My Fall Conundrum.......

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TheMorningRise
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My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by TheMorningRise » Tue Oct 08, 2019 7:52 am

With the changing of the leaves and our first morning in the 30's, my Fall conundrum begins.

Now, I understand the type of forum we have here and I expect some bias as it pertains to the question that I am about to ask. However, I am simply looking to hear what others views are on this dilemma.

For those who do both, where would you rather spend the majority of your Fall.......
- 1.) In the Deer woods with a bow.
- 2.) In the fields chasing upland birds with your dog/s.

I enjoy both and I am just completely torn. I will add, that while not the same as wild, I have the option of extending my bird hunting into early April at several clubs in the area.

I LOVE watching a good dog work and I enjoy the overall casualness of upland hunting. I also enjoy the higher success rate and the table fair. There is simply more action in the upland fields. However, I also enjoy sitting in a tree, bow in hand. I enjoy venison and no flush (at least up to this point) has ever made my heart race, nor has it given me the emotional roller coaster that harvesting a nice buck with the bow does. Yet, during those slow or difficult times in the deer woods, I can't help but to feel guilty that the dogs are at home, while I am in a tree.

Such a fun time of the year. It is simply too short!

mnaj_springer
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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by mnaj_springer » Tue Oct 08, 2019 1:04 pm

I'm a little different that you Rise!

This would be no conundrum for me as I hate sitting and waiting. I get impatient. I've been known to get down my stand part way through the morning to stir up the action.

I much prefer to chase the dogs in the grouse woods or pheasant fields. I don't mind sitting in a duck blind but I don't sit long if nothing is happening.

Good luck to you!
“Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.”
― Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

averageguy
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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by averageguy » Tue Oct 08, 2019 5:04 pm

I am passionate about both.

Fortunately I am retired now living on whitetail/turkey farm with decent populations of bobwhites and pheasants around, some dove hunting, good waterfowl with 1.5 hours in all directions. I fit in quite a bit of both, picking my deer hunts based on prime weather to trigger deer movement and favorable wind direction for my stands. I will bow hunt whitetails hard the first two weeks of November during the rut ahead of the rifle season. And I get in some days in December/January keying on winter foods sources.

I hunt doves, teal and prairie grouse with my dog in September, early waterfowl in October, alot of whitetails in November and birds when I can fit it in, then a lot of pheasants and bobwhite through December and January, some years into February by traveling to Texas, and Geese in February and March. By hunting a versatile breed dog (GWPs for Me) I can give my dogs a great deal of work over more than half a year. We condition and train through the summer. Ran and passed a Retriever Hunt Test this past summer, NAVHDA UT prior to that.

I find bowhunting benefits a lot from picking the right conditions vs spending a great deal of time, as I think it is easy to educate deer each time you hunt.

My dog and I have hunted Doves, Teal, Ducks, Sharptails and Prairie Chickens in 4 states so far this season. I have bow hunted 3 evenings in comparison and had legal bucks and many antlerless deer within bow range each time, to give you a feel for how things can work.

Hunting my farm more often would not yield more deer sightings and I go for quality vs quantity in that area. My dog and I are hunting ducks tomorrow with a plan to bow hunt Thursday evening, then we are heading to Nevada for Chukars and Huns end of this week. End of October the pre-rut will start heating up and I get back in a stand some ...

And I get my dog involved in deer recoveries. Made this fellow Bowhunter real happy last season when he worked a 17 hour old track on a buck that would have otherwise been lost.

Image

Hope this might be of some benefit to you in how you can fit in some or alot of both as I certainly understand your desire to do so.
Last edited by averageguy on Wed Oct 09, 2019 5:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

TheMorningRise
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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by TheMorningRise » Tue Oct 08, 2019 6:53 pm

averageguy wrote:
Tue Oct 08, 2019 5:04 pm
I am passionate about both.

Fortunately I am retired now living on whitetail/turkey farm with decent populations of bobwhites and pheasants around, some dove hunting, good waterfowl with 1.5 hours in all directions. I fit in quite a bit of both, picking my deer hunts based on prime weather to trigger deer movement and favorable wind direction for my stands. I will bow hunt whitetails hard the first two weeks of November during the rut ahead of the rifle season. And I get in some days in December/January keying on winter foods sources.

