[Guest]

I am going to start hunting again this year, and don't have my old high school buddy and his dogs to guide me to quail like I used to. Can somebody enlighten me to some strategies for this? Mainly how you prepare for a shot. When I went out this last Saturday, I kind of zig-zagged around and tried to stalk up on spots that looked like they might hold birds. Kinda of like bass fishing...I was walking around these grassy fields making sure I hit all the "cover" that might produce some birds. Is this ridiculuos or a reaonable approach to this. Also...I used to walk around with my gun over my shoulder, and when a dog pointed...I followed with shouldering my shotgun. So what now...scare the birds and watch where they land and THEN shoulder my gun and prepare for a shot?

 

[dks]

scaring birds might work if they are not wised up to hunters and behave like normal birds.
However once quail has been in 'action' you will need to step on them before they actually move.
Without a dog hunting quail is a problem.

You can employ two methods.

Either throw stones at everything so you might be able to scare some quail at a reasonable distance away from you so that you get a shot or create a racket by dragging a branch on the ground so as to sppok any nearby quail.

Both methods limit the use of your hands and have very limited success.

best bet is to get a dog.

 

[JROD]

I've actually never been hunting with a dog. I'm in college and still live at home and my parents won't let me get a dog, so I can't really do much about it.

The best advice I can give you is to hunt a small area. Don't go walk a big field by yourself or else the birds will just run.

I usually just do A LOT of driving and keep driving until I find a spot that looks good and then get out and walk it. When you drive also, if you pay close enough attention, you will even see them running around and then you can sneak up on them.

Another thing I recommend is hunting in a group. You can cover a lot more area and the birds will have less of a chance to run. You can also hunt a bigger spot. Good luck!

 

[NE M12]

I've hunted a lot in my life without a dog. It's different but it's not impossible, in fact it's a challenge because you have to figure out where the birds are, how you are going to approach them and how you'll get them to flush. You'll find weather playing even more of a roll in the hunt too.

First, as was already said make sure you are hunting a small area, too big and quail or pheasant (especially pheasant) will run in front of you. I like to work into the wind. Then walk slowly in a zig zag pattern through the cover. Don't be afraid to pause in your walk, I've had this actually flush the birds.

Another thing to remember, you don't have a dog to find a downed bird. Don't get greedy, if you hit one make sure you mark the location and don't get caught up in shooting as many as possible, you'll end up losing birds.

You can hunt without a dog and do it very sucessfully but you do have to develop a different set of tactics.

 

[Guest]

Dog=Birds

Good dog=many birds

No dog=few or no birds

Get a dog.

:wink:

 

[Guest]

Guest has it right! Get a dog. Without a dog, who are you going to blame if you don't get anything?!!!!!!! ':roll:'

 

[Quilomene]

.........

 

[Guest]

If you hunt in an area which has hedge rows through open to semi-overgrown fields, try walking these hedge rows alone or opposite a buddy. Space yourselves about 20-30 yards away from the hedge row and walk parallel to it. Pay close attention when you reach the end of or an intersecting hedge row. It is my experience that birds will only run as lng as tere is cover inwhich they feel secure...thn they will hole up and flush wen approached. Or, you could just get a dog. Good Luck.

 

[UltraMag]

Also...I used to walk around with my gun over my shoulder, and when a dog pointed...I followed with shouldering my shotgun. So what now...scare the birds and watch where they land and THEN shoulder my gun and prepare for a shot?

I learned quite a while ago, when upland hunting:
Always be ready for the flush !
You never know when it'll occur, and a lot of times it usually
occurs when least expected, especially with pheasant.
I never walk with the gun on my shoulder anymore, i know it's more comfortable on long walks, but your better off always acting as if that next bird could get up with your next footstep.

 

[gbottger]

Ultra - You should talk to my buddy that used to think hunting behind a dog was the bomb. lol :lol: My GSP was rock hard about 15 yards ahead of him so my bud starts walking up toward him. He got about 7 yards away and a hen flushed up right behind his feet. It wouldn't have been a big deal other then that damn hunting coat his father bought him that was at least 4 sizes too big. The hen flushed and caught the back of the coat and up she went. Poor buddy was jumping around freaking out like he had some critter that crawled up to his jewels. Never saw a man get out of a coat so fast. roflamo

One note - That's exactly the reason we all say never click your safety off until you are ready for the shot.

 

[UltraMag]

Ultra - You should talk to my buddy The hen flushed and caught the back of the coat and up she went. Poor buddy was jumping around freaking out like he had some critter that crawled up to his jewels. Never saw a man get out of a coat so fast

That's hilarious! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Guest]

My dad always took me hunting with a dog while growing up, but he had one technique that let us know the general area where there were birds. Early in the morning right after sunrise, and I mean right after sunrise, he would park outside a likely looking area and do a bobwhite whistle. The different coveys would whistle back thinking that we were either a lost bird or new bird they could add to their numbers. He called this "Whistling On". Unless something spooked them prior to us getting there, they would be very close to where we heard them. I'm going through what you are now in a way. I grew up and joined the Army and all of Dad's good quail dogs died; not to mention the quail numbers and habitat went away. Now that the numbers are on the rise I want my dad to come out to my base and go hunting with me but I don't have a dog. I'm going to try the "Whistling On" and see how it works if I can't find a dog before season starts. Good luck
KC
SSG Harrell, US Army

 

[badshot]

I've hunted Pheasants, Grouse, and some Mt. Quail with out dogs, and have sucess. Not a lot of birds, but sucess. You usally have to walk alot for a few birds, I just enjoy being out there so it doesnt bother me. Also I try to hunt areas were I can hunt a mixed bag, for example were I hunted Pheasants, I could also get some shots on Ducks. Were I hunted Grouse there was Mt. Quail, Squirels, and Rabbits.

 

[cutEM05]

My dad and I used to have a dog we used for grouse. And since he has passed on, the grouse hunting is tough.

You can carry at port arms and just prepare as soon as you get in a birdy lookin spot.

Hoping and praying is advised.

Andy

 

[Guest]

I've quail hunted in Texas without a dog. We walked at port arms around the water tanks and did pretty well. If you do flush them don't try for a double, shoot one bird and watch him down. They're awfully hard to find even on bare ground. If you get greedy you'll never find them.

 

[Guest]

Just grain the dirt roads and edges of clear areas and then drive around slowly and patrol them. You will be amazed at the number of birds you will see. It's a standard here in south Texas and it works. Keeps you out of the rattlers too.