Pheasant in NY with my VH Parker

[Kevin Origoni]

Yesterday I waited until the cool of the day and went out for a quick bird hunt in NY for pheasant & woodcock. I like to take the Parker out occasionally so it's not accused of being a safe queen and I'll admit that the 1913 VH 12 ga. is probably not the best for uplanding on woodcock with its tight chokes and it's probably a good thing I missed the only bird I saw that afternoon. We did manage our limit on a couple pheasant that "held" for us.

[Autumn Daze]

Good Work Kevin, That looks to be a very nice pup ya got there.Whats his/her name? Oh ya... by the way nice Parker

[Kevin Origoni]

Dave,

Thanks! My Setter's name is Sam. He's 7. He is a great companion and not too bad in the field either.

[Old and Reliable]

[QUOTE=Kevin Origoni;6230]Dave,

Thanks! My Setter's name is Sam. He's 7. He is a great companion and not too bad in the field either. Looks to me like an "Osthaus" painting- great foto and the tail- sure, it doesn't find the birds as does his nose, but it sure shows a most intense point. Preserve birds? That's about the only pheasant left for us "die-hards" in Western MI-now 20 years or so ago, we had some fairly good pheasant hunting, even a few grouse in the tag alders. Many of my gunning pals used to think that allowing a pointing dog you were training for grouse and woodcock to hunt pheasants (with their tendency to run) was a mistake- I'll bet your dog at age 7 handles all of those fine upland birds. Have you ever tried the Poly-Wad or other brands of Spreader shot loads for the first barrel in your 12 VH??

[Kevin Origoni]

Francis,

These birds are from state land. And about 200 yards from where I took this picture is a thick stand of grapevine tangles, pines and hemlocks where I've killed (and missed) grouse over the years. But the area has been devoid of grouse the last two years. It's like they just up and left. For NY grouse I need to head further north and west.

You are correct about pointing dogs and pheasants for they can ruin a good pointing dog. My father is a dyed in the wool Setter guy, and he always hated pheasant hunting to some degree because of their nature to run. I started my dog on grouse and woodcock and eventually we began hunting pheasants by the end of his 2nd year. I can read him now pretty good and I know when we've got a running bird vs. one that's pinned tight. He's become adept at trailing birds, sometimes too well. I've never hunted on a preserve with him and I prefer to take our chances on wild birds in Maine or on state-stocked gamelands in NY and NJ. That's really the only alternatives I have in my area now. We've been finding a lot of woodcock in the last week so I am enjoying that while the season lasts.

For those birds yesterday, I left my house in the late afternoon and arrived to start at 4:00PM and hunted until dusk. My plan was to get there after most people had gone home, the day cooled, and hopefully I'd have the grounds to myself. I was right. The sun was going down, it was cooling off, the cool dampness coming up from the ground was ideal for scenting that evening when I arrived.

No, I've never reloaded with Poly-Wad's to spread the shot. I may try those in my 16 ga. Trojan though. That's a little handier to carry around than the 12.

[Bill Murphy]

Do they allow you to shoot hens on the state lands?

[Old and Reliable]

I wondered about that also. Ofo course, on the preserves and hunt clubs you can shoot either sexed pheasant. Possibly so in NY on a State released bird arrangement. Many years ago (when I had Molly Behan O'Fallon- out of Mississippi Zev bloodlines) we had a MI State released pheasant program called "put and take". Back then I lived near a good deal of state land, but hunting the "Michigan Chickens" was not the same as native birds; pen fed and released just hours before sunrise, they flew like dirigibles and we no real sport to the gunner. Provided some good dog work however, and there were always partridges and woodcock around in the tag alders to miss as well!!

Now out in SD or MT where I have hunted native birds, a three or four Rooster per day limit is attainable, and the hens go unscathed to allow for future breeding. On the two clubs where I shoot here in MI, the hens on the tower shoots most often escape the barrage that "grasses" the roosters- smaller bird, faster perhaps- I can't say for sure. But I'm pushing 70 and grew up in the era where hens and quails were protected and a two bird/day Rooster limit in a 3 week open season. Hard to get used to taking hens, even preserve birds, for an "old dog" like me!!

Great fotos, and a very handsome male Setter indeed. Not Ryman or old Hemlock nick, what is his FDSB lineage if I may ask??

[Kevin Origoni]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Do they allow you to shoot hens on the state lands?

Yes, unlike in western states, you can take either sex in NY or NJ. The thought process for stocking in both states is "put and take." If you are in possession of a "pheasant stamp" in NJ (a $40 stamp in addition to your regular hunting license), you can take either sex on WMA or Federal land parcels. I believe you must take cockbirds-only on Federal land parcels if you are not in possession of a pheasant stamp. A pheasant stamp is mandatory to hunt pheasants on NJ state WMA's (wildlife management areas).

In NY, a regular small game hunting license allows you to hunt pheasant.

[Richard Flanders]

Sometimes the grouse must be crossing with pheasants guys. When Trigg and I hunted in Minnesota on one day in particular everyone came back with stories of ruffies running like sprinters and leaving the dogs there with nothing. I watched one do it and thought I was chasing a rabbit through the woods but it turned out to be a ruffie hauling arse like a rooster pheasant, hopping logs and covering ground faster than I could run through heavy conifer forest, leaving the dog on a gorgeous solid point! I couldn't believe it. We had so many points that day that produced nothing that we were doubting the dogs. When released they'd trail and bump a bird 50-100 yds out. I'm used to Alaskan ruffies slowly moving away from a solid point but these guys were sprinting and most definitely waiting for us. New to me for sure.

[Kevin Origoni]

Francis,
Growing up in NJ, and hunting back in the 60's, there were restrictions on taking hen birds when there was more farmland and the impetus was conservation back then. There were certain zones you could not take a hen bird. It's a little different today. Hunting and game management seems to be geared towards instant gratification for the hunter.

Sam comes out of Bayview Setters, LeGrangeville NY. Dan Catalano was the breeder, but I don't think he's running a kennel anymore. Dan line-bred Setters for the last 55 years or so. He hasn't registered a litters in years. If you email me at nayseokevin@gmail.com, I can give you more in-depth detail on Sam and his past. I wouldn't want to bore everyone else here as I know this is a Parker gun site.

Richard,
The last few times I've been to Maine I've noticed grouse moving/running a lot. I also noticed more coyotes up there every year compared to the past. I've been traveling to Maine since 1970, as I'd notice little things like this. My suspicions are the birds may be adapting to heavy predation and decided to get legs and run a little more? I dunno. Certainly changes the game a bit. Grouse can sometimes be the dumbest game bird in the book and seem easy to bag, but they are also infamous for disappearing like the proverbial ghost.

BTW - 200 yards uphill from where I snapped the top picture, there is a location of hemlock, pine and grapevine tangles where I've taken grouse in the past. This area you need to be prepared for anything.