Wanting to get into hunting, have questions.

M

mordis

New member
I would like to get started in hunting game birds and need some advice, and a few questions asked.

Before i met my wife 8 years ago, i was never into the shooting sports much, nor reloading. I carried a gun for work and home protection but that was it.
Now i want to get into game bird hunting and would like to know a few things.

Im 27 years old now, is it to late am i to old to begin taking up the hunting game? Should i go with a side by side or over under? Which choke should i use and what shot. In my area we have quails(i think) that is what ill be hunting.

Now i dont have a couple of thousand to spend on a gun, so the $3500 berreta over under is out. I was thinking of getting a Stoeger coach gun but feel the short barrel may be a hamper, but it is cheap and the Cowboy action crowd love em. So any suggestions on gun selection, and accessories i need.

Secondly, should i buy a dog for pointing/flushing the game, assuming i learn how handle it of course?(id like to have one).

Out side of the hunting season, are the game dogs good companions, id hate to have a good game dog but a crappy companion. Thanks in advance for putting up with this newb.
 
I have little to offer you for your hunting questions, but any breed of bird dog will also serve as a fantastic companion, but I would caution you against getting a dog as a hunter first and a companion second... it should be the other way around. My opinion (for whatever that's worth) is that the companionship should be your first criteria, and hunting your second. Having an ever-loyal, ever-loving canine companion is its own reward, and requires a lifetime (the dog's lifetime, and a huge chunk of your own) commitment. Now if your companion also makes a great bird dog, well that's just icing on the cake.

With that being said, any bird dog breed I can think of will make a fantastic companion as well if if you ensure proper training and socialization. Usually, a dog is only as good as its owner, and if you neglect to spend the proper amount of time devoted to your dog (training, working, exercising, playing, caring and feeding) then your dog will be less companionable.

Labradors, Goldens, Chessies, Springers, Brittanys, Weimaraners all make great family dogs as well as great hunters, providing the owner does his or her part.
 
Buy a Browning Citori O/U. German shorthairs and pudelpointers are great dogs. Take your wife with you to the hunter safety course. Maybe she'll get the bug too.
 
The main thing at this point is to not be in a hurry to do anything.

If you haven't messed around with hunting dogs, be very careful, do a lot of reading and studying, and again, don't be in a hurry.

The world is full of good yet not very expensive shotguns. Check out gunshows and gunstores and do a good bit of feeling and fondling. Never be afraid to tell folks that you're "tire kicking", and not yet ready to buy.

About shotguns: The buttstock is, essentially, the rear sight. Proper fit is ALL. That is, when you mount a shotgun to your shoulder with your eyes closed and then you open them, you should be looking exacly down the plane of the barrel. If you can see the upper front end of the barrel, the stock is possibly too short and there is not enough drop at the comb. You'll shoot high. If you can't see the front sight at all, the stock may be too long or there is too much drop at the comb. You'll shoot low.

The proper length of pull is when your hand holds the pistol grip with your finger on the trigger, and the buttpad is just barely touching your bicep when your arm is bent at ninety degrees. You must allow for the clothing you'll be wearing; summer shirts aren't as thick as winter jackets.

I recommend going to a major bookstore and browsing the magazine section for that few that might apply to birdhunting, and hunting in your area. Also, there are, commonly, booklets availabe from state wildlife agencies which can be helpful.

Before you ever buy anything, go to a shooting range and watch folks shoot skeet. Feel free to ask a question or two. Most shooters are quite helpful, if approached quietly.
 
Gun choice... As was said... kick tires. Kick them on entry level pumps or autos too and if it were me... I would buy a cheaper gun first and see if I like the sport enuff to grow into it.

