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< 16ga. General Discussion ~ South Dakota, Or???? |
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Posted:
Fri Oct 04, 2019 12:01 pm
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Member
Joined: 09 Dec 2005
Posts: 989
Location: Las Vegas
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South Dakota
I'm retired and have a new French Britt pup and I need to get her on some birds.
She did put up a covey of blue grouse in Colorado a few weeks ago, 3 days before the season opened! What a look she gave me.
So, I'm looking to put her on some birds.
looking for some recommendations.
Going with a good friend who is also a 16ga. affection ado.
Thanks!
Matt |
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Posted:
Fri Oct 04, 2019 2:06 pm
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Member
Joined: 19 Nov 2013
Posts: 381
Location: NW Arkansas
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Matt, I'm probably not a lot of help, other than to suggest you get on the internet and look at the pheasant and quail forecasts (sharptail, chukar, etc.) that most state game agencies put out around this time of year. I do have any right in front of me at present, but I believe that SD is predicting pheasants to be down abut 15% from last year, and in general there has been a slow decline there for several years. However, SD undoubtedly has some of the best pheasant hunting in the nation. The preliminary Kansas forecast that I looked at suggested that pheasants were about the same as last year, but that quail may be up some and in general in line with long term trends. The Oklahoma forecast also predicted the quail were up in the NW portion of the state. Last time I looked the Texas forecast wasn't on the internet yet, but it may be now. Nebraska seemed to be about the same in the western part of the state, but flooding had reduced bird pops in the east (same for eastern KS). I haven't looked on the AZ site, but winter rains may have helped Gambrel quail. I've seen a few good personal reports from ID on the internet, but haven't looked at their DNR forecast. And so forth.
Hopefully, some of the others on this site who are locals may give you better information (I'm in Arkansas, a long way from all these bird hunting places), but state game agency forecasts are always a starting point for my bird hunting travels every fall/winter. |
_________________ 16 gauges:
1954 Win M12 IC
1952 Ithaca M37 Mod
1955 Browning Auto-5 Mod
1940 Ithaca NID M/F
1959 Beretta Silver Hawk
Ranger 103-II M/F
Browning A-5 Sweet 16
Browning Citori Invector
Rem 870 Remchoke |
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Posted:
Fri Oct 04, 2019 2:10 pm
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Member
Joined: 19 Nov 2013
Posts: 381
Location: NW Arkansas
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Matt, Ooops, forgot to brag on the French Brittany. Hopefully the pic will help!
A friends young pup with Mearns.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/24wdxpo]
[/url]mearns3 by Michael Widner, on Flickr |
_________________ 16 gauges:
1954 Win M12 IC
1952 Ithaca M37 Mod
1955 Browning Auto-5 Mod
1940 Ithaca NID M/F
1959 Beretta Silver Hawk
Ranger 103-II M/F
Browning A-5 Sweet 16
Browning Citori Invector
Rem 870 Remchoke |
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Posted:
Fri Oct 04, 2019 2:23 pm
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Member
Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 9464
Location: Amarillo, Texas
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Posted:
Fri Oct 04, 2019 3:22 pm
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Member
Joined: 09 Dec 2005
Posts: 989
Location: Las Vegas
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Posted:
Fri Oct 04, 2019 3:25 pm
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Member
Joined: 09 Dec 2005
Posts: 989
Location: Las Vegas
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Posted:
Sun Oct 06, 2019 7:12 am
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Member
Joined: 30 Nov 2011
Posts: 1698
Location: Minnesota
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Here in MN, our DNR says our pheasants are down again,17% this year. Coincidently, that's the same percentage overall down for neighboring Iowa and SD. SD does a good job of breaking the numbers down by hunting unit so you can key on where the numbers are best. Have you been able to find a local club for dog training that has live birds or gone to any preserves to supplement bird exposure that way? |
_________________ Great dog, Great friends,Great guns |
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Posted:
Sun Oct 06, 2019 7:41 am
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Member
Joined: 09 Dec 2005
Posts: 989
Location: Las Vegas
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Nope. I have had her to the gun club numerous times and she was totally oblivious to the gun noise. I'd sit her down right behind a full skeet/trap field and she was fine.
