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2024 Upland season
- Thread starter rogerk
- Start date
No. Walk and stop walk and stop. Perhaps I mis spoke.......I said "by hand" but really meant were not using dogs.
They flush mostly when your stopped. Ruffed grouse don't live in "brush" anyway.....they live in early successional forest.....thick patches of alder, Birch, cherry......the type of stuff that's growing up like 8 to 10 years after a clear cut. That's why ruffed grouse are almost gone in Massachusetts and southern new england......nobody clear cuts for timber anymore in mass cuz the soccer moms all cry about "destroying our forests" because they think they know everything.....and believe all wildlife needs big tracts of old hardwood.... and that's just not true. For diverse ecosystems you need diverse land and clear cutting is one way to promote early successional forests that grouse, whipporwill, and rabbits prefer. For the mass siccer mons and yuppies it's all about immediate optics......theyll never actually walk in those woods other than a maintained trail lol.....they see big older trees and think that's habitat all wildlife needs.
if and when logging is done in mass it's select cut which doesn't promote early successional forest growth.
This is prime grouse habitat on both sides of this old logging road. Both sides of it were clear cut probably 8 to 10 years ago.
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My son got one this morning. We flushed 4 before 10 am he was able to connect.
So hunting trip complete......walked about 12 miles of old logging road.....flushed 9 shot one each. Not bad for our first attempt at grouse.
So hunting trip complete......walked about 12 miles of old logging road.....flushed 9 shot one each. Not bad for our first attempt at grouse.
HorizontalHunter
NES Member
As,e has @whacko. Start and stop at irregular intervals. I also carried a pocket of rocks I would toss into likely thickets at times as well.
They definitely wait to flush till you stop walking. Had one flush this morning that was 3 feet from where I stopped walking......it was in a ditch on the side of the logging cut......we stopped.....started looking around in the wood line and bam.......off he went.....scared the shit out of me.
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HorizontalHunter
NES Member
They definitely wait to flush till you stop walking. Had one flush this morning that was 3 feet from where I stopped walking......it was in a ditch on the side of the logging cut......we stopped.....started looking around in the wood line and bam.......off he went.....scared the shit out of me.
Many years ago my wife and I hunted partridge together. She always screamed when one went up. Every single time.
ThePreBanMan
NES Member
God that country is so beautiful it makes my heart ache. My dream is a cabin on the side of a mountain like that..
Catoperat
NES Member
The fields with corn are under an agricultural lease so it is up to the farmer when the corn gets cut.
admcd
NES Member
Went to Wayne F today. The standing corn is a f***in disaster. They didn't seem to "groom" the fields at all.
Hunted two hours. Flushed one woodcock that I dropped. Guess we're having spaghetti and woodcock for dinner.
Flushed a pheasant towards the end of the day. Dale worked it hard and got a solid flush.
My buddy, Dan, shot twice and it went down with my anchor. The bird just folded and looked like it dropped like a stone on the other side of the hedge row.
We looked for it for probably 20 minutes to half an hour in he thickest of thick shit with the dog and got nothing.
There was an old timer there watching us with a suspiciously heavy game bag right where it went down.
Not saying he took it.
But I'm not saying he didn't.
I'm going to try the Ross Flood Control Site on Wednesday, maybe. Bit further away for me, but since the Wayne isn't really maintained this year and the standing corn, I'm not going to waste time on it until later in the season - Maybe try again after I get back from NC in November.
Hunted two hours. Flushed one woodcock that I dropped. Guess we're having spaghetti and woodcock for dinner.
Flushed a pheasant towards the end of the day. Dale worked it hard and got a solid flush.
My buddy, Dan, shot twice and it went down with my anchor. The bird just folded and looked like it dropped like a stone on the other side of the hedge row.
We looked for it for probably 20 minutes to half an hour in he thickest of thick shit with the dog and got nothing.
There was an old timer there watching us with a suspiciously heavy game bag right where it went down.
Not saying he took it.
But I'm not saying he didn't.
I'm going to try the Ross Flood Control Site on Wednesday, maybe. Bit further away for me, but since the Wayne isn't really maintained this year and the standing corn, I'm not going to waste time on it until later in the season - Maybe try again after I get back from NC in November.
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Careful out there, folks. Missed a tick until early this am when I woke up with a sore spot on the side of my chest. Doc 99% certain it's Lyme's and treating accordingly. Picked this up hunting pheasant in Princeton, MA on Saturday morning.
Otherwise a nice hunt. We went after the initial crowd busted up birds and shot a few. Friend's GSP continues to be quite the bird magnet and found the smarter birds that others damn near stepped on. Also found the very wily ones that were flushing wild despite the dog doing his job and holding point.
Otherwise a nice hunt. We went after the initial crowd busted up birds and shot a few. Friend's GSP continues to be quite the bird magnet and found the smarter birds that others damn near stepped on. Also found the very wily ones that were flushing wild despite the dog doing his job and holding point.
