Who's an Upland Birdhunter here?

[Spurshot]

M1,

I'm certainly envious. Living in the city is difficult for the side of me that wants to hunt. I've spent all of my adult life in the city and traveled to hunt. While I am not miserable in the city, I would prefer the country. I'm hoping the wife will consider retirement closer to plentiful hunting grounds where we can have some more pups and I can hunt daily. It may or may not happen.

 

I see you're a Gun Dog Forum member as well.

[Spurshot]

TH,

You guys get any rain to whip up some birds with?

[Texas Husker]

TH,

You guys get any rain to whip up some birds with?

In Texas, will be my first season out here. But rain in September is pretty rare at best the 2 years I've been here, so not looking promising. but, one can hope. early October has been promising for that though.

[M1Tanker]

M1,

I'm certainly envious. Living in the city is difficult for the side of me that wants to hunt. I've spent all of my adult life in the city and traveled to hunt. While I am not miserable in the city, I would prefer the country. I'm hoping the wife will consider retirement closer to plentiful hunting grounds where we can have some more pups and I can hunt daily. It may or may not happen.

 

I see you're a Gun Dog Forum member as well.

I grew up in Milwaukee and moved into the woods after the Army and college...best decision I ever made.

 

it has it's drawbacks. We have to drive 25 miles to get any decent shopping in Marquette, and 2 1/2 hours down to Green Bay...but the peace and quiet, and access to quality hunting/training, and quality outdoor opportunities for my boys is priceless.

 

Yes, same handle on GDF.

 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[patriot]

Sorry you hear you don't like black guns. All firearms have their purpose. My blacks are for competitive shooting. my doubles are for rabbits. I don't need a dog to hunt with, I'd rather flush 'em myself.

[Spurshot]

Sorry you hear you don't like black guns. All firearms have their purpose. My blacks are for competitive shooting. my doubles are for rabbits. I don't need a dog to hunt with, I'd rather flush 'em myself.

 

Didn't say I don't like them, nor that I don't own any. I said I had no interest in them. To me, a black gun is a tool. I did shoot competitive handgun decades ago. I respect the sports of competitive shooting regardless of the type of gun. I understand that to some, their black guns are their passion.

 

My interest in guns has always leaned toward hunting. I still have the 22 singleshot that I shot my first rabbit with in Montana in 1962 when I lived on a SAC base. My doubles are for my pleasure, whether to shoot some clays or hunt upland birds. I lost the taste for rabbit after having to live off them as a kid.

 

Like you, I shot many birds without a dog. Never owned a dog til I was 50. Didn't really have an affinity toward dogs. My wife had tried to get me to get a dog a few times, but I shut her down. But as I drifted away from horses as a recreation, I went back to hunting/shooting shotguns. That led me to hunting quail and other upland birds more and more. After a handful of years I realized a good hunting dog was a great asset. I spent 2 years trying to learn and decide on a dog. We have two dogs now. Best life choice I've made other than marrying my wife. But you're right, you don't need a dog to hunt with, especially a poorly trained one.

[Spurshot]

 

[Spurshot]

Well, the upland season has started in some places and about to start in a few days in most others. Anyone have plans?

[TexasDenali]

I hunt just about anything. But I have to say that hunting quail behind my pointers has always been my favorite. Down to one dog at the moment as bird numbers have been down for several years and it's too hard to start a new pup without a decent population of wild birds. I usually keep two pointers at a time. What line is your pointer out of? My current girl is line bred Honky Tonk Attitude.

[Spurshot]

I hunt just about anything. But I have to say that hunting quail behind my pointers has always been my favorite. Down to one dog at the moment as bird numbers have been down for several years and it's too hard to start a new pup without a decent population of wild birds. I usually keep two pointers at a time. What line is your pointer out of? My current girl is line bred Honky Tonk Attitude.

 

TD,

I got her from George Hickox a few years ago. She's come around (and I have come around) to hunting well. She's my first pointer. I had a Lab I hunted upland with for a few years, then got the bug after going to Hickox's classes and the Lab started showing her age. It was like jumping out of a VW into a F-1 race car. I could barely hang on. LOL. But we've settled down together and I hunt the Mearns in So AZ with her. No birds in Socal these days.

 

Here's her pedigree. 3 HOF dogs in her lineage. She has a hell of a nose. I was standing talking to a friend after some hunting (preserve) in dead calm. A light breeze picked up, she turned her nose up into the wind and took off in a straight line for over 100 yds and locked up. Nice rooster in there. I make a lot of mistakes with handling her, but I'm learning. At 58, I don't know if I'm going to get another dog, but maybe. We've set the limit at 2 at a time. Hickox used her in some Purina ads and I see her picture on occasion used for his columns.

 

She's in the middle pic of this http://www.filson.com/filson-life/2013/03/the-right-beginnings-with-george-hickox/

 

 

 

 

[TexasDenali]

 

TD,

I got her from George Hickox a few years ago. She's come around (and I have come around) to hunting well. She's my first pointer. I had a Lab I hunted upland with for a few years, then got the bug after going to Hickox's classes and the Lab started showing her age. It was like jumping out of a VW into a F-1 race car. I could barely hang on. LOL. But we've settled down together and I hunt the Mearns in So AZ with her. No birds in Socal these days.

 

Here's her pedigree. 3 HOF dogs in her lineage. She has a hell of a nose. I was standing talking to a friend after some hunting (preserve) in dead calm. A light breeze picked up, she turned her nose up into the wind and took off in a straight line for over 100 yds and locked up. Nice rooster in there. I make a lot of mistakes with handling her, but I'm learning. At 58, I don't know if I'm going to get another dog, but maybe. We've set the limit at 2 at a time. Hickox used her in some Purina ads and I see her picture on occasion used for his columns.

 

She's in the middle pic of this http://www.filson.com/filson-life/2013/03/the-right-beginnings-with-george-hickox/

 

 

 

 

Quite a pedigree....especially on the dam.

 

I know what you mean when you talk about keeping up. I made the switch from GSP's to EP's and it is certainly a different ball game. I think my next pup will be another GSP. I've loved my EP's but I want something not so.....hard headed. My GSP's were always more biddable. I just wish there were enough birds to make it an easy decision to get another pup under way. The last really good bird year we had was 2006/7. The bird population here runs in cycles and the last boom lasted longer than most and the current down swing has lasted longer as well. We went from over a decade of being able to get on 8 or more covey in a morning hunt to being lucky to get up 2 covey in a day. It's just hard to keep a young dog interested without the bird numbers. Hunting preserve quail is a decent alternative but my experience is that a dog that spends most of its time chasing preserve birds has a tough time transitioning to wild birds. They end up busting through those 2 covey we find a day. Basically, I'm just whining about no birds. If we had them then I'd already have another pup. Maybe next year.

[Spurshot]

I didn't know a clubfoot from a Snakefoot when I bought her. George asked if I recognized any of the names. I just gave him a dumb look. I'm sure he thought it was funny. I heard later that the sire was a 7 or 8 time national pheasant shooting dog champ. I never even heard of that competition. I did read where the sire had died around the time I got my dog. Sometimes I think it's such a waste having a high powered house dog that can sniff a bisquit from the other end of the house. But, it's all fun.

 

I have some friends in the panhandle. A few in Amarillo. They're all quail hunters. One has about 6 French Brits. Most of the guys I know are from the doublegunshop forum. They tell me there are some quail on their lease this year. Not great, but better'n last year or 3.