Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    As one who has hunted Westboro one too many times, I would suggest
    wearing a hard-hat.  I'm not kidding either.
    
    On that fateful day, another hunter ran up and stole the bird I
    shot, a hunter shot another hunter's dog, people were unloading
    at anything that moved, whether the bird was flying running or already
    dead.  Some clowns were actually shooting at geese that you couldn't
    even see throught the cloud cover!
    
    Word of advice.  Stay away from Westboro unless it's on a weekday
    afternoon.  That day was the one single moment when I considered
    permanently giving up hunting because I didn't want to be associated
    with such idiots.  
    
    Fortunately, they are a minority, but you would be well-advised
    to stay away.  I understand from others that it is still like this
    on Saturdays.
    
    Mark.
    

    Mark is right.....
    Bolton is no better than Wesboro in regards to the idiots out there.
    In fact a good rule of thumb is what Mark said...."Don't do openning
    day and Saturdays"...I don't even start duck season, anywhere, until
    the second day for this very reason.
    
    If you do decide to go to these areas, don't worry about not having
    a dog with you, the mass of humanity(?) and dogs out there will keep
    the birds in the air.                  
    
    Tom,

    � This is my first year hunting pheasant, and I don't have a dog. Anyone
    � care to share some tricks for finding and flushing these critters?

    See 256.18.

    And while it's certainly possible to flush pheasants without a dog,
    expect to have a difficult time finding dead birds. Finding cripples
    without a dog is often hopeless. 

    I often spend a few minutes looking for a downed bird before my unruly
    dog decides to help me out. I'm always amazed at the way hen pheasants
    vanish in the hay and woodcock disappear in the leaves. You'll find
    your downed birds, but it can be frustrating and time consuming.

    I share .1's sentiments about the quality of hunting at Mass WMA's.
    My partner will not return to Bolton Flats after taking a pellet in the
    lip from a guy shooting at a running pheasant. Another guy I hunt with
    witnessed a gentlemen at Bolton Flats drop a pheasant that was roosting
    in a tree. The tree was on the other side of the Nashua River and the
    hunter had no dog. 

    WMAs offer plenty of birds in fine cover. Unfortunately, among the
    hunters who show up the morning after a regular evening stocking are
    fellows that you would not have for hunting partners. (Especially that
    guy with the bandoleers criss-crossing his chest.) Such mornings will
    not give you a true picture of what upland bird hunting is all about.
     
    I suggest that you stay away from the crowds and look forward to the
    day when you can share your enthusiasm for bird hunting with your own
    dog. And welcome to the sport.

    Doug              

      O.K. folks here's a little secret, but don't tell anyone!
    As has been said before, the WMA's are a real zoo on weekends and
    in the mornings.  The secret is to hunt during the lousy weather,
    or dduring the off hours ie: 11:00 to 3:00.  I went in Westboro
    at 3:00 on Friday (opening day and there was only _one_ other car
    in the parking lot).  We had two birds in 40 minutes.  On the way
    out we met some guys who had just seen a hen run into the corn and
    couldn't get it to flush, so I put the dog in and we managed to
    flush the bird which one of the guys hit.  So in less then an hour
    we put up three birds and saw only one other hunting party. 
                                                        
    Jeff (who you couldn't pay enough to go into a WMA on a Sat. morning)

    Having just got into "hunting notes" and read some of the notes,
    especially this one about the WMA, I don't think I would want to
    hunt real bad.  
    
    Another thing is, why is it legal to shoot hens?  Are the public
    areas stocked?
    
    There seems to be a big difference in state laws concerning hunting
    and firearms between the East and here in the Midwest also.  

	re: .5

	It wasn't always that way (able to shoot hens). A few years ago
	the state had trouble getting enough birds to stock so, they
	decided to buy some. However when they went to buy (Cocks ONLY)
	the private bird farms said NO WAY, either take 50/50 or none.

	Soooo to keep the stocking up to par Fish & Game had to allow
	the shooting of hens, HOWEVER this does not apply EAST of 495
	as it is cocks only there...


	~Mike~ (Who also stays away from WMA's on Saturday mornings)

    
    I hung up my guns 13 years ago and have not had any interest in
    picking them up again, to this date.  What prompted me to enter
    this file was the fact that sunday I witnessed a van stop, 3 men
    in full attire with shotguns and dogs enter the woods. Is hunting
    now legal in this state on sundays??  If so, it wouldn't supprize me none to
    learn that the duke opened it with a special permit costing another
    $50!!                               
    
    Fred

    If you're talking about Taxachusetts, the answer is NO, you can't
    hunt on Sundays.  Sounds like you stumbled on a couple of law-ignoring
    slobs to me.
    
    They're out there!  It's up to the rest of us to police them.
    
    Mark.

    RE: .7 HUNTING IS LEGAL IN SOME STATES ON SUNDAY. THIS IS A UNIVERSAL
    NOTESFILE. SHOULD IT BE ASSUMED THAT YOU ARE REFERRING TO MA?

 Is it legal to hunt on Sundays in NH?

 The Doctah

    Yes, it is legal to hunt Sundays in NH (right Arnie?)
    
