2019/2020 Hunting Thread

[3shot 139]

I have been hunting Paloma Pachonga for about the same amount of time as you jofus, but never on the opener or 2nd day.  Usually I hunt there somewhere between the 3rd and 7th day of the season, and I've hunted it towards the end of September a couple of times as well.  I've never got a limit there, although I've come close, and I had one day where I didn't fire a shot.  I'm not claiming I'm the worlds best shot, but I don't suck.  Out of 14 or so hunts, I think I've only had one double digit day and I have never, ever seen doves out there like what is in your picture...nothing even remotely close.  However, I saw them like that on every single hunt I ever had at Nooners. 

Conversely, I hunted Nooners multiple times per year starting in 2006 (prior to Paloma Pachonga existing) up until he sold in 2016/2017 I guess?  Always somewhere in the same date range as my Paloma hunts, and out to October.  The difference in the hunting was staggering.  As you know, the properties abutted one another, and on all of my hunts, the Paloma guys hardly fired any shots while we would have waves of birds by the thousands, similar to your picture above.  

I think the difference must be how it is managed for hunting.  I am sure that Paloma Pachanga is lights out for the first day or two, as they have the same black oil sunflowers that Nooners had and their fields backed up to one another...but when you run as many hunters as they do and hunt mornings/afternoons, well, the birds must get smart.  To my knowledge, Sammy never let people hunt in the mornings on his place, and he only ran one group at a time, again, to my knowledge.  That's the only explanation that I have.  Whatever is going on, it is more than just the weather, more than just birds being birds...it's their management practices.  It just has to be.

That being said, the facilities at Paloma Pachonga are outstanding, and I appreciate all of the hunts I get to go on out there, even though it may not sound like it from my bitching.  I'm just saying, the hunting at Nooners was totally amazing, and the hunting at Paloma is pretty meh in comparison to that, in my experience.  I'll still go to Paloma every time I'm invited and will be very grateful to my hosts for including me.   

Last note about this: the day that I zeroed at Paloma Pachonga (and heard/watched Nooners' hunter crushing them), I hunted the next day at Nooners and we saw thousands of birds and had very quick limits, with no shooting at Paloma.  No changes in weather, no different conditions at all.  I actually drove down to the fence line because I was curious about what was so different.  The birds avoided the Paloma property like the plague; they didn't even fly over their fields high.  I was convinced for a long time Sammy must have been baiting, but there's just no way he could get away with that (saw game wardens out there on the regular)...maybe it was just the proximity to Mumme's?  Whatever it was, I miss Sammy's hunts and his stewardship of his property.   

Jofus, great seeing the kids out with you.  I take mine every chance I get as well. I'm eternally grateful to my father for introducing me to hunting and fishing.     

 

   

[jofus 2266]

I have been hunting Paloma Pachonga for about the same amount of time as you jofus, but never on the opener or 2nd day.  Usually I hunt there somewhere between the 3rd and 7th day of the season, and I've hunted it towards the end of September a couple of times as well.  I've never got a limit there, although I've come close, and I had one day where I didn't fire a shot.  I'm not claiming I'm the worlds best shot, but I don't suck.  Out of 14 or so hunts, I think I've only had one double digit day and I have never, ever seen doves out there like what is in your picture...nothing even remotely close.  However, I saw them like that on every single hunt I ever had at Nooners. 

Conversely, I hunted Nooners multiple times per year starting in 2006 (prior to Paloma Pachonga existing) up until he sold in 2016/2017 I guess?  Always somewhere in the same date range as my Paloma hunts, and out to October.  The difference in the hunting was staggering.  As you know, the properties abutted one another, and on all of my hunts, the Paloma guys hardly fired any shots while we would have waves of birds by the thousands, similar to your picture above.  

I think the difference must be how it is managed for hunting.  I am sure that Paloma Pachanga is lights out for the first day or two, as they have the same black oil sunflowers that Nooners had and their fields backed up to one another...but when you run as many hunters as they do and hunt mornings/afternoons, well, the birds must get smart.  To my knowledge, Sammy never let people hunt in the mornings on his place, and he only ran one group at a time, again, to my knowledge.  That's the only explanation that I have.  Whatever is going on, it is more than just the weather, more than just birds being birds...it's their management practices.  It just has to be.

