# No dogs



## Johnny (Oct 12, 2005)

Any tips for pheasant hunting without dogs? Thanks


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## MossyMO (Feb 12, 2004)

Shoot sharp !!! :sniper:

I'm in the same boat Johnny. Till I can live out of town or at least in a larger home, I don't want a dog to raise. Really sucks this time of the year.


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

tennis shoes.... Hire Carl Lewis he might be fast enuff... :lol:


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

Get lots of money for road hunting.

Walk small areas, if they are there you will kick them up. Remember to walk a few steps then pause, walk a few steps and pause, etc. Many birds will get up when you pause.

Personnelly I would never hunt pheasants without a dog, it is tough.


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## fishhook (Aug 29, 2002)

I always hunt pheasants without a dog. I'm sure i walk by a lot, but just take 5-8 steps stop, count to 15 and repeat. It's amazing how nervous and confused those birds get. I try to be quiet also, as i think silence makes them nervous. Rarely get skunked...and i refuse to road hunt, i'd rather walk.

My .02


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## Danimal (Sep 9, 2005)

I've almost always hunted without a dog. It is tougher but very doable as stated above. Take your time and pause every 10 steps or so.

Don't get me wrong, hunting with a well trained dog will spoil you. However having a rooster flush 3 feet behind you will get your heart pounding.


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## Cinder (Sep 2, 2003)

Maybe I am just in a mood to argue, but why can you use dogs for pheasants and not deer etc., or vice versa should dogs be outlawed? I have always felt when you go after pheasants with a dog, it is the dog doing the hunting and the person is shooting, not hunting.


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## drjongy (Oct 13, 2003)

You're just getting into semantics. The dog is a tool, but you're still out there walking behind them, so I would consider that hunting. No different than using decoys to bring in birds. Hunting is about the entire experience...and if you ever upland hunt behind a good dog there is nothing more enjoyable to watch. You still have to pick out the field to walk, where to walk in that field, ect. Plus, without dogs a lot of pheasants would not be found, and that would certainly be a shame!


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## seabass (Sep 26, 2002)

I hunt all the time without a dog. I think its important to zig-zag back and forth a bit to cover more ground, walk slowly, and I keep pretty quiet. I am amazed how close I can get to roosters throughout the season using these techniques. You also need to really focus on marking your birds where they fall... keep your eyes on the spot until you get there.

Choose manageable spots to hunt. Keep away from big CRPs but choose smaller islands of cover.


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## Ref (Jul 21, 2003)

One point that has been missed here is that a dog is needed to help find downed and crippled birds...not just to flush them. When I started hunting pheasants earnestly in 1993, I said If I'm going to do this right, then I'm going to get a dog. My yellow lab will turn 13 in January. I didn't have the space, money and my wife's blessing when I bought Chip, but I was going to make every effort to be able to find the birds that I shot.


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## goosehtr4life (Dec 16, 2002)

All tips given are great. But I will say this, the opening weekend the birds were holding tighter than I have ever seen. Most birds the dog pointed took several min. before they would flush.

What I would walk would be fence lines/ grass lines. These usually hold birds and you can kick them up.


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## seabass (Sep 26, 2002)

I agree but I find you get better shots (i.e. closer) without a dog which decreases cripples. Moreover, if you hunt without a dog a lot, you tend to really focus on making only good shots and watching where your bird lands... AND if it runs, you better be shooting again or running after it. I rarely leave behind any crippled birds but then again I often will waste significant time searching and searching until I find the downed bird...


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## seabass (Sep 26, 2002)

goosehttr4life, I agree... they were really holding on opening weekend. But I was out with my wife which helps out a lot too... So, another tip for a non-dog owner is to get a friend out there to cover more ground.


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## Norm70 (Aug 26, 2005)

I have hunted up until this yr without a dog. This is kinda a specifc tip but, it seems to work. Find black or stubble fields next to corn or flowers. Walk all of the sloughs in it. I know that seems obvious, but for a hunter with no dog up until this year that has been what works for me.
Also try cattails with only dry edges works good too. Then they run out the side instead of in front of you.


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## r_b_burg (Dec 24, 2004)

I've only hunted my dog a handful of times on pheasants, but if you control the dog well you are able to still get close shots. My wiemer only works 20-25 yrd in front of me, and if she starts to get out farther she will stop to see where I'm at. She pauses a little and takes off quartering again. She defintely helps with the cripples. I don't know how many times I marked the bird down, tried to call her over to where I am, and she come over with the darn bird in her mouth. Alot of cripples seem to hit the ground running and for that the dogs are great.


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

Sorry guys...Hunting pheasants without a dog is like being in bed with Paris Hilton and all she wants to do is talk. There is no comparison. If you have a good dog, you will get more birds. Everybody has different situations in their life, on why they can't or don't want a dog. But serious hunters use a dog...I wouldn't hunt without one! Just my 2 cents.


