How Cold Is It!?

[Matt Buckley]

Went out this afternoon for what I think is the last pheasant hunt of the year for me in Minnesota with 15 degrees and a 10 mph breeze. Our season ends on Jan 1 and it is supposed to be below zero from here on out in MN. The Parker Reproduction 20 scored. The rooster looks a bit rough because he decided to go for a swim in a open drainage ditch before my friends Boynkin Spainel cornered him.

[Jeff K.]

I was going to wait another day, but my new waders came in the mail so I decided to try them out. It was a balmy 14 degrees when I started walking ditches this afternoon.
Only three more days of duck season, so I had to attempt hunting. I jumped two groups of Mallards. I doubled on one group . Of course I dropped both of them in the water! Unlike my old waders, the new ones don't leak.

[TARNATION !!!]

“We’d be crazy to go if it’s minus 40”. So said my hunting partner of several decades. I replied “So we’re good to go up to minus 39 then”. Picked him up at 7:30 am for the hour and half drive to pheasant country. As it turned out the real temperature was minus 32 with light winds that dropped the wind chill to minus 39 so it never did hit minus 40, not that another degree would have meant anything other than that minus 40 is the same in both Celsius and Fahrenheit. All that could be seen on the two of us were four eyeballs. Charlie is a good cold weather bird dog but she did take breaks in the vehicle and refused any more searching for birds by 2pm. Wish I had known about mushers secret but no mattter. By then we had four good roosters and decided to head home. Limit is 3 each. We removed the cold weather gear and even seeing a few feeding roosters did not tempt us to get it all back on. That is the coldest hunt I have ever undertaken and quite enjoyed it. No pics as never exposed fingers for any reason. Cheers, Jack

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Jack Cronkhite

“We’d be crazy to go if it’s minus 40”. So said my hunting partner of several decades. I replied “So we’re good to go up to minus 39 then”. Picked him up at 7:30 am for the hour and half drive to pheasant country. As it turned out the real temperature was minus 32 with light winds that dropped the wind chill to minus 39 so it never did hit minus 40, not that another degree would have meant anything other than that minus 40 is the same in both Celsius and Fahrenheit. All that could be seen on the two of us were four eyeballs. Charlie is a good cold weather bird dog but she did take breaks in the vehicle and refused any more searching for birds by 2pm. Wish I had known about mushers secret but no mattter. By then we had four good roosters and decided to head home. Limit is 3 each. We removed the cold weather gear and even seeing a few feeding roosters did not tempt us to get it all back on. That is the coldest hunt I have ever undertaken and quite enjoyed it. No pics as never exposed fingers for any reason. Cheers, Jack

Jack, this sounds a bit too cold for me, but when the wind doesn't blow (rare here on the prairie) it's always worth the chance. We don't hunt quail when it's really cold. It's far too hard on them to be separated for any length of time. However, pheasants are another issue. They are pretty darned tough, and able to take the cold.

As good as Musher's Secret is, it still has to be applied, and, gosh, one's hands can sure get cold putting it on the dog before each hunt. However, I won't even try to hunt in snowy cold without it.

Thanks for sharing your hunt. I once grouse hunted in minus 25 weather. The beeper collar froze...I froze...my wife froze...and the dogs loved it!

[Phil C]

Went out today south of Tucson. About 72 F. Wind under 5 mph. Humidity in the teens. Didnt get out until noon and took 3 dogs. Only time to run 2 of them as I needed to head home my 4. Weather is unseasonably warm. I was able to find some birds but had to hunt some tough areas.

http://parkerguns.org/forums/attachm...1&d=1514529795

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Phillip Carr

Went out today south of Tucson. About 72 F. Wind under 5 mph. Humidity in the teens. Didnt get out until noon and took 3 dogs. Only time to run 2 of them as I needed to head home my 4. Weather is unseasonably warm. I was able to find some birds but had to hunt some tough areas.

http://parkerguns.org/forums/attachm...1&d=1514529795

Phillip,

We had near 60 degree temps just a short time back. The dogs were kicking up dust. Now it's 12 degrees with a good bit of snow. At least we have seasons...I keep telling myself. I think of Tucson a great deal around early Feb. in north Missouri. Thanks for the pictures!

[Harold Pickens]

Will try to get out tomorrow. Temps have risen from below 10 to the low twenties, but now have a snow advisory that may make roads treacherous in the morning. There are very few pheasants left at our club, but the fresh snow may help us in finding them . Hunted a local public hunting area a week ago(Ohio), and only moved 1 bird in about 5 hours--had a great point and back and managed to get the bird.
My 2 young pups need to get out and see some birds, so may need to go to a preserve

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Harold Lee Pickens

Will try to get out tomorrow. Temps have risen from below 10 to the low twenties, but now have a snow advisory that may make roads treacherous in the morning. There are very few pheasants left at our club, but the fresh snow may help us in finding them . Hunted a local public hunting area a week ago(Ohio), and only moved 1 bird in about 5 hours--had a great point and back and managed to get the bird.
My 2 young pups need to get out and see some birds, so may need to go to a preserve

Harold,

Where in Ohio? I lived in Athens while in grad school and continued to go back to SE OH to grouse hunt until the well-meaning, but ignorant "conservationists" put a stop to timber sales in the Wayne National Forest. Your hunt sounds bittersweet. Sometimes when bird numbers are down and we've had several poor hunts in a row, even a single bird makes for a great day. I hope yours was.

[Harold Pickens]

Garry, I grew up, work, and own a farm in Belmont county--but live just across the river in Wheeling, WV now. I went to the local branch campus of Ohio University for 2 years, then to OSU. Ohio used to be a fantastic grouse state as you know, 20-30 flush days the norm. I used to hunt Wayne National a lot in Monroe and Washington counties. I will still hit those spots but grouse are now few and far between. It is really not any better now around Athens and south.
Serious grouse hunters must now head north to Mich, Wis, or Minn.

[mobirdhunter]

Here's a follow-up (and thanks to all who have provided their own accounts!). It warmed to 12 degrees yesterday. We stole out in a light snow and crossed the border into Iowa. Our Cedar, with Musher's Secret on all four paws, found us a covey of quail (from which we got one), and then trailed a rooster pheasant that obliged me with a shot. Cedar was as happy as was I, and we celebrated a short, successful hunt at home later with the wood stove cranked up high.