doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Nebraska Nomads.

Brent, it's likely that the biggest adjustment an Iowan (used to pheasants) has to make when hunting prairie grouse--whether you're talking chickens or sharpies--is this: What you think of as good pheasant cover is probably too heavy (both too tall and too thick) for prairie grouse. They like to be able to pop their heads up above the cover and see what's going on.

How "pointable" either species is depends on the cover (as I said, shorter and thinner than classic pheasant cover, but they still need to be able to hide if they're going to hold for a point) and whether you're hunting them early season or later. Early in the season (Sept through early Oct), you'll find them as singles, pairs, small coveys. A pointing dog that doesn't crowd them should do well sticking them in the early season. Later on, they tend to bunch up and become much more difficult to approach.

Sharpies do seem to relate more to ridgelines than do prairie chickens, although I've shot both on areas where the ground is tabletop flat, or at least has very little change in elevation. It can be a case of walking a lot before you find birds. Having hunted the same places for them in both SD and ND (less experience in NE), they will use the same areas year after year unless there is significant change in the habitat. On the National Grasslands in the Dakotas, they rotate grazing--which may mean that your honey hole from last year might as well be a golf course the next year.

It's been a couple years since I've gone after prairie birds. Living in northern WI, it can be tempting to hang around here, with grouse season opening in mid-Sept and woodcock shortly after. But that's a tough time of year to hunt woods birds, and I've never thought I've missed out on much--or at least not on much shooting, even though you might hear a lot of flushes--by heading west in September. Time to chase them again next year, I think.

I am an admitted dummy - never been the brightest kid on the block. But, I gotta question about the compass(es). If you should get lost, and you're carrying 2 compasses, and they're showing 2 different directions � which one do you believe ?

Even if a coupla guys are hunting together, and that situation occurs, whose compass is considered correct ? I never head for the woods without one, unless I'm hunting with someone, then we decide who leaves their compass at home.

I'm just askin',
JR

Take the average of the two.

Go by the one who had the foresight to confirm his compass' accuracy before he needed it.

SRH

The likelihood of one of two simple handheld compasses suddenly being "off" without undue magnetic influence from a external source affecting one but not the other is not likely to occur. Marine compasses are another matter and must be adjusted to neutralize the magnetic field of the boat.

There has been only one time in my entire life where my two compasses did not agree, and I was at home and knew which direction was North when it happened.

But there are several other ways to confirm which compass is correct, assuming you are not standing upon a huge iron or nickel ore deposit, as Ted mentioned. Another mass of ferrous material which can sway a compass is your steel gun barrel, so be aware of that.

GLS already mentioned the use of an analog wrist watch (one with hands) to find direction, and I already mentioned the absolute reliability of both the sun and Polaris, the North Star... here in the Northern Hemisphere. Then there are other ways such as tracking the movement of the stars, sun, or moon through the sky over time due to the rotation of the earth. Less accurate, but still helpful is knowledge of the area you are hunting, which can help when you observe direction of water flow in rivers and streams. Moss doesn't always grow on the North side of trees, but it does most of the time in our hemisphere, and than can increase your directional odds. But I'd want to confirm that by using other means. Same for observing the amount of leaves on trees, since the heaviest growth is typically oriented toward the sun in the Southern sky.

I know guys who would never admit it, but they severely limit how far back in they will venture because they fear getting lost. Maps and a little knowledge of orienteering can really help your hunting by knowing where you are and where you want to go. A few trips through some steep ravines or large stands of multiflora rose, blackberry thickets, hawthorns, etc. will teach you in a hurry that the shortest distance between two points is not always a straight line. This can be especially true when it is dark and your flashlight is dead, or when you are dragging some dead weight like a deer.

Larry,
Thanks for the clues. I was watching this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI5riepvdkc

and a few others, and it seemed to me that he was finding a lot of birds in thickets of what look like russian olive, plum, or tea thickets. Short woody stuff surrounded by grass. I was a little surprised by that.

I know they like to be below ridges, much like mule deer, and thin cover.

My dog will point occasionally, but I don't expect it or encourage it. But he will stay close.

The grass in Iowa is as tall as I have ever seen it and taller than it has been for the last 5-8 yrs for sure. Difficult, would be a good description. Very difficult.

We will figure out something.

Thanks again,
Brent

Brent, just watched that video. Much earlier in the season than when I am used to going. Actually a bit strange to see all that green. Compared to our later season experience, can't believe how well the birds hold. Maybe it's the better cover.

No one should get lost if the sky is clear so the the sun or stars can be seen. That, however, is certainly not always the case. Fog, rainy, drizzly, or very cloudy and overcast weather can make using the stars or sun impossible. The only time I ever got turned around was in the Savannah River swamp, on a drizzly, foggy day. In those conditions everything in the swamp looks the same. There are almost no landmarks. I was actually following someone else, and he kept going in circles. He couldn't see that, but I did. I knew the lay of the land and knew if we went in a straight line we would eventually come to a road, Smith Lake, the lagoon, or the river. We did. We had no compass, or we would have been back at the truck much earlier.

SRH

canvasback, I have been wondering if the shrub use is a seasonal thing. I guess I'll find out. Gus has been released from critical care and is now cleared for low-level missions (e.g., duck hunting), but we will be primed and ready in no time. Looks like the weekend before Thanksgiving is going to be the plan. I already have a valid hunting license in my pocket.

Sounds like late season birds will be best matched with tight chokes and maybe largish shot to buck the wind, more than penetrate the beast.

I'm pretty sure we won't get lost, but we may not come back.