Other Hunting, are You Done.......

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TheMorningRise
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Other Hunting, are You Done.......

Post by TheMorningRise » Fri Jun 07, 2019 9:01 am

Not all of us were brought up with bird dogs or in the upland world. Many of us also, participate in other forms of hunting (i.e. bow hunting big game) and many of us also have other interests (fishing, golf, cars, etc.).

I guess I am curious, how many of you gave everything else up for your dogs and the upland game (be it Field Trials, NASTRA, Hunting, etc.)?

Myself.......

I was a die hard Bass fisherman and a serious and successful tournament angler. However, with the costs being what they are now (for boats, fuel, entry fees, etc.), that ship has sailed. I miss it. However, there is no way in my mind, with good consciousness, I can go out and purchase a new tournament rig at the prices they want now a days. Just not worth it to me. I also used to be a fishing guide and a very serious fly fisherman. I miss the fly fishing a lot and really need to get back to it a bit.

In addition to the angling, I love bow hunting and use to be a competitive shooter (3D, FITA, NFAA). I stepped away from the competitive side of things and I haven't bow hunted in the last 2 years. I am having a very big itch to get back into bow hunting and 3D shooting. Which, I probably will to some extent this season/year.

The above being said, there is something about running the dogs! Training. Fun. Hunting. I almost feel guilty when I am in a tree or on the water and the dogs are at home. I know to let those dogs be all they can be, there is a ton of time and effort that needs to go into them. Time and finances are limited for most of us. We must make choices. I have heard of others who have given up every other past time, just to dedicate themselves to their dogs. Anyone here one of these folks?

If one really wants to, between training, trails and hunting, you can run and shoot over your dogs just about year around!

Again, curious to hear your replies on this one.

Steve007
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Re: Other Hunting, are You Done.......

Post by Steve007 » Fri Jun 07, 2019 10:23 am

I am a (former) competitive horseman, with eight seasons in the hunt field (refers to foxhunting. Not competitive, but survivalist :wink: ) including a full season riding to hounds with the Rand Hunt in South Africa. Bird hunting and foxhunting/competition horsemanship cross over very strongly in terms of the weather. Can't do both, or at least not and be good at both. Sooo... I will say that my horsemanship was much admired in field trials. And, while many here may not believe it, dogs and bird hunting are cheaper.

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MGIII
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Re: Other Hunting, are You Done.......

Post by MGIII » Fri Jun 07, 2019 6:27 pm

I grew up big game hunting in NM. When I moved to AZ I stopped because I didn’t know where to go and didn’t understand the draw system. I started bass fishing and fly fishing for a while and loved it. When I got my first Brittany it all went out the window. I haven’t seriously fished in years and still haven’t gone big game hunting for myself in who knows how long. I am tempted to put in for big game but I talk myself out of it because it will cut into my upland hunting time. To me it’s all about the dogs and the birds now.
I can hunt deer and elk with my friends but I can’t hunt them with my best friends (my dogs).


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weimdogman
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Re: Other Hunting, are You Done.......

Post by weimdogman » Fri Jun 07, 2019 7:04 pm

I hunted whitetails 40 years ago. Shot 1 with the bow and 3 with the rifle. Started hunting pheasants with dogs and we kept finding dead deer-arrows sticking out -or guys in pickups on the road looking for their wounded deer. Helped 4 or 5 guys find their deer while we bird hunted. Wasnt legal then ,in S.D., to trail deer with a dog wether leashed or not. We just hunted a place and waved if we found their animal. That was enough deer hunting for me for a lifetime. My brother is a avid deer hunter who had me take his dog bird hunting!
I like to fish but prefer dogging it.
I do find time to play pool 8)

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Re: Other Hunting, are You Done.......

Post by Trekmoor » Sat Jun 08, 2019 6:01 am

I was and I still am a keen angler. I fly fished for trout and loved dry fly fishing on the rivers. I did a bit of competitive fly fishing on the lochs from a boat but wasn't often in among the prizes. I also did and still do a lot of sea fishing, mainly from the shore. I did win a few prizes when I entered sea fishing competitions but I always preferred to fish either on my own or with just one companion.

