2023/2024 Upland Hunting Thread

Gerbs54 said:
Maybe this isn’t a revelation but, I checked the season dates this morning. My recollection was pheasant season ended prior to shotgun deer opening the Monday after Thanksgiving; turns out it’s now open until the last Saturday in December (12/30) with the stipulation that the seasons is closed during shotgun deer (11/27-12/9).
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And no season limit.

Also, some loosening of prior restrictions imposed on stocked WMAs. Might be a good time to seek out Wile E. on a stocked WMA after dinner this Thursday night...

NEW FOR 2023
Extended Pheasant and Quail Seasons: The pheasant and quail hunting seasons now
open on the Saturday after Columbus Day and close on December 31. Hunters can
now pursue previously stocked pheasants statewide and quail in Wildlife Management
Zones 11–14 from the Monday after shotgun deer season to the end of the
year (no pheasant and quail hunting during the shotgun deer season).

Expanded hunting implement use on pheasant and quail-stocked Wildlife Management
Areas (WMA) for certain game: Hunters can now use all legal methods to hunt
game other than pheasant and quail on pheasant and quail-stocked WMAs. Previously,
all hunters were restricted on WMAs to shotgun and archery equipment only.
See each species’ page for details. In addition, legal hunting implements for pheasant
and quail on all public and private land statewide are now shotgun and archery only.

Expanded hunting hours on pheasant and quail-stocked WMAs for certain game:
Hunters targeting game other than pheasant and quail on pheasant and quail stocked
WMAs are no longer restricted to hunting from sunrise to sunset. See each
species’ page for details. Pheasant and quail hunting hours on all public and private
land statewide are now from sunrise to sunset.
 
Finally got a bird this morning. Can't say I'd hunt Thanksgiving again it was a mad house. Couple questions for the bunch since I'm new to this. Is there a rule about entering the woods at a WMA before shooting hours? Written or unwritten etiquette? I was in the parking lot and around 6:10 we decided to enter the woods, guns unloaded actions open. There was one other person old gun on far side of the parking lot. He starts yelling at us telling us it's illegal to hunt before legal hours. We say we know we are just walking in. He then starts telling us that's illegal. Well it did not get more polite from there. Long story short an enviro confirmed our belief. So is there an etiquette about this?
So after that our dog was immediately on a bird. We kept him at bay while we waited for legal time. I then waited an extra two minutes and hear gun fire in the distance. Let the dog go and shoot my first bird 2 minutes after legal time. As I'm stuffing my bird in my vest the first old guy that walks past me makes a comment about hunting early. So what gives just grumpy old guys lol.
 

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millbilly said:
Finally got a bird this morning. Can't say I'd hunt Thanksgiving again it was a mad house. Couple questions for the bunch since I'm new to this. Is there a rule about entering the woods at a WMA before shooting hours? Written or unwritten etiquette? I was in the parking lot and around 6:10 we decided to enter the woods, guns unloaded actions open. There was one other person old gun on far side of the parking lot. He starts yelling at us telling us it's illegal to hunt before legal hours. We say we know we are just walking in. He then starts telling us that's illegal. Well it did not get more polite from there. Long story short an enviro confirmed our belief. So is there an etiquette about this?
So after that our dog was immediately on a bird. We kept him at bay while we waited for legal time. I then waited an extra two minutes and hear gun fire in the distance. Let the dog go and shoot my first bird 2 minutes after legal time. As I'm stuffing my bird in my vest the first old guy that walks past me makes a comment about hunting early. So what gives just grumpy old guys lol.
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I really thought it was law (the EPO offten doesn’t know the written law, I’ll have to check) but it’s absolutely etiquette at every WMA I have been too. Usually an old timer acts as the clock and announces 5 and 2 mins prior to sun up.

Had a nice morning ourselves. Birds all over, saw four before ever stepping into the field.

