Recent content by Sportnlyf

With regard to boots, I wear lightweight Merrel's for hiking but upland hunting often involves mud which is like gumbo on waffle stomper type soles with a deep tread. Upland soles are designed with shallower tread to avoid picking up the mud. After years with less than satisfactory boots, I...

Before scrolling down to see that you purchased your calls from Jim Matthews, I was going to suggest that you contact him. Jim is a good guy who does a good job with his calls and newsletter for bird hunters.

I think Roanie offers the best advice I've seen on this. It is too easy to get so much crap in your brain over all the possibilities of choke and shot size that it really can alter not only your shooting, but your enjoyment. After a few seasons of overthinking, I made it simple with IC/Mod in...

No disrespect intended for the 1100 which I have two of and is a great gun, but I'm so crazy about the Franchi Affinity that I have both a 12 and a 20 and love them both. IMO their recoil system is excellent and the combination of their quality and relatively low price makes them the best...

I used IC/Mod which seems to be in the lead on this thread. I used to go back and forth between 4s and 6s before splitting the difference and going with 5s. To be honest, I think too much conjecture over choke choice and shot size is counter productive by putting too much crap too think about...

In answer to your question, it is most likely that you are indeed walking past and over some and I failed to mention that in addition to stopping regularly, I find it helpful to walk very slowly at times. Plus I like the comment about tracking them in the snow. We don't have snow where I hunt...

Good for you, having a dog will change a lot of things for you. Another thought has come to mind. Living in ND, you have an abundance of great hunting areas to visit spanning thousands of acres. If I lived on a 40 acre parcel, I'd leave those birds alone and enjoy seeing them year around. As...

Thanks for the info guys. I'll bring a gun or two just in case an opportunity ariises, but this is pretty much an annual Christmas visit to spend time with the grandkids and their parents. In past years I did go to the Corning Club with a friend who is a member there and last year enjoyed an...

As a lifelong SoCal guy, I spent many years envying the hunting opportunities I believed were available to you NorCal guys. When I hear you talk now, I'm almost embarrassed to think of the riches available to me in the Imperial Valley. Despite incredibly clean farming practices, we have a...

I'll pass on the opener as I usually do because I don't like seeing others in the coverts I hunt. Fortunately, many if not most hunters in the area think there are no birds left after opening weekend of both doves or pheasant which leaves the remainder of the season and enough birds to keep me...

1. Walked to my duck blind and waited for shooting time while watching ducks land in my decoys. One minute before shooting time, reached into my bag to load my gun, only to find that I'd brought the 20 gauge rather than the 12 to the blind. 2. Walked a ditch that ended in a small stand of...

That is good advice. Without a dog I suggest that you walk through the property in a zig zag pattern that is unpredictable and pause frequently. Better yet, get a springer to follow and trust it.

For the most part, my springers and I are tuned to hunt the nastiest/thickest cover we can find, ranging from the cattail edges of waterfowl production areas in the plains states to the deep, steep and nasty drainage ditches along the Mexico border, and I would not hunt those areas without a...

Zego, good for you that the other hunters want to chase only deer and boar, leaving the gamebirds for you.

Welcome! I think just about everyone here knows how those first years go and respect that you are sticking with it. Upland bird hunting is simply the best! Look forward to hearing more about your exploits, especially when you and your dog team up on a wary old rooster.