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## Doc Holliday (Oct 14, 2005)

I always hunt roosters w/o a dog. There are a few key things to do. Make sure to zig and zag. Stop and listen. You can hear the birds running. Plus, the meager creatures get nervous and will flush. Lastly, this is essential - once you drop a bird, do not take your eyes off it. Also, make sure another person has a line on the downed bird. I will get to the location and I will drop my hat to mark where I believe the bird dropped. You would be surprised how quickly you can stray from the initial spot. Again, do not take your eyes off where the bird went down. The birds are indeed brightly feathered, but they can hunker down and can be impossible to find.

Good Luck


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## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

> Sorry guys...Hunting pheasants without a dog is like being in bed with Paris Hilton and all she wants to do is talk


I like that.

If I couldn't bring my dogs I'd stay home. It's like duck hunting a pond without waders or dogs. You will eventually get the duck to drift to one side to pick it up.

I would find a buddy that has a dog.

or buy larger shot, loads so that when you hit it it dies and keep shooting as it falls. (I had a buddy that had a dog that didn't retrieve and he would do this so he usually found them. I told him to stop and my dog would find it when I went hunting with him.)

That's what I would do if I were to go with out my dogs.


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## crna (Nov 7, 2002)

you kidding yourself if you think hunting w/o a dog is effective.
A friend went out last weekend w/o a dog and lost 6 downed birds. i told him that those birds should've counted towards his limit. 
would you hunt ducks without decoys or why not use #8 game loads for geese. give yourself the best opportunity to limit the amount of lost birds!


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## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

> A friend went out last weekend w/o a dog and lost 6 downed birds. i told him that those birds should've counted towards his limit.


This is true for any game. If you shoot it and it falls and you don't find it it is to be counted as one.


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## Bagman (Oct 17, 2002)

Rick Acker said:


> But serious hunters use a dog...I wouldn't hunt without one! Just my 2 cents.


So your dog gets hit by a car on Oct 7 you wouldnt venture out once this year? Yeah,OK. Everyones an ideologue...UNTIL they face life from the OTHER side of the fence. Some of us adjust and do what we can/must to enjoy the sport/hobby we love. When the going gets tough...apparently the "serious hunters" STAY HOME!! :beer:


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## ND decoy (Feb 1, 2003)

The best way I can think of is try to hunt small stuff like small sloughs and small areas of coveralso tree rows in stubble fields. Try to walk very slow and zig zag. Kick the heavy areas of grass with your boots. Use the stop and pause method.

I remember when I was younger and didn't have a dog. It really sucked but I wouldn't let it keep me out of the field. It will harder to find birds and recover them but not impossable. You do owe it to the birds to do every thing possable to try and recover the birds that you shoot. But losing a bird does happen even when you have a dog. If you shoot one you directly to the spot and search every thing very carfully, they can be under the smallest clump of grass. We lost one today with 3 very good dogs. I winged it and it just glided and we didn't find it (in my mind a lost bird counts in your bag limit).

For me I have hunted enough pheasants that the actual shooting is not as important as watching the dogs work or having a bird bust out at your feet and you about jump out of your boots.


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## BIRDSHOOTER (Jul 18, 2005)

Bagman wrote:
So your dog gets hit by a car on Oct 7 you wouldnt venture out once this year? Yeah,OK. Everyones an ideologue...UNTIL they face life from the OTHER side of the fence. Some of us adjust and do what we can/must to enjoy the sport/hobby we love. When the going gets tough...apparently the "serious hunters" STAY HOME!!

I can honestly say that If I could not hunt with a dog, whether mine or with someone else's, I would probably not hunt wild birds anymore. Just my own personal preference.

90% of the *enjoyment *of the hunt is watching a good bird dog work birds in the field, at least it is for me and I would venture for many others here who hunt with dogs. Whether its a pointer or flusher makes no difference, but to watch a well *trained *dog in the field is a joy to witness. The actual shooting of the bird is just a bonus. If all you are interesed in is the harvest of the bird, then by all means hunt without. I realize some people do not have the option to hunt with a dog, you have my simpathies. Over the course of a day you will find, flush, and retreive far more birds than you would solo.

:2cents:


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

> I can honestly say that If I could not hunt without a dog whether mine or with someone else's I would probably not hunt wild birds anymore. Just my own personal preference


 :roll:

I agree with you if I couldn't hunt without a dog I would stay home too... of course that's the same as not being able to hunt at all..... a dog is just trimming on the bird not necessary but cool to have. :wink:


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

No, Bagman...I wouldn't stay home, because I would hunt with one of my friends who has a dog. However, I would not hunt by myself w/o a dog! Case in point...I have a buddy who's been out twice this year w/o a dog and has lost at least 8 roosters by himself. Dog's have a hard enough time finding downed birds in a cattail maze! I don't mean to talk down to you or anybody else who hunts w/o a dog, because we've all been there. I just think when it's time to get serious about the sport...You should consider a dog! By the way, that's why I have 2 dogs in case of tragedy!


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

I would not hunt if I lost my dog or did not have a dog. There is nothing more enjoyable or exciting for me then to watch my dog hunt. It is simply amazing.

I took my 10 year for his first pheasant hunt Friday. He is hooked the whole process just amazed  him. He was so amazed by the dog ability to smell the pheasants and track them. It also is good to have fat slow golden retriever :run: so I can keep up without having to run once in a while.

