Perhaps one of the best feathered trophies of any hunter is the upland game. The most striking representatives of this category include partridge, hazel grouse, capercaillie and black grouse. After reading today's article, you will learn about the main features of this purely male entertainment.
Top secrets
Despite the existence of many nuances, the autumn hunt for any upland game does not conceal anything supernatural. By the way, the first frosts are not a serious obstacle to this activity.
Professionals advise going out in search of prey early in the morning. It is during these hours that the birds flock to the banks of the rivers to peck small pebbles. As for the evening hunt, there are also some nuances here. As a rule, at this time the birds are more concerned about the search for food than their own safety.
Do not forget that pine forest is rather shy. Therefore, you can go hunting for birds without weapons. The sound of gunfire can scare potential prey, as a result of which it will leave this place forever. Professionals recommend using traps that are installed where the birds most often fly. These places are easily recognizable by the footprints left by them.
It’s nice to go out looking for a boar game with a well-trained dog. While the hunter is hiding in a hut, the dog will raise a brood. In this case, the person should be ready to shoot. The moment when it is possible to use a weapon is easy to determine by the noise emitted by a flying pack.
What to go to the upland game with?
According to the hunting rules established on the territory of our state, this group of birds includes woodcocks, hazel grouse, black grouse, capercaillie, tundra and white partridges. In addition, this regulation spells out a list of weapons authorized for use. This includes:
- Smoothbore and rifled firearms, whose caliber does not exceed 6.5 millimeters.
- Any traps, including cages and slopts.
- Combined firearms with a caliber of not more than 6.5 millimeters, including models with inset or replaceable rifled barrels.
By the way, there are also subtleties. For example, a woodcock can only be walked with smooth-bore firearms, and hazel grouse can also be traced with pneumatics, whose muzzle energy does not exceed 25 J.
Black grouse hunting
In those regions where the shooting of this bird is officially permitted, the opening of the season begins in the second half of August. Usually by this time young growth has time to grow up enough, and the males change color. Their gray plumage turns black. Professionals advise hunting grouse with specially trained spaniels. And in search of prey it is better to go from six to ten in the morning or after sixteen in the evening. On rainy, cloudy days you can hunt at any time of the day.
Look for grouse broods in the forest felling and on the berry. Occasionally, they can hide in grain fields located in close proximity to forests. In the early morning, a man comes with a dog to the places where broods are most likely to live and sends the dog in search.
It should be noted that black grouse hunting in the forest is very different from that conducted in open areas. In this case, it is important that the spaniel is kept close to the owner. A retired dog can drive prey out of the shot. A person advancing through the forest should very carefully observe changes in the behavior of his dog, carefully searching the area. The fact is that this type of pine forest is very hot dog. Spaniel, who attacked the trail of black grouse, instantly switches to energetic eyeliner. Approaching the brood, he pauses and rushes forward with lightning speed. As a rule, the old takes off first, which cannot be shot, and young growth follows it. Having picked up the killed prey, you can go after the flying brood.
Catching grouse on decoy
Just note that this is a sport of autumn hunting. As a rule, it begins in late August and lasts until the end of November. Its essence lies in the skillful luring of old and young birds using a special pee. He masterfully imitates the sounds made by these birds.
How successful such a hunt for hazel grouse will turn out depends on the ability to reproduce the voice of a bird. The imitation should be as reliable as possible, because the game that caught the fake notes will not go to decoys. This method of catching prey is preferably used in the morning. A man walking cautiously through the forest periodically uses semolina, alternately imitating the voices of a male and a female. Hearing the return call, he must disguise himself in the bushes and continue to call for birds. Seeing potential prey, you need to immediately shoot.
Hunting for hazel grouse is a very interesting activity. Especially if it is carried out in good, dry and calm weather.
Pheasant hunting
The shooting of this bird begins in the second half of August and ends in mid-December. It should be borne in mind that in many regions hunting for birds is prohibited throughout the year. Therefore, before you go in search of pheasants, you need to clarify whether this can be done.
You need to look for this bird at the forest edges, located near gardens, grain fields and vineyards. Often they can be found in reed thickets. Pheasant hunting is best done with a specially trained dog. At the beginning of the season, the young growth hides, letting the dog in. The old individuals, having heard the noise, immediately try to run away, standing on the wing only when they realize that they will be caught by a spaniel. Do not forget that they fly pretty fast, so you do not need to hesitate with a shot.
Partridge hunting in the fall
This bird lives on beet and corn fields. In the fall, they get into flocks and do not let anyone in. The best time for hunting is considered to be early morning, since it is during these hours that pine forest flies for feeding.
In order to achieve a better result, you need to frighten off the partridges by sending a specially trained dog to the place of their landing. When firing, it is recommended to aim at one specific individual, and not at the whole flock.
Woodcock hunting secrets
It is better to start this lesson no earlier than the first half of September, because it is then that this pine forest moves to the fringes adjacent directly to winter crops. Near the end of the month, flocks of northern span woodcocks join the local birds. Interestingly, during this period the birds gain weight, become very calm and can let the dog in.
In hunting practice there were cases when dogs literally pulled woodcocks hidden in bushes with their teeth. It is recommended to shoot autumn birds with shot No. 7 or No. 9.