How many people have been transitioning their hunting?

[Z71&Gun]

I was big into waterfowling when I was a younger man, but I don’t really enjoy it anymore. It’s cheaper to go on one or two DIY elk hunts than it is to maintain all the “stuff” you need for a good duck hunt. And, there’s really no comparison between even an OTC Colorado rifle unit and the boat race at any given boat ramp during duck season.

I duck hunt on public land a lot. All my decent spots require a big hike in. The really good hunts are second to none in terms of gratification. However, it took me 5 years to get even one really good public land DIY hunt. Now I'm lucky if I get 3 bangers in a season of 15-20 hunts. There is enough there to keep me excited, but the frustration of packing all your gear in, the mishaps, the pack ups and pack outs, the broken gear and constant maintenance, access problems, crowds... it's the most frustrating endeavor I've been a part of, by far. It's the limitless frustration that makes a limit of 7 ducks the 10/10 high that it is.

 

[Billinsd]

I haven't thought about replacing big game hunting with anything else. But definitely have been thinking about doing more bird, small game and waterfowl for sure.

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I wish I could clone myself to hunt more big game, another for upland, another for waterfowl. I love upland with my pointers and big game the best, there is so much opportunity in the West, but too little time.

 

[jayhawk]

Small game used to be the #1 pursuit until the big game numbers started coming back up in the last 50 years or so. I love squirrel hunting because the season is so long, there are less people, and it doesn't seem as labor intensive as big game. More of a "pleasant day afield" if you will.

I think upland bird hunters are going to be disappointed if they try to make a complete switch. For instance, quail populations in TN have declined more than 80% since the 1980's. There aren't any wild populations left due to loss of habitat, increase in predators, and, frankly, lack of interest. If they were RM elk, people would lost their s**t if populations dropped like that. But since those little birds are small no one cares.

 

[Billinsd]

I think upland bird hunters are going to be disappointed if they try to make a complete switch. For instance, quail populations in TN have declined more than 80% since the 1980's. There aren't any wild populations left due to loss of habitat, increase in predators, and, frankly, lack of interest. If they were RM elk, people would lost their s**t if populations dropped like that. But since those little birds are small no one cares.

Bobwhites have probably taken the biggest dive in all of US upland hunting. A lot of hunters care about that!!!! The problem is, there doesn't seem to be a solution and Quail Forever probably doesn't have as deep pockets as Rocky Mountain Elk, and aren't going to buy millions of acres of habitat to set aside. I'm in San Diego, thousands of miles from any wild populations. I'd like to hunt them some day before there aren't enough to hunt. Living far west and corner pocket of US, it's far for me to drive to hunt upland. Well, SD has strong populations of Valley and Mountain Quail, probably the sleeper Mountain Quail capital of the country. Problem is it's brushy as hell with Chaparral and lots of rattlesnakes and I love my big ranging pointers. So, I don't like hunting upland in my back yard. I got fantastic chukar hunting 200 miles away, but there's been long and continuous drought and there are REAL sketchy people running around the desert in California, tweakers and criminals. I'm a mobile hunter, so I go where the birds are. I'm planning on going to Pierre Grasslands in SD in late September, hoping to to for Mearns in Southern AZ, which is about 400 mile drive.

 

[FLATHEAD]

I do miss those Bobwhites. Used to be everywhere here in Alabama.
Dont remember the last time I saw one.

 

[GSPMich]

I’ve hunted elk, bear, and whitetail in the last 10 years with elk and an NWT trip coming up in the next few years.

GSP #2 turns 15 this week. I’ve enjoyed northern Michigan Grouse and Woodcock hunting as much over the last 15 years as I have any of the big game hunting I’ve done.

It’s definitely something I would advise big game hunters to try, it’s a lot of fun, it’s a social sport, and it’s also satisfying shooting a bird over a point from your family pet.

