Birds flushing early (75+ yards)?

[Kraken]

Anyone outside the pheasant mecca of South western ND notice that pheasants and grouse are flushing early? If not, what does a guy do to prevent it? Just a small patch of orange on my vest and I have a new dog with me, but dog is closer to me than the birds popping up. Hens are holding super tight, but good luck with grouse and it's half and half with roosters holding tight or flushing way too early. Just walking knee to chest high plots land and hey look, there goes a bird or two 75-100+ yards away...not talking, no barking. Fyi, first time with a dog (flushing breed)

 

[cooter00]

Sound like birds that have been shot at before happens allot with pheasants

 

[KDM]

Try to walk slower. I've noticed that with the dry dry dry conditions, If a guy just slows down, you make much less ruckus in the brush. I also change into some clothing that doesn't go "swish swish swish" with every twig and blade of grass that rubs across it. Maybe it will help you out, maybe it's just an old guy ranting. Good Luck!!!

 

[Rustywaterdogs]

They seem to be holding pretty tight for me so far this season. I almost stepped on one this morning. I hunt with a GSP don't know if that makes a difference but it is also his first season.

 

[johnr]

Walk into the wind, helps with any noises /scent, also try zigzag very slow. Back and forth slow walk, gets the birds nervous and sometimes gets them to hold better. Use the wind it's more important than most anything else, and keep your dog sniffing the upwind. Good luck lots of birds in SD..

 

[Mort]

Its hit and miss, depending on what cover you are in, we had mix results sat. Did seem hens were sitting tighter than roosters, then again we had a dog that not perfect and would chase a running rooster for quite a bit before it got out a head waaayy out of shooting range, but thats a dog issue on our part ( Not my dog), but still some where getting up ahead, typical pheasant attitude.

 

[johnr]

We worked a tree row into the wind, dog did good for his first hunt of the season, and my almost ten year old boy busted one out of the sky in a 40 mile in your face wind. Sorry just a proud father bragging about his kid shooting a cock.
Best part was when we ate the birds tonight getting told "dad I put this meat on the table".

 

[guywhofishes]

Never a problem here. Poodles prance about in a jaunty fashion that absolutely mesmerizes pheasants - allowing for close flushes.

Let your poodle ride in the passenger seat on the way home from the hunt and cute ladies will giggle, wave and fawn over yer dog, asking for his name, if you are single, phone number, yadda.

poodles are the YETI of dogs

- - - Updated - - -

p.s. Please don't mention to galwhofishes that I let Royce ride up front. She forbade it last year.

 

[eyexer]

holding really tight for us. have to work very slowly and back and forth. especially in cat tails. Shot a pile of birds this weekend.

 

[BDub]

If there are grouse in the area it is likely that hunters have been hitting the area previously. They get smart quickly. Probably those sconies. :;:stirthepot

 

[Fracman]

Is there someone that is working their dogs in the area a lot of outstate dog guys come up here in the summer to work their trial dogs

 

[SDMF]

Don't slam the truck door. Whistle train your dog so that you can eliminate voice commands.

 

[Kickemup]

SDMF hit it on the head with the truck door. I've watched guys slam doors shut and seen a 100 birds leave the field right after.

 

[MarbleEyez]

Anyone outside the pheasant mecca of South western ND notice that pheasants and grouse are flushing early? If not, what does a guy do to prevent it? Just a small patch of orange on my vest and I have a new dog with me, but dog is closer to me than the birds popping up. Hens are holding super tight, but good luck with grouse and it's half and half with roosters holding tight or flushing way too early. Just walking knee to chest high plots land and hey look, there goes a bird or two 75-100+ yards away...not talking, no barking. Fyi, first time with a dog (flushing breed)

You answered your own question. WELCOME TO HUNTING PLOTS LAND! I walked a piece of plots property Saturday morning that I've been driving by on my daily commute to work and see birds. Was a large amount of acres on one side of the road. Truck was already parked there so we walked the other side of the road. Shot our limit, and by the time we went over the hill and turned around there was 3 new vehicles there, walking the SAME stuff that we had just got done walking. And they drove by twice watching us blast birds! The PLOTS land gets hammered and the birds become very spooky. We had 2 pointers and shot all our birds over the dogs. It was very comical that they were walking it again.

 

[WormWiggler]

 

[wildeyes]

mableeyez, you would be surpised how many birds are still in that field after you hunted it. I've shot many a bird out of walked stuff.

 

[SDMF]

SDMF hit it on the head with the truck door. I've watched guys slam doors shut and seen a 100 birds leave the field right after.

Voice commands to poochie are as bad if not worse than truck doors 'cause they continually let birds know where you are. Makes it tough to get them influenced into a pinch-point.

 

[eyexer]

the cat tails we walked yesterday you could have walked through it four times and not got all the birds out.

 

[MarbleEyez]

mableeyez, you would be surpised how many birds are still in that field after you hunted it. I've shot many a bird out of walked stuff.

It was a low drainage that was 25-30yds wide in a harvested wheat field. 2 guys and 2 dogs. There might have been birds that got pushed back in there later in the day, but not immediately after we got done walking it. But one of the people who were walking it right after us pulled up in a newer VW Bug.

 

[eyexer]

It was a low drainage that was 25-30yds wide in a harvested wheat field. 2 guys and 2 dogs. There might have been birds that got pushed back in there later in the day, but not immediately after we got done walking it. But one of the people who were walking it right after us pulled up in a newer VW Bug.

oh some lesbians. makes perfect sense now