# What is your strategy for hunting pheasants?



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Not sure I understand what you mean by strategy? We walk the field while the dog quarters. If there's a treeline or berm we generally walk near it. Dog finds bird, flushes bird, BANG, dog retrieves bird...


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Thank you for the question hotel4dogs. I prefer to hunt in the way that you describe---Autumn day, leaves changing color, walking at my pace. However I modify that strategy according to habitat, weather, size of my hunting party and size of the field. For example, birds in a big field tend to run well in front of hunters and dogs, even the dizzied birds after they wake up. 


My strategy for hunting a big open field alone---I don't hunt it, it is very difficult to get a bird to flush. I will hunt the hedgerow in the field. I will hunt the stand of trees in the field. I will hunt the drainage ditch. Why? It seems to me that the birds will hold a bit in that cover, feeling protected until the dog and I force a flush. The birds in a big field don't have that protection of heavy cover, they have cover they can run through. So...different strategy needed. Actually you need more hunters.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

OK, large field scenario, several hunters.


I will place the hunters (blockers) at the end of the field. I will work my dog from the opposite end of the field. Birds will run in the cover until they get near the blockers where they will flush thus providing shots.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Looking for some pheasant hunters. What is your strategy in the rain?


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## Sweese (Sep 25, 2013)

I generally try to work into the wind and prefer heavier cover where the birds are not running too much. The rain and moisture is a bonus. My dog Cassie is a pheasant finding machine and she is very easy to read when on the trail. We rarely walk slow behind her - a textbook flushing dog adventure. I have a new method for working narrow shelterbelts or crop edges when solo or with one other hunter. I plan to put her on a long remote stay at the end and then go around to the far end. Release her in and have her drive the bird(s) to me.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Let the dog catch the birds on the ground :scratchch



gdgli said:


> Looking for some pheasant hunters. What is your strategy in the rain?


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Sweese said:


> I generally try to work into the wind and prefer heavier cover where the birds are not running too much. The rain and moisture is a bonus. My dog Cassie is a pheasant finding machine and she is very easy to read when on the trail. We rarely walk slow behind her - a textbook flushing dog adventure. I have a new method for working narrow shelterbelts or crop edges when solo or with one other hunter. I plan to put her on a long remote stay at the end and then go around to the far end. Release her in and have her drive the bird(s) to me.





Sweese


I started doing that last year. Works like a charm. You have for example say 40 yards between the dog and you and if the dog runs one past you you have another 40 yards. And if you want to hustle maybe a few more yards.


As far as rain goes, I seem to find them in heaviest of cover. And they don't want to fly.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Yes, in the rain the dog traps more than flush!


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Just a bit more on birds in the rain. I seem to find them in stands of pines and other evergreens adjacent to or within the field. Property I hunt is in the pine barrens.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

New scenario. It snowed last night. You want to hunt a snow covered field. What is your strategy?


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

OK, pheasants in the snow.


Pheasants hunker down in fresh light fluffy snow preferring any type of overhang that shields them. Ruffed grouse can walk on snow because they grow lobes on their toes in winter that act as snowshoes. Not so with pheasants, they can't walk on fresh fluffy snow. Pheasants can hold so tight that you can't get them to flush even when you are right on top of them. Keep working your dog thoroughly through cover and work sheltering cover, blowdowns, arched brush, etc. Rework the cover, very cold temps give poor scenting conditions.


Once the snow forms a crust, pheasants can now run on top of the snow. However, a dog will break through the crust and will sink in the snow thus impeding his movement. IMO, most likely your dog won't get even close to a pheasant running on crusted snow. Buffy couldn't get close to a running pheasant (this one particular time---40 yards at the start) on deep crusted snow. If Buffy couldn't do it, I believe not many dogs could. My strategy---hunters must help the dog. I will set up hunters around good cover and work the dog in the cover. We move back and forth cutting off escape routes. And yes, I will kick brush piles. Caution---this is tough on the dog's feet. I have been carrying petroleum jelly around and apply during the hunt.


Another tactic is to hunt cattails and other swampy areas. They provide cover and make it difficult for predators to get to them.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

FYI


Interesting article in the latest issue AMERICAN HUNTER on pheasant hunting tactics.


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