NH Pheasant opener

[10 bore]

Originally Posted by ron belanger

We got skunked today but had a great morning anyway.
My young Springer was great for her first time out and although distracted by the God almighty, barrages of shots, even at the exact tick of legal shooting time today (6:15 AM) she overcame the distractions and worked her heart out for me.
Is it just me or are so many "hunters" in it for the numbers/limits and not the enjoyment of the hunt any more?

Ranting here, but the amount of shooting was almost unbelievable. I'm talking 5 shot strings as fast as a trigger could be pulled...what is "sporting" about this?

I will enjoy my days afield with my little buddy, but it's hard to be afield with so many who are just blasting birds on sight, and not even in flight without getting upset at the goings on...I am getting old I guess...

Sorry for the rant...

HI, you were in Strafford NH too? I heard a 5 shot string also, Bill Janelle and i went out on the opener and were did get our 2 birds each (with 2 shots each) and than missed a few woodcock they are smaller you know

[Steve Hodges]

Hunted in a northern site today. Only one other truck when I arrived. Plenty of birds but Ron you need to realize that public land Pheasant hunting in NH is a blood sport. Always was, always will be.

Ron, were you hunting on the other side of the river?

[Walt Kowalski]

Originally Posted by Stephen Hodges

Hunted in a northern site today. Only one other truck when I arrived. Plenty of birds but Ron you need to realize that public land Pheasant hunting in NH is a blood sport. Always was, always will be.

Ron, were you hunting on the other side of the river?

Steve, I went down Back Rd on the Hill side of the river first and there were no vehicles parked at all (at 6AM) so we decided to stay and hunt the Old Village...On the other side of the old Sanbornton bridge, there were a half dozen vehicles already there (we saw them from the village side). There was a group on the Sanbornton side that were very vocal...yelling to each other and blasting like no tomorrow. You are correct about it being a "blood sport"
and I just wonder if it upsets anyone else?

The day before, I had driven over there to scope it out (thanks to your directions) and we walked down the Shaw Cove Rd and actually saw a nice rooster lounging in the sun on the road...we didn't spook him and turned around to plan the next day's hunt.

Took the day off today for some errands and will be back at it tomorrow.

[Walt Kowalski]

Originally Posted by scott kittredge

HI, you were in Strafford NH too? I heard a 5 shot string also, Bill Janelle and i went out on the opener and were did get our 2 birds each (with 2 shots each) and than missed a few woodcock they are smaller you know

No, we were in Hill, NH at the Franklin Falls site...I saw a few woodcock but had neglected to get my HIP certification so couldn't shoot. I got my HIP today so I will be good to go for woodcock now...

[Walt Kowalski]

Have been out another morning and an afternoon hunt and things were a bit quieter. My Springer flushed a hen alongside the river and of course it flew across, denying me a shot at her. Woodcock have been flushing but no shots as I could only hear them go...another hen flushed from the top of a big Pine tree but no shot was offered.
I had found a couple of spots where a bird had been shot on the ground with plenty of feathers to give my dog a good snootful of scent...she liked that!

So far my dog has been enjoying her time afield, and that, to me is a successful hunt!