Man does not live by fish alone!
7 posts
• Page 1 of 1
Re: Man does not live by fish alone!
by brookman » Thu Jan 08, 2015 8:01 pm
Wild birds? Grew up hunting them, too few and far between here in Southwest Virginia. My dad still lives in Mississippi and they have all but vanished there too. We only get to hunt them on preserves. Sure do miss it.
Re: Man does not live by fish alone!
by SOBX » Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:06 pm
Same here and all over the South, but you need to ferret out the really good plantations that propagate birds and not just release them the day of or even an hour before the hunt.
We hunted the George Hi Plantation, an Orvis endorsed operation and paid dearly for the experience, but having grown up hunting birds in the 60s/70s and 80s, I can say that these birds were as close to wild birds and I have seen anywhere this side of Texas or Mexico, and ain't nobody safe in Mexico just south of the border anymore. I had several friends that told me about the birds at George Hi and we got way more than even they had told me. No dogs catching birds, no guides trying to pass off unsuitable behavior of dogs, and an all around quality HUNT, not a shoot.
3 of us hunted, 2 shooting at one time or sometimes just one of us, and our limit was 7 birds, and we shot only 17. We hunted over both a pointer and a setter that worked as good as my Dad's dogs except for not being steady to wing & shot, but what I'll tell you now is most likely the reason. The guide used an English Cocker to flush the birds, and my friend, that little dog put em IN THE AIR, and the pointing dogs moved most times.
The biggest difference between the propagated (released days if not weeks in advance) and wild birds was that the plantation birds would hold like birds in the 60s and 70s, and fly maybe a few yards shorter than wild birds of the same era, but they would fly directly into the sun, turn into the breeze, dip and doodle between pines in the cutover, and embarrass you if were expecting slow pitiful specimens that never got over waist high. Absolutely no comparison to pen raised and planted quail put out a short time before being shot!
Also, after being out on the plantation grounds for days, the birds got together with others and much of our shooting was done on a covey rise with 5 to 8 birds, another very pleasant surprise. In all honesty, I shot preserves and plantations from NC thru SC & Ga, and this was as good as it gets. Only draw back for some were the mules and wagons, but I didn't do that growing up either, so a fine walking hunt with dogs that stayed close enough to actually watch without being plodders was quite find and dandy!
Sorry for the lengthy post, but to say I was pleased says it all, as my 26 year old daughter and her boy friend really had nothing to compare it to.
Good Fishing & Hunting!!!
We hunted the George Hi Plantation, an Orvis endorsed operation and paid dearly for the experience, but having grown up hunting birds in the 60s/70s and 80s, I can say that these birds were as close to wild birds and I have seen anywhere this side of Texas or Mexico, and ain't nobody safe in Mexico just south of the border anymore. I had several friends that told me about the birds at George Hi and we got way more than even they had told me. No dogs catching birds, no guides trying to pass off unsuitable behavior of dogs, and an all around quality HUNT, not a shoot.
3 of us hunted, 2 shooting at one time or sometimes just one of us, and our limit was 7 birds, and we shot only 17. We hunted over both a pointer and a setter that worked as good as my Dad's dogs except for not being steady to wing & shot, but what I'll tell you now is most likely the reason. The guide used an English Cocker to flush the birds, and my friend, that little dog put em IN THE AIR, and the pointing dogs moved most times.
The biggest difference between the propagated (released days if not weeks in advance) and wild birds was that the plantation birds would hold like birds in the 60s and 70s, and fly maybe a few yards shorter than wild birds of the same era, but they would fly directly into the sun, turn into the breeze, dip and doodle between pines in the cutover, and embarrass you if were expecting slow pitiful specimens that never got over waist high. Absolutely no comparison to pen raised and planted quail put out a short time before being shot!
Also, after being out on the plantation grounds for days, the birds got together with others and much of our shooting was done on a covey rise with 5 to 8 birds, another very pleasant surprise. In all honesty, I shot preserves and plantations from NC thru SC & Ga, and this was as good as it gets. Only draw back for some were the mules and wagons, but I didn't do that growing up either, so a fine walking hunt with dogs that stayed close enough to actually watch without being plodders was quite find and dandy!
Sorry for the lengthy post, but to say I was pleased says it all, as my 26 year old daughter and her boy friend really had nothing to compare it to.
