What percentage roosters are you shooting over a point?

[Ucsdryder]

I’ve only been out a couple of times this year but the roosters seem extra jumpy! I’m hunting big crp sections for the most part. I’ve yet to get a point. My dog has been birdie a few times but the roosters are running then getting up 70-200 yards away. This isn’t uncommon, but it seems to be the norm this year! It got me thinking….am I the only one that can’t get a rooster to hold?

So the poll question is directed at WILD birds in open country.

I get the question is open for interpretation, but I’m 2 trips in without a rooster holding and it’s pissing me off.

 

[WeiserBucks]

My percentage has always been zero. I whack em when I catch em trespassing through my back yard. It's not traditional in any sense but they sure taste good.

 

[blkqi]

I voted, but full disclosure: my labradors don't point.

In my experience, temperature plays a big role in how well the birds hold up.

 

[KurtR]

I voted but also have a lab that does not point

 

[jmez]

I can't vote on my phone but would say roughly 50%. I don't hunt released birds. That is with a dog that has seen a lot of wild pheasants. A dog that isn't hunted on them a lot will be considerably less. Weather and cover have a lot to do with it as does the range of the dog.

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[Ucsdryder]

At what temperatures do you guys see birds hold?

 

[Ten Bears]

Variables.

Weather has been killing me lately. It’s rained for a solid month here and the fields are lakes. If anyone has hunted Michigan knows that wild pheasants are hard to come by and get hammered on what little public we have.

That being said I voted 50% also. My 12 year old GSP (birthday is today) bumps far less birds than he did in the early years. On the released birds the state drops he absolutely stones them on point, but those don’t count.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I got into them good enough this year that I had to make a rule that I only shot birds off a point and never shoot more than 1 per point. Otherwise I would have been limited out way to early every day.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

At what temperatures do you guys see birds hold?

In my experience its more about wind than temp. When its windy, they are more skittish and won’t sit tight.

 

[Krgawe]

We have had the same thing this year. Can be very frustrating.

 

[Bluefish]

Buddies dog pointed over a dozen hens today. Almost had to step on one to get her to fly. Roosters were a bit more skittish, but she pointed half or so that we saw. The rest got up before she found them. Was a perfect day 3-5” snow and low 30’s. Really made me want a pointer. Lots of tracks with rooster running.

 

[jmez]

Snow makes more difference than temp. They aren't as apt to run with about 6 inches of snow on the ground.

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[30338]

The best pointing days I have had have been windy ones. My older dog mastered repositioning early in his career so we do a lot of pinch plays on wild birds when its just the two of us. I didn't train it, I just watch how he is moving and quietly slip along10-15 yards to one side or the other. So while he is technically not getting a point, he is also not charging in and wildly flushing one.

Not really related I guess but wild birds drive a guy nuts some days. I always like shooting at a rooster early and having 30 birds a few hundred yards away fly off public onto private. Have had that happen a ton.

 

[Rchery]

My lab points. Had hens hold in thick cover. The roosters are running. No snow in washington state and has been above freezing.

 

[the rick snyder]

this has been a really good year in eastern Oregon, I've shot about 70% of my roosters over point.

 

[justinspicher]

On the two bird hunts I’ve been on, the dog was a pet and still figuring out what she was doing, which usually ends up with her running wild and getting yelled out. I see a ton of birds, but they are 100-200yds out. When this dog figures it out, I’m sure it’s gonna be even better.

 

[Birdithologist]

Buddies dog pointed over a dozen hens today. Almost had to step on one to get her to fly. Roosters were a bit more skittish, but she pointed half or so that we saw. The rest got up before she found them. Was a perfect day 3-5” snow and low 30’s. Really made me want a pointer. Lots of tracks with rooster running.

Interesting - public or private? Recently hunted some public land and the roosters were flying from a long ways off.

 

[TSAMP]

So many factors at play. Id guess location(topography/vegetation)and hunting pressure are the primary factors for me. I usually let the first bird of the day tell me how it needs to be played. If they flush 100 yards ahead of my dog we pick up the pace because these guys are onto us. I can see if I have a runner by how he is tracking and I'll make a call to back off, go to where I think he is and re engage.

Just when I think they're all smart and runners because its so late in the season, I'll find a new spot and kill two under my boots.

I should add, as a mostly solo bird hunter, a good many are just going to out maneuver you. Get used to it. I see the groups who set up blockers and run a field in a coordinated drive, but that isn't for me.

 

[voltage]

This year, I have shot the following wild roosters by location:

• South Dakota Public Land - 13 roosters, 9 points
• Missouri Public Land - 14 roosters, 7 points
• Kansas Private Land - 3 roosters, 3 points

I have a 4 year old GSP and she is a great bird dog. I hunt the most days on Missouri public land. At this point in the year on Missouri public land, a rooster that holds long enough to be pointed by a bird dog has been in a freezer for a month and a half. I still do get points on roosters at this point, but often times, my dog will point and track for a couple hundred yards before the rooster jumps up 20 yards in front of her. If I get a day that frost is melting and the scenting conditions are good, that certainly helps my dog finish points.

Conversely, I hunted some private land in Kansas last weekend, and all 3 roosters killed were off of points. It is a place that gets hunted by others, but not nearly as much as public land. The frost was melting as I was hunting, and that helped immensely. Hunting pressure certainly helps.

 

[jmez]

I love my GSP's. They get hunted a lot and pheasants this time of year are hard on them. You get a whole lot of what jvolt says, tracking fast and pheasant getting up 20 yards in front of the dog. Honestly, pointers aren't the best choice for pheasant dogs.

You will have a lot of frustrating hunts. If you simply want to kill a lot of pheasants, get labs or springers, a lot of guys and blockers on every outlet.

Some days pheasants hold and some days they don't. Weather, pressure, day of the week, color of your pickup all seem to matter.

Go hunting and enjoy your dog and the day. If you want to shoot a lot of birds over rock solid points you need to find quail, early season grouse, huns, etc.

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