I hunt doves, teal and prairie grouse with my dog in September, early waterfowl in October, alot of whitetails in November and birds when I can fit it in, then a lot of pheasants and bobwhite through December and January, some years into February by traveling to Texas, and Geese in February and March. By hunting a versatile breed dog (GWPs for Me) I can give my dogs a great deal of work over more than half a year. We condition and train through the summer. Ran and passed a Retriever Hunt Test this past summer, NAVHDA UT prior to that.

I find bowhunting benefits a lot from picking the right conditions vs spending a great deal of time, as I think it is easy to educate deer each time you hunt.

My dog and I have hunted Doves, Teal, Ducks, Sharptails and Prairie Chickens in 4 states so far this season. I have bow hunted 3 evenings in comparison and had legal bucks and many antlerless deer within bow range each time, to give you a feel for how things can work. I passed this picture of health 2.5 year old 8 point at 15 yards last Thursday. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8otHb1I1Ls

Hunting my farm more often would not yield more deer sightings and I go for quality vs quantity in that area. My dog and I are hunting ducks tomorrow with a plan to bow hunt Thursday evening, then we are heading to Nevada for Chukars and Huns end of this week. End of October the pre-rut will start heating up and I get back in a stand some ...

And I get my dog involved in deer recoveries. Made this fellow Bowhunter real happy last season when he worked a 17 hour old track on a buck that would have otherwise been lost.

Image

Hope this might be of some benefit to you in how you can fit in some or alot of both as I certainly understand your desire to do so.


Awesome!

Beautiful buck!

You must be in the Midwest. Mind sharing what state?

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Featherfinder
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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by Featherfinder » Wed Oct 09, 2019 4:49 pm

It's a no-brainer. I've hunted deer, moose, bear (gun and archery) etc. I would hunt birds over my dogs before ANY other type of hunting.

averageguy
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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by averageguy » Wed Oct 09, 2019 6:19 pm

I've hunted Whitetails, Mulies, Pronghorns, Moose, Elk, Gobblers, Mountain Lion, Bears, Bobcats, Coons, Coyotes, Rabbits, Squirrels ... And run Bird dogs for 40 years, Hounds before that. Trapped quite a bit. Love to Fish.

No Brainer is continuing to do it all. Especially for a guy who already posted he loves em both.

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Featherfinder
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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by Featherfinder » Wed Oct 09, 2019 7:15 pm

Specific to your post, deer versus birds, I'd pick birds hands down if it's an "either/or". I wish more folk were like Averageguy. That way there'd be less folk doing what I love most - my/our dawgs, a good friend and I. :wink:

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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by gonehuntin' » Wed Oct 09, 2019 9:00 pm

Was never a problem with me. I chased Musky until mid Oct. I chased big bucks from Halloween until Nov. 10th. All the rest of the time I bird hunted.

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CDN_Cocker
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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by CDN_Cocker » Thu Oct 10, 2019 7:14 am

I love deer hunting but only do it the 2 weeks of gun season in November. I would like to get a bow so I can go out more but I would still spend the majority of my time bird hunting. I've come to terms with the fact that when it comes down to it... I'm a bird hunter.

averageguy
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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by averageguy » Thu Oct 10, 2019 7:32 am

Featherfinder wrote:
Wed Oct 09, 2019 7:15 pm
Specific to your post, deer versus birds, I'd pick birds hands down if it's an "either/or". I wish more folk were like Averageguy. That way there'd be less folk doing what I love most - my/our dawgs, a good friend and I. :wink:
You might want to reread my post and be careful what you wish for. :wink:

I will bet money my dog and I hunt birds more days a season than you do. Made 4 states in September, will add a 5th next week. My dog has worked 6 species of wild upland birds in the last 2 weeks, if all goes as planned we will add at least 2 more next week very possibly more. Hunted waterfowl in 2 states in September as well, more to come. Hunted doves in 4 states in September. Was in a swamp all day yesterday where my dog had bird contacts with pheasants, woodcock and ducks.

I know folks who enjoy their dogs like I do, but no one enjoys or values their dogs more. As I explained pretty clearly, I work smart at all of it and get a huge variety of outdoor experiences year round.

TheMorningRise, you can do the same. Send me a PM if you like. Happy Hunting.