Good Fishing & Hunting!!!
Re: Man does not live by fish alone!
by brookman » Tue Jan 13, 2015 12:47 pm
Thanks SOBX, never heard of using a cocker spaniel to flush birds. Can't imagine any of our setters puting up with that.
Re: Man does not live by fish alone!
by SOBX » Wed Jan 14, 2015 2:14 pm
Key word is English Cocker, as I doubt the American (show dog) version would jump off the couch. Have seen Boykins used in GA for the same thing and in all places the pointing dogs were steady til the little cocker on scene arrived for us, and have seen both Boykins and the pointers/setters remain steady (the Boykin sat) to both wing & shot ----- these were damn fine dogs! 
As a side note, the pic with the setter pointing the bird on the log was pure luck. It was a single that had already flown 75/80 yards on a covey rise and hoped up on the log just before taking off. I didn't see it til the pics (3 of em) showed the bird and one showed a blur.
As stated, these were by far the closest thing to 1960/1980 wild birds as I have ever seen. Just wish my shooting, eyes reflexes, rusty hinges and all that gets old would have been the same way.
May try em a few more times, but my heart says some more of these need my attention,
and shortly these will force a 3wt along with an already rigged 4 to take up space in the skiff.
It is supposed to be 60 here Sunday, rivers are high and I predict an early shad season will keep the Elsie in the rack unless the daughter has to have another dose.
Good Fishing!!!
As a side note, the pic with the setter pointing the bird on the log was pure luck. It was a single that had already flown 75/80 yards on a covey rise and hoped up on the log just before taking off. I didn't see it til the pics (3 of em) showed the bird and one showed a blur.
As stated, these were by far the closest thing to 1960/1980 wild birds as I have ever seen. Just wish my shooting, eyes reflexes, rusty hinges and all that gets old would have been the same way.
May try em a few more times, but my heart says some more of these need my attention,
and shortly these will force a 3wt along with an already rigged 4 to take up space in the skiff.
It is supposed to be 60 here Sunday, rivers are high and I predict an early shad season will keep the Elsie in the rack unless the daughter has to have another dose.
Good Fishing!!!
Re: Man does not live by fish alone!
by SOBX » Wed Jan 14, 2015 2:16 pm
Key word is English Cocker, as I doubt the American (show dog) version would jump off the couch. Have seen Boykins used in GA for the same thing and in all places the pointing dogs were steady til the little cocker on scene arrived for us, and have seen both Boykins and the pointers/setters remain steady (the Boykin sat) to both wing & shot ----- these were damn fine dogs!
As a side note, the pic with the setter pointing the bird on the log was pure luck. It was a single that had already flown 75/80 yards on a covey rise and hoped up on the log just before taking off. I didn't see it til the pics (3 of em) showed the bird and one showed a blur.
As stated, these were by far the closest thing to 1960/1980 wild birds as I have ever seen. Just wish my shooting, eyes reflexes, rusty hinges and all that gets old would have been the same way.
May try em a few more times, but my heart says some more of these need my attention,
and shortly these will force a 3wt along with an already rigged 4 to take up space in the skiff.
It is supposed to be 60 here Sunday, rivers are high and I predict an early shad season will keep the Elsie in the rack unless the daughter has to have another dose.
Good Fishing!!!
As a side note, the pic with the setter pointing the bird on the log was pure luck. It was a single that had already flown 75/80 yards on a covey rise and hoped up on the log just before taking off. I didn't see it til the pics (3 of em) showed the bird and one showed a blur.
As stated, these were by far the closest thing to 1960/1980 wild birds as I have ever seen. Just wish my shooting, eyes reflexes, rusty hinges and all that gets old would have been the same way.
May try em a few more times, but my heart says some more of these need my attention,
and shortly these will force a 3wt along with an already rigged 4 to take up space in the skiff.
It is supposed to be 60 here Sunday, rivers are high and I predict an early shad season will keep the Elsie in the rack unless the daughter has to have another dose.
Good Fishing!!!
Re: Man does not live by fish alone!
by bhorsley » Wed Jan 14, 2015 10:17 pm
nice report Chuck--love my Boykins
growing old ain't for sissies
Pure-T-Mommicked
Pure-T-Mommicked
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