That being said, the facilities at Paloma Pachonga are outstanding, and I appreciate all of the hunts I get to go on out there, even though it may not sound like it from my bitching.  I'm just saying, the hunting at Nooners was totally amazing, and the hunting at Paloma is pretty meh in comparison to that, in my experience.  I'll still go to Paloma every time I'm invited and will be very grateful to my hosts for including me.   

Last note about this: the day that I zeroed at Paloma Pachonga (and heard/watched Nooners' hunter crushing them), I hunted the next day at Nooners and we saw thousands of birds and had very quick limits, with no shooting at Paloma.  No changes in weather, no different conditions at all.  I actually drove down to the fence line because I was curious about what was so different.  The birds avoided the Paloma property like the plague; they didn't even fly over their fields high.  I was convinced for a long time Sammy must have been baiting, but there's just no way he could get away with that (saw game wardens out there on the regular)...maybe it was just the proximity to Mumme's?  Whatever it was, I miss Sammy's hunts and his stewardship of his property.   

Jofus, great seeing the kids out with you.  I take mine every chance I get as well. I'm eternally grateful to my father for introducing me to hunting and fishing.     

 

   

 

Interesting. We hunted some Nooner fields last year via Paloma, and it was lights out. My guess is Nooner has more water. Paloma moves us around to fields all over Hondo, so they usually get us on some birds.

 

We always hunt opening weekend, so it’s pretty good.

[pepper brooks 580]

our trip was a pretty mixed bag for results, but we saw plenty of birds.  Saturday we went out in Devine, or near Devine to a field we hunted last year.  We were in a different spot that turned out to be good for some, okay for some, and terrible for others.  My location was at best okay.  It would have been great, but about an hour into our hunt this group came behind us and set up right behind the fence line.  I could see the through the trees.  Fine.  It's a different property they can do what they want.  Any birds flying from that direction were slaughtered by these guys before we could ever get a crack at them.  Again, cool for them BUT these mother*ckers kept shooting across the damn fence line into us.  we got on them hard, and they kept saying, "it's not us".  Uh....WTF, man, you're the only group behind us.  I think I shot about 10.  My son hit his limit.  Guys in our group to the east of where I was hit them pretty hard.  The people in my group to the west got almost nothing.  Total mixed bag, and having pellets whiz by my head was not my idea of ideal hunting.  YEsterday we hit a different field that was pretty remote and awesome.  we set up on a tree line with about 75 acres of sunflowers in front of us.  we were the only group out.  only downside was facing west directly in the sun.  I think almost everyone limited out yesterday.  We saw lots of birds both days, but SAturday just set up better for some than others.  

[Reagan1k 3024]

On 9/6/2019 at 10:03 AM, jofus said:

Interesting. We hunted some Nooner fields last year via Paloma, and it was lights out. My guess is Nooner has more water. Paloma moves us around to fields all over Hondo, so they usually get us on some birds.

 

We always hunt opening weekend, so it’s pretty good.

We used to hunt the mesquite flat just west of (across 173) Mummes....Between the RV Park / mobile homes and 173.

That was an awesome field.  Got the birds coming just off their in-town roost heading to Nooner's fields in the AM and on their descending flight back into town in the PM.  They've developed some of that property now I think.   Was the best/most consistent field we hunted in that area. 

If you couldn't limit there in short order it was your own damn fault.  

[Both Tacos 1806]

As my wild ass crazy uncle would say "If you don't break something on the tractor every once in awhile, you aren't trying hard enough."
Luckily this was after I got done disking up the last food plot. I was smoothing out a trail and snagged a tree. Luckily for zip ties to be able to make it back to camp.

[crimsonlonghorn 2306]

We are going to go try a field in Wallis tomorrow for South Zone opening weekend. Sure hope we get into some birds. 

[crimsonlonghorn 2306]

Went down to Wallis yesterday (more specifically, Chesterville) and saw enough birds that it was interesting. We were not "covered up" by any stretch but the boys got to shoot their guns a few times and realize that Dad wasn't making it all up. Ended up with only 6 birds but there was more shooting than that. 

