What was everyones's experience yesterday? I was concerned with the Game Farm problems. I was in Assunpink around noon and while there were large pckets of hunters I did not see many shells on the ground (only 4) after 3 hours of walking. We saw 2 birds, both Hail Mary shots and the dogs worked a few areas pretty good but yeilded nothing. The few people I talked to had the same experience.

Not sure i did not go.. opening day the last few years for me was a nightmare with other dogs and people.. over crowded..

 

I will probably just shoot some afternoons this season.

Due to opening day and warnings from many others, namely TBtrout, Wojo, Tony357, etc, we didn't go out until almost 3pm. This was actually a positive as we only came across one other hunter who was hunting coyote (allegedly). Brave to be out on opening day with no hunter orange IMO, but... whatever, his head, not mine.

 

My "first time out with me" shelter dog flushed three birds, one well out of range. The other two were... well, my fault.

 

The positive of the day was the energy and ability of the dog to do his job well despite his owner's inexperience. Damn he can hold a point!!

 

Had I reloaded after the second bird flushed, the third bird would have been hit. Depending on how the week goes, I may try to get an early afternoon in later this week.

That is a good day dig..

My "first time out with me" shelter dog flushed three birds, one well out of range. The other two were... well, my fault.

 

Reminds me of..

Not sure i did not go.. opening day the last few years for me was a nightmare with other dogs and people.. over crowded..

 

It is for those reasons I stay hame till noon. I have encountered way too many idiots, some training future idiots. I had one dipshit father tell his 2 , first year in the field with a gun, kids to watch my dog and if a bird goes up to shoot it fast. He did not see me on the other side of the bush. I stepped out looked at him and called my dog back.

i went out with two others got 6 birds no dogs between us got lucky i guess..

It is for those reasons I stay hame till noon. I have encountered way too many idiots, some training future idiots. I had one dipshit father tell his 2 , first year in the field with a gun, kids to watch my dog and if a bird goes up to shoot it fast. He did not see me on the other side of the bush. I stepped out looked at him and called my dog back.

 

 

These type of stories - and those other stories with some idiot shooting someone else's dog "by accident" made me happy to basically be out there entirely alone.

Went out around 3 and not for too long. Didn't see anything but did hear some shooting in the distance. Ended up having another pointer find us.

Went out with my little brother around 1130 and passed about 15-20 guys on their way out. Only saw 2 other people while we were hunting. I spotted a bird on the ground but when I had my brother run at it it didn't jump and just ran into the woods. Oh well.

I gave up hunting state land for birds many years ago after seeing too much unsafe crap go down. I'm in a private club now, semi wild, so we had our opening day today. I shot one and my buddy got two, we limit each guy to 3 per day. It's nice because we start at 9am, get together after and BBQ, we have pools for whoever gets a tagged bird, and best of all we stock every Sat and Sun through mid February.

A private club is definately the way to go. I should try to find one down here.

Went out at Whittingham in the afternoon. First time there (was used Jeep shopping with my son). Didn't see any empty shells. Didn't see any birds either.

Wish I could:

A) find a private club

B) afford a private club

Went out at Whittingham in the afternoon. First time there (was used Jeep shopping with my son). Didn't see any empty shells. Didn't see any birds either.

Wish I could:

A) find a private club

B) afford a private club

If you have a dog you should be able to find some birds this early in the year with the prolific stockings. The warm weather hasn't helped much though for scenting if you have a dog. Stocked birds are pretty clueless. Most just stand around and wait for the big push the following morning. Once scattered from the initial onslaught, they can go anywhere, and all like to run. Pheasants are the most nomadic of gamebirds. If pressured, they can be a 1/2 mile to a mile away from their original location the following day. Give them food and shelter cover, they might hang around despite hunting pressure and predators. Takes a while for stocked birds to acclimate to their new digs. Most are taken before that ever happens. Yet it's not uncommon to find pheasants as late in the season as January and February from earlier stockings if snows are light and cover doesn't get beat down too much.

 

If you're hunting without a dog, push the fields in a zig-zag motion. Or have one person push the field in a similar fashion and have someone else stand at the end of the field for any birds that run ahead. When the fields yield nothing, hit the heavy covers like woods and swamps at Whittingham.

 

Didn't see any empty shells.

I always pick up my empties for reloading. I leave nothing in the woods except footprints (and maybe a spent wad or two.)

 

You need to be looking in the dirt, mud and snow for their tracks. Pheasant like to walk around and prefer areas they can see for distance and scan these open areas for danger. All those open edges of fields and two-tracks are prime walking paths for them. Their hearing is exceptional and they have keen eyesight as well.

 

 

If you find a private club, get in one that preaches guidelines from groups like Pheasants Forever. If the land is planted with food and has thick areas for shelter, some birds will stick around.

A private club is definately the way to go. I should try to find one down here.

 

If you find one let me know.

If you have a dog you should be able to find some birds this early in the year with the prolific stockings. The warm weather hasn't helped much though for scenting if you have a dog. Stocked birds are pretty clueless. Most just stand around and wait for the big push the following morning. Once scattered from the initial onslaught, they can go anywhere, and all like to run. Pheasants are the most nomadic of gamebirds. If pressured, they can be a 1/2 mile to a mile away from their original location the following day. Give them food and shelter cover, they might hang around despite hunting pressure and predators. Takes a while for stocked birds to acclimate to their new digs. Most are taken before that ever happens. Yet it's not uncommon to find pheasants as late in the season as January and February from earlier stockings if snows are light and cover doesn't get beat down too much.

 

If you're hunting without a dog, push the fields in a zig-zag motion. Or have one person push the field in a similar fashion and have someone else stand at the end of the field for any birds that run ahead. When the fields yield nothing, hit the heavy covers like woods and swamps at Whittingham.

 

I always pick up my empties for reloading. I leave nothing in the woods except footprints (and maybe a spent wad or two.)

 

You need to be looking in the dirt, mud and snow for their tracks. Pheasant like to walk around and prefer areas they can see for distance and scan these open areas for danger. All those open edges of fields and two-tracks are prime walking paths for them. Their hearing is exceptional and they have keen eyesight as well.

 

 

 

 

If you find a private club, get in one that preaches guidelines from groups like Pheasants Forever. If the land is planted with food and has thick areas for shelter, some birds will stick around.

 

Great info, thanks. I've hunted the NJ WMAs since the early 1970s and your tips are dead on. Hunting without a dog right now although I've had a few in the past (and hopefully will again in the not too distant future). I wish more folks would pick up their used shells. I'm with you and try my best to leave nothing in the field. But walking around Black River or Spruce Run (my "home" WMAs) I always see shells and remains of cleaned birds.

 

Oh, and my son did indeed find and buy his very first car that day. In the end it was a really great father son day even without birds!

I always see shells and remains of cleaned birds.

 

Shells don't decompose, or feed the coyotes.

My dinner tonight: Pheasant Parmesan....