29 replies to this topic

[sxshooter]

It seems like I'm never completely satisfied with the hunting vests I own. I'm always looking for a better one.

Last year, I bit the bullet and bought an Orvis strap vest. It has been great. I love the metal spring ammo pocket closures. They will hold the pocket open or closed. that's the best feature I've found on a bird vest. But these vests are pretty pricey.
http://www.orvis.com...subcat_id=22671



Recently, I heard about this other vest, made more for long distance chukar hunting where you need to carry more stuff. Looks pretty good. Again, a pricey vest. But it might be worth it for the hunter that has everything else.
http://wingworks.biz/


What's your favorite vest?

[True2ThySelf]

A backpack that accompanies me on 8 mile hikes

[Bennie]

I have a Filson that I like pretty well. Looks just about like your orvis vest.

[lif2fsh]

My favorite vest is one with a six pack of red legs in it.

[sxshooter]

Those are tough to find.

[64ssking]

this is the vest i use http://www.cabelas.c...EO;cat104058180

[Baja_Traveler]

I went through the same thing several years ago. This was my choice for the ultimate vest - a bit more expensive than the average vest, but totally worth it, like my Eberlestock packs...

http://www.quilomene...product/101-106

[seebass]

Ive had an all tan cabelas upland traditional vest for 7 years now and the thing is still in good shape. It has a ton of storage and the back pouch easily holds 4 pheasants. I love it!

[turkeyman85]

Cableas upland coat. I hunt cold weather on alot of my hunts which I love to do.

[sxshooter]

I was just thinking about how many vests I have. I'm going to have to look for them all when I clean the garage out...yeah right!

Somewhere, I have a Camelback vest with the water resevoir, I know I have a Cabelas Dog Handler vest which I put 8 roosters in on a pen raised hunt once in just the first hour...using a .410. But that's another story. TM85 reminded me that I have a Columbia waterproof coat with a bird pouch and shell pockets. Then there's about 3-4 belt type dove/quail thingies. A couple cheapo vests bought at country stores while on trips that I forgot my vest. I need to run a garage sale...

[Bisley]

I fail to see why one would to carry more stuff to hunt chukar except for a 2oz chukar call and maybe more water. And if it is mostly in reference to the water, I highly recommend you use you regular vest and carry the water in a seperate pouch on your hip. It has no place on a vest. There's a reason GI's have been carrying ammo and water on their hips and not in a vest or backpack, you legs and hips are much stronger than your back and shoulders. You don't even notice the weight is there. Try it once with a bottle or two on your hips instead, you will never go back. This is also why my brother has used Home Depot nail pouches instead of a vest for the better part of 10 years. One pouch holds a box of shells, the other pouch holds empties and birds. I still use a cheap vest and water pouches on the belt.

[sxshooter]

I fail to see why one would to carry more stuff to hunt chukar except for a 2oz chukar call and maybe more water. ...

Since you don't own or hunt a dog, it's pretty clear why you fail to see that. I needed that.

[tawnoper]

Personally, I prefer a lightweight vest like Cabelas Upland Game vest. I don't like fanny packs or anything around my waist because they always seem to start pulling my pants off. Seems I'm constantly adjusting/pulling them up. The vest works for me...

[Bisley]

Nope, don't own a dog, just hunt under one for years, and I will reiterate that the only thing MORE that you need to carry to hunt chukar is a call.

Recently, I heard about this other vest, made more for long distance chukar hunting where you need to carry more stuff

But maybe you need more where you keep talking about your "planted" birds. Ours are only planted by mommy and daddy bird on our hunts

[sxshooter]

"...under one for years..." ???? I've never seen or heard of that. I yield to your expertise on hunting dogs and this innovative technique.

[Bisley]

Since we usually hunt headed uphill, so yes, under is absolutely correct
Got lots of pics, like this one, but you will have to excuse the lack of fences. We only hunt open, public fields and wild birds

Personally, I prefer a lightweight vest like Cabelas Upland Game vest. I don't like fanny packs or anything around my waist because they always seem to start pulling my pants off. Seems I'm constantly adjusting/pulling them up. The vest works for me...

I am a vest guy myself, but it always seemed that a bottle or two of water really took its toll on back, neck, and shoulders (at least to mine). And I have almost always worn belts, so the water on the hip for me was a naturally easy choice, and it cured the stiffness immediately. But I admittedly also carry a lot more weight above the waist than a lot of guys even before the vest and water

[sxshooter]

That's a fine looking old dog there. After seeing this picture and hearing of your extensive dog knowledge, I'm wondering if you can share your opinion.

Since you were providing advice to the fellow about the GSP he was given, I know you must have some insight here. He's likely to run into some steadiness issues (if the dog ever was steady), maybe creeping or even breaking, so do you advise going all the way back to barrels or just the whoa post? And how do you do that with wild birds and your barrels or whoa post?

Also, that dog may not have been hunted for quite a while and possibly not have much motivation in the field to cast an adequate distance and speed. How would you increase range and motivate a strong patterning work ethic with only wild birds?

I know I don't get much time in the field each year as I'd like and I certainly don't get as much time on wild birds as I'd like to, especially to keep the dogs sharp. Last season it was just a couple out of state hunts. So. Dakota and Kansas, both mainly pheasant hunts and some local quail and chukar hunts mainly in the Carrizo Plain N.M.. But I do get out on wild bird hunts as often as I can.

Here's the first day in Kansas. The new dog was good enough to get me 3 wild birds with that Lefever .410 that day. (It was 15F when this picture was shot)


The old lab got a couple more out of this field the next day, when I used the old Fox 12ga.


