Day one Pelee Island

Great hunt so far.


First time back at Pelee Island in a few years.


Tons of birds this morning.

Met a couple of MNR folks this morning but they were very professional. Just checked we had licenses and moved on.

But I noticed the number of crazies seems to be on the increase.


Met a couple of hunters walking in the same field we were hunting wearing just hunter orange hats, that’s it.

Saw a guy in a van driving around and when he saw a pheasant at the side of the road he would stop so his buddy in the back could open the side door to shoot for the inside of the van.

Saw a guy sitting on the tailgate of a pick up being driven around so he could shoot the birds at the side of the road.

Even though every map says stay out of the way of non-harvested fields saw many people trampling around the soybean fields.

The crazies are just going to end the hunt for us.

Besides the crazies excellent event so far.

During the small game season you don't actually have to wear hunters orange, however I prefer people do.

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Originally Posted by acolic

Great hunt so far.


First time back at Pelee Island in a few years.


Tons of birds this morning.

Met a couple of MNR folks this morning but they were very professional. Just checked we had licenses and moved on.

But I noticed the number of crazies seems to be on the increase.


Met a couple of hunters walking in the same field we were hunting wearing just hunter orange hats, that’s it.

Saw a guy in a van driving around and when he saw a pheasant at the side of the road he would stop so his buddy in the back could open the side door to shoot for the inside of the van.

Saw a guy sitting on the tailgate of a pick up being driven around so he could shoot the birds at the side of the road.

Even though every map says stay out of the way of non-harvested fields saw many people trampling around the soybean fields.

The crazies are just going to end the hunt for us.

Besides the crazies excellent event so far.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by acolic

Great hunt so far.

Saw a guy in a van driving around and when he saw a pheasant at the side of the road he would stop so his buddy in the back could open the side door to shoot for the inside of the van.

Saw a guy sitting on the tailgate of a pick up being driven around so he could shoot the birds at the side of the road.

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Its common knowledge that the locals pot the birds this way after the season. But I just can't understand why a non-islander would pay all that money for licenses, ferry, food and accommodations, only to pot their 10 birds that way? I'm there for the experience: points, flushes, retrieves, well-made shots, spectacular misses and great company!

The discussion or argument of ground swatting birds comes up quite frequently and what I find most perplexing is the satisfaction and accomplishment they find in killing birds in that manner, not to mention the challenge. I can see taking a bird or two in that manner to eat but to drive for hundreds of miles to intentionally drive the logging roads in the morning and the evenings to shoot birds on the ground is beyond my comprehension. In my opinion they are missing out on so many other elements that are part of and provide so much pleasure in the hunt. I know I'll probably get chewed up for saying this and some will argue and use the defence that it's legal therefore they are not doing anything wrong, but I'm a big boy and I can take it. LOL

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Originally Posted by sidelock

The discussion or argument of ground swatting birds comes up quite frequently and what I find most perplexing is the satisfaction and accomplishment they find in killing birds in that manner, not to mention the challenge. I can see taking a bird or two in that manner to eat but to drive for hundreds of miles to intentionally drive the logging roads in the morning and the evenings to shoot birds on the ground is beyond my comprehension. In my opinion they are missing out on so many other elements that are part of and provide so much pleasure in the hunt. I know I'll probably get chewed up for saying this and some will argue and use the defence that it's legal therefore they are not doing anything wrong, but I'm a big boy and I can take it. LOL

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I find those that upland hunt in that fashion is because its all they know. Hunting over dogs has become a lost love. Be it the lack of trials anymore to intro new hunters to the sport or other factors its just not talked about.
I have found though all the guys I run into and invited them along have really enjoyed and had their eyes opened to it.
Might want to invited them ground swatters along and show them a different option.

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Originally Posted by greatwhite

During the small game season you don't actually have to wear hunters orange, however I prefer people do.

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I insist on blaze orange whether required or not. I witnessed a very close call on a preserve pheasant hunt when a shooter dressed in tweed who was down range and well out of position stepped out from a stand of evergreen trees just as another shooter was swinging on a flushed bird. Fortunately the shooter noticed the guy at the last second.

I stopped shooting Pelee years ago. Blaze orange wasn't enough. I wanted Kevlar too.

“Ground Swatting” Pheasant on Pelee Island without a dog. And “Ground Swatting” Grouse in Northern Ontario without a dog?? Big differences, don’t you think? Anyways I’ve been ground swatting grouse since I’ve been old enough to walk (wmu22/21b) and will continue too. Go ahead slam…big shoulders here too. Oh ya I hunt with a single shot and always wear orange :semi auto shotguns lol



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Quote:

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Originally Posted by finsfurfeathers

I find those that upland hunt in that fashion is because its all they know. Hunting over dogs has become a lost love. Be it the lack of trials anymore to intro new hunters to the sport or other factors its just not talked about.
I have found though all the guys I run into and invited them along have really enjoyed and had their eyes opened to it.
Might want to invited them ground swatters along and show them a different option.

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Ground swatters will stand by their conviction regardless, I know people who own dogs and still ground swat.

