# Opening day luck?



## tomdury (Feb 16, 2009)

Went to Delaware with the other 10000 people, only shot 4. Anyone else have luck elsewhere? Deer Creek produce some birds? Thought about going there next week.


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## koonzie99 (Apr 25, 2012)

We went to highlandtown shot 4 myself. Seen lost of birds. I had my buddy pick my shells up and he got lite target loads #8. Think i would have done better with some heavier shot. Id see feathers fly off them and they'd keep going. 

The highlight of the day well not really a highlight. There was a guy 40-50 yards to are left. We could hear everyone yelling at him for shooting other birds besides doves. Ok so this guy shots a dove but its still alive so he goes to pick it up and it fly's eye level at me and my buddy. The guy shoulders his gun so we hit the ground and start yelling at him. He ended up seeing us thank goodness. I told my buddy if i would have been shot you best have returned fire.


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

I avoid public land like the plague! For the reasons you all mentioned, at least to a cpl weeks until all the crazies give up. Three of us hunted private land and ended up w 14 birds total. Idk what going on but it's not good. Saw plenty of birds but couldn't get them to come in. Gonna keep trying my luck


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## howdog (Oct 15, 2006)

We hunted public land on Monday down in Wayne County. Was a zoo. Saw 3 birds, got one shot off. Feathers, but it flew away. First time hunting the opener on public land, and probably the last. 


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## ChachiSnips (May 4, 2005)

Hunted at Woodbury in Coshocton. Went to a field that's been very productive the last couple years, got there real early to get the spot we wanted, then proceeded to barely see any birds. Ended up with 5 in 18 shots (great shooting compared to normal). Other 4 in the group got 3 birds between them all. DNR officer walked field to check guns and licenses. He said the wheat didn't take well because it was too wet during planting, the sunflowers didn't grow great and got nailed by deer, and they couldn't burn the fields because they were too wet so they just got mowed down. By far the worst opener we've had in years.


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## MDBuckeye (Sep 29, 2009)

I hunted Big Island with my neighbor and his brother. I shot 10 but lost 5 in the tall grass behind the dove field. My neighbor shot 13 and only lost one of his. They just weren't really flying into the field worth anything.

I was using #8 shot and seeing feathers fly more than birds dropping. Not sure if a heavier load would of done much better or not. My 870 doesn't like the cheap loads though, that's for sure. Planning on doing some goose hunting Friday morning, so I'll spring for a box of decent BB's which hopefully shoot better than the cheap shells.


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## Mike_13 (Jun 11, 2007)

We hunted west branch and saw a decent amount of doves. Anybody on here hunt at mosquito?


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## lmbchckn (Apr 3, 2013)

Mike_13 said:


> We hunted west branch and saw a decent amount of doves. Anybody on here hunt at mosquito?
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


How was the crowd? Hopeing to get out this weekend at either west branch or berlin.


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## tomdury (Feb 16, 2009)

Just got back from a Delaware hunt this morning. Not much to report. Only saw about 10-15 birds in the air and of them, only about 4 were shootable. Only got one bird and i sniped him out of a dead tree.

DNR pulled up right when I was leaving to cut another section of field. Not sure if that will help or not but as of now, I might hunt elsewhere.


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## Mike_13 (Jun 11, 2007)

lmbchckn said:


> How was the crowd? Hopeing to get out this weekend at either west branch or berlin.



It wasn't too bad. People were courteous and everyone had plenty of shooting. Went back this morning and saw maybe 10 birds flying the whole time. Definitely seems like it's been shot out. 


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## supercanoe (Jun 12, 2006)

I killed a limit monday pretty quick in cut corn.


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

I killed a limit Wednesday eve in cut wheat, was slow but managed it. Seeing a ton of birds just can't figure where thy are using. I have several feilds this year. But the birds aren't using them like I thought they would. I'll keep scouting till I find the magic spot, lol. Lost my good field bc the farmers so. In law wanted to hunt it. Oh well that's how it goes I guess. Jason I us 7 1/2 shot and haven't had much problem w them. Are you jut shooting on the fly or are you trying to decoy them in?


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## supercanoe (Jun 12, 2006)

Have your wheat fields been sprayed with herbicide? A hot field can go cold pretty fast after being sprayed. 7 1/2s kill them better than 8's.


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

No mine have not been sprayed, have 2 that have been limed about a month or more ago but hey are still using them. Majority of birds in this block are using a planted wheat feild and I can't get in it bc the owner has guys geese hunting it. I hope it grows fast and they move back to the cut wheat.


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## birdhunt (Apr 12, 2004)

...so many people at Pickerel Creek I couldn't find anyplace to park Monday......


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## supercanoe (Jun 12, 2006)

I took a friend out yesterday and we killed 30 in corn. It took awhile, but they flew pretty well when the wind was blowing.


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## MDBuckeye (Sep 29, 2009)

They were flying. All the birds we saw opening day were flying and not even getting in the field before the yahoo's were blasting them off... I bet half of the birds shot were lost in the tall grass. I didn't want to hunt that way but didn't have much choice. I'll shoot up these 8s then get 71/2s. Actually may have some I'd been shooting clays with.


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## tomdury (Feb 16, 2009)

MDBuckeye were you at Delaware for the open? Thats where me and a buddy hunted and my one friend had one shot down from RIGHT above him. Definitely some yahoos out there that day


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

So I went scouting yesterday eve and everyone of my wheat feilds had been tilled! Time to start looking for new places. Just sucks cause I had over a month of scouting on those fields, not really any wheat left around me. Hoping to find silage now, has been one of my rougher years.


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## supercanoe (Jun 12, 2006)

You should still be able to decoy some birds into the field. They like dirt. The silage that I was hunting slowed down since the cover crop is coming up. I had to switch fields.


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## koonzie99 (Apr 25, 2012)

Anyone been to highlandtown the last couple of days? We will be headed down on Sunday.


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## SmallieKing (Apr 11, 2007)

Been hunting fields here in SW Ohio and it's slowed down big time this week. Killed 1 each Monday and Thursday evenings. Seeing a ton on the drive in and out. Watched about 50-60 in a farmers barn yard yesterday,


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## supercanoe (Jun 12, 2006)

I killed a limit in cut corn this morning. Slow at first and moved 4 times. Then I found the X.


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## supercanoe (Jun 12, 2006)

There are still some birds around. Yesterday I had a great hunt.


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