Down on the Mexican border of central AZ a year and half ago, the lab got on the scent and put up this relatively rare wild mearns even though she'd never seen one. I only took two with my Ithaca .410 out of respect for the population downturn they were having.



In South Dakota, the lab got this wild rooster, put down with the only pump gun I ever owned, that Win M-42 .410



In the early part of the season, a friend and I took these wild quail over (under?) the lab one day on the private land of a friend. I used my Lefever .410 again here and that's a friend's Parker GHE 20ga as I recall.



I'm always looking for better ways to train my dogs and keep them sharp, but I haven't been able to do it without supplementing my hunting and training with pen raised birds, especially in the off season. Maybe you could give those of us that are in this situation tips on a better way.

Also, I've been adding some basic firstaid stuff to my gear for my dog and I, when I venture any further than a mile from the truck. That's in addition to some needlenose pliers for cactus and thorns and some eyewash. I always thought it was good to take care of my dog's well being and any hunting partner or myself if it came to it. I've used this stuff occasionally, but you think I should leave it behind?

[Bisley]

You must be one elated person, especially if the old say that ignorance is bliss is true . You may want to reread a few things. I have never made a reference one on training dogs. I have however made many references on both how much more work they are than most people expect (especially bird dogs), and also as to how unfair it is to get a dog expecting it to be a house dog most of its life and a bird dog occasionally when you want it to be, especially when you don't have much time to work with it. So go ahead and please tell me how neither of those are true .

I'm seeing a pattern here. Is there anything else you would like to take entirely out of context, or add words I never said to?

[sxshooter]

Out of context? And here I thought these were all legitimate questions based on authoritative advice and opinion you've given on the subjects. But when I ask for some insight on some simple things, you avoid answering the questions.

So, you don't know.

There's your pattern.

[stephen722]

hers a pic of a merns shot in n arizona, got a scale too. my faverite vest has been a pella upland lite, going to need a new one after about six years off heavy use!

[sxshooter]

Nice. 3 species in one day?

[stephen722]

yea, that far north the merns was rare, but had a point and birds flushed a little early, dog retrived and I said OMG what did I shoot! the local we were hunting with never used dogs! he got a load of the wire and may of changed his ways

[sxshooter]

I was SW from Sierra Vista right down on the border for that mearns. It's a fairly popular area and very large. I never saw any other quail there. We got into scalies east of Tombstone and dove. Never saw any Gambels on that trip, maybe a little further north? I guess there's a lot of hooplah about getting a "Grand Slam" of quail down in that area, where you get limits of the 3 species in one day. I'm all about having fun, but unless it comes with a winning Mega Lotto ticket, I'm not too excited about pursuing that. Still, quail are my favorite bird to hunt. They are enough of a challenge to find and are challenging targets as well.

[greybeard]

Wow those are nice vests, I was happy with my belt utill I saw those......thanks....

[DirtyDave]

I have always used a cheap vest from Big 5 and added a belt bag for longer walks. Now that I have a dog, I'll be using the belt bag pretty much every time.

[TonyS]

Sxs and the rest of you, what are you doing about SB1221?


So get off your asses and email him. http://gov.ca.gov/m_contact.php Choose SB1221 and CON. Add your own personal comments.
BUT DO IT!

I think it is important to stop this bill. And lord knows bird dogs are next.

[sxshooter]

Tony,
Agreed. And thanks for the headsup. I've sent what I believe is a compelling arguement to our governor.

Chuck

[BCF]

I'm with Bisley. I never wear a vest. Canteen on my hip, and I stuff birds in the pockets of my cargo pants. I also hit those crazy long climbs up nasty, rocky mountains in search of chukar. Sometimes when we get to the top and look down, it's hard to believe what we just climbed. Gonna start working out on the stairmaster starting tomorrow at the gym to get ready.

Nice pics guys. My chukar hunting buddy got a bird dog now, so looking forward to not losing as many (or any?) birds. Really sucks, but we have trouble finding our birds without a dog- those chukar flush pretty far, and sometimes drop a loooooooong ways...

[sxshooter]

Everybody has their own ways. Once I got a dog, the stuff I needed to carry expanded. The dog's well being is always on my mind, I give the dog priority on the water. There's some basic stuff I carry, but it's usually not much except the E-collar transmitter and in the case of the pointer, the GPS tracker. When I go out for miles away from the truck, the first aid stuff gets added.

This year, I have two vials of injectable Benedryl and two syringes, in case the dogs get snakebit with this warm weather. They also got vaccinated for Western rattler this year because of the warmer weather. Just buyin time to get them to a vet. Still, it's just as likely the vet would give injectable Benedryl too.

Still, normally when I venture far from the truck, I'll have a few pills for pain that work for dogs and people, and anti-histamine pills, vet wrap, tape, gauze, eye flush, a surgical clamp/hemostat, needle nose pliers.

If you guys get that new dog up in the chukar rocks, I'd advise booting the dog before you even get there. Carry extra duct tape and innertube rubber to patch the boots up. A young dog new to chukar country is likely to run itself lame, possibly longterm injuries.

[bzzrd feedr]

I use a similar vest but made by Filson for the past 25 years. I l have a closet full of vests I've tried over the years but always come back to the Filson Vest. The blaze orange is dull and it has been rode hard and put out wet but it does the job. The belt pouches work but without secure closure for shells etc. are on the ground. I've got a kit for dog first aid which includes super glue and some of the stuff previously mentioned.