doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Shooting pen raised birds

is murder and other then a way to exercise an old dog, not much sport. Since wild quail are extinct it seems we must adjust. I've been wondering about using bird shot in a pistol or some sort of small bore black powder device. Anybody have something they use to put some sport back in the game?

Here in Texas shooting wild quality can be very expensive. Some of the places get $800-900 a day. The quail population can be very spotty too. I do shoot pen raised but I use either a 24, 28 or 410 ga to off set things. Some pen raised birds fly very well and others are kickers

John Boyd
Quality Arms
Houton, TX

Hi, let them get out some distance and use a smaller gauge then you would otherwise. Also most clubs offer scratch hunting and that can be fun. The dumb ones are dead and chased a few times the ones left catch on real quick. Anyone who shoots a constant 25 at skeet can mix things up or back up and it changes the game. Also check with landowners close by, that can offer some hunting. It is what you make of it. I "guide" at a Pheasant farm here in northern Wisconsin. Being self employed it's my paid vacation. Myself and the dogs stay in shape for Grouse and some people want to go after the scratch birds and they are the fun ones. Happy hunting! Bob

I would think finding shells for that 24 gauge would be the real sport.

Pooch, you left out that it is good exercise for old men as well as old dogs. I do it and I am an old time Georgia bird hunter. I have a very few dependable wilds coveys left but usually just leave them for seed after I maybe pay one or two visits on my wild birds every season.

I am lucky enough to have some pretty woods to release kick'em-up birds in. That is on purpose as I burn my pine woods and leave some open grassland as well just for that purpose.

My "method" is simply to drive down two path roads through some pretty cover and toss the birds out the back of the truck one at a time. I have no idea where they will be, but trust the dogs to find them. Twentyfive will provide a full morning or afternoon of walk up shooting over my own dog's points. At $4.50 a bird I don't want to lose many and I do not think they "carry over" well.

It ain't exactly bird hunting but it will do well enough for me. The last really good wild bird hunting I did was in Tamaulepas (sp?) State in North Mexico around Lake Guerrero. Don't think I want to visit there anymore...Geo

Pooch, as noted above, you can find places with good pen-raised birds, but you can also find places with sorry pen-raised birds. Quail can be a particular problem. Sometimes released quail either don't want to or can't fly, or only flutter for 50 feet or so. I've found preserve pheasants and chukar to be much more likely to flush hard and fly well. But even with those birds, you'll see a difference. I hunted one preserve in KS that has a really good reputation for pheasants, and even they will tell you that what you get is pretty much the equivalent of opening day birds at best. That's about what you should expect from a good preserve. But if you don't have anything close by to hunt, it can be fun for you and the dogs. I won't use a 28ga on wild roosters, but decided to try on that KS preserve. 3/4 oz 7's in a double choked IC/M. Birds over experienced pointing dogs--mine or the preserve's. They flew well but they held pretty tight. That gun and load were just right for them.

Regarding the quail, I wouldn't use the big bores but would hold with a 9mm Flobert, if you have a stock of ammo. Might have a young sportsman along with a large bore. Provides young dogs especially with experience. Never been impressed with preserve ditch parrots, but the wild Kansas ditch parrots will equip your dog for any other variant.

Interesting this Spring here in North Alabama as I've called up dozens of Bobs and have seen numerous pairs, typically in overgrown areas where the tornadoes cut a path last year.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Using pen-raised poultry to train my dog is what sent me down the .410 and muzzle loader path. My ultimate PRP gun was a 36 gauge SXS percussion ML.
Steve

Yes, muzzle-loader is an excellent choice also. Working dogs on pen raised birds using a muzzle-loader is what led me to hunt Kansas wild ditch parrots with a muzzle-loader as well as waterfowl.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Pooch, they are good for at least two things I can think of that bring a smile to my face. First, watching a young dog figure things out a bit and seeing his light go on. Last, giving an old dog a bit of pleasure. I had that honor two dogs ago with a gaunt, cancer ridden pointer who could only walk finding and retrieving two planted birds. I carried him back to the truck and held him in my lap all the way to the vet's office and as he finally went to the big sleep.