IMG_9602.jpeg
 
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millbilly said:
Finally got a bird this morning. Can't say I'd hunt Thanksgiving again it was a mad house. Couple questions for the bunch since I'm new to this. Is there a rule about entering the woods at a WMA before shooting hours? Written or unwritten etiquette? I was in the parking lot and around 6:10 we decided to enter the woods, guns unloaded actions open. There was one other person old gun on far side of the parking lot. He starts yelling at us telling us it's illegal to hunt before legal hours. We say we know we are just walking in. He then starts telling us that's illegal. Well it did not get more polite from there. Long story short an enviro confirmed our belief. So is there an etiquette about this?
So after that our dog was immediately on a bird. We kept him at bay while we waited for legal time. I then waited an extra two minutes and hear gun fire in the distance. Let the dog go and shoot my first bird 2 minutes after legal time. As I'm stuffing my bird in my vest the first old guy that walks past me makes a comment about hunting early. So what gives just grumpy old guys lol.
Click to expand...
I would not enter a stocked WMA prior to shooting time. Hunting might be bound by regulations, but it's also born of tradition. Tradition is why there are stocked birds.
 
Thanks that's good info for the future. I can't find that in the law and it hasn't been my experience with any other type of hunting. But if that is tradition I intend to honor it. This particular WMA is about 1800 acres and I could hear gun fire in different directions deep in, in different directions right at opening. So the rule is not universally followed.
 
millbilly said:
Thanks that's good info for the future. I can't find that in the law and it hasn't been my experience with any other type of hunting. But if that is tradition I intend to honor it. This particular WMA is about 1800 acres and I could hear gun fire in different directions deep in, in different directions right at opening. So the rule is not universally followed.
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Could have been duck hunters
 
dixidawg said:
^This^

Pheasant hunting begins at sunrise. Many other species begin a half hour before sunrise.
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Possibly. I doubt it though based on where I was standing vs where there is water. I think that there are some guys that honor this rule that you stay in the parking lot until hunting time, and other guys either don't or are simply unaware of it.
 

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OIFer said:
Ol boy on a pheasant water retrieve

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GSP? Given the proliferation of beaver pond swamps, a dog that will retrieve a bird from water is very handy.

My friend's GSP is incredibly athletic, great at finding and pointing birds, and is actually a good swimmer. That said, he absolutely will not retrieve a bird from water. Go figure.

Pretty much every Lab on the planet would be watching a bird headed down over water and thinking, "OMG, OMG, YES! Banzai! (splash)".
 
Mountain said:
GSP? Given the proliferation of beaver pond swamps, a dog that will retrieve a bird from water is very handy.

My friend's GSP is incredibly athletic, great at finding and pointing birds, and is actually a good swimmer. That said, he absolutely will not retrieve a bird from water. Go figure.

Pretty much every Lab on the planet would be watching a bird headed down over water and thinking, "OMG, OMG, YES! Banzai! (splash)".
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We had a cocker that HATED getting wet. But when a bird splashed down on the far side of a beaver pond, she dove right in after it and dragged the bird back to hand (dumped it at my feet). Granted it was maybe only 30 feet, but it was awesome to see her switch on like that.

Our new cocker has no problem jumping down a 3' bank into the water. The first time she dunked completely under, I thought that was the end of that. Nope. She loves it. It'll be nice to have this dog showing our new pointer the ropes when we get her afield. Any retrieve will be bonus.
 
Mountain said:
GSP? Given the proliferation of beaver pond swamps, a dog that will retrieve a bird from water is very handy.
Click to expand...

He’s a drahthaar which is similar to a wire haired pointer but w different breeding standards. He’s pretty versatile and I’ve worked with him in the water quite a bit too.

For a dog that’s water shy, I would recommend swimming with the dog in local ponds and lakes during the summer of course , and assuming they know how to retrieve on land, build them up to water retrieves. All the while making it a positive fun experience for the dog
 
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Went out a week ago to our favorite WMA (ain’t telling!) for our last public day on Saturday before Thanksgiving. Took our two birds in 30 mins. They must have just stocked the day before. Saw and heard at least a few more.

