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Subject: Fall Hunting/APLA test combo

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mattkeenan
Salem, OR

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03/08/2007 9:00 PM	Alert
Alright folks - looks like I'll be able to fit in a fall bird hunting/testing trip!. Thesis will be done - pup and I will get a chance to let all this training pay off!! and God knows there's no birds in PA! I'd like to do a combo upland/waterfowl trip somewhere, and incorporate an APLA hunt test into the trip. I've never actually been bird hunting before, much less with a dog. I've also never been to an APLA event before. So.... I'm pretty clueless here really. I was thinking about SD for the hunting, but don't know if tests are offered near there (nebraska?) or how well the tests line up with hunting seasons. It wouldn't be pretty easy to hop down to CO once in the Dakotas. Given the price of small game tags, I'm sure I could hunt a few states If anyone has any insight for me, that would be fantastic!!!! Thanks, Matt

Matthew Keenan matthew.t.keenan@gmail.com

Paths_beyond

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05/17/2007 3:58 PM	Alert
Matt, Well, no one responded on this thread for a couple of months, so I'd thought I'd throw somethin out there. For what it's worth... Any of the states the APLA has a test would probably have upland and waterfowl hunting (quality would vary). What you would need to do is find out when the fall tests are scheduled, then look into bird season dates for the types of birds you are interested. You can get a good idea of where the tests will be located by looking at the Spring test schedule. For instance, in Colorado, the fall APLA hunt test is usually towards the end of September. Pheasant season does not open in ND of another 2-3 weeks after that. Teal season is usually open in CO as well as Dove and Grouse season. I think Sharptail season is open in the NE and the Dakotas (keep in mind travel time). I wouldn't hunt dove that late in Colorado but Nebraska (and further south) still has some good quantities at that time of year. I usually hunt the Blue grouse in CO starting in September, then switch to pheasants in the Dakotas in early/mid October. Bottom line, find out the test dates (posted on website a month or two before) of the closest states to you, then find determine the hunting seasons (each state has a DOW website giving you the info when available). THEN begin asking questions on quality of hunting and such. Planning to travel further and further depending on what your goals are for quality and time. Makes sense? What's your thesis on? Vic Vic

Black Forest HP

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05/18/2007 7:00 AM	Alert
Vic & Matt It looks like to fall Colorado test will be early September. Nothing approved at this time, but it looks pretty certain.

Shawn Hoover BFK of the High Plains Booker, TX www.blackforesthighplains.com

mattkeenan
Salem, OR

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05/21/2007 10:58 AM	Alert
Thanks for the replies. Vic - your methods for putting the trip together make sense. I was really looking for personal recommendations (on quarry and locations... I don't know what I want to hunt!), and previous knowledge as to how these hunting seasons might line up with Fall hunt tests. And... you provided this info as well, so thank you! It seems like I might not be able to plan this trip as far ahead as I had hoped, and rather will need to wait until test dates and seasons are posted. But... any other feedback is welcomed! Thanks, Matt

Matthew Keenan matthew.t.keenan@gmail.com

mattkeenan
Salem, OR

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05/21/2007 3:22 PM	Alert
Vic.... sorry I forgot - my thesis is "Antlerless deer harvest rates and hunter distribution on two state forests in Pennsylvania". Basically, I caught a few hundred deer and put radio collars/gps collars on them, and found out how various landscape variables influence whether or not they get harvested. I also flew over the study areas every day during rifle season, and mapped out where all the hunters were - I analyzed how the same landscape variables influenced hunter density. one of the main "bigger picture" results: there are large areas of refugia in PA (far from roads and on steep slopes) where both hunter density and harvest rate are essentially zero. This poses interesting problems to managers trying to control populations in these areas, as the traditional methods (increasing antlerless allocations) will have no effect in the refugia. Sorry for the long answer, I just rememembered that in the middle of some analysis, so I'm in that mode

Matthew Keenan matthew.t.keenan@gmail.com

camelcluch
Parker, Co

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05/22/2007 1:42 PM	Alert
I have been wanting to take a trip to the Dakotas for a combo trip. That might be the best bet. I would then stop by Co for some Grouse, deer and elk. Move on to Cali for some quail ducks and on the way back hit the Southern states for more quail and ducks.

CPR Black Forest's Zuberant Zoie

mattkeenan
Salem, OR

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06/04/2007 3:24 PM	Alert
sounds fun!

Matthew Keenan matthew.t.keenan@gmail.com

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Forums > American Pointing Labrador Association > Hunting > Fall Hunting/APLA test combo