Hunting without a dog

BrownTrout

Any one shoot game without a dog? I don't always have access to a dog so what's the best way to go about flushing birds?

allan450

Are you good in cover what are you like at retrieving shot game.:p

J.R.

BrownTrout wrote: »

Any one shoot game without a dog? I don't always have access to a dog so what's the best way to go about flushing birds?

While your chances are severely limited there is always the chance of meeting & flushing a bird without a dog.

Walk through cover slowly in a zig-zag pattern stopping every 20 yards, standing still with gun ready. This is when the bird will flush.

If you walk fast you will just walk pass them as they cower down, hiding as you rush past. The pheasant, will be aware of you walking in the cover if you walk slow with a purpose - he will be on guard. When you stop he will think he has been spotted by you. As you remain still for a minute or so he will panic and flush. After standing a in a spot for a minute and nothing happens walk on in zig-zag fashion for another 20 metres and then stop and repeat.

The best chances are when you reach the end of the cover and birds have been moving ahead. Now that the cover is finished they will have to break.

This may sound far fetched but it definitely works.

This has worked a good few times for me. Obviously an area where pheasants frequent is important but tillage or gardens are best. This can be used when walking down through a planting of potatoes, turnips etc. or walking through tillage fields planted with kale, winter barley etc.

helpme23

Get a dog.

shotie

wasteing your time without a dog and dont think its fair on the game either what would happen if you winged a bird not a hope of catching up to it or a bird land out the far side of a drain and no way out to it

dodderangler

helpme23 wrote: »

Get a dog.

I can't have a dog because I rent and my landlord won't allow a dog but don't think I should stop hunting because of it.
Not everyone is in the situation to get a dog. Kills me not having one but I wouldn't stop hunting over it.
The downside is the possibility of losing a bird.

hrcbob

I know exactly what it is like to come to this time of year and not have a dog.
Ive been that soldier.

As mentioned before you will struggle to find birds but you will occasionally hit it lucky.

As for loosing birds, there may be times when you will just have to let a bird on and not take the shot because you can see that the terrain will make retrieving a problem.
I now sometimes shoot over a springer with a brilliant nose to find birds but that cant retrieve worth a dam and i let two pheasant off sunday knowing that there was little chance of getting a retrieve out of him.

That being said i still enjoyed my day in the field and i actually like the feeling of having the gun shouldered and on a bird only to put the safety back on and tell him ill get him another day instead.

cookimonster

hrcbob wrote: »

............ As for loosing birds, there may be times when you will just have to let a bird on and not take the shot because you can see that the terrain will make retrieving a problem.........

I am in the same boat, I shoot over friends dogs when the opportunity arises. The lack of a dog won't stop me, but I am selective in my shots. Yes you will inevitably wing and lose a bird, but who here hasn't lost birds etc. even when shooting over dogs.


Be wise, be sure of your shot and your abilities and know your land permission. Knowing the permission will enable you to hunt the right spots and know where the easy retrieves are.


Best of luck

hathcock

BrownTrout wrote: »

Any one shoot game without a dog? I don't always have access to a dog so what's the best way to go about flushing birds?

Hardly ethical.

Hunter456

I used to do some pheasant hunting without a dog its really really hard I used Terriers and have being more successful. This year I got my self a conventional hunting dog a English lwellyen setter and my God I have never seen so many pheasants it help to have the proper tools for the job.

Tommyaya4

If I didn't have a dog I wouldn't own a gun waste of time hunting without a dog

Thedeerstalker

I would disagree to some extent that you need a dog....It depends on what your shooting, I shoot ducks on drains at home that dont require a dog...I shoot Snipe on a bog that while may be improved by a dog doesn't exactly require...You could argue of course that it is not responsible and a winged bird could be lost...I have shot plenty of pheasants without a dog too....

But then really, whatever the fors and againsts....Shooting without an Old Dawg....Just isn't shooting at all.

hrcbob

hathcock wrote: »

Hardly ethical.

How does ethics come into it?

I cant see a problem with walking the ditches of grass fields in the hope that you come across a bird that flushes the right direction that you have time on the shot and can see the bird drop to where you can walk to easily and pick it up.

The whole trick is to know your ground and if you know it well enough you will know what direction birds will head for cover if flushed.

Have good enough self control to just say "not today" and let on the ones you might not retrieve.

Dont expect to see more than one or two shootable birds a day and even at that be prepared to let them on if terrain doesnt suit.

In a way it turns into a kinda pheasant stalking..:D

Nobody goes out with the intention of losing winged birds but it does happen with or without dogs.

Tikka391

What ever chance you have of walking up on the odd young or "green" pheasant, I can't think you would have any chance in a week or two when they are all gone. An older wiser bird will just tuck down and hold and let you just walk on by.

Have you tried the dogs trust or pounds you might get something that will do you a turn. A friend of mine is a dog warden he is always calling me to see if I know anyone who wants a springer or pointer that sort of thing. Unwanted pets and the like. I don't know what county your in but it can't be that dissimilar.
They mightn't be FTC standard but better than nothing.

hathcock

hrcbob wrote: »

How does ethics come into it?

I cant see a problem with walking the ditches of grass fields in the hope that you come across a bird that flushes the right direction that you have time on the shot and can see the bird drop to where you can walk to easily and pick it up.

The whole trick is to know your ground and if you know it well enough you will know what direction birds will head for cover if flushed.

Have good enough self control to just say "not today" and let on the ones you might not retrieve.

Dont expect to see more than one or two shootable birds a day and even at that be prepared to let them on if terrain doesnt suit.

In a way it turns into a kinda pheasant stalking..:D

Nobody goes out with the intention of losing winged birds but it does happen with or without dogs.

You are far more likely to lose a winged bird if you don't have a dog,I would consider it unethical to hunt birds and not to maximise the chances of retrieving the birds after they are shot, dead or otherwise.If you can justify it to yourself,then go ahead, personally,I wouldn't go afield without a dog.

hathcock

dodderangler wrote: »

I can't have a dog because I rent and my landlord won't allow a dog but don't think I should stop hunting because of it.
Not everyone is in the situation to get a dog. Kills me not having one but I wouldn't stop hunting over it.
The downside is the possibility of losing a bird.

Move to somewhere you can keep a dog.

tikkahunter

Whatever about walking up snipe or ducks in a drain , going out pheasant shooting without a dog is pointless.I don't even get the rational behind it ,like what do you do go around throwing stones into ditches or cover i just dont see what you would get from that and as has been mentioned before ,what do you do if you wing a bird and it runs for cover ,zero chance of retrieval without a dog.

tikkahunter

hathcock wrote: »

Move to somewhere you can keep a dog.

Its my first thing i did when i have bought any of my houses, look at the back garden ...ok my shed will go here and my run will go there, if you have a hobby then you have to make sure you can carry it out , no point half arseing it.

Hunter456

tikkahunter wrote: »

Whatever about walking up snipe or ducks in a drain , going out pheasant shooting without a dog is pointless.I don't even get the rational behind it ,like what do you do go around throwing stones into ditches or cover i just dont see what you would get from that and as has been mentioned before ,what do you do if you wing a bird and it runs for cover ,zero chance of retrieval without a dog.

reminds me of me last year that's what i was doing lol, but this year i went away and bought a dog for the job to be honest its the best thing i have ever seen watching a dog work the way its suppose to makes it all worth it, now i have a companion to share my hunting trips with.