{"id":6907,"date":"2021-12-15T16:49:54","date_gmt":"2021-12-15T16:49:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/?p=6907"},"modified":"2021-12-15T16:49:54","modified_gmt":"2021-12-15T16:49:54","slug":"pheasant-hunting-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/pheasant-hunting-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Pheasant Hunting Guide\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When fall rolls around hunters start to get excited about exploring the woods to hunt for game. For many, that excitement is about big game hunting, they can envision deer coming to their stands, or the sound of an Elk bugling back to their calls. However, there is a small percentage of hunters, like myself, who start dreaming of pheasant hunting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t get your feathers ruffled, I like to hunt deer as much as the next guy. But there is something that is so damn exciting about hearing a rooster explode from the tall grass and fly off into the sunset. This is called the flush. It is something I have experienced countless times, and I still get as excited today as if it was the first time I experienced it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many hunters turn their back to pheasant hunting because they don\u2019t have a gun dog or the knowledge to get started. It\u2019s also possible they\u2019ve stayed away because of the stigma that hunting pheasant is a rich man\u2019s sport.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pheasant hunting doesn\u2019t need to be complicated, or overly expensive, and certainly can be done without a dog. This pheasant hunting guide will give you a decent outline of how to get started this fall. It\u2019s up to you to get into the woods and hone your craft. Nothing beats time on the ground to gain experience. Hopefully, I\u2019ll see you out there in the field.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Pheasant Hunting 101<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pheasants are known by many as \u201cChinese Chickens\u201d because they hail from China. They were brought to the States in the late 1800s as game birds. They adapted well to the Midwest and you can now find native pheasants there. Native pheasants are not raised and are considered wild. Native pheasants have healthy(ish) populations in Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Nebraska, and Iowa, but the Dakotas are the Mecca of great pheasant hunting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, you can find wild birds in other areas as well. For example, in the early 2000s, I used to see native pheasants in a field about 30 minutes north of Boston, Massachusetts. However, like every other amazing game species, development and strip malls are killing off our wild game and hunting grounds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To combat the lack of native pheasants, some states stock pheasants for hunting. These birds are raised on a farm and released into huntable fields throughout the season. Although hunting these birds is fun, it is a distant second to hunting natives. That being said, a good chunk of the states which allow bird hunting will only have access to stocked pheasants. So, I will try to share information that pertains to both natives and stocks.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>What Do Pheasants Eat?<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pheasants are considered <a href=\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/omnivore\">omnivores<\/a>. They will eat plants, berries, corn, insects, worms, spiders, and snails. Basically, pheasants are no different than any other bird. Their diet largely consists of items found in their natural environment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Natural Habitat<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pheasants live in a variety of territories, but as a whole, they prefer fields with tall grass, wetlands, and farmland.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many pheasant stock sites are cornfields that farmers have allowed the state to release birds on or state-owned land that is usually wet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Tactics<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_8979\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-8979\" class=\"wp-image-8979 size-full\" title=\"man pheasant hunting outdoors\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pheasant-Hunting-Dog-Shotgun.jpg\" alt=\"a man pheasant hunting outdoors\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pheasant-Hunting-Dog-Shotgun.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pheasant-Hunting-Dog-Shotgun-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pheasant-Hunting-Dog-Shotgun-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pheasant-Hunting-Dog-Shotgun-790x527.jpg 790w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-8979\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Don&#8217;t worry too much about your gear. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pheasant hunting is more about technique, however,<\/span> be sure to wear a lot of safety-orange!<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When talking about pheasant hunting, or really any type of upland bird hunting, there are two main tactics, with or without a dog. Regardless of which tactic you use, you will be walking quite a bit.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Hunting Without A Dog<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am not going to feed you a bunch of B.S., hunting upland birds without a dog is much more difficult than hunting with a dog. I know that is common sense, but I wanted to put it out there. You are now doing all the work of a dog, but you still need to be ready to get a shot. So, how do you do this?