Thread: Game bird diary for all

Originally Posted by slk12

Didn't get anything last weekend when I went down to the Waikato. Hardly any ducks flying around lake Waikare, although a couple of swans landed outside my spread that I didn't notice until they touched down. I'm busy this weekend so that's the end of the mallard season for me, tally = 0 mallards, 1 parry. I took my dog out pheasant hunting for the first time ever, it was hard getting him to stay with me, he ended up running off and putting up two beauties out of my range the other day

Well - you have two choices on pheasants. Slow the dog down, or speed yourself up.
Sometimes I amaze myself with these little pearls of wisdom!!

Took Bo to a river catchment today looking for the elusive pheasant,we heard one crow but never saw it.We will be back!

Pheasant are a tough ask for a dog that’s never been on them. Try and get your dog to cross backwards and fords in front of you as you walk forward left right left right. No more that 10 yards. It take lots of practice to get them working like that.
Pays off. And is worth it. You nearly need someone else to shoot while you run the dog.
You and do it on a whistle. Had The Dude turning on 2 peeps.

Originally Posted by Lentil

Well - you have two choices on pheasants. Slow the dog down, or speed yourself up.
Sometimes I amaze myself with these little pearls of wisdom!!

I let the dog go find them then she waits there till I find her. I miss and she gives me the "wtf" look, then goes looking for another.

Originally Posted by Sideshow

Pheasant are a tough ask for a dog that’s never been on them. Try and get your dog to cross backwards and fords in front of you as you walk forward left right left right. No more that 10 yards. It take lots of practice to get them working like that.
Pays off. And is worth it. You nearly need someone else to shoot while you run the dog.
You and do it on a whistle. Had The Dude turning on 2 peeps.

If he goes past 10 yards you won’t have time to take a safe sporting shot when they flush. They get up quick and are out past 25 before you have sorted out what’s going on. Good fun when it’s done right. Did a couple of days field trails here shooting over trailing dogs. Interesting to take part in. (Very stop start day as there scoring the dogs, not something if you want to just shoot, but shows how it should be done).

Have a look at this. This dog actually has some of Dudes bloody in it Country ways. Mind the commentary lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkKjikwmNpk

A parry retrieve for Seans dog Ace.

Originally Posted by slk12

Didn't get anything last weekend when I went down to the Waikato. Hardly any ducks flying around lake Waikare, although a couple of swans landed outside my spread that I didn't notice until they touched down. I'm busy this weekend so that's the end of the mallard season for me, tally = 0 mallards, 1 parry. I took my dog out pheasant hunting for the first time ever, it was hard getting him to stay with me, he ended up running off and putting up two beauties out of my range the other day

Like has been said slow down the dog or walk faster. Unless its a pointing type dog, you are better with the walk faster idea, this works because it doesnt give the bird time to figure out what to do ( works good with no dog too) It puts the bird under pressure to fly, Flying is a last resort tool for a pheasant, as it burns up energy. Main tip birds run up hill and fly down hill.

This mornings good hunt.

Bo and I looking for a pheasant again,not many in our area but saw one last week while fishing and no gun.

Thor snoring by the fire after this mornings hunt. 1 parry in the fog and frost. Called to mobs of geese but the wind was nil and I had set the decoys for a strong NW which caused the birds to approach and land just out of practical shooting range. Frustrating but thats the way the cookie crumbles sometimes.

Woke up at 6am today....decided to head out for a shot. By the time I had loaded the boat grabbed some lunch and drove to the ramp it was 8.30am.
Cruised down the river to find the Kaipara was like glass. Figured out ( based on years of experience) where the birds were likely to be hanging out and by 9.15am had the dekes set and was sitting in the mangroves all camo'ed up.
First pair arrived short;y after, so I shot the drake and let the hen go......then decided I would only shoot drakes......It was difficult to pick some of the drakes out of the birds that came in as not many had their full colours yet but I ended up with a limit of 7 drakes and one hen.

For your viewing pleasure

Taken standing up looking out over the decoys



Same position sitting down behind the camo



The limit...You can see that some of the drakes have barely 'colored up'


Back at the ramp.....11.35


Shouldnt have bothered taking lunch as I was home by 1pm

Dont think I will head out tomorrow, season has been good, 4 days shooting 32 birds in the freezer.....I am content.
( unless I wake up early tomorrow of course)

Edit: Got back to the ramp and when I pulled the boat out and was tying it down etc, a Police car pulled into the parking area. ( It is a good place to check speeds from while staying out of sight)
When I removed the 1187 from the boat and checked it by removing it from its gun bag, the officer was about 20m away from me. Now, in view of the promise to make us safer re firearms, I expected him to at, at the minimum approach me and check my licence, firearm and ammunition and how I stored them in the vehicle etc. Nope, he watched me for about 10 mins while operating his radar/laser, then took off after a vehicle that ( in my estimation as an ex cop) was travelling about 5 to 8 k over the limit....

he looked you over..saw you were a good bugger and was happy to leave you alone....as it should be

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

he looked you over..saw you were a good bugger and was happy to leave you alone....as it should be

....

Thats what I figured.......However the cynical bit in the back of my brain thought that it would probably go into the statistics as another 'Police confronted by firearms' incident.......

took young poppy out yesterday..only her 3rd trip out for ducks..we came home with a hare 2 pukekos and 7 mallards..she looks like going to be really good if I dont cock it up...

Pheasant for me today, 1 shot fired. Not like yesterday 4 for no result.
Dog is awesome as usual.