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Other Hunting => Upland Birds => Topic started by: rosscrazyelk on December 04, 2012, 02:08:25 PM


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Title: Worst season to date..( finally)
Post by: rosscrazyelk on December 04, 2012, 02:08:25 PM
I have always chased wild birds. I have never visited a release site but after the season I have had I think that might change , I am not sure yet still struggling with that but it is a possibility.
I have seen alot of birds this year but have yet to fire my gun at anything. In all the trips I have gone on we will get a occasional rooster to  raise in front of us. All of them in front of friends so far.. And also the frequent hen but for the most part birds are getting up 70 to 200 yards ahead of us.
I find this frustrating and cannot understand why or how they can see or hear us from over 100 yards away. My dog has got on a couple but all hens. He is learning and I am happy with the results so far but like I said frustrating..
Anyone else experiencing the same?
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: Dhoey07 on December 04, 2012, 02:32:08 PM
I hunted friday and had the same experience.  I kicked up a dozen pheasants but didn't fire a shot.  Did find some quail that wanted to play though and ended up with 3 before i left them alone
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: L-ofalab on December 04, 2012, 02:44:31 PM
I hunted south of Spokane yesterday in the wind they held good. I got 2 and could have shot 2 more if I could have identified them earlier. When they get up and fly straight away I have trouble with the ID. My youngest dog has just figured out the pheasant hunting and she had several points but those were all hens. I was hunting with 3 dogs and the other dogs put up the birds I killed.
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: merkelman on December 04, 2012, 03:56:03 PM
As far a chukar go it seems to be a slow year for me. But then again you have to sprout goat legs to cover the areas necessary to do well. Have seen only one good covey this year so far. Seasons not over yet though.
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: JLS on December 04, 2012, 03:57:30 PM
I've been doing pretty well.  Bird numbers aren't through the roof, but they are decent.
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: Cascade_fisher on December 04, 2012, 08:32:12 PM
A little snow will help hold them tighter. 
I've had a good year overall with a few "uneventful" days. 
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: Fishnfowler on December 04, 2012, 10:42:36 PM
I've seen more pheasant than I generally do, but I sure do wish it would snow a bit.  The quail and huns seem to be having a good year.  The chukar seem to be hit and miss.  Some places the numbers are good and others not so much. 
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: Labs07 on December 05, 2012, 07:53:01 AM
This year has been good to us!  I have seen more birds than I have seen in a long time and actually limited out a few times this year, this is rare for me.  I went out last Sunday and only flushed two hens but it was a very strong wind and just could not find any roosters so called it early.
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: Big game archer on December 07, 2012, 08:29:28 PM
It's been pretty good for me this year on the wild roosters. However, i have had days where they continually flush 60-80 yards out.
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: PaulM on December 09, 2012, 03:25:05 PM
Went out yesterday.  :) After reading the post I was trying to see if I thought the birds were more jumpy than usual. I had some birds flush early.  I would say this some hens were more jumpy than I expected as they usually hold so tight that they flush right at our feet . Later I decided the birds were just running more in sage brush open cover. In heavy cover we still had birds holding and I was getting the short easy shots my pointing dogs usually give. Did see OK numbers and if I had shot better would have have got my limit earlier. Great day with very good dog work. I love the retrieves my dogs give me in Catails because without their noses and prey drive its a needle in a haystack.
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: Birdguy on December 09, 2012, 09:12:21 PM
PaulM, looks like a pretty good day and a mixed bag to top it off, good work  :tup:.
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: rosscrazyelk on December 11, 2012, 03:55:55 PM
I am sure that I am just having bad luck. I hope I get one more chance to try. Fingers crossed I can get a couple days off before the season ends
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: Bowgina on December 12, 2012, 11:39:46 AM
you can get birds but it aint real easy, at least for me...
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: fethrduster on December 13, 2012, 07:37:13 PM
I'm having a good year overall, but I've definitely had to work for my birds.  6-8 miles is an average hunt I would say.
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: jjhunter on December 14, 2012, 06:33:47 PM
I went out last week for the first time.  Limited in about 20 minutes on Saturday and 1.5 hours on Sunday.  Buddy limited as well.  Seemed pretty good to me for so late in the season.
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: merkelman on December 14, 2012, 06:55:23 PM
Planted birds...
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: jjhunter on December 14, 2012, 07:19:54 PM
I grew up in the Palouse and this is my 20th season bird hunting.  The worst hunting that I have ever seen was in 94 or 95?  There were NO birds to speak of.   I think that this is an average year.  2005 was the best year I have ever seen.  The early 2000's were good.  I had a couple 100 bird years in there when I was able to hunt 4-5 days a week.  No dog back then  :chuckle:
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: merkelman on December 16, 2012, 01:06:06 PM
Went to my faithful chukar spot and hit two covies within an hour of the hunt. Of course that was after the 800-1000 ft climb!  Too bad the fog shut us down early!

Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: jjhunter on December 26, 2012, 06:27:48 PM
Apparently, it wasn't a fluke on the "planted birds."    :chuckle:   Pretty nice to grab the dogs and head out the back door of my parents' over the Christmas holiday.   Ran out of shells on Christmas morning before I was able to secure my 3rd straight day of limiting out.
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: merkelman on December 26, 2012, 07:27:03 PM
LOL, so thats the trick, mom and dads back yard...pretty cool stufff!  Where is all the snow???
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: deaner on December 26, 2012, 07:29:00 PM
LOL, so thats the trick, mom and dads back yard...pretty cool stufff!  Where is all the snow???

dont hate on mom and dads back yard, that place has provided me with a couple nice bucks.
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: Crunchy on December 26, 2012, 07:41:26 PM
Ive given up on the bird hunting.  After four years in N. Dakota there is just nothing close to it.  Hunting pheasant, grouse without dogs and getting them everyday. Long seasons, duck and geese like you wouldnt believe.  I cannot bring myself to going bird hunting in this state.  Kudos to you that do.  Besides the old lady aint gona take kindly to another game animial to hunt. 
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: jjhunter on December 26, 2012, 08:09:33 PM
LOL, so thats the trick, mom and dads back yard...pretty cool stufff!  Where is all the snow???

You can see the snow about 500 yards up the hill.   The  house is just below the snow line.   Several inches up on top.

As for hunting my parents' sanctuary, I'll take 'em any way that I can get 'em.   :chuckle:
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: rosscrazyelk on December 29, 2012, 12:58:00 PM
LOL, so thats the trick, mom and dads back yard...pretty cool stufff!  Where is all the snow???

You can see the snow about 500 yards up the hill.   The  house is just below the snow line.   Several inches up on top.

As for hunting my parents' sanctuary, I'll take 'em any way that I can get 'em.   :chuckle:
take me with you
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: RifleRidge on December 29, 2012, 01:35:48 PM
you can get birds but it aint real easy, at least for me...

This would be a good photo for the December contest... :yeah:
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on December 29, 2012, 02:08:26 PM
sweeet ...some fat ones  :tup: Must of been eating out of the parents garden  :dunno: :chuckle: :tup:
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: eastsidemallard74 on January 02, 2013, 09:53:15 AM
Kind of sad to say, I RARELY hunt Washington for Pheasant anymore because after visiting ND for a week,it;s no fun chasing 2 or 3 birds around.Plus its cheap. I haven't been hunting a long time, but I remember going to Yakima,and having decent numbers of birds,but its gotten horrible and dangerous to hunt there.So I stick to my yearly ND trip and shoot an ridiculous amount of birds in 4 days.
Title: Re: Worst season to date..
Post by: rosscrazyelk on January 12, 2013, 07:21:36 PM
I must be cursed this year. Out on the palouse today. Over 50 birds today. All hens in front of me. Rosster for my buddies. Tomorrow is the final day. Can I really go a whole season without a rooster flush?
The plus is the hot tub at the best western in colfax feels good
Title: Re: Worst season to date..( finally)
Post by: rosscrazyelk on January 14, 2013, 07:19:13 AM
Finally after to many trips to count . At 330 yesterday it all came together. After flushing this bird three times at far distances he finally held. Could not of ended on a better note.
Title: Re: Worst season to date..( finally)
Post by: 10Key on January 14, 2013, 08:00:49 AM
Nice work! Those late season roosters are wily little devils
Title: Re: Worst season to date..( finally)
Post by: Caseyd on January 14, 2013, 08:02:13 AM
 :tup:
Title: Re: Worst season to date..( finally)
Post by: fethrduster on January 17, 2013, 05:35:32 PM
That is a very nice trophy.  Reading lots of excuses here.  No one ever bagged a bird sitting on their couch.  Get out there and hunt!
Title: Re: Worst season to date..( finally)
Post by: merkelman on January 17, 2013, 05:51:27 PM
Amen to that. Lol
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