I feel lower than a bowlegged caterpillar

[RidgeRoamingRichard]

Got my first Hungarian Partridge today....but I couldn't recover him. I got excited after the shot and instead of keeping my eye on where he fell and dropping my pack to mark where I shot from, I lost my head, took my eye off of where it fell, and then stumbled through knee high grass for a couple hours, pacing back and forth. I'd still be out there if it wasn't for the bull snake I shot earlier in the day. It was 86 today and I wasn't about to waste the meat of two animals. I'll get over it, but I feel like a real lousy guy right now. You guys have any other tips for recovering birds solo?

 

[dirtclod Az.]

Just lost a big Eurasian Dove outback the same way! Took my off where he hit to reload
my air gun and could not find the son-e-beach anywhere.
I walked in a grid pattern then in a circle,
then way away from the area where he fell. Not a Partridge, but still frustrating.
I should have sent the "bird dogs' after it! Ha!, Ha!
P.S. I'll rent them out if you can catch em'...

 

[huntnpack]

Got my first Hungarian Partridge today....but I couldn't recover him. I got excited after the shot and instead of keeping my eye on where he fell and dropping my pack to mark where I shot from, I lost my head, took my eye off of where it fell, and then stumbled through knee high grass for a couple hours, pacing back and forth. I'd still be out there if it wasn't for the bull snake I shot earlier in the day. It was 86 today and I wasn't about to waste the meat of two animals. I'll get over it, but I feel like a real lousy guy right now. You guys have any other tips for recovering birds solo?

It happens. Sounds like you did your due diligence. Mark them, leave something like a hat where you were standing, and when all else fails grid search from where you think they landed. Hit upland birds can run a long ways if they aren't killed outright or a leg is broken.

 

[Hem]

Chit happens...especially without a dog.
Not impressed you killed a bull snake.
They are good snakes.

 

[RidgeRoamingRichard]

It looked like it was stone dead when it dropped so I didnt even really think about it running off. I definitely learned a lot from the experience. I won't shoot at birds I don't have time to find for one.

 

[RidgeRoamingRichard]

Oh, I should've read that better. That's ok, everybody has their list of kill and don't kill. I am excited to eat him and I will try my hand at tanning the skin, if that's any consolation to you.

 

[RidgeRoamingRichard]

Just lost a big Eurasian Dove outback the same way! Took my off where he hit to reload
my air gun and could not find the son-e-beach anywhere.
I walked in a grid pattern then in a circle,
then way away from the area where he fell. Not a Partridge, but still frustrating.
I should have sent the "bird dogs' after it! Ha!, Ha! View attachment 152756
P.S. I'll rent them out if you can catch em'...

I think I'd be equally bummed about a dove honestly. It's more about what I owed to the animal I think. Lessons learned though.
If the roadrunner couldn't do it with all his gadgets, I think I'll stick to partridge and grouse.

 

[Sask hunter]

Huns are bad for running and can burrow into stuff. My dog had to dig one out of cattails last fall

 

[Pucky Freak]

Take close shots, shoot em in the head. Mark the spot and don’t worry about trying for a double. Look for feathers and blood. Try to recover bird quickly, especially if you wing em. Winged birds can run off easy and you need to be lucky to find them. Based on the fall trajectory and wind you can usually guess where the carcass will be based on the feather pile, if there are feathers. When you go to pick it up make a quick grab in case it’s alive and jumps up.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

I've dug many a Quail out of holes after they have run off trying to escape.
When Dove hunting they run down the cornrows and are fairly easy to catch.
It's all about keeping your eye on the prize.
Do as I say, not as I do...Ha!,Ha!

 

[RidgeRoamingRichard]

Thanks for the info everyone. I'll get back after it this weekend, with a partner.