Need to brag on my 10 year old that just after we had sat down, a whitewing darted out of a tree about 50 yards away and came straight for us. I pointed it out to him, he raised his gun and knocked it down perfectly right overhead with one shot just like I taught him on sporting clays. He had never shot a live bird before and did it just like a pro. I was a proud dad. 

For about 10 minutes he was a perfect 1/1 on lifetime dove hunting but then of course he and his brother decided that they needed to try and shoot anything within 50 yards, so naturally their average went down. 

The best part was that I didn't shoot a single shot and I don't care one bit.

[fattyflattie 4639]

Hunted Garwood area this weekend for opening Teal. We did ok, we ended up with an average of 4/man.  Wardens said there were seeing lots of 2-3 bird/man action so I guess we did average to good.  

It was more steady than hot and heavy, lots of 1-3 duck groups. Only had 1 good group of 8-10 come in early.   We had something in our spread that flared up the last 3-4 groups but couldn’t figure it out.  Anyhow, favorite time of the year.  Was an absolutely beautiful morning.  

[fattyflattie 4639]

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[Judge Roybeanbag 11819]

FF who did you hunt with?  I see the STNP power line in the background so I know you were out west of town.

[fattyflattie 4639]

1 hour ago, Judge Roybeanbag said:

FF who did you hunt with?  I see the STNP power line in the background so I know you were out west of town.

I’ll try and find out. It was actually an annual  hunt that @Llano Estacado family takes and I was fortunate to tag along.  My understanding was the outfitter has a big chunk of the land we were on leased out (per usual); I think they had 8 hunts going that AM plus annual guys that lease from them. The kid we had was pretty good. 

[Judge Roybeanbag 11819]

12 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

I’ll try and find out. It was actually an annual  hunt that @Llano Estacado family takes and I was fortunate to tag along.  My understanding was the outfitter has a big chunk of the land we were on leased out (per usual); I think they had 8 hunts going that AM plus annual guys that lease from them. The kid we had was pretty good. 

Just curious - I grew up there and worked for a few of the rice farmers that have hunters, so I know a lot of the guides.

[ROFL BOX 6647]

On 9/4/2019 at 11:20 AM, cknight said:

We limited Sunday evening outside of Lufkin and the pup did really well. Also, shot my first banded dove! I’ll try to figure out how to upload some pics

https://passporttotexas.org/research-hunting-reporting-banded-doves/

[ROFL BOX 6647]

Had 1 bird Kamikaze @ me today - 0° like a rocket, then peeled off into the cedars.
3 pump shots, zero hit.
Just enough to make me break open the BoreSnake.

Got to enjoy the clouds, saw a lizard scurrying, various bugs. Slightly disappointed I didn't see any squirrels.

Not too hot today; this was a late morning attempt, so I wasn't expecting much.

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[ROFL BOX 6647]

Same spot, approx. 120° angle the other direction.

Was on the phone with an eye doc (discussing Lasik, etc.) & w/ phone to L ear, popped off 3 @ a bird I missed.

Didn't drop the phone & I had warned her of mybsituation, possible shots fired upcoming.

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[BabaYaga 15286]

2 minutes ago, ROFL BOX said:

Was on the phone with an eye doc (discussing Lasik, etc.) & w/ phone to L ear, popped off 3 @ a bird I missed.

How could you do all this and still hold a beer?  You have talent, sir.  

[4th and 5 4914]

magnetic koozie, attaches to receiver

 

duh

[ROFL BOX 6647]

I occasionally hear 'em in the woods behind me, but obv. no ability to localize.

Sun is behind me & I am hoping for a bit of shadow assist to see if anything comes out & above from back to front.

Prior pic is is directly in front of me.

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[ROFL BOX 6647]

Trail I come in from is the edited pic.

Long views up what is left of a road are 2 lanes, one to my L, other to my R.

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[ROFL BOX 6647]

Tucked up in the tree a bit.

