Favorite Gamebird to Hunt

[JHumes]

Grouse: Sage, Spruce, Ruffed, Sharptail

Partridge: Grey, Chukar

Pheasant

Prairie Chickens

Quail: Scaled, Valley, Bobwhite, Gambel's, Mearn's



Feel free to write a reason why if wanted

[helpful_cub]

Chukar for revenge...

"They say you hunt chukar the first time for sport and for revenge every time after that."

[gsp3333]

Chukar for revenge...

"They say you hunt chukar the first time for sport and for revenge every time after that."

+1 for me.

[birddogger]

Bobwhite quail That is what is meant when somebody mentions bird hunting in my part of the country and State.

Charlie

[JHumes]

My favorite is ruffed grouse hunting, but hunting stocked bobwhite is fun too.But it's hard to get a good grouse dog.

[windswept]

Pheasant, pheasant and then pheasant.

[nikegundog]

On a good day I would say Pheasant, pheasant, pheasant, duck then goose. However if you ever get in a fantastic day of duck hunting, there is nothing like it. If you have to ask what is a fantastic duck hunt, you haven't been on one.

[Mountaineer]

Ruffed Grouse as my favorite gamebird to hunt.
Ruffed Grouse as my least favorite gamebird to kill.

Favorite has more to due with personal history, attached tradition and, preferred location than any particular gamebird, IMHO.

I have often wondered what I would choose if a pheasant was skulking in a U.P. alder tangle or if a ruffed grouse was found tight in a Kansas CRP field.

[gripper39]

Pheasants because they are so unpredictable but I do like to catch some quail in there as well.

[HuntinSconny]

Favorite to hunt is Phesants in South Dakota. It is just that fun!
Second is Woodcock in northern Wisconsin during their migration. Find the spot and you can go through a box of shells and know how you missed on every shot! What a blast.
The last is the ruffed grouse, I love hunting them but get so frustrated when they flush so far out in that brush. I get tired of hearing them flush and not seeing them.

[drake handler]

Pheasants, Ducks and,turkey.

[Onk]

Any with feather and don't taste like liver!

[ben33127]

Bobwhite Quail

[corwidg]

pheasant.

[Ahumphers91a]

Pheasant's in the rice fields!!! ALL DAY LONG! But love killing Chukar for making me go up the "bleep" mountains LOL

[displaced_texan]

Bobwhite Quail!

[Don Evanson]

Pheasant is my bird of choice,but one of the funnest hunts I was on was a Chuckar hunt where my 16month old female was kicking "bleep" pointing relocating stalking when she had too never mishandling a covey or a single double triple it was awsome for Two hours we worked this hill side forward then turn around and work it back. I don't no what i was doing wrong if i was apprehensive because my young dog and in amaze i shot 1 1/2 box's of shells and produced 3 birds 2 other friends did the same with 2 dogs out more then 20 points we ended with 10 birds..I always enjoy Vally Quail in the snow in the sage brush what a treat for dog and man..

[silentk]

turkeys.... nothing like fall turkey hunting with a good dog

i do hear alot of quail around the house though.....but theres prolly too many houses around to hunt them..

[Max2]

Woodcock 1st
& Grouse second ....... but both in the same sentance

[GWPtyler]

Oh, this opens up a can of worms for me...

My taste for what is my favorite bird to hunt has evolved as I've branched out and experienced new things. And what my hunting hunger years for changes with the season. Just as the calendar marks the opening for another bird, so too does my earnestness grow to hunt it.

I started out as a hardcore waterfowler. There still is something almost magical about a perfectly worked flock of ducks that sets well within gun range. My fall isn't complete without a few waterfowl outings. And when you live in North Dakota, you almost have to hunt ducks: otherwise it would be like living in Minnesota and not fishing. Unheard of!

But as I've come to appreciate game more, I am totally drawn to ruffed grouse. Everything about them beckons to me on a primal level: the habitat they exist, the way they flush, the total challenge involved in downing one. In fact, a ruff is the only bird that I hunt with pure enthusiasm, but still can't help but feel a bit sorry for it when I actually connect on one. That, and ruffed grouse hunting is in my blood. My father's side is from the Iron Range in Minnesota, and the trails I hunt to this day were hunted by generations before me. If possible, I know exactly how I will take my children out on their first hunt.

And yes, grouse are frustrating. They flush wildly, sometimes way off in the woods. Your chances of shooting one are slim at best. What other outdoor pursuit do you count success based on number of flushes more than birds in hand?

There's also the cyclical population change of the bird. In 10-year intervals, the birds go through peaks and plummets. Those down years only build an appreciation for the better times. And as long as habitat remains, you can bet that in autumns to come, the population will once again blossom into its full capacity.

Last fall was my first actually hunting ruffs with a dog. Remy may have only been a few months old at the time, but he created even a deeper respect for a bird I already adored. I can't wait to get him out on some ruffs this fall, especially now that he's a bit more trained.

As for pheasants, well...you can have 'em

[ymepointer]

Well, this is a tough on as I like all of them but I guess I would rank them this way
With pointers:
Ruffed Grouse
Huns
Chukar
Valley Quail/ Pheasants
Woodcock Mountain Quail

With out pointers:
Canada Geese
Mallards
Wood ducks
all other ducks!

[MO_GSP]

partial to quail its what i grew up on

[britspan]

greenheads

[Upland Point]

Gambel Quail, The preserve I hunt at backs state trust land usually will hunt 3 or 4 Chukar at the preserve, Allow the dogs to settle down a bit and get into a groove and then jump over to the state land and chase quail up and down the mountain for a couple of hours.

[Ryman Gun Dog]

JHumes,
We have Grouse dogs for a reason, Thunderking is what we hunt most, its Ruff Grouse for me.
Pine Creek