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Late Season Luck

jeff rawlinson January 25, 2014 Leave a comment

This morning I had the fortune of spending time afield with my good friend Dr. Scott  Hygnstrom, Animal Damage Control Professor at UNL.  We had a blast chasing late season pheasant and quail!  I am one of those goofballs that actually prefers late season bird hunting.  This last week of January could prove to be the best.  I have often heard hunters complain about late season birds being so jumpy and hard to hunt but more often I have found that January birds act a lot like opening day roosters rather than the spawn of mayhem some would lead you to believe.

Without a doubt, the bulk of the birds harvested in Nebraska are shot in the first two weekends of the season.  By late December, many “die hard” hunters have hung up their boots.  By late January, many birds have not seen a hunter in over a month.  Don’t get me wrong, two months of rough winter weather will push these birds into the most disagreeable cover you will ever regret walking but man can the hunting be awesome!  Birds holding tight, bursting from thick cover at your toes is what I have found more often than the psychotic birds some have lamented about.

Take a day or two before the end of the season, get out there and burn some boot leather.   Don’t forget your 2014 hunting license and habitat stamp.  Late season birds offer the hunter another great opportunity to capture a few more great memories.   Have fun and be safe!

Jeff

A veteran of the pheasant fields, Dr. Scott Hygnstrom
A veteran of the pheasant fields, Dr. Scott Hygnstrom
Happy hunters with the fruits of their labor.
Happy hunters with the fruits of their labor.

About jeff rawlinson

Jeff is the Education Manager in the Communications Division with Game and Parks where he has worked for the last 15 years. He oversees the Hunter Education, Boater Education, Hunter Outreach and Shooting Range Development for the Commission and is a devout hunter, angler, wildlife viewer, naturalist, father and husband. He holds a BS and MS from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. He has been a Hunter Education Instructor for over 20 years, NRA firearms instructor and range officer, National Archery in the Schools Program Archery Instructor Specialist and member of the National NASP Board, sits on the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Hunter Recruitment and Retention Committee and Education Committee. Jeff is an avid handgun hunter, loves to chase turkeys in the spring, squirrel hunting enthusiast and philosopher of the outdoors. He is an avid shooter and loves to spend outdoor time with family and friends. He has a passion for exciting others about the outdoors. A history buff, Jeff is a strong supporter of our North American Model of Conservation and tries to spread the message of its importance and relevance every chance he gets.

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