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try to get out in the woods as early as possible and see if you can hear pheasants making calls. You can also get a pheasant call and try calling. However, unlike turkeys, pheasants will not come running to the sound of your call. The call will merely give you a general direction in which pheasants are lingering.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you established a good area. Start to walk a staggered path towards that area. But, make sure you stop often, because if you don\u2019t, any pheasant near you will keep running away from you and you will never see it. Pheasants don\u2019t like flying, because they are vulnerable, so they run, and boy do they run fast. It is amazing when you see a pheasant and then a few seconds later that same bird is 100 yards away. However, if you are walking behind a bird and stop, the bird will get nervous and flush.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>Locations<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try to concentrate your efforts in spots where pheasants are likely to hang out, such as tall grass, crop fields, cornfields, cattails, thick brush, and areas with briars. These areas offer food and protection to the pheasant. After a season or two, you will start to notice \u201cbirdy\u201d areas can concentrate on those zones.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You will also see pheasants hanging out near dirt roads, railroad tracks, and paths, filling their crops with grit. If the sun is out these areas can provide you with great success.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are hunting dogless, try to not be friendless. The more boots on the ground pushing an area, the more likely you are to see a bird flush. Before I had a dog I would take my wife out with me and have her walk around with me. This doubled my area.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Hunting With A Dog<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_8977\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-8977\" class=\"wp-image-8977 size-full\" title=\"dog pheasant hunting in the field\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pheasant-Hunting-Dog.jpg\" alt=\"a dog pheasant hunting in the field\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pheasant-Hunting-Dog.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pheasant-Hunting-Dog-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pheasant-Hunting-Dog-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pheasant-Hunting-Dog-790x527.jpg 790w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-8977\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pheasant hunting with a dog makes things easier, assuming of course that your dog is a well-trained flusher or pointer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hunting pheasants with a dog, and by dog, I mean a well-trained bird dog, is one of the simple joys in life. When you have a good dog you simply walk behind them and watch them work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are really two types of dogs to consider, flushers and pointers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Flushers will work some sort of pattern, usually close to the hunter. The dog will get \u201cbirdy\u201d as they get closer to a bird. Now, \u201cbirdy\u201d is different for all dogs. Some dogs pick up speed, some dogs will vigorously wag their tails, some dogs will start to get closer to the ground like they are ready to pounce. There is no way for me to describe all the \u201cbirdy\u201d features. But, a good handler will know when their dog is birdy. When your dog gets birdy, get ready to take a shot, because the flush will happen at any moment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pointers will also work some sort of pattern as well, but they will usually range out a little further than flushers. But, pointers get away with it, because they shouldn\u2019t flush the bird till the hunter gives a command, or the hunter flushes it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both flushers and pointers have their pros and cons and it really comes down to the owner\u2019s preference.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>Dog Breeds<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My buddy likes to hunt labs, which flush pheasants. He believes flushers are better because pheasants run, so he wants a dog that will chase and flush the bird. Additionally, he is an avid duck hunter, so labs are a good versatile choice for him. Sound logic to me.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I like pointers and own a German Shorthair. In addition to pheasants, I am an avid grouse and woodcock hunter. I think pointers do a better job on these birds, so I went with a pointer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the end of the season, both of us usually limit out, so both dogs are doing something right. As I said, the choice between the flushers and pointers comes down to the hunter and family\u2019s choice.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Common Pheasant\u00a0 Hunting Questions\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You will come across birds that refuse to flush, especially planted birds who seem content to nest and watch the world go by. If you\u2019re hunting with dogs, it\u2019s common for them to pick these birds up off the ground and give them a good wringing. It\u2019s not the most exciting way to bag a Pheasant, but your bird dog will be just as excited to present it to you. If it happens to you on the hunt, you own that bird. Be responsible, pick it up, and count it towards your bag limit.