We'll be in North Central Iowa as well, just a buddies, and buddies of buddies hunt. Somewhere between 6-8 guys usually, 3-4 dogs. Lost a few dogs in our group since last year, so it'll look a little different. Private ground as well, public gets hit sooooo hard the first few weeks from out of state hunters.
I didn't see one partridge last season, so that is encouraging to hear. Will hit the home farms in NW Iowa with my hunting buddy of 30 years now and will have 4 dogs. Also picked up another couple of places to hunt in CRP this year. Saw about 30 birds a few Saturdays back in one place.
We will find a time this season for me to come up there with my dog, if you are game. I want to get that kid a legit chance at a bird.
We only do two large group hunts a year, opener and the last day of the season. Outside of that, it's usually me, the mutt, and a buddy or two. Easy walking, find a few birds, and enjoy the day. We kicked around a few covey's of partridge this fall, but I never seem to see them when we are pheasant hunting. I think they like fence lines and road ditches more than CRP fields.
You'd be surprised first thing in the morning how good road ditches on gravel can be to start the season. Find some decent cover in the ditch and just walk it slowly. That will get tougher once the time changes, but right now the birds are just wrapping up some morning gravel breakfast.
I'd like to get one from Faithful Point Kennels. There are some barriers including mostly the no pics.
Best dog I have ever hunted over and it’s not even close. These dogs from this kennel absolutely can turn it on and off.
Go all day in the field and then be the ultimate lap dog at night.
Just me and my 12 year old Britt. Wife coming to video, could be the last opening day for the old girl
Yeah, that's just poor sentence structure by me! I went back and looked what time I posted, and I can assure you that it was very influenced by alcohol. Whoops!I presume you mean your dog and just one other DOG right? Not just one other person......my math may be a little fuzzy, but 30 doesn't quite pencil for 2 guys
Our group of 4 guys got 11 on Saturday, 3 yesterday. (still to much corn out in both areas we hunted)
Was the first opening day in 13 years I didn't have my vizsla with me.....she still alive, but at 14.5 years old, she just can't do it anymore. So that was a little tough for ol' OV, but other than that, was great to be out in the field again.
The fellowship after the hunt is what makes it worth it. We never chase limits in our large opener group, and actually hunted a littler harder than we have in years past. We had 160 acres of CRP on our last field, we might have walked 10 acres, scratched 4-5 birds, and quit. We were tired, the dog was tired, and we had more than enough birds. We hit two larger pieces of private CRP, and shelterbelt/grove that holds birds, and then the little bit we walked at the last piece.
My 2 golden labs are just over 4 years old. They are as good as I have ever had. My longtime Golden retriever was 11, and was a great dog too, when we got the 2 young dogs. The older dog went the first year and then the next year I had to leave her at home on opening day.I presume you mean your dog and just one other DOG right? Not just one other person......my math may be a little fuzzy, but 30 doesn't quite pencil for 2 guys
Our group of 4 guys got 11 on Saturday, 3 yesterday. (still too much corn around in both areas we hunted)
Was the first opening day in 13 years I didn't have my vizsla with me.....she still alive, but at 14.5 years old, she just can't do it anymore. So that was a little tough for ol' OV, but other than that, was great to be out in the field again.