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[Johnny Sack 8397]

On 9/6/2019 at 9:34 AM, 3shot said:

I have been hunting Paloma Pachonga for about the same amount of time as you jofus, but never on the opener or 2nd day.  Usually I hunt there somewhere between the 3rd and 7th day of the season, and I've hunted it towards the end of September a couple of times as well.  I've never got a limit there, although I've come close, and I had one day where I didn't fire a shot.  I'm not claiming I'm the worlds best shot, but I don't suck.  Out of 14 or so hunts, I think I've only had one double digit day and I have never, ever seen doves out there like what is in your picture...nothing even remotely close.  However, I saw them like that on every single hunt I ever had at Nooners. 

Conversely, I hunted Nooners multiple times per year starting in 2006 (prior to Paloma Pachonga existing) up until he sold in 2016/2017 I guess?  Always somewhere in the same date range as my Paloma hunts, and out to October.  The difference in the hunting was staggering.  As you know, the properties abutted one another, and on all of my hunts, the Paloma guys hardly fired any shots while we would have waves of birds by the thousands, similar to your picture above.  

I think the difference must be how it is managed for hunting.  I am sure that Paloma Pachanga is lights out for the first day or two, as they have the same black oil sunflowers that Nooners had and their fields backed up to one another...but when you run as many hunters as they do and hunt mornings/afternoons, well, the birds must get smart.  To my knowledge, Sammy never let people hunt in the mornings on his place, and he only ran one group at a time, again, to my knowledge.  That's the only explanation that I have.  Whatever is going on, it is more than just the weather, more than just birds being birds...it's their management practices.  It just has to be.

That being said, the facilities at Paloma Pachonga are outstanding, and I appreciate all of the hunts I get to go on out there, even though it may not sound like it from my bitching.  I'm just saying, the hunting at Nooners was totally amazing, and the hunting at Paloma is pretty meh in comparison to that, in my experience.  I'll still go to Paloma every time I'm invited and will be very grateful to my hosts for including me.   

Last note about this: the day that I zeroed at Paloma Pachonga (and heard/watched Nooners' hunter crushing them), I hunted the next day at Nooners and we saw thousands of birds and had very quick limits, with no shooting at Paloma.  No changes in weather, no different conditions at all.  I actually drove down to the fence line because I was curious about what was so different.  The birds avoided the Paloma property like the plague; they didn't even fly over their fields high.  I was convinced for a long time Sammy must have been baiting, but there's just no way he could get away with that (saw game wardens out there on the regular)...maybe it was just the proximity to Mumme's?  Whatever it was, I miss Sammy's hunts and his stewardship of his property.   

Jofus, great seeing the kids out with you.  I take mine every chance I get as well. I'm eternally grateful to my father for introducing me to hunting and fishing.     

 

   

I got invited last minute to go to Nooner to hunt tomorrow night and Saturday morning.  Hope the birds are good. 

[3shot 139]

3 hours ago, Johnny Sack said:

I got invited last minute to go to Nooner to hunt tomorrow night and Saturday morning.  Hope the birds are good. 

Good luck and please report back! 

I can’t hunt for the next 2 weekends but will be looking for outfitters with birds somewhere within 90 miles of SA for the remainder of the season.  

[deadshank 24652]

8 hours ago, 3shot said:

Good luck and please report back! 

I can’t hunt for the next 2 weekends but will be looking for outfitters with birds somewhere within 90 miles of SA for the remainder of the season.  

Did you call Mark Roberts or Layton Chambers?

(btw: my post with LC’s phone number should have been “210” as the prefix for the first contact number and not “211.”)

[ROFL BOX 6647]

Question.

1. Legally, COULD you...
2. Would you...

Hunt this road?

We are @ the end of a gravel & caliche road. There is one neighbor to the S side of us & both of our properties are to the L end of this 1st pic.

Obv. I'm not going to shoot @ any power lines, however we do see dove sitting on the wires & I also see them collecting grit from time to time, or lifting off as I drive in or out.

It is a private road, prob. ½ a mile long.

None of the neighbors would have a concern & nobody has a house within 100 yards of any area shown on the pic with the yellow outline. My biggest concern (not too much of one) would be if I had one drop on the other side of the barbed wire fence, it is only on the S side of the road (shown to the L of the photos).

Opinions?

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[Kennythetiger 9374]

Do it. And let the English see you do it. 

