RE: Bird hunting without a dog
If this is something that you want to do, then 1)find a friend with a dog, or 2) hunt a preserve and use theirs. I don't mean to be rude, but IMO it is irresponsible to hunt upland birds without a dog simply because, if you do not kill that bird, just wing it, it hits the ground running and you are not going to find it. That isn't sportsmanlike IMO. If you shoot it, it's your responsibility to make sure that you find it too. Too often, guys with dogs will be out in a bird rich area only to have part of their limit taken by a bird the dog found, that somebody else shot and left. NOW, if you are hunting somewhere that the grass is pretty short, you might do OK, though I still don't suggest it. Please, hunt over a buddy's dog, or over a preserve dog. For that matter, you might, find somebody in here that would be willing to go out with you. You know, you buy lunch, or part of their preserve fee if you go that way, and they bring the dog. I'd be willing to do it except I am in Iraq right now, and I won't be pickin up my new pup till sometime in April.
Good Luck