My First Upland Bird Hunt

[Kelster]

Had my first ever upland bird hunt last weekend at Douglas Lake Ranch. Great location, but the weather was a bit over the top at 35C on Saturday, so we had to hunt early and break at noon to avoid over-stressing the dogs and stroking-out. We split 30 birds between two of us, 20 Pheasant and 10 Chukar.

Many thanks to Linda Cline and all her great dogs at Someday Retrievers and my good buddy Woody for the invitation. Great weather, guns, dogs and good friends - what could be better.:)

If I could get the photo up-loader to work properly I would add a picture or two. Here's a link: http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showfull.php?photo=24680

KB

[Ghillie]

I've ALWAYS wanted to hunt pheasant! What MU were you in? And nice shootin'! Some tasty lookin birds there.

[pnbrock]

wife and i are booked for oct,last year had a blast with Linda and company.

[Steeleco]

Lots of dinners there, good shootin.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/Bird_Hunt_007.JPG
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showfull.php?photo=24680

[Kelster]

I've ALWAYS wanted to hunt pheasant! What MU were you in? And nice shootin'! Some tasty lookin birds there.

Hey Ghillie,
Check-out: http://www.somedayretrievers.com/hunting.php and give Linda a call. These are not wild pheasant, but farm raised fowl. The thrill is the same.

KB

[Long bow]

[QUOTE=Kelster;980013]Hey Ghillie,
Check-out: http://www.somedayretrievers.com/hunting.php and give Linda a call. These are not wild pheasant, but farm raised fowl. The thrill is the same.

Uhm...I dont want to be a dink...but if these are your thoughts..then you've never hunted wild birds....yes farm birds are great, and it hunting, and there is a thrill..not in the same ball park as wild birds..my 2 cents

[Livewire322]

way to expensive if i cant have my dog in the house

[pnbrock]

long bow if you got hot spot for wild pheasant im all ears!!

[Long bow]

hahahaha yup..I'll bet Full points bud...good one. I was fortunate to hunt wild birds in Germany and France while posted to Germany in the Military...I could babble on for hours..from poited out birds in the suger beet fields..to the explosion of hundreds of wild birds on a "kettle" drive. Thats where the hunters and drivers, or beaters form a circle of maybe a couple klicks around. In the centre, and the ultimate goal is usually a small, couple acres of cover and bush...Wild pheasants run like the wind if they can get away with it..so..as the circle tightens and gets smaller, hundreds of birds go to the centre. A few 100 yards out, the hunt master gives the signal by hunting horn to stop...and then the signal for no more shooting into the circle..then..the tally ho for the drives to go in..You can only shoot what flys out. Suddenly they start to come out..by the hundreds..and throw in some huns...a fox or two...now thats a hunt. The last one I was on had approx 60 guns and 30 beaters....ran out of ammo..lol

[Foxton Gundogs]

[QUOTE=Kelster;980013]Hey Ghillie,
Check-out: http://www.somedayretrievers.com/hunting.php and give Linda a call. These are not wild pheasant, but farm raised fowl. The thrill is the same.

Uhm...I dont want to be a dink...but if these are your thoughts..then you've never hunted wild birds....yes farm birds are great, and it hunting, and there is a thrill..not in the same ball park as wild birds..my 2 cents

X2 Noting like wild birds for sure, 1 man, 1 dog and big hard flushing, free fliers in their natural habitat LOVE IT!!

[Kelster]

hahahaha yup..I'll bet Full points bud...good one. I was fortunate to hunt wild birds in Germany and France while posted to Germany in the Military...I could babble on for hours..from poited out birds in the suger beet fields..to the explosion of hundreds of wild birds on a "kettle" drive. Thats where the hunters and drivers, or beaters form a circle of maybe a couple klicks around. In the centre, and the ultimate goal is usually a small, couple acres of cover and bush...Wild pheasants run like the wind if they can get away with it..so..as the circle tightens and gets smaller, hundreds of birds go to the centre. A few 100 yards out, the hunt master gives the signal by hunting horn to stop...and then the signal for no more shooting into the circle..then..the tally ho for the drives to go in..You can only shoot what flys out. Suddenly they start to come out..by the hundreds..and throw in some huns...a fox or two...now thats a hunt. The last one I was on had approx 60 guns and 30 beaters....ran out of ammo..lol

I don't think you're a dink. I have never hunted wild pheasant, so I'll have to take your word for it that it's so much more gratifying to shoot birds who have been driven toward you by beaters. back in the day. I can't afford beaters and a hunt master so I guess I'll have to take what I can get.

[Long bow]

I don't think you're a dink. I have never hunted wild pheasant, so I'll have to take your word for it that it's so much more gratifying to shoot birds who have been driven toward you by beaters. back in the day. I can't afford beaters and a hunt master so I guess I'll have to take what I can get.