As for dogs I would say hunt behind other folks dogs alot so you see what is involved in the field and you may be drawn to one breed over others. I also suggest you help out your dog ownin' buddies as they tend to their dogs so you see what goes on behind the scenes. I don't think this could hurt for getting a good dog of your own. If bird dog guys are like Hog doggers the best place to get a performance bred dog is off a working yard. Real hog doggers won't sell or place pups as pets. Most only do a breeding so they can get a pup or 2 and give away or sell the rest at a fair price to friends. There are a ton of places not to get a pup, Breeders that have pets in mind, unscrupulous puppy mills, and guys that are only in it for the bucks...
Brent
 
I would go on a guided hunt. Most guides will provide a gun for a small fee. They may also have a dog you could at least observe. Do you have a local hunting/fishing club? You probably do and the guys there will probably be a big help. THey probably have open trap, pistol, and rifle shoots once a week.
 
I'd give a call to your local Game Warden as well. I'd like to get into duck hunting this winter and am in the process of trying to find a duck hunting boat. Neither my hunting partner or I have any experience or even know any one who duck hunts so we plan on giving our local Warden a call to see where he suggests and a few pointers. I'm sure your Game Warden would be happy to help you as well.
 
While I know a few people who use double barrel shotguns for bird hunting, most folks seem to use pumps or semi-autos. A single shot isn't out of the question.

As others have said you don't need to break the bank.

Hunting dogs come in all shapes and sizes. Pick a hunting dog that fits your lifestyle.
Field trials are a great way to teach your dog. It also helps to run your dog with dogs that are already trained hunters.
http://www.aftca.org/
But you don't really "need" a dog to hunt birds.

And you don't need a boat to hunt ducks.
 
I don't know where you live, but you mention quail so I am leaping to guess you are south a bit.

that detail would help. if you post it, just the city, we can maybe help find you a mentor or at least a local organization to turn to.


I live in Minnesota, I have worked in the past as a hunting mentor to younger kids in both pheasants forever and ducks unlimited. They both have some programs for late starters but there are also a lot of people who are looking for someone to start hunting with.

as far as the gun, I would offer a remington 870 in a 26 or 28 inch barrel, in either a 12 or 20 guage. 12 is better for ducks and pheasant, but you can get by quite nicely with a 20 for most other birds. I would also say you can wait till you make some contacts, if you were closer and I felt you were legit, I would let you try three or four different styles and let you make the choice, but the 870 will let you do this, you can start shooting it at clay pigeons and get used to it, and if you decide to sell it, you going to get all but 50 bucks or so back out of it, so its really a no lose situation.

As for a dog, again, I would find a hunter you can learn from, and maybe you can get some ideas of which dogs are going to work best for your kind of hunting. and you might find a guy who has some pity on you and gives you one of his litter's for a good price to set you up for the future.

Let us know where you are, maybe we can scrounge up someone willing to take up the challenge of getting you going.
 
I started bird hunting with my dad at age 15 out in the back portion of our property for Pheasants. I used the 16 ga S x S Stevens shotgun my grandpa gave me. The S x S is a great shotgun to start with IMHO, so your choice is in the ball park but get an Uplander Model with a 26 in bbl if Quail will be the main cousre but if you might want to hunt other birds with it then go with the 28 in, forget about the cowboy action shooter stuff it is made for that purpose and I think it would be too short for hunting applications. If you are going to stick with the smaller game birds go with a 20 ga if you might want to use it for bigger birds go with a 12 ga. get a gun that will shoot 3 inch shells as you can always use the 2& 3/4 in ones in it and get a gun that takes the choke tubes and get a complete set of tubes for each barrel also stick with as new of a gun as you can because some of the older ones won't take steel shot if you ever have to use it. As far as a bird dog get a German Shorthaired pointer or a Black Lab I have had both and they are friendly and great bird dogs. JMHO hope this helps. BTW it is never too late to take up the fine Art of Hunting, NEVER!!!!
Jim
 
Thanks for the replys, I made a bird mistake when i said quail, i ment to type pheasent. I live a few miles north of ft.wayne indiana. I live in the country. My father inlaw has some land and has a sizeable game animal population that only a select few can hunt. He has said i can hunt the birds and deer if i want. The problem is, he doesent hunt, he has a few friends that do and thats it.