Lots of birds this year. The corn is starting to come down and I expect by end of October at lease 75% will be harvested! :jammin: :jammin: :jammin:


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## DJRooster (Nov 4, 2002)

Those bouncing bananas drive me nuts!!!


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## MSG Rude (Oct 6, 2003)

One thing that I do that has not been covered is to watch the grass/weeds in a 180 degree point off view for movement.

Some people don't know this but the wind in ND never stops. It is very hard to hear birds in the grass but you can see the movement of the weeds which is very different from the wind blowing them.

I watch to my front about 3 yards and use my perifial (spelling) vision on the side. The wind blowing moves the tops of the weeds/grass while a bird running moves from the bottom up and makes a path.

I also walk the games trails and watch the bedding sites. I will work in circles going out from these and do the walk and stop method. The birds will flush as you are stopped or right when you take off.

As far as finding downed birds, do the same thing. Keep your eyes LOCKED on where they fell. i leave my hat or dew-rag where I think they fell and make circles out from that. Birds will dig deep into the bottoms of weeds and a full color rooster has no problem being perfectly camo'd in them.

I, by the way, never use a dog while birding. 1) I don't have one, 2) None of my buddies have one (I know, get new buddies) and 3) I don't loose may birds at all with what I do to find them. I do beleive that a downed and lost bird counts as part of my limit.

Hope this helps,

Rude


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## Shooter (Sep 21, 2004)

This time of year the older birds really know how to hold tight, especiallly with more rain the thicker cover out west this year. I was out south of Bismarck last weekend and all the birds we got were young ones. I literally had to step on a hen before it flew. Made me jump when i felt something moving against my boot. Pretty cool tho.


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## fargodawg (Sep 20, 2005)

if the experience is to get close to the birds get a pointer and not a lab, I kick the birds for my dog she will not bust them, I need to wait to shoot. and YES a lost bird should count towards a limit, though it can never be proven and many are killers not hunters and ethics do not apply


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## Coach529 (Dec 22, 2004)

> So your dog gets hit by a car on Oct 7 you wouldnt venture out once this year?


No, I would hang up the Citori and call it a year!!

I agree with all the above comments about hunting over a good dog, once you have done it, hunting without is just not the same!!


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## Bagman (Oct 17, 2002)

BIRDSHOOTER said:


> Whether its a pointer or flusher makes no difference, but to watch a well *trained *dog in the field is a joy to witness. The actual shooting of the bird is just a bonus. If all you are interesed in is the harvest of the bird, then by all means hunt without. I realize some people do not have the option to hunt with a dog, you have my simpathies. Over the course of a day you will find, flush, and retreive far more birds than you would solo.
> 
> :2cents:


 Truth of the matter is the 'harvest of the bird' isnt all ANYONE is interested in...but I must say thats steeped in IRONY coming from a guy calling himself BIRDSHOOTER. Just being out and enjoying the outdoors in the company of family/friends is the biggest part of it for most everyone Im sure. Thanks for pointing the OBVIOUS advantages of hunting WITH a dog(for the UMPTEENTH time)...Im pretty sure I get that part. While we appreciate your 'simpathies' and the lecture we would have preferred an INVITATION to witness the joy of TRAINED dogs in person. Ahhh...the warm SINCERITY of it all.


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## BIRDSHOOTER (Jul 18, 2005)

Bagman said:


> Thanks for pointing the OBVIOUS advantages of hunting WITH a dog(for the UMPTEENTH time)...Im pretty sure I get that part.


Your Welcome, but I'd be happy to point it out again if your not sure... :lol:


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## Todd Reber (Nov 6, 2005)

If I was hunting without a dog I would concentrate on hunting the edges along some food plots. I would find some good cover near a cut bean field or such and walk the outside edge give or take about 15 yards and try to trap the birds between you and the edge, walk slow and shoot straight.


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## pheasantman89 (Nov 9, 2005)

My dad and I had this problem of hunting without dogs and it was usually really hard to even to get a rooster to flush unless we were walking sloughs. Now we have two german shorthairs that are trained and it helps out a lot.


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## Goon (Apr 3, 2005)

crna said:


> you kidding yourself if you think hunting w/o a dog is effective.
> A friend went out last weekend w/o a dog and lost 6 downed birds. i told him that those birds should've counted towards his limit.
> would you hunt ducks without decoys or why not use #8 game loads for geese. give yourself the best opportunity to limit the amount of lost birds!


Good point, I can't imagine not hunting with a dog. In fact I would rather stay home than hunt without my k-9 friend. Its almost impossible to find a pheasant that you have downed in a CRP field without a dog. My dog Dakota finds roosters I couldn't have dreamed of finding. I say the more dogs the merrier. Today I shot a pheasant that landed in a pond, I wouldn't have even been able to get him if I had not had a dog. No waders, thank god for my dog. It was a blind retrieve and I was able to direct him to the spot the bird was at. Bad thing I had forgot my seat cover for the dog. Oh well.


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