In the cattails???

[Guest]

I have had good luck walking the sloughs that seperate corn feilds espcially sloughs that hold a little water. Usally there are cattails around your water hole, most of them tipped over makeing thick cover, and the birds hold in the cover.

We have a few spots with thick brush surrounded by tall weeds like cattails good cover from the wind.

I also aways try any long grass next to a corn feild.
This is what I have been looking for and finding a good number of birds each outing.

Good Luck

http://www.geocities.com/wish_i_was_fishing2002

[metrojoe]

I’ll admit I know next to nothing about Pheasant hunting, but when I read the reports about finding them in the cattails, I really became confused.

I went out three time this year. I only saw 5 birds and I only got a shot at one of them.

What type of terrain should I really be concentrating my efforts on?
I don’t mind putting the time in the field but I’m getting a little discouraged.

[This message has been edited by metrojoe (edited 12-09-2002).]

[greenman]

Late season I've found birds only in cattails and the swamp grass surrounding them. If there is a corn field or other grain source near there check these areas.
A dog will be of great help if you have one as the birds will hold really tight. I've stepped on a few before they flushed. My dog was walking behind me because she was tired of busting such heavy cover. I think a flushing dog is better than a pointer in really dense cover. I have a pointer and my hunting buddy has a flusher. So if there are birds out there the dogs find them.

[Guest]

I don't suppose the plowed under corn field counts as a food source does it? I hunted all day last weekend and only managed to get up one hen, then I hit the edge of a wma with a about 20 corn stalks still in and I bet 10 birds got up at once, and they were all hens.

[Guest]

Where theres corn or beens around or there used to be there are birds around, at least from what I have seen.

The past few weeks you can tell the birds have been hunted, they jump early. We usally kick up 2 - 3 birds a slough, and end up pushing them into the thickits or weeds.
I can tell from hunting with a pointer that the birds are running in front of us, the dogs point then slowly crawl ahead.
Giving us a chance to get close enough to the birds before they get up. The birds have been bunching together and busting at once.
With a flushing dog we probably wouldnt get close enough for a good shot.

My dog is my main reason for success!
Good Luck

http://www.geocities.com/wish_i_was_fishing2002

[CodyDawg]

metrojoe, do you have a dog? there really are two different answers depending on whether you have a dog or not. if so, hunt any cover around food this time of year. if not, hunt small stuff others wont hunt. stip cover works well without a dog.

[Mille Lacs Guy]

I don't buy it that a pointing dog gives you a better shot at getting closer to running birds. I have hunted behind many flushing and pointing dogs and my experience is if you want to get the bird and the bird is running you better get on it fast. The bird doesn't know what kind of dog you have. If they hear something coming they are going to run. I have hunted behing one too many pointers that is sitting on point or"creeping" up on old scent and at the same time all the birds are flushing ahead as they have ran out. At least if you have a flushing dog the dog will get on the trail and keep going until the birds are found.

I also attribute all my hunting success to my dog. A flusher, and I have shot over 35 birds so far this year.

[This message has been edited by Mille Lacs Guy (edited 12-13-2002).]

[metrojoe]

Thanks for the info guys.

CodyDawg,

I've got a dog. He's a young dog with not much bird time, but he really does well in the field. I've been hunting areas in and around bean and corn fields.(public land)

[Guest]

LOL

A flusher works for you well great glad to hear it!
I was just telling you how I get my birds not trying to tell you dont use a flusher!!
The reason we have been getting birds is because we are pushing the birds into the thinkits and they have been holding and all jumping at once... My pointer holds intil I get there then we jump them and shoot, 90% of our birds are ten yards away.
Of course there are birds that jump early we just watch were they land and go get them again.

I have hunted with labs since I was old enough, and have shot many of birds behind them.
But since I have been hunting behind a pointer my yearly ending total has more then doubled.
My OPINION is that I would use a pointer they dont run the birds down intil they fly they hold!
I would rather not run and gun chaseing my flushing dog and running birds...

35 birds glad to hear it good job.
http://www.geocities.com/wish_i_was_fishing2002

[This message has been edited by B Sander (edited 12-13-2002).]

[Guest]

Just was out today and since dec. 1 (in wcmn)all my birds have come from the cattails.Good hunting even on pressured ground because they will hold tight,but that also means an excellent dog is needed.If you get into some hens let the dog rework it even a couple times there will be some spured ones.I think the key is work high percentage spots named above slowly and quiet as possible.When the dog gets birdy stop and let it work at its pace
one day left but sounds like a good one good luck

[Dano2]

I certainly dont want to start an arguement here on flushing dogs and pointing, but I was thinking of getting a short hair,
number 1 becasue my lab wants a friend , heh, heh(she told me this)
number 2 I would like A pointing dog as well as a flusher.
BUT, after what I have just read, is there any advantage to this?
If I have a flusher already, and the pointer points, the flusher is going to go flush it right away anyway.

aaahhhhhh, I'll teach the lab to stay with me until I give her the Go ahead,
does this sound about right?
Any good books out there on working with this combo?

