‘25-‘26 Upland Bird Thread

[Jbotto]

Hey now… The orvis came from Costco, the tablecloth is a torn up cardboard box that has a few bullet holes, and it doubles as a plate to keep the tailgate seasoning (mud and blood) off of the food.

Huh, we might have the same model tablecloth!

 

[MNElkNut]

I was actually thinking that applied to @Ben Lamb . He probably uses a big red and white checkered bib too!

 

[TheGreek]

Been getting my a** kicked chasing dusky’s here in NW CO during November. Got skunked yesterday in a spot I’ve flushed birds earlier in the year and got skunked again today in a new spot. I don’t think I’ve killed a dusky since September and don’t think I’ve ever even flushed one in November.

 

[brymoore]

I had an armed puppy training session yesterday.

Dot hadn’t smelt a Chukar until yesterday. She bumped a few coveys to start. Cady started pointing coveys and Dot started getting an idea of what we were doing. She wasn’t busting pointed groups by circumstance but saw birds and chased. She was having fun.

Final covey Cady was pointing and Dot ran past Cady’s backside parallel to the birds. I was wondering if she could smell when the scent cone hit her. She spun into the bird direction for her first point. Beautiful sight seeing mother and daughter tail high on point. I should have taken a pic. Instead, I tried to walk in for a flush. Dot broke point twice moving forward until her last point was inches away from the birds. Birds busted after her last point maneuver.

By the end of the hunt we had 8 covey contacts and Dot was starting to get an idea of bird hunting. We were all tired walking up the ridge to the truck. We’ll try again on Saturday.

 

[brymoore]

My puppy training continues. I noticed Friday that Dot’s pads were torn. She was hiding the injury. I dug around my dog box and found boots for her. I can’t hunt next weekend. She needed the field experience.



I decided to hunt a C tier area instead of driving to my better areas. In retrospect, I should have driven the extra time to a better area. Where we went can be great or an armed walk. Yesterday was mostly an armed walk.

We had hiked a few birdless miles when I came to a direction decision point. Swing right towards a saddle and horseshoe towards the truck, go forward and walk a road three miles to the truck or cut below the ridge for a rough walk but it might be where the birds are hiding. As I contemplated my move, a hawk flew past my right shoulder and sat on a rock looking at me. I crept within 10 yards and recognized it as a Peregrine Falcon.

Falcon eventually flew away. I noticed Cady working the saddle and watched her do her camel walk with her head high to point. 614 yards away. Dot and I started our walk. . I knew from hunting the spot that coming up behind Cady wasn’t going to work. The birds would run and flush off a backside cliff. I decided to Napoleon the situation and circle above the birds and come down on them. Only problem was the birds held. I walked down towards Cady to see her on point and the Peregrine Falcon sitting on a fence wire in front of her. Interesting. Chukar flushed away downhill from me with no safe shot. I’d either hit my dog or the Falcon.
The Falcon decided he was part of my crew. The four of us worked the ridge back to the truck. The Falcon would fly ahead and sit on rock piles waiting for me. Dot eventually started to point the Falcon. Dot would hold point until I got close and then try to grab the Falcon. I’m glad she wasn’t successful. I’m not sure she would have won the fight. I suppose it was good training as she learned she couldn’t break point and catch birds, even if the bird was a falcon.

 

[Mica Man]

Decided to shoot purple shells on another good walk with a buddy today. Only roosters as the huns and quail we saw didn't offer any shot opportunities this time.

 

[shrapnel]

 

[Salmonchaser]

My puppy training continues. I noticed Friday that Dot’s pads were torn. She was hiding the injury. I dug around my dog box and found boots for her. I can’t hunt next weekend. She needed the field experience.

View attachment 392802

I decided to hunt a C tier area instead of driving to my better areas. In retrospect, I should have driven the extra time to a better area. Where we went can be great or an armed walk. Yesterday was mostly an armed walk.

