2021/2022 Upland Hunting

RDG

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Figure since Woodcock season just started and pheasant/rabbit/grouse season is right around the corner.. I'd start a thread for us upland hunters.

I got out Friday and Saturday AM with Emmit chasing those crazy woodcock. Flushed a few birds on both days but Saturday AM was the only shot I fired that actually connected with a bird.
Always forget how fast they are... and how much my shooting sucks.

but you know what they say....... a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

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The timber doodle - great fun to hunt and shoot.
But never cared for eating them...Usually resort to a long marinade and then grilling.
How do you fix those little breasts?
 
The timber doodle - great fun to hunt and shoot.
But never cared for eating them...Usually resort to a long marinade and then grilling.
How do you fix those little breasts?

The timber doodle - great fun to hunt and shoot.
But never cared for eating them...Usually resort to a long marinade and then grilling.
How do you fix those little breasts?
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The timber doodle - great fun to hunt and shoot.
But never cared for eating them...Usually resort to a long marinade and then grilling.
How do you fix those little breasts?
Usually a grill and marinade.
I really wanted to step up my upland game cooking this year thought.
So I plucked this little guy and froze him.
Hoping to add a couple more by the end of the week and make something special with them
Need to start looking at some Hank Shaw recipes.
 
Might go out tomorrow afternoon if its not wet ass. I generally don't shoot the things because its not great meat or a lot of meat, but the dog loves to hunt them. So I go for a walk with the gun and make it look good. Lot of times the things are in real crap and its tough to shoot anyway.
 
Someone once told me they taste like a bloody nose. Tried one last year.....I concur with the assessment.
 
@RDG, do you shoot sporting clays or skeet in the off season?

Looking at getting out for the first time ever on the 16th. Gonna be interesting.
I really try to but it's been a while.
between work, kids, house etc.. its just really hard to find the time.
I spent a good amount of time a few years ago on the trap range and made great improvement in my shooting.

There's one local range that has a trap field you can use whenever you want.
They have a little hand thrower or you can bring your own.
I've been trying to get into that club for a while with no luck. It's pretty full. It's right on my way home from work and would really work well.
 
Not sure where your located. But if you’re in western or even central MA, Springfield Sportsman’s club in Monson has Skeet and trap on Sunday and Mondays throughout the year. Sporting clays on sundays in the fall.
 
@RDG, do you shoot sporting clays or skeet in the off season?

Looking at getting out for the first time ever on the 16th. Gonna be interesting.
Good luck!

My club does Skeet and Trap Thursdays. I shoot Sporting Clays at Addieville and Petersham once and a while.

This week I will be doing a warm up hunt at Addieville.

My club did the Youth Pheasant Hunt on Sept 25th it was great, 10 kids killed 20 birds. We trained them well.
 
Good luck up there @whacko . Remember to have some fun

Still waiting for the migratory birds to show up but we're finding small pockets of resident birds here and there.
Little warmer than I'd like this afternoon but we still managed to flush up two birds.

Connected with the first bird on the first shot...
of course the second bird flushed from the same spot about 6-7 seconds later
unfortunately I had my O/U broke open, holding a unfired shell from my bottom barrel (usual selected as my first shot barrel) wondering why the shell was unfired.
Took me a second or two to realize the selector switch must have gotten bumped and was in the wrong position.
But in those 1-2 seconds of me starring at a unfired shell... yeah...that's when the second doodle flushed.

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We won't mention that Emmit was able to relocate and re-flush the second bird and I still missed...LOL
 
Nice!

Addieville got put off til this week, hoping for it to cool off a little more.

Hunting woodcock every few days and moving a lot of birds, but there is a lot of leaves still. Had a few good shots, but I've been laying off of them as I don't generally eat them. Things are absolutely crazy, had one nearly take my head off, another one land right at my feet after the dog flushed it. Pretty hilarious.

Had a perfect point and flush this morning......right out into an open field. Gonna have to shoot one soon, dog is getting mad at me.
Ill knock some some chuckars down at Addieville this week.
 
@whacko Glad to see you guys are having fun. I've been following alone of NEA's FB page. Looks like an awesome time.