She was the "runt" of the litter which makes her a little timid but because of that she stays close to me which I like!
We spent most of the summer in SW Colorado. Our cabin is up at 10,000 ft.
Last month she put up 2 coveys of Blue Grouse. Unfortunately, 3 days before the season opened!
I'll be hunting with a very good friend who has a very good dog. So, it will be a great learning experience for her!
And, I've had bird dogs all my life! Springers and the last 15+ years Frenchies!
Matt |
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Posted:
Thu Oct 10, 2019 4:56 pm
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Joined: 23 Feb 2008
Posts: 191
Location: Nebraska (It’s not for everyone)
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Nebraska is down 14% overall but down 50% in each of the units that I hunt. It might be a poor year. |
_________________ Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle |
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Posted:
Wed Oct 16, 2019 8:44 am
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Joined: 26 Apr 2016
Posts: 369
Location: Vermont
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We will be hitting the South Dakota line on Friday to hunt Saturday through Monday. I've heard the crops aren't in yet but e usually do well in spite of that. Low numbers , well if there is 1 wild cockbird there its one more than lives wehre I do! Good luck all if you are going. New A5 and Citori Grade III will be making an appearance. |
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Posted:
Sat Oct 19, 2019 7:52 am
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Joined: 12 Mar 2012
Posts: 687
Location: Ontario
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airmedic1 wrote: |
Nebraska is down 14% overall but down 50% in each of the units that I hunt. It might be a poor year.
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Just got back from the Sandhills. Numbers are WAY down compared to the previous three years. |
_________________ 1921 Pieper 29" 6 lbs 10 oz
2003 Citori White Lightning 26" 6 lbs 10 oz
1932 Husqvarna 310AS 29.5" 6 lbs 7 oz
1925 Ferlach 29" 6 lbs 7 oz
1923 Greifelt 29" 6 lbs 1 oz
1928 Simson 29.5" 6 lbs
1893 Lindner Daly FW 28” 5 lb 11oz |
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Posted:
Sat Oct 19, 2019 10:17 am
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Joined: 17 Jul 2008
Posts: 765
Location: Great State of Kansas
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Here in NW Kansas, we seem to have a good number of Birds Pheasants and Chickens. Corn is coming off pretty fast. We are no longer very Hunter friendly however...So anyone thinking about this area should make sure they have some access before making the drive... |
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Posted:
Fri Oct 25, 2019 3:21 am
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Member
Joined: 17 Aug 2010
Posts: 472
Location: drummond island MI
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Just returned from northern SD. Terrible conditions. Flooding everywhere. Hunted private land groomed for hunting. Dogs got good work and shot our limit. Very difficult walking conditions. Fourth trip to same area. Could not have been successful without local guide. The terrain is butt ugly but they have lots of mostly wild birds. FWIW |
_________________ shoot quick but take your time! |
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Posted:
Sun Nov 03, 2019 1:52 am
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Joined: 26 Apr 2016
Posts: 369
Location: Vermont
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We were there same time you were and hit the fields we could. Private land and did well. There were some that we normally hunt that we could not because of the conditions. There was one day the rain was so bad it wasn't fun to hunt and would not have gone if it wasn't our last day. Agree conditions not great we still shot limits. Here are a few pics. Sorry for the delay as soon as I got back I was off to Montana . This was the first hunting and first birds shot with the Sweet 16 A5. I was a little worried because I had not shot it much. I need not have worried that gun is a dream to hunt with. I shot well including some long shots in the wind. The Fiocchi Golden Pheasant 5's work very well. I shot my 16 Citori III the first day the A5 16 next two. There was a friend from Iowa there who had an Ithaca 37 in 16 ga. He need some 16 non toxic for an area he was hunting. I gave him a box of the Kent bismuth I had got the deal on. He said that worked well too.
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Posted:
Sun Nov 03, 2019 10:20 am
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Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2803
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa
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Soggy Socks,
Looks like you guys had a real nice hunt, even with some poor weather at times, loved the pictures!
Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man |
_________________ "L.C. Smith America's Best" - John Houchins
Pine Creek Grouse Dog Trainers |
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