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I generally do not recommend shooting birds on the ground in tall grass for safety reasons. Why? It\u2019s hard to see in tall grass, if you can\u2019t see your target and what\u2019s beyond it, it\u2019s not safe to take a shot. You could hit a rock and end up with a pellet ricochet to the face, or unintentionally shoot a dog that wandered too close to the target. If you\u2019re hunting without dogs and see a grounded bird that won\u2019t flush in a clearing, it\u2019s your call on taking the shot. My personal preference is to engage in the sport of taking birds in flight.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What distance is required to flush a bird from its nest? If I\u2019m hunting earlier in the season, I\u2019ll get closer to the birds to flush them than I will later in the season. Why? The birds are motivated to move by how pressured they feel by a predator. As the season goes on, the birds begin to wise up to these distances. It\u2019s not uncommon early in the season to flush birds from distances of 5 yards. However, as the season progresses, you\u2019ll find that some birds make an escape from as far as 20 yards if they get spooked.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Hunting Gear<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_8986\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-8986\" class=\"wp-image-8986 size-full\" title=\"20 gauge shotgun and shells\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC0867-Web-1.jpg\" alt=\"a photo of a 20 gauge shotgun and shells\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC0867-Web-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC0867-Web-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC0867-Web-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC0867-Web-1-790x527.jpg 790w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-8986\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The most popular <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pheasant hunting<\/span> shotshells are <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4-6 shot lead, however, most companies also make<\/span> lead-free shells for hunting.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The gear you use for pheasant hunting will be dramatically different than the gear you use for big game or waterfowl.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First off, you will want lots, and I mean lots of orange on. When I first got into pheasant hunting, I wore the bare minimum by State law, which I believe was 300 cubic inches, which is basically a hat and vest. But, then I got shot at a few times by reckless \u201cbird hunters\u201d who claimed not to have seen me. So, now I wear a bright orange shirt or jacket, in conjunction with my hat and vest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speaking of vests, make sure you get a good one. One that can hold a couple of birds, some shells, and essential gear like a good knife, sheers, first aid kit, water, snacks, and if you have a dog any gear you may need to carry for them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I also wear briar-proof pants and gloves. I used to wear heavy-duty jeans, but I would have to buy new jeans halfway through the season, thanks to rips and tears. Not to mention my legs would be covered in cuts and scratches that would itch like crazy. Same with my hands. I never used to wear gloves, but every weekend I would come home and my hands would be bloody and raw. I finally invested in upland bird gloves.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>Footwear<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Boots are another area in which I ended up investing a lot of money into. For years, I wore a pair of Muck knee-high neoprene waterproof boots. Which are great when walking through marshes and wetlands, but I found them to be uncomfortable and bulky for all-day hikes. So, I ended up buying a pair of hunting boots that are more similar to hiking boots than anything else. They even come with this system called BOA, which gets rid of laces and allows you to tighten your boots with a dial.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Dog Gear<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you get to the point where you are buying a gun dog, you are probably getting serious about bird hunting and this is when you will start to see why upland hunters have this \u201crich man\u201d stigma. There is some gear I believe is needed when running a gundog. These are e-collars, a briar protection vest, kennels, and a K9 first aid kit. Plus, there are all sorts of little things you may need, such as long leads, bumpers, quality dog food for hunting season, and miscellaneous training items. If you get a gundog researching gear is needed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Shotgun Recommendations<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unless you end up buying a gundog then a shotgun will be the most costly investment you have bird hunting. Now, that\u2019s not to say you can\u2019t use your grandfather\u2019s old pump, but it will be heavy and uncomfortable for an entire day in the field.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you get serious about pheasant hunting you will want a gun that is light enough to carry all day long and comfortable enough to take numerous shots per trip.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many old-school hunters will swear by the 16 gauge. It is the perfect combination of accuracy and power. The trouble is many manufacturers have all but abandoned making 16 gauge guns and producing ammo. This leaves you with two realistic choices, the 12 Gauge, and the 20 gauge.