got my butt handed to me in Kansas

[luke0927]

Well I'm coming to the conclusion that I like hunting the piney woods of south GA for quail....This hunting waist high CRP and having pheasants flush up 50-75 yards out was just getting to me...if it wasn't that they were in what crops were left standing...I tried to hunt the wooded draws and edges since it was just me alone and I dont want to just flush birds I want my dogs to pen them down and handle them....well I didn't do to well...now i did fine some birds and found one nice covey in a timbered draw (I'll say they handled that flawlessly!).....Also had some birds bumped that should have been penned down....got some points in the CRP and edges but it was either a hen or the bird would fly before I could get to the dog....I got a little discourage but I enjoyed being able to get out....All i can say is if someone has a dog that will run that thick CRP and and pen those birds down in that without bumping them you go one heck of a dog! I think if the crops were cut i would have had better luck in the draws and a lot more of the edges where a pointing dog (at least mine) could have done better....

[Shadow]

what county did you hunt

[Ricky Ticky Shorthairs]

I'd say you did all right. For your dogs handling phes in that cover for the first time they did all right. It takes most dogs quite a while (2-3 years) to learn to handle phes well consistantly. Those birds are hard to handle. I'll bet that your dogs learned more than you think.

I've hunted phes 20+ years and I'm just as happy with good dog work on a hen just as much as a rooster. Keep goin' back, your dogs will just get better.

Doug

[luke0927]

Yep I'm not deterred I'll be back...my 14 moth old had a awesome back and held all the way to the shot on the covey my dog in my avatar pointed.....I could tell they were starting to put it together...would be nice to stay about 2 weeks but ive got young kids and a corporate job so just don't have the time now....It was a good time and I'll be back next year with all my lessons learned.

[topher40]

You also need to plan on coming after teh first of the year. Pheasants dont hold well AT ALL early in the year, its always to warm. Wait till the temp drops and we start getting some snowfall. Personally I dont chase pheasants till after Jan 1 and NEVER with a young dog. The birds and CRP are way to hard on them.

[lvrgsp]

You also need to plan on coming after teh first of the year. Pheasants dont hold well AT ALL early in the year, its always to warm. Wait till the temp drops and we start getting some snowfall. Personally I dont chase pheasants till after Jan 1 and NEVER with a young dog. The birds and CRP are way to hard on them.

Yep I'll not ever be back for the opener again.......had better luck last year late season.....and not as much ice and snow....

[luke0927]

I fiured later in the year might be better but was worried about the weather....what about ice bad snow just try and make those dates flexible and watch the weather before heading out.......When its late like that i guess the birds have to be in the cover cause all standing crops are gone.