Pheasant Opener

[Boom Stick]

I was wondering how everyone did opening weekend.  I hunted the Lower Valley area with my buddy and two cousins.  I have to say it's the worst opening I've had in 25+ years of hunting.  It was the four of us and four dogs.  After a full day of hunting we left with one Rooster and two quail.  I think we saw a total of 3 Roosters and five Hens the entire day. Now, I don't have to get my limit each time out to have a good time, but I would like to at least know they are out there.  We lost some more property as well.  Looks like they are turning it into a pasture.  I'm hoping if we get some weather things will improve.   

[270Shooter]

I have only been duck hunting really, but I have seen, and heard lots of rooster this year. And heard quite a few shots as well.

[satchel3006]

got one at big flats opening morning didnt hear that many shots only saw one guy that looked like he got two i think mine was last years bird though. me and my friend were wondering if they even planted this year?

[GermanShorthair]

yeah not the best of openers. Didnt see that many or hear that many shots out in sprague but did still mangage to bag a couple.

[TC Larsen]

I have never hit pheasant opener till this year, mostly because everyone and there mother is out but i did great, limited out by noon on roosters, but couldnt get my dad anymore than one. he just had surgery on his acl so it was a drag  . lots of hens to, i thought thatt the birds would be scattered witht all the hunters but move slow and work spots overand over again, good times!!!!!!

[freberd]

We went to the new site at Wiskey Dick.  We were surprised there were any birds left after the windstorm the night before.  It blew for about 6 hours we thought the camper was going to blow over.

They were about 16 vehicles, heard lots of gun shots.  We got 3 birds and missed 2.

Watch out for the cantaloupe size cactus...  I worry about the dogs stepping on them but they missed them this time.

[T-Bone]

I did a hunt near home in the N. Palouse. No sign of any pheasants until the end of the hunt, but my two friends and I did get into a large covey of quail. Actually, a few more birds than I thought after two horrible Winters.

Tom

[Birdguy]

To bad things were so slow. I was supposed to go but had other obligations keep me at home this weekend . Great for those that got out, even if the limits were not a given it was still good to be out. Good luck for the rest of the season.

[halflife65]

We went to the new site at Wiskey Dick.  We were surprised there were any birds left after the windstorm the night before.  It blew for about 6 hours we thought the camper was going to blow over.

They were about 16 vehicles, heard lots of gun shots.  We got 3 birds and missed 2.

Watch out for the cantaloupe size cactus...  I worry about the dogs stepping on them but they missed them this time.

That's just 15 minutes from my house.  I went there just as it was getting light and could count (literally) 17 guys (and there were more around the corner) starting across the field.  I turned around and went home.  I had only planned to hunt for 3 hours, anyway, and didn't have time to move to a new spot for pheasants.  I probably would have stuck it out if I would have driven awhile to get there or had more time in the day.

I'll go again in a few weeks when the pressure dies down a bit.

[TEX-X]

i've been slaughtering them... I missed one bird that my pup went onto point on... some guy had a damn puppy out there that wanted to play..with my dog.  i told him to get control of that dog or i would get control of him for him...

[Balladeer]

Yeah...our crew had a good morning, too. Not exactly sure the name of the place (really) but between three of us, we shot 8 birds. I limited in the first 20 minutes. Beginners luck I suppose.

[cabin308]

I agree this was the lowest bird numbers and worst pheasant count we've seen on opener in many years hunting my uncle's ranch outside Walla Walla.  It was hard work, ten miles hiking saturday and eight more sunday.  Didn't see any quail, only two huns and at best maybe 15 pheasants, 7 were roosters.  The dogs did great but there were so few birds for them to point and most of the ones the dogs found were so spooky they wouldn't hold and flushed wild from the deepest cover.  No "pleasant pheasant" rises for us.  I got one rooster saturday and one sunday.  My dad and sis got none.
The best moment was sunday morning as we hunted back to the trucks.  The Brittanys got hot and three pheasants flushed up wild under some trees in the creek bottom.  I only saw one, yelled out "ROOSTER ROOSTER ROOSTER", shot and missed it with the first barrel, shot the second barrel, saw it crumple and fall about 30 yards away.  Dad and sis were shooting at the birds that came out the other side so I marked where it went down, went to the spot and called over Daisy to find the bird.  She got the scent and pointed under some densely matted grasses.  I put my left foot in the grass and out ran the bird over my right foot!  I must've only busted a wing because it stayed down with Daisy in hot pursuit and the chase began!  They ran through CRP grass, into the creek bottom, then back into the thick stuff where it looked that the rooster was going to escape.  Daisy was still on the chase but losing ground in the thicker cover until the bird made it's final mistake and turned back out in the open.  I was ready to ground shoot it but was cautious and watched as she closed the distance quickly, ending in a rolling tumble of dog, grass and feathers.  She tackled it, holding it down with her mouth as I ran up, grabbed the neck and spun it.  Good girl Daisy!!  As Dez Young would say from "Hunting with Hank"....... "That was exciting!" 

Forgot to take pics on Saturday before cleaning the bird so this is Sunday with me and Daisy, a frozen bird and the fresh one. 


 
The hunting dogs...Bonny, Tiki, Boomer and Daisy.

 


   

[CoryTDF]

This is how my little brother RileyTDF and his two friends did!

[cabin308]

Congrads Corey!  Wow, you fared much better than us.  PM sent.

[fethrduster]

It was okay.  My friend and I brought home four birds (including a quail) in two days, dropped two more but couldn't find them.  Lots of wild birds flushing out of range.  Probably saw about 30 total.