How to Keep Busy During the Bird Hunting Off Season

Become a student of the birds you hunt through learning basic biology, meteorology, and networking with wildlife professionals.

Well, that went by entirely too fast, didn’t it? The last covey rise of the year was weeks ago. The guns have been cleaned and put away, and the dogs have settled into their off-season routine. A quick trip to Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic may have jazzed you up again for a few short days, but the fact remains: bird season is over. It’s going to be a long spring and summer before it returns. 

How can a dedicated hunter keep that upland fire burning? As it turns out, there’s plenty to do. All you must do is always keep learning. Learning about meteorology, biology, and networking with others will make you a better bird hunter. Plus, these activities will help make the off season much less tedious.

Become An Amateur Meteorologist 

Most game bird populations rely, in large part, upon the vagaries of weather. Rainfall, drought, harsh winter weather, and extreme heat all play a huge role in determining dynamics like nest success, chick survival, and winter survival. 

Spring And Summer Rains

For instance, Gambel’s quail rely on abundant spring rains across the desert. The rains provide herbaceous cover and food, which helps them achieve the right body condition to produce eggs, provides lush nesting locations, and enhances cover for chicks. The same holds true for bobwhite quail populations in western Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.

On the other hand, Mearn’s quail in Arizona need summer monsoon rains. Their sky island habitats need summer moisture to spur grass growth for nest construction and nutritious forbs to prime them to lay abundant clutches. 

Flooding And Cold Weather

Too much rain, though, is a real detriment to nesting for a host of other gamebird species. Rain followed by cool temperatures wreaks havoc on chicks of pheasants, most grouse species, and eastern bobwhite quail. These chicks cannot thermoregulate their body temperature for the first two weeks or so of life. This can result in heavy chick mortality and depressed fall populations. 

Harsh winter weather can also heavily impact game birds across much of the Northern Plains, reducing populations by significant percentages year over year.

Pay Attention To The Weather In Your Hunting Spots All Year Long

I say all of this to encourage folks to pay very close attention to the weather all year long. If you’re planning a Mearn’s quail hunt and the monsoons don’t come, then it might be best to postpone a year. Perhaps Arizona and the western bobwhite states are getting good spring rains. In this case, change whatever plans you have to take advantage of the boom year. If the Plains states suffer from long periods of deep snow, you might want to rethink that pheasant hunt coming up in October. 

The National Weather Service maintains a huge series of weather stations across the country, and it is easy to log in to see precipitation levels, snow depth, and temperature recordings for the areas you plan to hunt. Check in with these all year in order to give yourself plenty of time to cancel a hunt or add a new one as conditions change.

Become An Amateur Biologist

I became a wildlife biologist because I loved hunting. I wanted a chance to work in a field where I could directly impact management of the species I loved. The lessons I’ve learned during a 25-year career as a biologist have had an unexpected effect; it has made me a much better hunter. 

In retrospect, this makes lots of sense. As I learned more about the ecology and habitat needs of the species I managed, I better understood what drove population increases, the preferred habitat of the species, and where the species thrived most. While my work was mostly with bobwhite quail and greater prairie chickens, my love for all gamebirds and desire to hunt as many as possible in a lifetime compelled me to learn about the life history needs of a variety of species. I’m not talking merely about where they live, but what conditions they need to thrive, and what causes those conditions to occur. Not all game birds thrive in the same habitat types and weather conditions. 

Become a student of the birds you want to hunt. Read popular and scientific articles about them. These are readily available with a quick search on the intent. You don’t need to get a PhD, but learn seasonal habits, where birds move, what type of fall habitat they prefer, and what types of weather result in healthy populations. 

I guarantee this will make you a better hunter. It will also help eliminate hunting spots devoid of birds or allow you to change hunts based on what you know about reproductive success and local weather. While being an amateur biologist doesn’t extend your hunting season, it makes you feel more engaged with the species you want to hunt. Plus, you’ll impress your hunting buddy with your newfound knowledge about the nuances that make these birds tick.

Network During The Off Season

This last piece of advice is as much for me as anyone. I am naturally an introverted person. I rarely strike up conversations with people I don’t know, even if that person is a known expert in a species I want to hunt. Some of you won’t have a problem with this, but for the rest of us, learning to network is important. 

Networking With Biologists

The first type of networking I’m talking about is making regular acquaintances with the biologists and technicians that manage the species you wish to hunt. These folks can be your best friends because they keep tabs on populations way more closely than most of us can from hundreds of miles away. 

First, call the state upland game biologist and visit with them about habitat conditions, weather, and how birds are looking. If possible, ask them to narrow down a region of the state where you might have the best luck. Some will give broad areas, while others may name certain counties or wildlife management areas.

Next, make an effort to call the local biologist responsible for the region or wildlife management areas to which you were directed. These folks often keep daily or, at least monthly, tabs on local populations. I’ve found the monthly check-ins to be especially true in western states where game birds spend lots of time near roads in the summer. Biologists must often drive many miles due to the large areas they cover. 

In my experience, most of these folks love to talk and they welcome a chance to discuss bird hunting. They can also tell you what areas to stay away from or even not to come in a particular year, which is just as valuable as knowing where to hunt. Kyle Hedges and I have been quail biologists for many years, and we have been surprised by the lack of folks that call us to get our thoughts on the upcoming season. This may not be the case for biologists in the Dakotas, but too few people take advantage of this resource.

Networking With Other Bird Hunting Professionals

Lastly, attend national or regional upland game bird meetings, conferences, or webinars. Events such as the annual Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic are perfect places to talk to biologists, guides, and full-time hunters about species you’ve always wanted to hunt. They may not give you GPS coordinates (and it is bad form to ask), but they will certainly talk to you about the biology of the birds and give you good advice at least about where to start looking. The rest may be up to you, but that is the fun part. You also might get invited on hunts or arrange a hunt-in-trade. 

There’s plenty of hunting possibilities when you put yourself out there; what’s more fun than that?

Be A Student Of The Birds

For most of us, bird season is way too short. Unless you have the luxury of devoting several weeks a year to travelling or live in a game bird mecca, we simply can’t find enough time to scratch our hunting itch. The ideas I laid out here will help, but more importantly, they are designed to make you a better hunter. 

Sure, we can read hunting stories or watch YouTube videos of people smashing limits of birds during the off season. But that does not improve your hunting skills? My advice is to always be learning. Spend your time on pursuits that will help you make better decisions when it comes to your upcoming hunting trips. We only have so many days in the year to get out and enjoy our passion. We might as well prepare for those days in the off season by becoming students of the birds.