At that time in my life I was "into" Labrador retriever field work and tests and trials and had quite a few wins ….. but not nearly enough to please me ! Many of Britain's retriever trials are "walk-up" trials and I didn't have enough game on the land that I could shoot on to give my labs the practice they needed for walk-up trials. I could walk all day with a lab at heel on my ground and never even see a bird to shoot !

I bought a Brittany, my first ever pointing dog, mainly because I wanted her to hunt far and wide for any birds while my trial lab(s) walked to heel and waited to retrieve any birds the brit found. It worked very well , too well ! The brit was a really good one and she found and pointed pheasants, partridge, snipe and even grouse and blackgame on my land. I ended up being more interested in working her than in working the labs !

I ceased to enter lab trials and began to enter hunt-point-retrieve trials and the little brit did very well in them . That was 30 plus years back and she is still the only brit to have gained an award in our Hunt - Point - Retrieve Championships.


I am now physically unable to work or train a dog but I still enjoy blethering about them and I still do a little bit of fishing in places where it can be done within a few yards from my vehicle. I burnt the candle at both ends and thoroughly enjoyed doing it.


Bill T.

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powbass@gmail.com
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Re: Other Hunting, are You Done.......

Post by powbass@gmail.com » Sat Jun 08, 2019 8:22 am

have done every kind of fishing and hunting there is to do.I had to make a tough decision a few months ago. my GWP (5yrs) still hunting strong,but I
could't keep up. I took him to big dog show down in Indio Ca and had him chec certified as AKC stud. I then drove him back to the breeder in So Dk in Jan.The breeder wanted him back real bad.He now has sired a litter of 10 for the breeder Dream Seasions Wirehairs Ethan SoDk. toughest decision I have ever made. I got to old to hunt (89) and didn't want to see my GWP genes go by the wayside. planing on making a trip to SoDk near furture.
Sure is lonely without a dog

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powbass@gmail.com
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Re: Other Hunting, are You Done.......

Post by powbass@gmail.com » Sat Jun 08, 2019 8:30 am

Moved to Prescott Arizona two years ago.

porochi
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Re: Other Hunting, are You Done.......

Post by porochi » Sat Jun 08, 2019 9:29 am

I still deer hunt and fly fish though not as often as I'd like. But hunting with dogs is definitely my favorite outdoor activity. These days I take off a week ea. December to deer hunt (firearm) on family land and fly fish sporadically, maybe 3 or 4 times a year, luckily there's quality public land nearby here in Kansas where I can usually find quail, sometimes pheasant, so I regularly hit that with the dogs during upland season, deer and flyfishing means time off from work and traveling several hours (I'll never deer hunt public land during firearms season nor will I upland hunt there either - stay away!) So for me it's more convenient to upland hunt with the dogs. But I won't totally give up flyfishing and deer hunting,.both are too ingrained in my DNA to abandon.
Last edited by porochi on Sat Jun 08, 2019 9:32 am, edited 1 time in total.

Steve007
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Re: Other Hunting, are You Done.......

Post by Steve007 » Sat Jun 08, 2019 9:31 am

powbass@gmail.com wrote:
Sat Jun 08, 2019 8:22 am
I took him to big dog show down in Indio Ca and had him chec certified as AKC stud. Sure is lonely without a dog.
At the risk of being accused of "hijacking" the thread, what do you mean " chec certified as AKC stud"? Health clearances – hips, eyes. etc. – don't require driving anywhere. The CHIC (Canine Health Information Center) Program is sponsored by the OFA, not the AKC.

You ought to get another dog, presuming your health is good enough. Doesn't have to be a hunting dog. Obedience is a fine dog sport that doesn't require excellent physical condition to do, and can be done with any mentally stable dog. Try a spaniel if you're not up to handling a wirehair. Working lines not required. To a dog guy, fooling around with a good dog in any sport is fun.

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gonehuntin'
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Re: Other Hunting, are You Done.......

Post by gonehuntin' » Sat Jun 08, 2019 2:45 pm

You go through phases. At my age, I've through a bunch of them. First, I gave up hunting for retriever field trials. Then I gave up firelf trialing for archery. I then gave up archery for fly fishing. I now spend my time with a fly rod and bird dogs. I've been into dogs for 60 years and never been totally out of them.

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Sharon
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Re: Other Hunting, are You Done.......