See..you took it wrong..and thats what I didnt want...you made a statement that it is as good as shooting wild birds..but you've never hunted wild birds..So, you had a great hunt..lots of dog work, lots of shooting, and had great time. I didnt want to take anything from that.Ive wanted to take my son on a hunt like you had just so he could get an idea what its like shooting over a dog. While I hunted in Europe, I was an invited guest, like every body else there..I was fortunate..right place at the right time.4 years of great hunting.Didnt cost a dime, except for beer, drinks and great food..

[Foxton Gundogs]

I don't think you're a dink. I have never hunted wild pheasant, so I'll have to take your word for it that it's so much more gratifying to shoot birds who have been driven toward you by beaters. back in the day. I can't afford beaters and a hunt master so I guess I'll have to take what I can get.

For my personal preferance I would much rather shoot pen raised birds over my dogs in a canned hunt than do an Old Country estate shoot(driven) on wild birds. That being said there is no compairing them to wild birds over those same dogs, just my opinion. Give your pup a year do your reserch and scouting and your time will come. Lotsa wild birds within a couple of hours of you.
Enjoy and have fun

[FirePower]

I have been on many driven hunts back in the UK, and I really don't find them as exhilerating as shooting over my dog. To be sure there is a huge differance between pen raised and wild birds in their canniness, streingth of flush and flight and even taste, However I also would rather shoot pen raised birds over my dog than a driven shoot.

[Long bow]

I have been on many driven hunts back in the UK, and I really don't find them as exhilerating as shooting over my dog. To be sure there is a huge differance between pen raised and wild birds in their canniness, streingth of flush and flight and even taste, However I also would rather shoot pen raised birds over my dog than a driven shoot.

Firepower...couldnt agree more...but we are now comparing two different methods of hunting wild pheasants..over dogs, or a driven shoot. The reason I climbed on to the thread was that the op claimed..shooting released birds, was as good as wild birds over dogs..So, lets forget driven hunts for a moment and concentrate on dogs alone...There is no way you can compare wild pheasants to farmed, released the day before birds, and agreed, for all the reasons you mentioned also. If wild birds hear you talk at the end of a ditch, or cover..they run for the hills...to be successful on our wild Okanogan birds around Vernon..with dogs..you need to plan your hunt..check the terrain and put blockers out, or the will simply try to run away without ever flushing..A little slip and someone slams a truck door, or yells at a dog...and they are gone....Farmed birds tend to sit tight...in fact the last hunt I was on, the dogs grabbed birds that were trying to hide..they wont catch a wild bird unless he's been hit. I didnt offer my thoughts to say anything against canned hunts ,,,in fact the opposit is true..they have their place and are a blast....just wanted to say the birds are different..

[britman101]

Yes wild birds for the most part are harder and more challenging to hunt. However, with pheasants there are exceptions to the rule. There is a reason why some folks only hunt pheasants during the first couple of weeks of opening day. First year pheasants can be just as easy to shoot as any bird at a canned hunt. However, once the first week slaughter has passed that is where hunting wild birds can become a whole different matter.

[Foxton Gundogs]

Firepower...couldnt agree more...but we are now comparing two different methods of hunting wild pheasants..over dogs, or a driven shoot. The reason I climbed on to the thread was that the op claimed..shooting released birds, was as good as wild birds over dogs..So, lets forget driven hunts for a moment and concentrate on dogs alone...There is no way you can compare wild pheasants to farmed, released the day before birds, and agreed, for all the reasons you mentioned also. If wild birds hear you talk at the end of a ditch, or cover..they run for the hills...to be successful on our wild Okanogan birds around Vernon..with dogs..you need to plan your hunt..check the terrain and put blockers out, or the will simply try to run away without ever flushing..A little slip and someone slams a truck door, or yells at a dog...and they are gone....Farmed birds tend to sit tight...in fact the last hunt I was on, the dogs grabbed birds that were trying to hide..they wont catch a wild bird unless he's been hit. I didnt offer my thoughts to say anything against canned hunts ,,,in fact the opposit is true..they have their place and are a blast....just wanted to say the birds are different..

Well put and I for 1 agree.

[Foxton Gundogs]

Yes wild birds for the most part are harder and more challenging to hunt. However, with pheasants there are exceptions to the rule. There is a reason why some folks only hunt pheasants during the first couple of weeks of opening day. First year pheasants can be just as easy to shoot as any bird at a canned hunt. However, once the first week slaughter has passed that is where hunting wild birds can become a whole different matter.
Again I agree to some extent hereas well but that being said dispite the fact 1st year birds are less willey than an old long tail rooster, they IMO are still stronger fliers and flush harder than pen birds as FirePower sugested.