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Featherfinder
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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by Featherfinder » Tue Oct 15, 2019 12:16 pm

Averageguy, if you think you are going to make me jealous.....OK....so I am jealous!

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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by ckfowler » Tue Oct 15, 2019 4:13 pm

Big game morning and evening, birds from 10-4:00😀

averageguy
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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by averageguy » Sat Oct 19, 2019 7:46 am

Featherfinder wrote:
Tue Oct 15, 2019 12:16 pm
Averageguy, if you think you are going to make me jealous.....OK....so I am jealous!
Na, I was just encouraging TheMorningRise to reach for the stars and do all of it as much and as long as he can. I understand you live in Canada and having been in your country hunting several times, I know you are Blessed with God's creation and opportunity all around you. And from some of your other posts I know you travel around a good bit and get your share of varied experiences as well.

We are on the road now; Going to give the dog's feet (and mine) a needed rest today. Dog has had points and retrieves on Ruffed Grouse, Huns and Chukars over the last 3 days and pointed a fully plumaged giant magnificent cock Sage Grouse that I had to let fly as it is not legal game for a non-resident where we are hunting. Pointed two more Sage grouse with the same outcome a short while later. Watching my dog do excellent drawn out tracking, cautious point and relocate pursuits on coveys of running Huns and Chukars, some going over 200 yards, ending in intense points, flushes and retrieves has been a glorious experience.

It is a grand ride and I encourage all with interests to get as much of it as their circumstances allow. The limitation none us can solve for is we can only be in one place at a time.

Here is our current location and pursuits.

Image


For me, doing what I am Blessed to do was a life long goal that did not fall into my lap, but rather was something that I worked towards and accomplished over decades.

End of the month the Whitetail pre-rut will be kicking in and some strategic time in the field with a bow will yield intense close range shooting opportunities. Whether it will be a mature buck I want to take is an outcome that only time will tell, in the late season I will take some archery does to secure meat for myself and others, and manage the herd ...

TheMorningRise
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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by TheMorningRise » Sat Oct 19, 2019 2:28 pm

You’re living the life!

cjhills
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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by cjhills » Sat Oct 19, 2019 6:13 pm

One thing I have discovered is that as we get older we start to value life more. Killing everything I can is not very important to me any more. My kids, grand kids and great grand kids do most of the shooting now. I use a camera more than a gun..…..Cj

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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by averageguy » Sat Oct 19, 2019 6:25 pm

cjhills wrote:
Sat Oct 19, 2019 6:13 pm
One thing I have discovered is that as we get older we start to value life more. Killing everything I can is not very important to me any more. My kids, grand kids and great grand kids do most of the shooting now. I use a camera more than a gun..…..Cj
Yea if I was out to "kill everything" I don't think I would chose to be using archery equipment.

TheMorningRise
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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by TheMorningRise » Sat Oct 19, 2019 6:46 pm

averageguy wrote:
Sat Oct 19, 2019 6:25 pm
cjhills wrote:
Sat Oct 19, 2019 6:13 pm
One thing I have discovered is that as we get older we start to value life more. Killing everything I can is not very important to me any more. My kids, grand kids and great grand kids do most of the shooting now. I use a camera more than a gun..…..Cj
Yea if I was out to "kill everything" I don't think I would chose to be using archery equipment.

Haha

So true!

I bird hunt to watch the dogs.

I bow hunt, to challenge myself like no other hunt can do.

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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by cjhills » Sat Oct 19, 2019 7:30 pm

Not much of a challenge to shoot deer with an arrow from a modern bow. My 12 year old grand kids do it all the time. How many use a long bow or a recurve. A deer at fifty yards is nothing with a good bow. How about a spear that would be a challenge. Shooting birds with a arrow would be a challenge. maybe.
If you just go see the dogs work why shoot the birds.....Cj

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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by TheMorningRise » Sat Oct 19, 2019 8:11 pm

cjhills wrote:
Sat Oct 19, 2019 7:30 pm
Not much of a challenge to shoot deer with an arrow from a modern bow. My 12 year old grand kids do it all the time. How many use a long bow or a recurve. A deer at fifty yards is nothing with a good bow. How about a spear that would be a challenge. Shooting birds with a arrow would be a challenge. maybe.
If you just go see the dogs work why shoot the birds.....Cj


Are you being serious!?!?!