[QUOTE=Gregger17;1176813]“Ground Swatting” Pheasant on Pelee Island without a dog. And “Ground Swatting” Grouse in Northern Ontario without a dog?? Big differences,

Good one !

[QUOTE=sidelock;1176818]

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Originally Posted by Gregger17

“Ground Swatting” Pheasant on Pelee Island without a dog. And “Ground Swatting” Grouse in Northern Ontario without a dog?? Big differences,

Good one !

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You chime in every year about “ground swatting” stay down south and load your clip pal! Have you ever been N of Hwy 17?


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Just curious, is shooting from the road legal on pelee? I know in the rest of southern Ontario it would be a violation under the fish and wildlife act. Are there different rules for the island.

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Originally Posted by sidelock

Ground swatters will stand by their conviction regardless, I know people who own dogs and still ground swat.

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Than why https://www.lakesimcoeoutdoors.com/f...cons/horse.gifand https://www.lakesimcoeoutdoors.com/f...s/wallbash.gif ? No reply needed however no need to aggravate others due to your own prejudice. Live and let live

Hey, thanks for the report. I am headed over on Wednesday.

Can you elaborate on the quality of the birds this year? I am interested in how they flew and their size and plumage. I understand this is the first time they didn’t “finish” the birds in municipal pens, but rather had them delivered right before the hunt.

On the topic of Pelee “ground swatting”, the behaviour I have witnessed there is illegal, unethical, and dangerous. It’s not like plinking wandering bush chickens up north. It was numpties sitting in moving pickup beds shooting at roosters on municipal roadways at the end of the day trying to make sure they got their kill count. It was silly. I got the impression it was not locals either...FWIW

It seems a bit contradictory to call it "wing shooting" when you are shooting them on the ground. But if you want to eat ruffed grouse in northern Ontario on the ground is where you will typically find them. They do not flush as readily as their southern counterparts. And north of the French River you usually don't need a shotgun. A .22lr will do just fine.

Yeah, I've shot them up by Algonquin with a 22. They seem to be more stupid the farther north.

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Originally Posted by Badenoch

It seems a bit contradictory to call it "wing shooting" when you are shooting them on the ground. But if you want to eat ruffed grouse in northern Ontario on the ground is where you will typically find them. They do not flush as readily as their southern counterparts. And north of the French River you usually don't need a shotgun. A .22lr will do just fine.

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Hey acolic, also wondering what the rate of bird contacts is this year? Does it seem like the same number as in the past?

also, do we have to wear the licence in that plastic thing like in the past? It wasn’t clear in the instructions for me.

first year I went to Pelee i watched a bunch of guys walk beside the combine and shoot pheasants as the farmer was harvesting. Apparently that was common practice...I have only been to Pelee 10 times over the years and alot of the shenanigans are done by people who are there hunting without dogs. Its a great place and I do hope the Township goes back to raising birds and releasing them like they used to Pre-Covid. Thank you for posting this update and I hope others who attend Pelee this year will also post. I miss the place!

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Originally Posted by fishhawk

Just curious, is shooting from the road legal on pelee? I know in the rest of southern Ontario it would be a violation under the fish and wildlife act. Are there different rules for the island.

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The rule is you can’t fire across the road but you can fire from the road outwards.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by dilly

Hey acolic, also wondering what the rate of bird contacts is this year? Does it seem like the same number as in the past?

also, do we have to wear the licence in that plastic thing like in the past? It wasn’t clear in the instructions for me.

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Contact the first day was really high. Things slowed down the second day.

Just chatting with hunters out there and I got the impression those with dogs were doing well those without were having challenges.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by dilly

Hey acolic, also wondering what the rate of bird contacts is this year? Does it seem like the same number as in the past?

also, do we have to wear the licence in that plastic thing like in the past? It wasn’t clear in the instructions for me.

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I never saw a hunter with the license in the plastic holder.

But everyone had it on them and MNR didn’t seem to care if you had it in a plastic holder or not as long as you had a license when challenged.


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Thank you for the feedback. How did the birds look and fly?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dilly

Hey, thanks for the report. I am headed over on Wednesday.

Can you elaborate on the quality of the birds this year? I am interested in how they flew and their size and plumage. I understand this is the first time they didn’t “finish” the birds in municipal pens, but rather had them delivered right before the hunt.

On the topic of Pelee “ground swatting”, the behaviour I have witnessed there is illegal, unethical, and dangerous. It’s not like plinking wandering bush chickens up north. It was numpties sitting in moving pickup beds shooting at roosters on municipal roadways at the end of the day trying to make sure they got their kill count. It was silly. I got the impression it was not locals either...FWIW

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I actually thought the quality was pretty high. There was a lot of variety in type and size.

We had many runners who only flew after the dogs were right on top of them.


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Hey thanks for the update. I’m headed to Pelee for the first time for this weeks hunt. It looks like the weather will be quite bad after the first day. Are there any areas of the island you would recommend to check out first ? Lol I’m hoping to avoid as many of these crazies as possible.