Second season for Piper, and he’s a complete pro. Point, hold, and retrieve. (Hand off into vest still a negotiation…)

It’s gonna be a long off season
 

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ccm75 said:
Will they continue to stock birds for the "extended season"?
Usually seems like they stop just prior to TG.
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No. Just leftover birds. We may buy a few and stock our 350 acres if the weather holds. There usually isnt much left after we stock our state birds.

Plus it would be just our group hunting. We have some grumpy old bastards we cater to and let them use the better fields at first walk in.
 
And there's this (MA):

Special pheasant and quail hunt​

Licensed hunters may submit an application to MassWildlife district offices for a free 1 day permit that allows the private purchase, liberation, and hunting of ring-necked pheasants and/or bobwhite quail on selected WMAs from Jan. 1 – March 31.
WMAs include:
  • Frances A. Crane WMA and Erwin Wilder WMA (SE District)
  • Bolton Flats WMA and Winnimusset WMA (Central District)
  • Martin Burns WMA (NE District)
  • Herm Covey WMA (CT Valley District)
  • Housatonic Valley WMA (Western District)
Permits are issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Only one party can hunt on each WMA per day. There are no stocking limits, or bag limits. You will need a separate importation permit from the MassWildlife Boston Office (617) 626-1575 to purchase birds from out of state.
 
pupchow said:
And there's this (MA):

Special pheasant and quail hunt​

Licensed hunters may submit an application to MassWildlife district offices for a free 1 day permit that allows the private purchase, liberation, and hunting of ring-necked pheasants and/or bobwhite quail on selected WMAs from Jan. 1 – March 31.
WMAs include:
  • Frances A. Crane WMA and Erwin Wilder WMA (SE District)
  • Bolton Flats WMA and Winnimusset WMA (Central District)
  • Martin Burns WMA (NE District)
  • Herm Covey WMA (CT Valley District)
  • Housatonic Valley WMA (Western District)
Permits are issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Only one party can hunt on each WMA per day. There are no stocking limits, or bag limits. You will need a separate importation permit from the MassWildlife Boston Office (617) 626-1575 to purchase birds from out of state.
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We've done this at Winnemusset in the past.

Rather do it at our club that way we don't get other people walking into it or something like that with birds we've purchased. But after the new year, we'd have to use state land as that's all that's allowed. Or one of the clubs down the road is a LSP we can hunt anytime.
 
millbilly said:
Thanks that's good info for the future. I can't find that in the law and it hasn't been my experience with any other type of hunting. But if that is tradition I intend to honor it. This particular WMA is about 1800 acres and I could hear gun fire in different directions deep in, in different directions right at opening. So the rule is not universally followed.
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That is not a universal rule. I used to think it was when I only hunted at Herm Covey. There the EPO's would not allow you to enter the fields before legal shooting time even if your dog was leashed and your gun unloaded. Often they were right at the gate and would tell you when it was time to go in.

When I started hunting other WMA's it was common for people to enter early and wait for shooting time at their desired starting spot. Even had EPO's check us on the way in and wish us luck doing that. So there is quite a bit of inconsistency depending on locality and EPO's. Which might account for the old guys viewpoint.
 
Was down with a bum knee for the fall, and wasn't able to hunt at all.

Now that deer season in NH is finally over, I can go back in the woods. No, there's nothing against small game hunting during deer season, but I'd feel like an a-hole doing it and possibly screwing up someone's stand.
Usually, I spend deer season still hunting with a double loaded with slug and 6's so I can take either, even though I know seeing a deer is just wishful thinking, but since I'm walking quietly, I feel morally ok doing so. But I'll avoid the woods in deer season when I can.
 
First snow of the season visitors. These guys were around my bird feeder this morning.
 

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