I do plan on finding a hunting and fishing club, i would love to go with someone and learn the ropes and watch a dog being handled.

As far as the dog is concerned, i want companionship, and a friendly dog that will be great with my 2 kids. I grew up with a Austrailian shepard/english shepard mix. My mother bought him shortly after i was born. We both literaly grew up together. He even saved my life once. He was a large dog, and one day we were out walking together, when a local aggressive dog tried to attack me. I was young at this time and dont remember what kind it was, i just remember it beiing about Duke's size. Long story short he won, and chased that dog off. So, as you can see, i loved duke, but he died at the age of 12.

So ya i am up for the companion, but id like to learn to use one for bird hunting. Id love to learn, and im sure someone around here can help with that.

As far as guns, i was leaning at side by sides becuase of there classic looks, but ill look into a pump. I found a good deal on a winchester 1300, and was considering that.
 
If you buy the winchester at a decent price, and a little shopping will help you learn that, you should be ok even if you decide to sell it off at a later date...

How much land to you have or yard or time to keep a bigger more active dog at your home? One big thing about a good hunting dog, is they take almost the same time as a child when your getting them started. consider that as well.


Here is a homepage for what might be your local PF..... http://www.pheasantsforever182.com Try contacting one of the people listed on the webpage, you might just find a friend to start out with.

It looks like they have something coming up......
Please mark your calendar for Saturday, September 13th, 2008, when we will hold our next Field Day. We will be working with the Noble County NRCS to host this Field Day at the property of .....
. More information will follow when we get closer.
Click to expand...
 
Stoeger

Get a Stoeger 12 gauge 3"chamber; 26 or 28 inch barrel Condor model.(msrp $399)
Join a Skeet club. Buy some 2 3/4" 7.5 shot or 9shot low brass shells. Shoot for a while and then get the gun fitted. You will be able to help your gunsmith more after having some experiance.
Once you can shoot and had a safety course then you will be ready to hunt.
 
If you have a place to hunt that has "birds", you don't need a dog. Dogs are nice and you see them on TV and such, but are not absolutely necessary to get out and start stomping the fields and edges of fields for pheasant. It helps to have more than one person with you as pheasants tend to run on the ground before they flush. They'll run right past you unless you surprise them.

IF you want a bird dog, I would suggest to get a dog from a kennel that specializes in bird dogs (good breeding). Begin raising the dog and start basic training. After that, take your dog to a place that trains bird dogs as a speciality. They should tell you what you should start doing when it is a puppy before they take over. They know what they're doing. Yes, you pay for this. But it is probably worth the money if you are serious about having a bird dog.

Guns.... any 12 ga should do if it fits you. As Art said, go to a gun shop and start picking up and shouldering shotguns. They should slide right up to your shoulder and essentially be pointing where you expect them to be if they fit you. I like pumps, many like semi-autos like the Beretta or Remington 1100. If a Mossberg fits, get that. You don't have to pay a fortune to get started at least in terms of a shotgun.
 
I highly recommend a semi-auto Russian Baikal MP-153 (EAA Corp.) It carries 2 3/4, 3, 3 1/2", and steel shots (with appropriate choke tube) in case you want to do a little duck hunting. Won't cost you a fortune either. Outstanding performer. Check it out.
 
Im 27 years old now, is it to late am i to old to begin taking up the hunting game?
Click to expand...

27 and two kids. Yes you are way to old to be out walking through a field, bird hunting. This sport is better suited to us 60 year olds.:D

Buy the best 12 gauge you can afford, and a good grade of ammunition, and go enjoy yourself. Be sure to take them two kids with you. It will be memories all of you will remember the rest of your life, and theirs.

