  Down here, you can hunt birds one weekend, and a couple weeks later, run trials on those same birds.

Tell that to someone who runs a dog in NSTRA events. 

If you want to see an argument, put a bunch of NSTRA trialers and Coverdog trialers in the same room together.

Or on the same forum & thread together........

[AspenBud]

True, but NSTRA isn't what one thinks when they think of field trials. NSTRA and BDC are never run on wild birds either.  A lot of trials, at least out here, are run on wild birds, or a combination of wild birds and released birds.  Down here, you can hunt birds one weekend, and a couple weeks later, run trials on those same birds.

Tell that to someone who runs a dog in NSTRA events. 

If you want to see an argument, put a bunch of NSTRA trialers and Coverdog trialers in the same room together.

Or on the same forum & thread together........

So so true.

[REHJWA]

Hunting in Oct is to allow hunters to thin birds before the hard weather set in an culls the flock.

[mossback91]

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..

Do have to agree with bone here....we have to sit back and realize that the setting of seasons should reflect the overall health and population of game over increasing our harvests.

[Bmcox86]

I like the seasons the way they are. I plan on doing a Cooke canyon hunt in February or March to give my dog one last one before summer training begins.

You can always go out and do some training on wild birds with a blank pistol.

[10Key]

I just checked Oregon and Idaho seasons and they both conclude at the end of January...c'mon Washington

[bobcat]

I just checked Oregon and Idaho seasons and they both conclude at the end of January...c'mon Washington

Get an Oregon hunting license. They've got some great chukar hunting down there, and plenty of public land.

I plan on doing that one of these years.

[T-Bone]

The WDFW is seeking public comment on seasons. I sent them an Email requesting a return to the closure of the E. WA pheasant season on the MLK Monday Holiday. In E. WA., I think the different closing dates for pheasant, quail, Huns and chukar are confusing and serve no real biological purpose.

Tom

[fethrduster]

In bad weather years, I would be concerned with extending the season any longer and putting undue pressure on birds who may have a hard time making it through the winter as it is.   We need to be more considerate of the resource, not less.

[huntingaddiction]

We used to have a place we would limit out everyday on pheasant in the late season.  Wild roosters are hard to find, but when you found them you were in them and could usually shoot your limit standing in the same place.  Now that place is closed down and you cant hunt it.  Sad but the reason they are hard to find in the late season is they go where there is no pressure.