Indispensable skills

[Scott Linden]

Shooting straight ... check. Bird-finding savvy ... got it. But how about those woods-wise, outdoorsy skills that make a hunt more effective or enjoyable. Or that could save your life. What skills should a bird hunter have? Example: finding your way back to the truck WITHOUT a GPS. What do you think are must-have skills?

[Ron R]

What skills should a bird hunter have?

The ability to find good hunting spots, private and public.

[Hookadooka BirdDogs]

Try to hunt with a buddy if possible. Even if with a buddy, act as if you are alone, mentally noting landmarks, stream flow, rock outcroppings, etc. I carry a pin on compass on the inside of my vest and a military style compass in a vest pocket. I personally never use a gps. Compasses don't need charging, but can get broke (reason for carrying two).
I also carry a knee wrap & a ankle wrap because of past injuries in the hill country. While hunting alone, I wrenched my knee about a mile from my truck and cut a tree limb for a crutch.
I also carry a bird knife with a gut hook, plus a larger knife for a backup, also a leatherman. First aid kit for me and the dog, plus a sammich and water is a must.

[nikegundog]

Young legs, mosquito spray and top shelf booze to end the hunt covers about 99%.

[codym]

I think the biggest skill a hunter should have is safe responsible handling of a firearm. Seen a couple of people that need to refresh this skill.

[birddogger]

Young legs

If I remember correctly, There was a time when I had those.

Charlie

[the_possum]

being able to rapidly identify a suitable toilet paper surrogate.

[Hookadooka BirdDogs]

Possum,

Those are known locally as *hi% tickets.

Tom

[cstokes/southeast,ks]

I think the biggest skill a hunter should have is safe responsible handling of a firearm. Seen a couple of people that need to refresh this skill.

+1

[deke]

Possum,

That is why you never empty reciets out of your wallet, and always wear two pairs of socks.

[bumper52]

What skills should a bird hunter have?

The ability to find good hunting spots, private and public.

And when you get my age, the ability to remember where they are so you can hunt them again!!!!

[desullivan]

Unless you can navigate extremely well AND yoi are familiar with location you are hunting, no excuse not to have a GPS these days given the price for handhelds woth maps. Water and little food as well. Leave a note on car and let someone know area you are hunting and expected return. Call same when get back. If no call from you leave instructions what to do.

[SuperCracker]

Leave a note on car and let someone know area you are hunting and expected return.

leave that note on your car around here and you're just telling the illegals roughly how long they have to ransack your car before you come back.

[Stilly Bay]

the ability to recognize when panic sets in, and to know how to shut it off during a crisis.

[TRoberts]

Always keep mentally alert and keep track of where you are..... Make sure your batteries are charged in your GPS! Scott, why would anyone hunt a new area without a GPS? Chasing Chukarsin new hills without a GPS...LOL!

PS Really enjoy your show...

[SetterNut]

I would say one that is overlooked is the ability to pick out a superior dog / pup. It just makes everything so much easier down the road.

[crazyboy]

Pay attention to where you are, I'm usually too busy watching the dog and then ask myself where the heck I've wondered off to.

[Max2]

Always keep mentally alert and keep track of where you are..... Make sure your batteries are charged in your GPS! Scott, why would anyone hunt a new area without a GPS? Chasing Chukarsin new hills without a GPS...LOL!

PS Really enjoy your show...

I was glad someone else uses a GPS ! I was starting to feel like I was the only person. Two years ago I purchased a Bushnell backtrack & have not wondered where I left the truck once since ! I also carry a compass.

[wills1235]

Interesting, I was out hunting mushrooms today. I am often likely to go 12 miles from the truck in familiar territory hunting birds in the fall. 250 Yards from the truck today I realized I hadn't gone through any of my rituals and didn't know which way the truck was. I guess practice paid off and, trusting my instincts I walked straight back to the truck (in a thunderstorm). It was a fairly lenient reminder that you need to carry two compasses and take a reading before you get out of pissing distance of the truck.

