Anyone else doing a lot of hunting this year?
- This topic has 35 replies, 18 voices, and was last updated Dec 7, 2009 at 10:09 pm by
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With as much rain as we’ve had in the South this year, I’ve hardly been on the water in the last two months.
Turkey season just ended in my WMU. No birds on my property this fall. I hunted another property and it wasn’t meant to be. Saw 8 roosted turkey along the river last night. Day late, dollar short.
I have been grouse hunting alot, despite how warm it has been. woodcock numbers have been good and plentiful.
Was supposed to do a cast/blast in MI this year, effing swine flu got in the way of that one.
I used to use an O/U, but switched to an english-stocked spanish SxS last year. Ugartechea to be exact. Sold the O/U and bought another sxs in 12ga. It’s a joy to carry at 6 pounds and I shoot it semi well. There are very few O/Us that are light enough to carry all day in mountains. Red labels are heavy, franchi “lightweight hunters” are nice, but hard to find, some SKBs are light but the barrells are thin and ding way to easily. (I had one) I don’t like the safety/barrell selector on many modern OUs. They all tend to get stuck eventually- the type that slides forward for fire/safe, and the same switch moves sideways for barrel selection. Get it stuck in the middle when a bird flushes and you will want to wrap it around a tree.
If you are allowed to carry 5 shells in your state, forget the ou or sxs. buy a nice light autoloader.
Good luck
I did a lot of woodcock/grouse hunting this year, and lately I’ve been spending a lot of (unproductive) time in a treestand.
I started bowhunting again this fall, after a 9 year break.
Two weeks ago I had a nice 8 point buck walk right towards me (head on) but didn’t have a good shot angle before it went behind brush (and I had already decided it wasn’t big enough, as I am still after a nice shoulder mount). Now, I am kind of worried whether or not I will get a good oppurtunity… At the end of December, if I see it again, it may be a shooter ;D.
But I am waiting for a chance at one of two bigger deer I have been told are in the area – and a hunting weekend we have scheduled at a friend’s ranch in December, where I have seen some trail cam pics of some nice racks. Problem there, I will most likely be hunting off the ground with my bow, and using natural cover. Maybe I’ll give in to temptation and use the .30-06, but I really want to get this shoulder mount with the bow.
If nothing else, I am enjoying the time in the treestand, and it was really cool to see that buck pass right under me, followed by a spike, and both never knew I was there. Also had a red tailed hawk I was watching fly straight towards me in the stand and turn in front of me at about 10 yards or so. Add gorgeous evening light. It has been good to be back hunting again.
And if I don’t get that shoulder mount this year, there’s always next season.
Matt – you should send that woodcock picture in to Gray’s with a photo essay. I have seen a lot of stuff done on woodcock in there, and that is a great pic!
O/U photographs, and in all likelihood I’ll make my money back using it for pics. Maybe I can use that money to buy a side by side some day. I have never shot one and don’t know anyone who has one.
Zach
I started with an old Ithaca 20ga pump and then moved up to an old style side by side 12ga with double trigger configuration. Only problem with that set up was trigger #2 always ended up feeling like I had busted my trigger finger.
I don’t carry the 12ga much any more but I love that little 20ga especially on the trap range. So many guys look at you funny when they realize you are shooting trap with a 20. Then you bust 23/25 and they just smile. I just smile back (especially after 5 or 6 rounds when my shoulder is feeling fine and they are are rubbing out the ache).As for the hunting the last two years have been almost non existant due to family stuff, however I seem to have been rewarded with seeing alot more game in my daily life.
JWZach,
Those are pricey guns to knock around in the woods. Even used ones.
If you really are after grouse you gotta be in the thickest nastiest stuff.How are the numbers up your way this year?
The numbers in northern Maine were very good this year for both woodcock and grouse. We shot a limit of woodcock most days before lunch, and spent the rest of the day chasing our grouse limits. My friend’s Brittany (in the pic above) is a stellar woodcock dog, and about as good a grouse dog as I’ve ever hunted over, but grouse are just flat out tough.
Dave –
It will wind up being a pheasant gun eventually (which is also why I’m going with a 12 gauge).
If you’re looking for a long range big game rifle (for out west), you can’t go wrong with the Remington Model 700 (pick your caliber of choice).
I’m thinking about setting a trap line this year. Haven’t done so in 5 seasons.
When you can see up to 31 deer in your front yard (river bottom) you loose interest real quick, last deer I shot was out the kitchen door 😀
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