A shotgun is only as good as the shooter, and you won't get any better sitting at home.

P.S. Be sure to keep your nitro pills and your oxygen breather handy so you will be prepared in case that old age creeps up on you.;)
 
I bought a Brittney with the thought of bird hunting, but never had time to teach him anything more than routine obiedience (sp ?). But he is a great dog, great with the kids.

I'd say go with a Rem 870 pump until you get in to it to really want (or need) more.

27 is a great age to start - mature enough to listen, young enough to walk :p

An expensive shotgun, to me, is like expensive golf clubs. If you practice enough to get really good, and then actually also play enough, expensive stuff would be worth it.

With a job, a wife, a small farm, and 4 kids, I only manage to golf 1-2 a year and bird hunt about the same amount.

But someday the kids will be gone and I will be retired, and then I will make up for lost time.
 
Perhaps I'm chiming in late or redundantly... but...

I got into hunting on my own at 22. No help. No hunters even in my extended family. Just liked shooting and have always had something of an outdoor itch. Hit up the Hunter's Safety course, where I was the oldest attendee by far, and had a great teacher there who just told me to go for it. It's gone well by my measure. Harvested at least one deer every season since. Got skunked my first season on spring turkey, but I learned a lot. Got lucky with geese jumpshooting in swamps last winter - hoping to get a boat sometime so I can try some deeper water. Had a successful pheasant hunt with a family friend. So it's absolutely doable. Read a lot, ask a lot of questions, watch some DVDs (or even YouTube) and just start the trial-and-error. The only error you don't want to make is wounded game, but practicing your shooting is the easiest part of learning to hunt.

In terms of guns, everybody has shotgun recommendations. I've gone for functional and cheap. Mossberg 835, Winchester SX2 and a Remington 1100 20-gage. I'd heard good reviews on all, and found great deals so I never tried them for fit. I've got animals bagged with all of them so I guess it works. Can't really go wrong with a Remington or Mossberg pump if you're on a tight budget. If you have more, by all means, get something more, but I just wanted to let you know you have options on the ground floor and the sky's the limit. There are a lot of hidden costs that pop up with hunting - clothes, gear, travel, even dumb stuff like ice to pack your game in or a new knife when you drop one in a swamp - so don't stretch your means on one item, even if it's the most important one.

Dogs are complicated. Wish I had one, but I'm never home. I love dogs, love playing with them when I'm visiting friends or family, but they really do require a lot of maintenance. They're also expensive. If you can handle that, go for it. My friend's dogs were awesome with his kids and a pleasure to be around in and out of the field. But I think I need to settle down a bit more (or at least have my own family running around at home) before I'd plop a canine in my place.

Anyway, let us know how it goes and best of luck!
 
Im going to go to the Field day, and look into some of the gear there. My father in law has agreed to let me chooose any of his massive amount of shotguns to hunt with till i get my own.

Time to pick up skeet and shot and attend the safet courses.

I cant wait to get my kids out hunting and shooting. My oldest is only 22months and at that age, basicly runs on instinct. I dont feel he is mentaly capable yet, nor mature enough to handle guns yet. Tho me and my father in law feel that by 4-5 he'll be old enough to join us shooting. My youngest hasnt been born yet, but she is coming.

The reason i wanted a dog, is i heard they make flushing the birds easier, as well as locating them. I guess i should give it a try with some of the other hunters alllowed here and see what happens with out one.

Ill let you all know what choices i end up with gun wise, tho i feel it will take a while before i find one.
 
Ah dogs and hunting..... dogs make hunting much more enjoyable. You spend as much time watching them work as you do with flushed game. Rabbit dogs are the same way. Dogs make hunting afield special.

As I said, you don't NEED a dog, but you are right in that they make locating and flushing game easier if you have a good dog. The flushing is more predictable and hence you have a higher success rate.

The shooting is important, but if you have dogs.... it's all about the dogs!!
 
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