We had hiked a few birdless miles when I came to a direction decision point. Swing right towards a saddle and horseshoe towards the truck, go forward and walk a road three miles to the truck or cut below the ridge for a rough walk but it might be where the birds are hiding. As I contemplated my move, a hawk flew past my right shoulder and sat on a rock looking at me. I crept within 10 yards and recognized it as a Peregrine Falcon.View attachment 392803

Falcon eventually flew away. I noticed Cady working the saddle and watched her do her camel walk with her head high to point. 614 yards away. Dot and I started our walk. View attachment 392805. I knew from hunting the spot that coming up behind Cady wasn’t going to work. The birds would run and flush off a backside cliff. I decided to Napoleon the situation and circle above the birds and come down on them. Only problem was the birds held. I walked down towards Cady to see her on point and the Peregrine Falcon sitting on a fence wire in front of her. Interesting. Chukar flushed away downhill from me with no safe shot. I’d either hit my dog or the Falcon. View attachment 392806
The Falcon decided he was part of my crew. The four of us worked the ridge back to the truck. The Falcon would fly ahead and sit on rock piles waiting for me. Dot eventually started to point the Falcon. View attachment 392807View attachment 392808 Dot would hold point until I got close and then try to grab the Falcon. I’m glad she wasn’t successful. I’m not sure she would have won the fight. I suppose it was good training as she learned she couldn’t break point and catch birds, even if the bird was a falcon.

Great looking chukar ground.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Figured it was a rooster but turned out to be a couple of Huns. I missed. The girls were pissed.

 

[crock239]

My puppy training continues. I noticed Friday that Dot’s pads were torn. She was hiding the injury. I dug around my dog box and found boots for her. I can’t hunt next weekend. She needed the field experience.

View attachment 392802

I decided to hunt a C tier area instead of driving to my better areas. In retrospect, I should have driven the extra time to a better area. Where we went can be great or an armed walk. Yesterday was mostly an armed walk.

We had hiked a few birdless miles when I came to a direction decision point. Swing right towards a saddle and horseshoe towards the truck, go forward and walk a road three miles to the truck or cut below the ridge for a rough walk but it might be where the birds are hiding. As I contemplated my move, a hawk flew past my right shoulder and sat on a rock looking at me. I crept within 10 yards and recognized it as a Peregrine Falcon.View attachment 392803

Falcon eventually flew away. I noticed Cady working the saddle and watched her do her camel walk with her head high to point. 614 yards away. Dot and I started our walk. View attachment 392805. I knew from hunting the spot that coming up behind Cady wasn’t going to work. The birds would run and flush off a backside cliff. I decided to Napoleon the situation and circle above the birds and come down on them. Only problem was the birds held. I walked down towards Cady to see her on point and the Peregrine Falcon sitting on a fence wire in front of her. Interesting. Chukar flushed away downhill from me with no safe shot. I’d either hit my dog or the Falcon. View attachment 392806
The Falcon decided he was part of my crew. The four of us worked the ridge back to the truck. The Falcon would fly ahead and sit on rock piles waiting for me. Dot eventually started to point the Falcon. View attachment 392807View attachment 392808 Dot would hold point until I got close and then try to grab the Falcon. I’m glad she wasn’t successful. I’m not sure she would have won the fight. I suppose it was good training as she learned she couldn’t break point and catch birds, even if the bird was a falcon.

Thats really interesting about the falcon tagging along...did it ever show interest in the flushing birds? I assume a falcon needs to be airborne and strike from above to get up to speed, or are they able to hunt from a low perch?

Ever experienced anything like that before?

 

[cwitherow]

Pheasant hunting has been slow for me this season. Almost all of my usual spots have been significantly less productive than years past. Couple that with a busier schedule and it makes for less opportunities to explore new areas.

 

[brymoore]

Thats really interesting about the falcon tagging along...did it ever show interest in the flushing birds? I assume a falcon needs to be airborne and strike from above to get up to speed, or are they able to hunt from a low perch?

Ever experienced anything like that before?

I looked at its legs to see if it had a tether - it didn’t. It didn’t try to grab a chukar at the flush. My limited understanding of falconry is that the birds strike from high positions getting maximum velocity.

I’ve experienced a peregrine following me once before about 15 years ago. It would fly ahead and wait in the sage brush for me. It wasn’t as committed as the bird this year.

I’ve always played with the idea of getting a falcon but it takes more time and effort than I have available right now. It’d be cool to have a falcon and a setter working together for birds.