senior pheasant hunt

[Bill W]

Went out today with another "senior" and when I left we had 3 birds.  My dog Molly retrieved her first pheasant.  Now to get her starting to trail them.  She was doing some trailing but none of her efforts ended in poking one up in the air.

We had a workout in the back yard after returning from the hunt and it looks like she's ready for round 2 on Wednesday.

[asmith]

Sounds like a good time! 

[Henrydog]

Fishtrap release site should still have a couple of limits.  Kid and I left at 6pm sunday and the dog flushed 4 more birds on our way out with his limit

[jagermiester]

Be patient with her. It's so dry out there the scent doesn't hang around very long.

[Henrydog]

It rained pretty good Saturday morning.  My springer was a scenting machine on Sunday.  Normally he has a pretty hard time early in the year when its dry out

[Old Dog]

I just spoke with REJWA.  He helped plant Skookumchuck and JBLM this AM.  I don't do the wet side hunt, so go get 'em guys!   

[Ellensburg]

nice. Hope to get my springer out there soon.

[splitshot]

better hurry, I heard the birds last about 3 days.  they get shot.   still good eating.     mike w

[Bill W]

I found out on Tuesday that not all pheasant areas are steel shot.  I tried an old lead load yesterday, 1 1/4 oz of lead 5's at 1330 fps, the old highbase 1 1/4 oz load.   It sure does make pheasants die in the air.  (based on my sample of 1).  Now to find 24 more reasons to shoot up the box of ammo I have.

[splitshot]

bill, when u burn up that box I will give u some 40 year old lead reloads.  don't know if they are any good.  gotta give the birdies a sportin chance.    mike w

[Bill W]

Mike,  Wednesday I was shooting old duck reloads manufactured before WA state required steel.  They were 30some years old.

On other peoples reloads:  Over the years I've gotten more and more sensitive to shooting other peoples reloads.  I don't shoot them as I don't know how well they followed the recipes.  Don't want someone else's goof up to end up with a blown gun or an injury.

[splitshot]

   I hear you and I agree.    mike  w

[T-Bone]

I found out on Tuesday that not all pheasant areas are steel shot.  I tried an old lead load yesterday, 1 1/4 oz of lead 5's at 1330 fps, the old highbase 1 1/4 oz load.   It sure does make pheasants die in the air.  (based on my sample of 1).  Now to find 24 more reasons to shoot up the box of ammo I have.

Just curious, but was your info. obtained "word of mouth" or actually from looking at p.18 of the 2016-2017 Upland & Waterfowl Reg.s?

[Bill W]

I found out on Tuesday that not all pheasant areas are steel shot.  I tried an old lead load yesterday, 1 1/4 oz of lead 5's at 1330 fps, the old highbase 1 1/4 oz load.   It sure does make pheasants die in the air.  (based on my sample of 1).  Now to find 24 more reasons to shoot up the box of ammo I have.

Just curious, but was your info. obtained "word of mouth" or actually from looking at p.18 of the 2016-2017 Upland & Waterfowl Reg.s?

My info did come from that page.   WDFW release areas and some others named on that page are steel shot areas.   Most any eastern WA area that does not have WDFW released birds is lead shot.  Attention to "most".  There are some exceptions.   

I also called up the local WDFW office to confirm that my interpretation was correct.