[zzweims]

the ability to recognize when panic sets in, and to know how to shut it off during a crisis.

This one gets my vote. I was a SAR tracker for many years. Calm, un-panicked people tend to follow a logical route--or even better, they just sit tight as soon as they realize that they are lost. Those who panic tend to wander madly, making it much more difficult to find them. The only thing I would add would be basic survival skills. You can go quite some time without water, and longer without food, but you might not last the night unless you know how to protect yourself from the elements.

BTW, I teach my dogs the 'truck' command. If I can't find my way back, odds are they will.

Aline Curran

[Ron R]

BTW, I teach my dogs the 'truck' command. If I can't find my way back, odds are they will.

If that is true...I am very impressed.

[tommyboy72]

Basic field craft is helpful. Know where your target animal is watering, what they are eating, what time of the day they are eating and watering, know that certain plants can hydrate you and give back nutrients you spend hunting and walking, know that certain other plants are effective medicinally and as an insect deterrent, knowing how to start a fire from nothing is helpful as well as carrying the tools necessary to do so, basic tracking skills and identification of scat is also helpful in locating your target bird.

As an example, know local water holes and food sources and in desert and semi arid regions know what time of day they are watering because in these areas especially in the winter water holes may freeze over until 9 or 10 am when the sun thaws them. I know that quail in my area usually water sometime between 8 and 10 am in the winter depending on if water sources are frozen or not. I know the quail where I hunt usually water at overflowing stock tanks that the ranch manager allows to overflow to create small ponds and watering holes for deer and quail and that there is really no other water source in the areas I hunt. I also know the quail enjoy thistle seeds, seeds from native grasses, fruits from prickly pear cactus and sand plums and where to look for these plants, and they will also move on to corn fields in the early morning and fill their bellies before coming to water. I can differentiate between quail and pheasant tracks and scat as well as identify whether coyotes or bobcats have been in the area and whether or not the tracks are from that day or not depending on how much dirt and dust is blown back into or over the tracks. I can generally tell where the quail will be bedded during the middle of the day. Know that wild fruits like prickly pear fruits and sand plums can rehydrate you and are tasty while out in the spring running dogs. Know that plants like prickly pear pads, mesquite, wild mustard, wild onions are helpful as antiseptics if prepared correctly and some are used in home remedies for cold, cough, and asthma. Wild onion can also be put on the skin as an insect deterrent. If you plan to venture far from your vehicle in strange territory you might want to carry a blast match and a small amount of tinder or cotton balls soaked in alcohol or vaseline to use as tinder in case you get lost or injured that way at least you can start a fire to get warm or signal someone for help. Knowing how to locate direction by the sun even on a cloudy day is helpful in case you get lost. Knowing when to rest and how long to rest to avoid heat stress or when to keep moving to avoid hypothermia is helpful.

[Munster]

This is very good stuff, especially for the rookies out there.

Lat year was my first, non preserve hunting season. We went to places in Nebraska and SD that you could stand and look around and see nothing for miles around you. I am not afraid to admit that for me it was very scary at first. I would just take a line and walk it for 2 hours, take a break and take that line back. But, if you werent paying attention, or became fatigued or injured it could be rally bad.
I had no compass or GPS(Not smart) But I did have supplies in a pack. Water, food, small first aid kit etc.

Something else i would mention is know who you are hunting with and if they have any medical conditions. I was hunting with a group of friends. The kind of friends that you mostly know from being in club. We didnt pal around a lot. I am a diabetic and always have my phone with me and some kind of sugar tablets ( because in certain situations you can crash pretty fast or without a lot of warning). The folks that I hunetd with in Nebraska didnt know this about me and I wasnt willing to share(didnt want to be the person that whines about illness) Not one of those people carries a phone with the when they hunt and I can understand why. But I realize my mistake in not telling my partners about my condition and insisting that they carry a phone(Because we didnt hunt as a group, but all took different lines). So, let people know and ask those that you hut with about anything like that you should know about.

[USMC]

No matter the age! One must be in shape!!!!