Tactics???

[Da Biggin]

As I am trying to better my chances of rewarding my dog for his arduous labor I am inquiring as to whether or not there are some tactics I can employ to achieve this. I typically hunt with one other hunter and we usually run 2 dogs, A GSP and British Lab. Is there a time of day we should target or a methedology we should employ to increase our opportunites at downing roosters. Does wind play a factor for anything more than the dogs scenting well? Does hunting around a rectangular parcels then cutting the middle make a difference?

A lot of questions I know but in my pursuit at being a good sportsman I've learned that asking those with more knowledge than myself helps immensely. Any assistance is greatly appreciated... Plus this is one of the iron sharpens iron ideas. We all can learn a little something from one another.

Thanks in advance and happy hunting!

[muc33]

Great questions. I hunt with professionally trained labs and usually hunt with others who are in the same boat, but occasionally have a friend hunt with us who has a GSP. In general we always seem to approach it the same. Our labs generally stay close and we don't take shots over 30 yards. Our dogs stay fairly tight. That is just preference. We walk to always come to a "pinch" or complete flush point. Be it a fenceline, or end cut of switch grass ect. Always walk it completely out. Force the birds that may be running to a decision. One thing I seem to think about others not used to my hunting style is that they often rush the birds. If you have good quartering dogs that are working well and covering ground, LET THEM WORK. Too often people keep walking and pushing the dogs forward, therefore giving the birds the opportunity to get through or be missed in holding. Depending on the strength of the wind, we like to start and if possible end pushing into the wind.

The biggest thing I can say that I find new hunters or those who seem most frustrated, is to slow down, if you are in South Dakota, where birds are heavily pressured, and in large groups, you can see mass exits if you don't semi rush spots, but here, I feel it's best to go slow, let your dogs work, their nose is much much better than our instinct as to finding a small bird in tall grass! Good Luck and let us know how things are going.

I see I didn't address time or best production times of the day. Of course we like first shooting times, and then generally, most people call me whacky, but I generally only hunt the last 30-45 minutes of the day and only on property I know how long it takes me to push. Why? Well, I try to find a spot at sundown that allows me to get to the before mentioned "pinch" right about 5 minutes before shooting time ends. The birds generally come in from feeding fields to nest right before sundown. That proves time after time to be the "best".

[rundrave]

the nose knows! lol

Follow the dogs, and never 2nd guess their noses. Even if you you have to go backwards, around in a cirlce, sideways etc, if they are on a bird keep following. The general idea being work one end to the other, but in larger areas you might be successful making smaller passes but work an area back and fourth. Instead of making one big wide push, make smaller passes and go back and fourth.

Early season when crops are in, the birds are going to be in the crops. Yes you will occasionally find birds in grassy areas or other areas of cover. I didnt go out at noon this last weekend because I didnt want to hunt corn rows and knew that the land I was hunting wouldnt produce many birds unless I walked corn. I have pointers and although they can be affective in corn, its just a much more enjoyable hunt when I can let them work a large area of grass and actually see them work so I didnt go out until the last couple hours of daylight and worked areas next to corn.

I dont think there is a right or wrong answer. The more time your dog spends in the field on wild birds the better it will become in all scenarios, regardless of the time of day or area your hunting, wind etc. You want your dog used to working into the wind and with the wind at your back.

good luck

[CaptainMusky]

As mentioned by Rundrave, follow the dog. I think its good to have a general plan or idea of how to attack a field, but that should get thrown out the window when a dog gets on a scent. Pheasants have a much harder time seeing what you see from 6 feet up, so they often take the path of least resistance and that doesnt necessarily mean it will be the path you had planned on taking.

Time of day definitely makes a big difference in success. Arrive early and park with windows rolled down and keep an eye out for birds and listen for cackling. If you hear or see birds, try and head in those general directions first, if possible.

Early morning and late afternoon are always the best times for getting birds. Mid-day is tough.

Wind is a big deal too, obviously it helps in a pointing breed for scenting, but too much wind will keep birds tight and unwilling to fly. Always work into the wind if possible. The birds will hear you and try keeping all the yelling at the dog to a minimum. That sets the birds to run as well.

I like to start my hunt on edges of fields that were recently harvested. If there is corn in the area still standing, sometimes you can get them as they are headed to the corn in the morning, in the afternoon it could be a crow shoot if you sat near their feeding area and had them come flying in.

I actually had that happen once a rooster came in like he was decoyed, hilarious.

Good luck, trust the dog, no matter how young because they pick it up really quick, but getting on birds sooner rather than later definitely helps their confidence.

[pureinsanity]

As I am trying to better my chances of rewarding my dog for his arduous labor I am inquiring as to whether or not there are some tactics I can employ to achieve this. I typically hunt with one other hunter and we usually run 2 dogs, A GSP and British Lab. Is there a time of day we should target or a methedology we should employ to increase our opportunites at downing roosters. Does wind play a factor for anything more than the dogs scenting well? Does hunting around a rectangular parcels then cutting the middle make a difference?

A lot of questions I know but in my pursuit at being a good sportsman I've learned that asking those with more knowledge than myself helps immensely. Any assistance is greatly appreciated... Plus this is one of the iron sharpens iron ideas. We all can learn a little something from one another.

Thanks in advance and happy hunting!

Get em in the morning after they are done feeding, they play around in heavy cover resting. mid day you might find a couple lounging in a shelter belt or slough but most of them will be dinking around a food source. And at the end of the day focus on heavy cover and bedding areas, that is where they will be coming out of the fields to bed down.

Wind plays a huge factor in pheasant hunting. Its beneficial for the dogs obviously for scent. But the main thing is hearing. Pheasants will hear you from a mile away and start running. However if you work in the wind they have less time to hear you and escape.

What do you mean cutting the middle of a parcel???

the type of dogs can vary. I prefer labs just for the fact that they are trained to hunt close and they don't go far away thus eliminating the premature flush as most pointers will. again this is my preference and opinion. So pointer guys don't take offense. I am not anti pointers. I have hunted with pointers that have pointed a bird my flusher walked right by. But same goes vice versa minus the lab pointing. I typically do not like pointers because in my experience I have seen a pointer get on a trail and they RUN RUN RUN until they find that bird. in the mean time they are flushing birds 60-100 yards ahead of me because it is after that one bird. Maybe its bad training? maybe its just because that is how pointers work? I do not know how pointers are trained, and don't care to own a pointer for upland hunting.

To each their own. try different things and figure out what works best for you. Always work with the wind if you can. You will be more beneficial.

[Pinusbanksiana]

It is because you haven't see a good one. Some day you will and you will change your tune.

[harvey lee]

My English pointer would not run after birds. He did creep along the scent trail. Many breeds will chase birds whether they are pointers or flushers.

He would also work within 20-30 yards at the most from me.

As with all dogs, the training and breeding is key.

I agree with everything else Pure.

As far as working the dog in the field with wind, work the fiels into the wind as that is what the dog will want to smell the best. My dog always worked the wind no matter what I wanted. His noce was my best chance at finding birds.

[brittman]

Kinda hard to hunt into the wind all the time unless there is someone that stays in the truck and drives around to pick you up on the otherside.

My dogs tend to run out and hunt back to me when we are walking with wind at our backs.