Post by Sharon » Sat Jun 08, 2019 4:58 pm

Life moves on.
Spent almost 30 years breeding , training , hunting beagles with Dad. LOTS of rabbits back then.
Then when he died I gave up on dogs . ... and started fostering kids and working at the jail.
Was driving by a pointing breed field trial one day by accident and said , "Wow. I'd like to do that" Started out with GSPs and then switched to setters. Enjoyed trials/bird hunting for many years until I got Parkinson's disease. Not able to hoof the fields and valleys anymore and my setter was getting old so I faded away a bit. Then I started to rescue Jack Russells and came back to life again. :)
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CDN_Cocker
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Re: Other Hunting, are You Done.......

Post by CDN_Cocker » Sun Jun 09, 2019 2:35 pm

I love upland and waterfowl more than any other hunting but I will never give up deer, moose, bear and turkey hunting. Deer we use beagles so I still get my dog fix doing that it's just different. I love the sound of hounds on a frosty November morning.

Steve007
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Re: Other Hunting, are You Done.......

Post by Steve007 » Sun Jun 09, 2019 5:20 pm

CDN_Cocker wrote:
Sun Jun 09, 2019 2:35 pm
I love the sound of hounds on a frosty November morning.
I agree. But try some regular-sized hounds, and the horses blowing smoke through their nostrils on a frosty November morning.

Image

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DonF
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Re: Other Hunting, are You Done.......

Post by DonF » Mon Jun 10, 2019 8:12 am

Been a lot of years since I've been without a bird dog, lot! But I also used to hunt deer and elk a lot too Don't hunt a lot of big game any more, draw system really the pit's, most time's can't hunt close to home and I live in the middle of no where! Used to reload and shoot a lot to but lagging on that anymore too. Loved fishing and still do. In fact what I do most of anymore is crappie fishing, addicting! Don't get my dog's out as much as I should anymore and don't as as much anymore. These days I have to drive a long way to find game birds! Get expensive for a guy on a Social security check! Mostly my dog's get pigeons these days but think I'm gonna get in some day old chukar this year. Not really like hunting wild ones but they are a chukar and I can't get up the hills very well anymore! I'll have bird dog's till the day I die. Sis probably my last one. If I make it to 85, she'll be 12 yr old and I'll get to see my grandson graduate high school. I hope Sis goes the day before me. Then I can take care of her and won't have to worry about a hme for an old dog. Son loves dog's but his wife has no use for them!

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Re: Other Hunting, are You Done.......

Post by JONOV » Mon Jun 10, 2019 11:49 am

I still deer hunt but not as intently. The main goal is to shoot a deer or two for the freezer now.

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CDN_Cocker
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Re: Other Hunting, are You Done.......

Post by CDN_Cocker » Mon Jun 10, 2019 2:27 pm

Steve007 wrote:
Sun Jun 09, 2019 5:20 pm
CDN_Cocker wrote:
Sun Jun 09, 2019 2:35 pm
I love the sound of hounds on a frosty November morning.
I agree. But try some regular-sized hounds, and the horses blowing smoke through their nostrils on a frosty November morning.

Image
Lol for a period of time we had more and more walkers. Thankfully there's only 2 old boys left and we're back to mostly beagles. I don't like the big hounds on deer. They push them too far and too fast.

nevermind
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Re: Other Hunting, are You Done.......

Post by nevermind » Mon Jun 10, 2019 7:54 pm

Well... isn't it great we live in a country that offers so many venues and opportunities that we have to make a choice, if there is a conflict of time spent. I as a youth spent my time upland and waterfowl hunting, I didn't know that dogs were trained for hunting. We were both being educated while a field. Later on started big game hunting deer and elk, with rifle and moved on to bowhunting as I found it to be more of my liking.

Always did some fishing and got into fly fishing when I retired from work. Gave up big game hunting a few years ago, because of age and time needed for upland game hunting and fly fishing... only conflict now is I really enjoy October fly fishing … oh well Feb. through Sept. aren't bad.

Shellottome
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Re: Other Hunting, are You Done.......

Post by Shellottome » Fri Jun 14, 2019 4:09 pm

I hunt year round. At least two times a week. Bird season is an added bonus. Some question using versatile dogs on anything other than feather. Puzzling.


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