🤦🏼‍♂️

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Featherfinder
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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by Featherfinder » Sun Oct 20, 2019 6:31 am

Averageguy...I AM jealous! That is beautiful country! Keep those pics coming please?
Truth is, I too have tempered my trigger finger. For one, I seek out a certain type of experience - one that is very much diverse from my son's for example. Yesterday, he and a friend roughly his age asked if we could go for woodcock. His friend's father owns some wonderful woodcock bushes.
We went to one and I said, "You guys shoot. I just want to handle the dog(s)." 30 years ago, I would NOT have gone without my gun but it's....different.
We had to work for them in the nasty, thorny, dense understory. Moved 7-8, got 3! It was a glorious hunt!! Young Rita was a little ragged - sort of like off-roading in a Corvette. Zeus was spectacular but...he is going on 8 years old.
I'm still hoping to collect a nice eating doe behind the house here in November but if I don't.....it won't bother me. I did see a REALLY nice buck 2 years ago. Funny, but I couldn't take him. ??? The rumor is he's still around. My son is trying for him with his crossbow. He just got it last year as a display model and got a lesson. It came with 125 grain practice bolts - same as his blades. He had the monster walk up to 35 yards.....and missed! He was beside himself! He later discovered that they took out the 125 grain practice bolts (as stated on the package) but threw in 100 grain ones just to complete the set! He says he can still see that buck. :oops:
Inside, I hope that buck seeds more like him before my son gets another shot. I know that buck will not be so lucky next time....and that too is just fine.

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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by cjhills » Sun Oct 20, 2019 9:47 am

FF's post is what I am saying. This happens to most people when the get a little older. It was a surprise to me. I have been a hunter and guide most of my life. My old dogs had thousands of bird shot over them. All of my family are hunters and deer season is a huge deal. We shoot a lot of deer for meat and an a few trophies. We have tracked everybody's deer kills and weight for 40 years. I pretty much go hunting not shooting. I have accompanied countless kids, grandkids and great grandkids when they shot their first deer. Much more exciting than shooting one myself. Going through the book last year we found that I had not shot a deer for 10 years. My family worries about that. So I shot one. My first thought was "that deer did not want to die".
I hunt birds in all the Midwest states and Canada. I do not spend the money for licenses and travel to just watch the dogs work. I go with the intention of bringing back birds. I generally let somebody else shoot now.

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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by TheMorningRise » Sun Oct 20, 2019 2:07 pm

cjhills wrote:
Sun Oct 20, 2019 9:47 am
FF's post is what I am saying. This happens to most people when the get a little older. It was a surprise to me. I have been a hunter and guide most of my life. My old dogs had thousands of bird shot over them. All of my family are hunters and deer season is a huge deal. We shoot a lot of deer for meat and an a few trophies. We have tracked everybody's deer kills and weight for 40 years. I pretty much go hunting not shooting. I have accompanied countless kids, grandkids and great grandkids when they shot their first deer. Much more exciting than shooting one myself. Going through the book last year we found that I had not shot a deer for 10 years. My family worries about that. So I shot one. My first thought was "that deer did not want to die".
I hunt birds in all the Midwest states and Canada. I do not spend the money for licenses and travel to just watch the dogs work. I go with the intention of bringing back birds. I generally let somebody else shoot now.

I can relate.

Bird don’t want to die either when we take them.

But, I understand your thoughts as it is more difficult on me emotionally harvesting a deer than birds!

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Re: My Fall Conundrum.......

Post by averageguy » Sun Oct 20, 2019 6:01 pm

My last two archery bucks were taken out of ground blinds at 10 yards. Both clean and swift. I enjoy every aspect of it. The scouting leading to the setup location, setting the blind, cutting brush and using it to blend in the blind such that deer will not detect it at such an extremely close range, shooting my bow daily through the summer, tuning arrows and broadheads, the hunt itself and all that goes with that, and the healthy meals that follow. Both of those bucks were taken on the farm where I reside and so I was able to involve my dog in their recovery, which also added to my enjoyment as I build his skill set for those instances where I or someone else is at risk to loosing a deer without the canine assistance.

Not once in my life have I suggested someone who does not want to harvest an animal should none the less do so. I expect the same courtesy from my fellow hunters in return when I do choose to legally take game birds and big game.

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