hun hunting techniques

gsp hunter · #1 11-12-2008, 02:52 PM

i am new to game bird hunting and have mainly been going to the pheasant release sites with my german shorthair but with the pheasant season closing this weekend i am going to attempt to go hunting for hungarians and grouse. when i attempted hunting huns last year i walked a field that i knew they were in and a covey flushed when they were way out of range and my dog wasn't even close to them and we could never find them again. do they land and then run?

Couleestalker · #2 11-12-2008, 02:56 PM

Pheasant season in southern Alberta is open until Nov 30.

gsp hunter · #3 11-12-2008, 04:25 PM

any advice on where to go in southern Alberta? I live in Airdrie and dont want to travel to far for a one day hunt. Is the pheasant population in the Brooks area strong enough that you can just drive down there and work the irrigation ditches or do you have to do alot of scouting. the only appeal to the pheasant release sites for me is that i can drive straight there in the morning and not have to spend all day scouting for good spots and then try to ask permission.

Browninggold · #4 11-12-2008, 04:32 PM

Gsp hunter as couleestalker said roosters are open until nov 30. For huns,find were they are and drive the gravel 1 hour before sunset you should run into a few coveys. Good luck

TheClash · #5 11-12-2008, 05:33 PM

i am new to it as well..so by no means an expert....but yes i find that huns are usually more flighty than pheasants. and they will often take to the wing before your dog even gets to them. you just have to be ready.....

Versatile · #6 11-12-2008, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheClash

i am new to it as well..so by no means an expert....but yes i find that huns are usually more flighty than pheasants. and they will often take to the wing before your dog even gets to them. you just have to be ready.....

Clash is right and wrong. In the first week or 2 of season generally huns hold better than any bird out there because they havent been shot at but after that watch out. You need a dog with one heck of a nose and one heck of a brain to be able to figure out he needs to give these birds their space to prevent from bumping them. They are really jumpy (I have had them flush from 400 yards just from slamming my door too hard) and I prefer a tighter choke for the longer range shooting.

I am heading down that way in a couple weeks if you wanted to come out one day I could show ya around. I have a GSP and an Irish Setter.

Without taking this too far off. What lines are your shorthair? Who are the parents?

gsp hunter · #7 11-12-2008, 07:44 PM

that would be great, send me a pm next time your in the area i am still new to this and any advice would be appreciated.

my gsp is from peregrine reg'd kennels, his mother is CH huntersglen Deja Vu and his father is CH Braumeister's highlander all the dogs in his family tree but 2 are CH. i would accept any advice on training that anyone has, i dont want to hold my dog back with my lack on training experience.

Versatile · #8 11-12-2008, 07:46 PM

Are they the ones up in Wembly? I have seen and competed against a few of them dogs nice animals.

Lots of birds in that area. Just keep on em and the dog will soon figure it out.

gsp hunter · #9 11-12-2008, 08:04 PM

yeah that's right. they were a real nice breeder to deal with, willing to help with any questions

Take Em! · #10 11-13-2008, 11:33 AM

Huns are easy to hunt.... drive gravel roads all throughout southern alberta... you will see them on the roadsides, ditch banks, and just on the edge of fields. You best time for spotting is early morning and late afternoon but I have had days were they are out and about all day long (usually after a couple of cold days if you get a nice warm one they will be moving around). Most farmers I know couldn't give two craps about you popping a couple of huns on their property but asking permission is always a good thing. During the day huns tend to move to cover so if you can find a good ditch bank, old farm yard, nice willow patch or dried out slough bottom to walk (preferably with a little water and feed nearby) you will do well. Keep your dogs close.. they are better for retrieving than flushing.. huns will flush on their own accord.. they are not like pheasants.. they don't tend to run hard on you. As for them flushing wild.... it happens, but if you are walking for them and don't have you dogs in front I tend you find they sit pretty well...even late season.. as long as there in not to much snow on the ground.. snow on the ground and they have nowhere to hide... if they think they are visible to you ... off they go. Once you get the spotting down you will be good to go.. I tend to find that I can limit out in an afternoon with little problem on a decent day. As a side note.. if you are hunting them without dogs I would recommend only shooting one per flock per person.. they can be a struggle to find in any kind of cover..

TheClash · #11 11-13-2008, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Versatile

Clash is right and wrong. In the first week or 2 of season generally huns hold better than any bird out there because they havent been shot at but after that watch out. You need a dog with one heck of a nose and one heck of a brain to be able to figure out he needs to give these birds their space to prevent from bumping them. They are really jumpy (I have had them flush from 400 yards just from slamming my door too hard) and I prefer a tighter choke for the longer range shooting.

I am heading down that way in a couple weeks if you wanted to come out one day I could show ya around. I have a GSP and an Irish Setter.

Without taking this too far off. What lines are your shorthair? Who are the parents?

agreed.