 

[*zap*]

As trapping became less profitable the ground nest predators multiplied....you want more quail/turkey/pheasant then trap coon, possum and skunk. DP's are e-z to trap with....

 

[Tx270WT]

Rising costs, significant declines in population and access ironically took me out of waterfowl hunting and I replaced it with big game hunting. Guess I get to watch the same thing happen again.

 

[dreamingbig]

I have started mixing in a few rifle hunts for October to spread out the calendar. Archery elk hunting in September is the priority but antelope and elk with a rifle in October are fun too!


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[Z71&Gun]

I have been thinking about this lately. With big game tags getting harder and harder to get, has anyone been transitioning to small game, upland and waterfowl?

Personally, I have been thinking about this lately. I have been thinking that it wouldnt be such a bad thing to start looking to waterfowl or upland trips. Or just making one of my trips out of state for javilina or free range exotics.

Anyone else?

If you're talking about a guided trip, like waterfowl in an established blind over a well-trained dog, I can't recommend it highly enough. My semi annual Louisiana duck hunts with my guide cousin are the best times I've ever had. Not just the best times hunting but the best times ever. Don't tell my wife.

 

[cuerro viejo]

Unless you are on the coastal tidal flats an Elk tag is easier then a public duck spot.

 

[jayhawk]

As trapping became less profitable the ground nest predators multiplied....you want more quail/turkey/pheasant then trap coon, possum and skunk. DP's are e-z to trap with....

I meet a lot of old timers that got their start trapping when they were youngsters. Can't say I know anyone in the younger generation now that traps.

 

[cuerro viejo]

As trapping became less profitable the ground nest predators multiplied....you want more quail/turkey/pheasant then trap coon, possum and skunk. DP's are e-z to trap with....

Don’t forget about aerial predators also. Especially on upland birds.

 

[LabMan]

Like many others, over the years my hunting has changed. Started with rabbits and squirrels. Moved to upland in the 60's when we (Illinois) had lots of pheasants and quail before they started combining crops with efficiency. Started deer hunting as whitetail population exploded. When the nuclear power plant cooling lakes went in, got into waterfowl, being located near 3 plants. Now that I'm 74, I find upland hunting with my Labs much more satisfying.

 

[Mike Islander]

After messing with the preference point pyramid scheme for maybe 2 years, I ditched it and committed whole heartedly to the tons of excellent hunting opportunities in my home state. I still apply for a few Western tags, but that's a side hustle. If I don't score a tag I have far more hunts available than I could ever take advantage of. Turkey, squirrel, and whitetail are my staples, but bear, small game, timber doodles, rail, ducks, and quail are all there when I get little free time.

 

[displacedtexan]

As trapping became less profitable the ground nest predators multiplied....you want more quail/turkey/pheasant then trap coon, possum and skunk. DP's are e-z to trap with....

Quail are down exponentially, and turkeys are way up....

 

[*zap*]

Turkeys roost in trees and quail stay on the ground so they are more vulnerable at any age not just as eggs...a good trapping program will increase turkey #'s...as well as game bird #'s.

 

[tt_johnsclist]

Not exactly transitioning, but rather I have abandoned most of my western big game ambitions and have settled in to enjoy the really great opportunities I have east of the Mississippi for ducks, whitetails, and turkey. While they last, that is - turkeys are becoming more and more and public land crap shoot anymore with all the social media attention, and my access to high quality whitetail and ducks will time out at some point.

 

[CJohnson]

I’ll add, everything that YouTube has done to western hunting in the past 5-10 years was done to duck hunting by the Robertsons 15-20 years ago.

 

[z987k]

I transitioned from Deer and Bou to Moose, sheep and goat.
I also transitioned from Halibut to rockfish and ling cod. Halibut is bland.
Grouse in camp with a .22 pistol or a rock/stick.

I would love to get into waterfoul, but need to find someone experienced to show me the ropes a time or two before I go spend what I'm sure is a crap ton of money on that.