Quote:
Originally Posted by 1stLand
I am thinking of trying Bigelow.
Does anyone know how busy it typically gets during the week / weekend?
Are there plenty of birds left on non-release days?
Got shut out again at Hopewell today. Didn't see any. I've never seen so many hunters there all at once.
Keep in mind I don't have a dog  |
I have 3 dogs, actually 2 as one is so old you have to point her in the right direction so she doesn't run onto roads and stuff, and Bigelow is pretty rough going on non release days. There is seldom many survivors as they let them go where there is little cover.
As mentioned, there is good cover elsewhere on the site so the survivors have to be literally rooted out of the cattails and thickets. I generally always get my birds but often put some miles on and the dogs work for them on the off days.
The other day I watched a couple of guys with GSPs that were obviously birdy working this one section of marsh land really hard. It wasn't the dogs fault as there was only about a foot of visibility in the rushes. Dogs would stop, guy would wander in, nothing would happen and repeat. After they left I sent in the clowns and after what looked like a scene from Jurassic Park two big roosters came up. Bang, bang and the hunt was over but they certainly weren't coming out of there unless they absolutely had to, meaning a good, aggressive dog.
The other hunters must have been impressed as they both gave me like a 1 finger salute from the distance. I am not exactly sure what that means but I assume it is like "you're #1" or something like that.
I have helped some guys out that were without dogs to get some birds but I have never seen anyone have any success without a dog there. There is just too much thick stuff for them to run into. If given the option most pheasants I have encountered will pick run over flush every time. There is no place to really push them into a corner so without a dog I can't picture much success.
The site at Buffalo Lake has rows of brush that a person could perhaps walk along and force any birds to the end where they would have to flush??? I haven't actually tried that theory as I have never been without a dog. I do know that Bigelow is better for my type of dog (flushers) because the birds will be caught up with quickly and in range in the thick cover. At Buffalo the birds run in the limited underbrush and I had a few flushes out of range as they get too far ahead of the dogs. Much better suited cover for the pointing breeds IMO and maybe not as likely for someone walking to just walk right by them?