[Alex Karev 1030]

 0509180735a-2.jpg

[Alex Karev 1030]

22 minutes ago, Alex Karev said:

 

 

22 minutes ago, Alex Karev said:

 

 

[Izhmash 562]

Good lord...Nov 02 can't get here soon enough.  I need to get in the woods with my boy!

[BabaYaga 15286]

On 9/21/2019 at 9:33 PM, Kennythetiger said:

Do it. And let the English see you do it. 

[Johnny Sack 8397]

On ‎9‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 10:54 PM, 3shot said:

Good luck and please report back! 

I can’t hunt for the next 2 weekends but will be looking for outfitters with birds somewhere within 90 miles of SA for the remainder of the season.  

Friday afternoon was slow.  There were birds where we hunted south of 90, but it was really windy and they were flying high.  I got 10.  Wish I would have brought my SBE 12 gauge instead of my over under 20 gauge.

We hunted Saturday morning at the old nooner field close to Mummes.  Got a limit pretty easily.

[Kennythetiger 9374]

Then you'd just be tempted to shoot farther out and spend more shells.    

[Cooder 37]

Got a little rain from the tropical storm last week at the lease...

[ROFL BOX 6647]

Is that a catfish feeder?

[williemackgarza 1826]

Anyone out bowhuntin this weekend?

 

[deadshank 24652]

3 hours ago, williemackgarza said:

Anyone out bowhuntin this weekend?

 

MLD III started this morning.  I didn’t even bring my rifle this weekend.  Too hot.  Still shooting dove for a few more weeks until it cools off 

[Both Tacos 1806]

Anyone out bowhuntin this weekend?
 

Too damn hot. Worked on food plots, put up a protein feeder and got a 2 man ladder stand set up. Enough for today

[deadshank 24652]

Did a WW dove shoot Saturday afternoon in La Pryor.  It was quite finominle.   Thousands of birds piled into a 20 acre field of black oil sunflower; to the point of ridiculous.   I’ve been on some great shoots in the area over the years but this one was an all-timer.

[4th and 5 4914]

With a guide? If so, can I have the info?

[deadshank 24652]

19 minutes ago, 4th and 5 said:

With a guide? If so, can I have the info?

Mark Roberts out of Uvalde. 

(830) 261-9467

You may or may not hunt this same field.  The LO only allows once a week hunting so it won’t get shot out and will last through the winter split.  No shooting before 5:15 pm and shut it down at 6:30 pm.  Seems like not much of a time window but there are so many birds the limited time is not a problem. 

Mark has other fields in Uvalde and Knippa.   He’s honest about when there are and are not birds. 

[ROFL BOX 6647]

Mind if we ask the going rate for your guide?

[deadshank 24652]

55 minutes ago, ROFL BOX said:

Mind if we ask the going rate for your guide?

$100-$150/gun depending on field. 

[crimsonlonghorn 2306]

Damn, maybe I should drive to Uvalde just to find some birds to shoot. 

[crimsonlonghorn 2306]

Also, it looks like the pigs have rediscovered my wife's vegetable plot again. I'm going to put out a camera and see when they usually show up every day and then camp out one night. 

[BabaYaga 15286]

3 hours ago, crimsonlonghorn said:

Also, it looks like the pigs have rediscovered my wife's vegetable plot again. I'm going to put out a camera and see when they usually show up every day and then camp out one night. 

Smile piggy!

[Johnny Sack 8397]

11 hours ago, deadshank said:

$100-$150/gun depending on field. 

That is very fair 

[deadshank 24652]

5 hours ago, crimsonlonghorn said:

Damn, maybe I should drive to Uvalde just to find some birds to shoot. 

you should

[ROFL BOX 6647]

For the ATX area, we might see a low 90's coming up & a bit lower than that in the MetroPlex

I'm thinking this still won't be enough to push birds further S, no?

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[williemackgarza 1826]

Went down to mexico this week.
Its hot and really dry.
Praying for rain.
Set out cams along some watering holes.
Hopefully will get some good pics.

[Hook1997 5351]

I’ve got a Winchester SXP Waterfowl Realtree Max-5 12 Gauge Shotgun that I won in a raffle, I don’t duck hunt and I’ve got my gun for dove so if anyone is interested pm me. 

[ROFL BOX 6647]

Looking around for it online... is that an automaticular or pump?