 

[Westxhunter]

Wait until you shoot a buck and can't recover because you kept pushing him. I'm sure we all have those stories. Long story short, I lung shot a buck at about 150 yds. I waited 45 minutes to track him and all I could find was blood trail. Areas where he was coughing up and even an area where he layed down for his final time and I pushed him from there. A literal bloodbath and nothing to be found. I searched for half a day and never recovered the buck. I've never felt so bad in my entire life. Animals of all kinds are stronger than we think, especially when survival instinct kicks in. I thought about that shot every day until the next season and made sure to improve my technique so it never happened again.

Now, when i'm bird hunting, I always follow the bird to the ground and head there straight away in case it's only just wounded and not dead. I've lost quite a few quail that way, and feel like I wasted a life. Same though, I worked on my technique so there are more kill shots, but you never really seem to get away from those bad shots either. In my opinion.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Coyotes gotta eat too. As others said, it happens. Had it happen to me on a rooster last year. Fell hard into some cattails and 90 minutes later w/3 dogs & 5 guys searching - no bird.

 

[Nameless Range]

There has been more than one time where I feel I literally watched the hun hit the ground, and without breaking focus, I have walked up to where it fell and not found it. It happens and it sucks.

 

[Steven Saint-Clair]

Got my first Hungarian Partridge today....but I couldn't recover him. I got excited after the shot and instead of keeping my eye on where he fell and dropping my pack to mark where I shot from, I lost my head, took my eye off of where it fell, and then stumbled through knee high grass for a couple hours, pacing back and forth. I'd still be out there if it wasn't for the bull snake I shot earlier in the day. It was 86 today and I wasn't about to waste the meat of two animals. I'll get over it, but I feel like a real lousy guy right now. You guys have any other tips for recovering birds solo?

I don’t have a dog (yet) and I detest that problem. I’ve been thinking about getting a thermal monocular both for locating birds and for retrieval. It wouldn’t work as well this time of year when body temperatures are near equal to the air and ground but as the year wears on it could be more effective.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Got my first Hungarian Partridge today....but I couldn't recover him. I got excited after the shot and instead of keeping my eye on where he fell and dropping my pack to mark where I shot from, I lost my head, took my eye off of where it fell, and then stumbled through knee high grass for a couple hours, pacing back and forth. I'd still be out there if it wasn't for the bull snake I shot earlier in the day. It was 86 today and I wasn't about to waste the meat of two animals. I'll get over it, but I feel like a real lousy guy right now. You guys have any other tips for recovering birds solo?

It should be illegal to hunt pheasants and Huns with no dog (just kidding ... but just barely). I have had as many as three good dogs working at once and still after thirty years of hunting Huns have yet to recover a crippled one without a tire shot out. I think the little devils can outrun their scent. Won't even hunt pheasants in cattails any more. Cripples are almost impossible for dogs to find and they/me get worn out looking for them in that junk. Two years ago I pulled a knee muscle in cattails looking for a lost rooster first day of hunting. Next couple of weeks were a struggle. Worse is goose hunting in standing corn on the edge of a field half harvested. Great cover but don't shoot at anything coming to the deeks from behind you! Dogs can't see it fall or me giving directions. And all sense of direction and perspective is lost once you walk into that tall stuff with them.

Glad to see you're still getting out their Richard!

 

[RidgeRoamingRichard]

Thanks guys. Seems like this happens when bird hunting. Losing game is not cool with me, so if I do hunt birds solo again, I'll limit myself to high percentage shots in spots I can get them.

If anyone in the Helena area has dogs and wants to get them on some birds, let me know, I'd be happy to take you to where I got into them.

 

[Rancho Loco]

bad juju shooting a bull snake.

 

[Tradewind]

Had that happen last fall. 1/2 hr later a guy comes down the trail w/ a dog, who found it for me. woof woof

 

[RidgeRoamingRichard]

bad juju shooting a bull snake.

I don't get the glorification of bull snakes. If I was hunting a pasture full of gophers, it would get a pass. I've never seen a gopher in the wilderness area where I shot this one. Got fat eating ground nesting birds and cottontails, things I want to eat. I'd shoot it again given the chance.