    My wife would never be able to convince me to move back to Mass.
    
    Mark.

    RE: .10
    
    YES....
    
    ....Hopefully one of these days Mass will get out of the
    dark ages (blue laws). Then again we shouldn't hold our breaths.

    Since .7 referenced the duke and an extra fee, one would assume
    that this occurred in MA.
    
    /brett
    
    P.S.  I shot my buck on a Sunday and the local game warden had nothing
    but nice things to say to me (washington).  Actually, as a rat hole,
    the warden drove by our camp in a pickup truck and we started talking.
    By then, we had two deer hanging and the game warden said "Are those
    bucks?"  And I said, "yup".  He said, "How big's the big one?"  I said
    "Spike and a half."  He nodded his head said goodbye and drove away.
    He never even got out to look.

    RE: .9.
    Tho't everyone in the U.S. of A. recognized our royal family,
    "THE DUKE AND MA'M KITTY" of the commonwealth of TAXACHUSETTS,
    for they put the fisherman from "DOWN EAST" in office. :^)
    
    Nothing derogatory intended, only humor.
    
    To be exact, the incident was just off RT-16 in Webster,Ma.
    around 2 PM and they exited at dusk. No shots were heard.
    Had shots been fired, I'd've called the F.& G. dept and
    the local cops.
    
    Fred
    
    

    re: .6
    
    	Keep in mind (actually check the bulletin/notice boards)
    at WMAs EAST of 495, shooting hens may be legal..... I passed
    on two hens one morning while hunting the Burns WMA in Byfield
    only to discover the following week someone had put a notice up
    on the bulletin board as you enter the WMA, that shooting hens
    was legal at Burns and Crane WMA THAT SEASON !!!! I would probably
    pass on them again if I didn't see that notice when I drove in on
    any given occasion.
    
    dave

    There are plenty of places in mass other than WMA and Bolton that
    are stocked by the state and f&g clubs. I also have experienced
    hunting these spots and vowed never to hunt bird again. But after
    a few years of not hunting bird, I decided one more time and went
    out opening day, I was in the Sutton/Millbury area hunting with
    to friends, we ended up with four birds (two hens, two cocks) and
    two geese by 8:30., no dog needed. This area was stocked and we 
    were the only ones hunting. Also we jumped one buck as soon as we 
    left the truck and 1 hour later 3 doe, the best day of hunting 
    in Mass for along time, it shows that Mass still has good hunting
    spots for pheasant that aren't over populated, and you don't need
    a dog. One hint ask the state for other locations for stocking you
    will find the birds. Thats my war story for the year!
    
    
    			dennis
    

    I have a question, if you took to geese I hope you had steel
    shot and how did it work on pheasant?
    
    Bill

    It knocked em down!
    
    
    
    			dennis
    

    Sounds like the place you hunt is similar to the state parks here
    in Illinois. They allow 120 hunters onto the stae park aper day,
    and release two birds a day for every hunter. There is ni hunting
    on Monday or Tuesday. The birds that are released are all pen raised,
    which means they ran around for most of their life. The secret I
    use is to let everyone het the fields. This way they get all the
    birds running. Then after about a half hour I go out and hunt the
    woods near the fields. All the birds seem to run there. In the woods
    they don't have good cover and will flush more easily. I reccommend
    a #5 0r #6 shot for in there. Another technique I use when hunting
    with out a dog is move parralle with a group of hunters about 50
    to 75 yards away. When they do jump some birds they more often then
    not miss and send them my way. Easy pickings when they float 20
    yards from you. 
    
       I went out this last Saturday with my brother half hour after
    they hit the field and we finished in two hours with two birds each.
    
    Good Luck, Jim
    
    

      Sorry, but nothing pisses me off more then haveing someone shadow
    me and my dog when were hunting.  The idea of flanking someone to
    try and shoot the birds that they put up is not my idea of good
    sportsmanship.  If you want birds that badly then give me a call,
    I'll be glad to give you a couple.  Just MHO
    
    Jeff

    Is it possible to rent a bird dog for the day, or are they 'bonded' to
    their owner/trainer?
    
    Is it possible to rent hip waders for a day?
    
    Won't help this season, but maybe next year. Thanx.
    

    
    Well, after roaming many miles of woods up through the Gardner/
    Hubbardston areas, as well as many solo runs through the war zone
    at the Bolton Flats, I finally got my first pheasant of the season
    last monday.
    
    I hit the Flats around 10:30 in the morning, hoping to avoid the
    usual traffic in there.  
    
    Now I've heard wacky hunting stories of luck in the woods, so check 
    this out:  I pull up to the parking area in my wagon, pop the hatch,
    put on my orange.  I look to my left into the scrub and there's
    a hen sitting right there staring back at me!!!  So I end up sending
    it off into the woods when I shut the door of the car.  About 100
    yards into the swamp (flooded pretty good due to the heavy rains
    of late), I jump it.  End of story.  Pretty lucky, not even 15 minutes
    into a hunt, I score.  I highly doubt that'll ever happen again.
    
    Anyone else have any luck at the Flats?
    
    Take care,
    Kev --