Another concern I have is my black lab doesn't seem to be catching on,
she is 14 months old, shes obedient and very energetic and loves to go out hunting.
I have had her out several times this year in ND, she has hunted with other dogs as well, she did chase down a wounded grouse for me and had a nice fight with it, and I have worked with her severral times with a dummy with wings and tail feathers attached,
I had it in the yard and when I let her out, her nose is to the ground until she finds it.
Had her at a hunting preserve once, she did o.k. there with the planted birds, but then again, a couple birds she walked right by them, if I didn't know were they were planted we wouldn't have walked by them again,
I did this hunt just for the dogs benefit.
The places we hunt usually hold birds and there should be pleanty of scent around, but she doesn't seem to want to get on it, shes more interested in looking for deer droppings and having a feast on that,

atleast she eats well when we are out hunting, ha ha!
Is she too young for me to be concerned?
Or is there something else I can do?
thanks.

P.S. nice to run into some fellow Minnesotans and talk about pheasant hunting.
I've been hanging around at the Nodak ND forum, all the times I have been to this forum, I didn't even notice this section.
Hopefully the Minnesota bird pop. will increase, nice to hear folks are seeing lots of hens, hope this winter is good to them,
maybe next season we will see an increase instead of decrease like this year.
Hope I can also find somewhere to go thats not 150+ miles away from Moorhead.
Anyone evr go way west over by the ND SD border?

thanks again,
Dano

[Guest]

Dano dont be to concerned yet sounds like my pup the first year out,got a few easy ones walked over quiet a few. Keep working with her with the wing and next year you should see some results. With my dog it was about midway through the second season it was like someone hit a switch and she was all business. Work smaller areas for short amount of times dont work to much unproductive ground make sure there are birds,to keep her interested. Was a very hard year for the dogs, to dry even my experienced one had to work slow birds were tight. The point of flusher vs pointer I am thinking of getting one of each, mines a flusher and would not trade her for the world. My only concern is losing the pointer in the cattails while on point. I do all my hunting in the Ortonville area had an outstanding year,with mild winter so far(keep fingers crossed)it should be good next as well. Last weekend of season seen more birds then the first and alot of big fat hens.

[mthunter]

Dano, Don't expect alot from your lab for the first couple seasons. labs are considered puppies until they are 2 years old. Just keep training and they will come around. I have two black labs and neither of them were very impressive the first two seasons. But the males season number three was just like walleye said "someone hit the switch and it was all business" and now I get to return all the ribbing I received from my hunting buddies with their older dogs. Just wait till next year when its the females third year out.

[Dano2]

Hey, thanks folks, that makes me feel much better and I know what you mean about friends being sarcastic, hope she will turn around too, then I can make them eat their words.

[Guest]

I took some ribbing the first year from my uncle with his 8 year old german sh pointer. But three times
this year knocked one down and took off running (wing shot)the last time I seen her she was at least half mile away could see her on the ridge nose to ground so my wife and I went to the truck and 20 minutes later she come back with it.Hit two another time one flew 1/4 mile we went after it found it on a corner of a grove thick cover how she got it i will never know, and the other flew half mile and I seen it go down hustling in that direction we got about 2/3 down there and the dog took off in the other direction almost back to the spot I shot it she caught up to it and brought it back to me all three were still alive which I would have never gotten.I could go on and on but you get my point. Could not get anymore proud of her, makes it all the more fun. And I know how good she is dont have to prove to anybody.
PROUD PARENT OF AN AWESOME DOG (but i am a little byas

[Labby]

Dont get to worried after two seasons. It is the third where they will really come around. I have a 3 year old lab that has really come into his own this year. I have shot over 50 birds this season by myself not including 25 or so other birds by hunting buddys. His first year he was only 9 months old so he was very sloppy last year he learned alot and this year I would consider him very good. I just cant wait till next year to see if the improvement continues. You are doing the right things as far as the game farms go. In the first two seasons my dog saw over 50 birds go down at game farms. There is no substitution for live birds.
By the way for those of you still hunting there are still alot of birds in Iowa. 3 of us hunted for 4 hours last weekend and got 5 with as many missed birds. Seems like they are flying faster and stronger now. Permission seems to be easier to get now also with most guys having hung it up for the year.

[Dano2]

thanks again, makes me feel much better,
I will be getting her to the preserve real soon again here, then I'll probably make it out hunting atleast 2-3 more times , wheather providing.
Have to make use of that ND license while I can, doesn't sound promising for next year.

[Walleye Guy]

The pointing vs. flushing debate can never be settled. Both have their virtues. I am lucky enough to own a black lab that points. I kind of have the best of both worlds; a big dog that can bust through thick cover and can lock up tight on point without any creeping. Pointing labs are not easy to find but there are breeders who specialize in this. I think they the way to go.

Just my $02.

[Bryce]

Any lab with good breeding can be taught to point. Maybe not your stylish, classic point but enough to freeze the bird for you. Looking for a lab on the sole basis that both of it's parents point will get you a dog that points. Probably health and mental problems as well. There is much more to breeding a dog than looking at one desirable trait. Unfortunately for the breed, there are many breeders out there the last few years that are breeding only for the pointing trait. There are also well bred pointing labs but make sure you do your homework before buying the first one you see advertised.

[Dano2]

hmmm, this is interesting,
I'll have to do more research
on this when I'm ready to get
another dog a few years from
now. what a perfewct dog,
a pointing lab, I wonder if
they have the other good traits
as a regular lab.
anyone that finds more info.
on these dogs, please post.
thanks