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I have used both with great success and it really comes down to preference. With a 20GA you will lose some range out in the field. But, if you are hunting in thick brush with low visibility, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/shotgun\/20-gauge-ammo\">20 gauge shells<\/a> are ideal. Plus, carrying around a loaded 20GA for a day hunt won&#8217;t wear your shoulder out as quickly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Popular gun choices are over unders, side by sides, and semi-autos. All three have their pros and cons. Personally, I like using my double barrel shotguns for bird hunting. This way I can control my chokes. For example, if I am hunting thick cover I will use a cylinder choke for my first shot and an improved for my second. The cylinder spreads out, so it\u2019s good for close distance \u201cpoint shooting\u201d, while the improved allows me to keep a tighter pattern for a little more distance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Pheasant\u00a0 Hunting <\/strong><strong>Ammunition<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Realistically, ammunition will be more important than the gauge of your shotgun. The most popular rounds are 4-6 shot lead. However, many companies now make non-toxic pheasant loads.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I try to only use non-toxic shots for two reasons. First, I feed these birds to my family and I have young kids, so I try to avoid lead. Secondly, many of the areas in which I pheasant hunt are surrounded by wetlands and flooded cornfields, which means duck and geese are abundant. I will not pass up the chance to jump shoot a duck or goose, while pheasant hunting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My choices for ammo are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/shotgun\/12-gauge-ammo?manufacturer=1\">Federal Premium<\/a> Prairie Storm in #3 shot and Hevi-Metal in #3 shot.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Occasionally, I will use lead and my choices are Federal Premium Upland Load #5 Shot and Remington Premier Shotshells #4-6 shot.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>How To Practice<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prior to the season, you will want to practice shooting clays. Pheasants are fast, explosive birds, so you want to make sure you can hit them. This will also give you a chance to see how far your shotgun ranges out and how accurate you are from a distance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Fitness Considerations<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pheasant hunting can be labor-intensive. You don\u2019t want to spend all summer sitting on your ass drinking beers then expect to limit out in the fields come fall. Try to stay in shape by doing some form of physical activity year-round.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I try to take my dog for walks daily and long walks in the woods on the weekends, this keeps us both in shape. Come August I will start hiking with a backpack with a little bit of weight in it. This just gets my back and shoulders conditioned to the rigors of the hunting pack<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Field To Table<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_8983\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-8983\" class=\"wp-image-8983 size-full\" title=\"game hens roasted with yellow corn\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pheasant-Hunting-Guide-Meat.jpg\" alt=\"a photo of game hens roasted with yellow corn\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pheasant-Hunting-Guide-Meat.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pheasant-Hunting-Guide-Meat-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pheasant-Hunting-Guide-Meat-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pheasant-Hunting-Guide-Meat-790x527.jpg 790w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-8983\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">You can find a ton of <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pheasant recipes online. It&#8217;s a tasty game bird that pairs well with a variety of sides and fixings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pheasants are delicious. In the past, I would only breast out all my pheasants by stepping on their wings and pulling the legs up. This will separate the breast from the guts and entrails. But, you didn\u2019t get the legs or skin. So now I take my time and pluck all my birds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I either smoke or braise my pheasants. They can be a little tough, so I found these two methods tenderized them the best.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Give pheasant hunting a try. I bet as soon as you experience a flush, you will be hooked. It takes some time to get decent at it, but as soon as you can start to notice birdy areas and invest in a dog you will spend more time hiking fields than sitting in your stand. Trust me.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When fall rolls around hunters start to get excited about exploring the woods to hunt for game. For many, that excitement is about big game hunting, they can envision deer coming to their stands, or the sound of an Elk bugling back to their calls. However, there is a small percentage of hunters, like myself, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":8982,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[693],"tags":[285,13,14,970,971,972,977,978,979,974,976,466,961,975,463,467,973],"class_list":["post-6907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hunting","tag-12-gauge","tag-12-gauge-shotgun","tag-12-gauge-shotgun-ammo","tag-16-gauge","tag-16-gauge-shotgun","tag-16-gauge-shotgun-ammo","tag-20-gauge","tag-20-gauge-ammo","tag-20-gauge-shotgun","tag-bird-hunting","tag-dog-hunting","tag-federal-ammo","tag-federal-ammunition","tag-game-bird","tag-hunting","tag-hunting-ammo","tag-pheasant-hunting"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Pheasant Hunting Guide\u00a0 - How to Get Started<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Check out our helpful pheasant hunting guide. 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