Dogs, Birds and a Bow - Updated with field pics

[Jeremy]

I've only been in the deer woods once this year, and not at all here in CT where the season has been open since September.  I decided I needed to sneak out for an hour or two and tagging along with a buddy of mine after pheasants seemed like a good idea at the time.  It's been awhile since I've hunted them with a bow and it is a blast.

My buddy, Mark, has two dogs.  Rusty is old, slow and his nose is about shot.  Ruby is young, engergetic and finally pointing properly!

Oops.  MY wife and son just got home... I'll finish up later, but enjoy the pic now!

 

[larry]

now if you are going to tell us you got them on the wing, well I've only got one thing to say...      

[Jeremy]

Larry, these two refused to take off, so I took them on the ground.

I got 4 shots off on flying birds.  Three were on crossing birds: shot just ahead of one, way behind another and the third b/c of where the other guys were I had to wait until it was almost overhead, blocking the sun.  I shot for the sun, so I'm not sure where the arrow went  

The 4th shot was one of those perfect situations.  The dog was pointing, I knew about where the bird was and when the rooster took off he went straight away from me.  If you've ever hunted pheasant you'll know that when they take off like that there's an instant where they seem to hover and go straight away from you.  Gives you a couple seconds to get a good shot off and it's the one shot I know I can make on the wing.

The bird goes up on cue, I draw, release and BANG.  A boom stick goes off and the bird drops as my arrow passes through the space the bird occupied.  Dead to rites.  

[Jeremy]

Oh yeah, 1959 Kodiak Special (64" and 53#) and some old ash arrows with blunts.

[larry]

gotta love those birds that refuse to fly    what kind of blunts were you useing?

[straitera]

Gotta figure that bird on wing will taste best. Good job!

[Jeremy]

Yup larry, it felt like rabbit hunting just with the bunnies running a little slower  
I used standard steel blunt.  I wasn't sure if Ruby was pointing yet or just flushing, so no flu-flus in case I had to take a longer shot and I didn't want to lose every "good" blunt.

[drewsbow]

way to go Jeremy      

[tradtusker]

beautiful birds, beautiful bow!
congrats

[bow loving man]

Jeremy that is awesome... I have a great working GSP and will have to try Pheasant on the Arrow this year for sure...any tips on gear?  thanks, Barry

[Jeremy]

Barry,

If you have a patient dog that's good on the point you can go with flu-flus, blunts (preferably not judos), and a heavier arrow.

If your dog tends to get impatient and flush the bird before you catch up, then skip the flu-flus and just use heavy arrows you don't mind losing.  The ash arrows I was using yesterday were remnants from 3-4 seasons ago and my quiver came home lighter     The last time I went out (probably about the time these ash arrows were my good hunting arrows   ) I used 3/8" birch dowels left long to bring the dynamic spine down.

Somewhere around here there were plans for a target launcher for practice.  You can also have a friend toss a nerf ball or disk, or if you really want to stress yourself, throw them yourself and get a quick shot off.

[ishiwannabe]

Looks like fun. I wonder if my britt would allow me to use a bow...

[Ben Maher]

thats looks like a fine fine day afield . my retriever is my best friend but a naughty naughty hunting companion..lol . but together in the field with a good working dog and a buch of blunts and fli flu's is about as good as it gets .
thanks for sharing .
ben

[Throop]

Awesome.  

[Jeremy]

I just got a few field pics emailed to me...

 
Me with a stupid expression on my face with the first rooster.  This bird was flushed and shot at (missed) then he landed and took off running.  One dog scared him back my way and I took a shot while he was going through some thick multiflora (I'm still finding thorns).  That first shot was deflected, but the second took him at the wing base, passed through and anchored him to the ground.

 
I really like this pic.  Me, Mark and Rusty.  This bird surprised us when she took off.  We watched where she landed and the dogs followed.  I caught up to Rusty as he was chasing her and had to call him off so he would stop trying to get into the bushes with her.

The four hunters (Mark was just along with the dogs Saturday) brought home 7 birds.

[bowhunterfrompast]

Congrats    Great looking '59 Kodiak Special.

[Guru]

Congrats bud!!  

[Smilingg]

Hats off to ya, Jeremy. You are the man. You are the man. You are the man.

[Drew]

You can take hens? We're these wild birds or a preserve hunt?

[Jeremy]

There are no wild birds in CT.  The state stocks some areas 3-4 times a week and private clubs stock others as needed.  These were stocked by my   sportsmen\\'s club  on a piece of land a church group is nice enough to let us hunt on.