Not the guy with the dog but I commented about the corn as well. We hunted that property Saturday. It’s 7-8 feet tall, planted on either side of the main trial. We walked in between rows to get back and my buddy couldn’t see me in blaze orange from 20 feet away. It would be unsafe to venture too deep into it and I’d say the birds are gonna be hiding out for reach until it’s cut or topped.
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admcd
NES Member
What Gerbs said.
You can't see shit, unless the bird flushes within 10 feet and directly down the row, you're not going to have a shot. Big waste of time.
It being public land, I want to be able to see a good distance all around me to keep an eye out for other hunters. I've run into a lot of faces that I actively avoid based on their trigger discipline and their behavior in the field.
I don't want to get shot in the face - or worse, get my dog shot.
I choose not to play stupid games. I don't want to stupid prizes.
You can't see shit, unless the bird flushes within 10 feet and directly down the row, you're not going to have a shot. Big waste of time.
It being public land, I want to be able to see a good distance all around me to keep an eye out for other hunters. I've run into a lot of faces that I actively avoid based on their trigger discipline and their behavior in the field.
I don't want to get shot in the face - or worse, get my dog shot.
I choose not to play stupid games. I don't want to stupid prizes.
I ran across a horrible post on the book recently. “Hunters” mistook his dog for a coyote in the open prairies and shot it dead. Just awful.
Having never been to this wma, I appreciate the feedback.
pupchow
NES Member
Took the dogs out for their official first run this season, on Monday. The place was mostly barren, except for one bird the dogs pushed towards a solo hunter without a dog. He bagged it. No satisfaction. Oh, but there was the heron she put up, and got all feisty over. That was exciting. But New Pup did a great job of following commands & signals and worked closely alongside Ms. Master Cocker. Excellent recall.
But today was the day. We had the place to ourselves, and New Pup showed signs of becoming a wonderful hunting companion. I did let them indulge with a bit of Tug-of-war with her first bird. Once she got keyed on the scent, it was game on. They got their limit of two birds soon afterwards. The cocker turned 3 years old today, and the pointer will be 2 soon.
But today was the day. We had the place to ourselves, and New Pup showed signs of becoming a wonderful hunting companion. I did let them indulge with a bit of Tug-of-war with her first bird. Once she got keyed on the scent, it was game on. They got their limit of two birds soon afterwards. The cocker turned 3 years old today, and the pointer will be 2 soon.
admcd
NES Member
Which WMA were you at, @pupchow ? It looks like Medfield.
I hunted there today for a bit. They got the hay in early so it's edge cover or nothing at the moment. I saw a dead head on the road, and heard a rooster cackling across the river, but no joy past that.
Dale had fun, though, so it was a good trip. He also came home with two hot spots from where his vest was rubbing, so that was less fun. Hopefully, they'll clear up in time for Wednesday afternoon's hunt.
I hunted there today for a bit. They got the hay in early so it's edge cover or nothing at the moment. I saw a dead head on the road, and heard a rooster cackling across the river, but no joy past that.
Dale had fun, though, so it was a good trip. He also came home with two hot spots from where his vest was rubbing, so that was less fun. Hopefully, they'll clear up in time for Wednesday afternoon's hunt.
admcd
NES Member
Does anyone have a Chief Upland vest? I've been running an Alpz for four or five years and am looking for an upgrade. I like final rise, but I like to run a hydro bladder instead of water bottles, and I don't think their vests accommodate that configuration.
Chief seems to have the same modularity, includes a backpack compartment, and has hydro. I normally use the waterbottle pouches on my current vest for water for Dale.
Chief seems to have the same modularity, includes a backpack compartment, and has hydro. I normally use the waterbottle pouches on my current vest for water for Dale.
Close to 14 miles on the old legs yesterday . Put up a dozen or so in the winds with on and off showers. Got this guy early on. Had to shake a sapling to get him flying. Was content after this and called the hunting portion of the day good and scouted for the remainder.
when in Rome
when in Rome
Nice morning at the club. Pup went 4 for 4 on flushes. I went 3 for 4 on shooting. Got the last one on go pro video
View: https://youtu.be/l8KrYYHSFS8?si=PPLQhR_LN-1WBShg
View: https://youtu.be/l8KrYYHSFS8?si=PPLQhR_LN-1WBShg
3rd season moose had quite a few folks out. Fresh snow for those tracking. Didn’t hear any rifle shots unfortunately.
The snow and damp leaves made it difficult to hear any rustling so snap shooting was about as good as a guy could do on the flush. Big winds darn near muted that as well. Three birds in the bag and called it a day.
The snow and damp leaves made it difficult to hear any rustling so snap shooting was about as good as a guy could do on the flush. Big winds darn near muted that as well. Three birds in the bag and called it a day.
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Season has been good so far.
Woodcock migration seems to be moving along.. put up some good bird numbers earlier this week.
CT is putting out some nice birds with beautiful tails.
Emmit doesn't care about tail size... He's just glad it's time to chase birds again.
Woodcock migration seems to be moving along.. put up some good bird numbers earlier this week.
CT is putting out some nice birds with beautiful tails.
Emmit doesn't care about tail size... He's just glad it's time to chase birds again.