Nice!

Addieville got put off til this week, hoping for it to cool off a little more.

Hunting woodcock every few days and moving a lot of birds, but there is a lot of leaves still. Had a few good shots, but I've been laying off of them as I don't generally eat them. Things are absolutely crazy, had one nearly take my head off, another one land right at my feet after the dog flushed it. Pretty hilarious.

Had a perfect point and flush this morning......right out into an open field. Gonna have to shoot one soon, dog is getting mad at me.
Ill knock some some chuckars down at Addieville this week.

Some birds must have came through last night. We moved quite a few birds this AM and managed to hit one of them.
But you're right... lots of leaves on the trees making shooting "interesting" to say the least.

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@whacko Glad to see you guys are having fun. I've been following alone of NEA's FB page. Looks like an awesome time.



Some birds must have came through last night. We moved quite a few birds this AM and managed to hit one of them.
But you're right... lots of leaves on the trees making shooting "interesting" to say the least.

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That covey of quail was a surprise. They stock those here too.....didn't put any out for us so they were some hold overs.
 
That covey of quail was a surprise. They stock those here too.....didn't put any out for us so they were some hold overs.
They have a shooting preserve lisc, they can stock quail, pheasant and chukar and I'm sure they've had other hunts already.

Our club will switch over from public, to private if the state goes thru with the pheasant tag thing and become a preserve. Honestly I'd rather do that, we can hunt on Sundays and shoot lots of different birds, and quality of experience will be way better.
 
They have a shooting preserve lisc, they can stock quail, pheasant and chukar and I'm sure they've had other hunts already.

Our club will switch over from public, to private if the state goes thru with the pheasant tag thing and become a preserve. Honestly I'd rather do that, we can hunt on Sundays and shoot lots of different birds, and quality of experience will be way better.

It's already been approved. Starts at $4 next year and works it way up to $20 in 2026 I believe.
 
Not a bad day today just south of Crosby ND,limit by 1pm

The second picture was yesterday, almost limited out before the the freezing rain and wind driven snow shut us down.
 

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Finally got out this afternoon for the first time for Mass woodcock. Rigby found one despite it being so hot with heavy cover. Happy pup!

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That's a strange looking Labrador you have there... You made the switch!
11 years ago you referred us to Lois at Heart & Soul in NH. Scout is now almost 11 with severe arthritis in his back and elbows. May be his last season in the field and it will be easy short hunts.....We are debating now whether we (I, as wife says it will all be on me) are going to do another hunting pup.....Great looking dog you have.
 
F&G dumping birds in Westboro this morning for tomorrow's opener.
I'll wait a bit until the smoke clears and go later in the week....
 
That's a strange looking Labrador you have there... You made the switch!
11 years ago you referred us to Lois at Heart & Soul in NH. Scout is now almost 11 with severe arthritis in his back and elbows. May be his last season in the field and it will be easy short hunts.....We are debating now whether we (I, as wife says it will all be on me) are going to do another hunting pup.....Great looking dog you have.

That’s the newest flavor of retriever, the bearded lab! 😎
 
That's a strange looking Labrador you have there... You made the switch!
11 years ago you referred us to Lois at Heart & Soul in NH. Scout is now almost 11 with severe arthritis in his back and elbows. May be his last season in the field and it will be easy short hunts.....We are debating now whether we (I, as wife says it will all be on me) are going to do another hunting pup.....Great looking dog you have.
And then a few years later I think you referred me to Lois.
Emmit's five now and really in his prime.
I really want a second dog and if Lois has a liter with any yellow females... well my wife's not going to happy when I bring her home. LOL


I did get out this AM for one more hunt before the orange army invades my favorite WMA tomorrow for the phez opener here in MA.
The stocking truck showed up just as I was leaving at noon.

My shooting has been awful this week. Even my dog is ashamed.
Should have easily had a limit today.

Guess one is better than none.
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Knocked down two today with the old 20 gauge ithaca 37.

Put up about 6 total, let the dog work and passed up the hens shot the roosters. Was hot. Dog is smoked and snoozing. Luckily there was a pond she could cool off in.
 

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