Middle of the day

Bob Peters

Well-known member
Hunting pheasants in MN right now, can you find pheasants in the middle of the day? It seems like right away in the morning people can get some, and then again in the last few hours of daylight. I'm just wondering if there's any middle of the day strategies? I know a lot of birds go in the corn, which in this day and age is unhuntable, because it grows so tall and covers such a vast area. I'm really gung ho to bag my first pheasant but it hasn't been easy for this middle age rookie. I've got relatives in Jackson, Cottonwood, Blue Earth, Waseca, and LeSeur counties. I do have some private land access on several different farms and sloughs in this area. Last saturday I hunted a mix of both private and public. Do you think there will be more people out this weekend with the nicer weather? I'm going either way.

Thanks
 
I suspect with the crops up the birds are spending a lot of time in the standing crops (safe from avian predators, easy escape from ground predators). Probably moreso now after also being pressured by dogs and hunters.

Once the crops come down it does get easier at mid-day. I like secure cover (loafing cover) near a food source and good roosting cover. Could be willows, kocha, tall prairie, cattails etc. Again, same concept. Tall enough to to hide from avian predators but with enough bare ground or escape routes/trails where they can run freely if needed as well.
 
I haven't hunted before noon in over a decade. Most of the time I start around noon or 1 and go until sunset, if necessary. But I also hunt private land so its not like I'm trying to beat anyone to a spot. I think if a guy had a choice, the last 2 hours of the day would be the best time to be hunting.
 
Hunting pheasants in MN right now, can you find pheasants in the middle of the day? It seems like right away in the morning people can get some, and then again in the last few hours of daylight. I'm just wondering if there's any middle of the day strategies? I know a lot of birds go in the corn, which in this day and age is unhuntable, because it grows so tall and covers such a vast area. I'm really gung ho to bag my first pheasant but it hasn't been easy for this middle age rookie. I've got relatives in Jackson, Cottonwood, Blue Earth, Waseca, and LeSeur counties. I do have some private land access on several different farms and sloughs in this area. Last saturday I hunted a mix of both private and public. Do you think there will be more people out this weekend with the nicer weather? I'm going either way.

Thanks

wait for a windy day...then hunt the edges of the crop where it meets grass or sloughs...they tend to get jumpy in real windy weather when they are hanging in the corn...can't hear real well, they go back and forth to the grass....
 
Hunt areas near the corn where they may be going back and forth. Look for the "cover within the cover." I like to find that small area of a different type of cover that is within the endless prairie. Whether its a small patch of weeds, different grass, brush, thickets. I find most of my birds relating to that. Think of it like walleye fishing. Sure, you can find some in the main lake basin that is all flat and the same depth, but you are really going to find them in that small area of structure that is somewhere within that basin. Pheasant hunting, sure you'll kick up a bird here and there while walking an endless prairie, but you are really going to find them in those small areas of structure within that endless prairie or on the edges of it.
 
Hunt areas near the corn where they may be going back and forth. Look for the "cover within the cover." I like to find that small area of a different type of cover that is within the endless prairie. Whether its a small patch of weeds, different grass, brush, thickets. I find most of my birds relating to that. Think of it like walleye fishing. Sure, you can find some in the main lake basin that is all flat and the same depth, but you are really going to find them in that small area of structure that is somewhere within that basin. Pheasant hunting, sure you'll kick up a bird here and there while walking an endless prairie, but you are really going to find them in those small areas of structure within that endless prairie or on the edges of it.

Pretty spot-on here. Mid-day birds will be more challenging than golden hour or opening hour, but they can certainly be had. We have not had to hunt past 1 pm yet this year. The birds will loaf mid-day in thick cover close to the food (usually corn). Best spots I find are where the cover is also the food - These are a bit rare, but if you can find weedy/seedy cover that the birds will feed on (and not run in like clean corn rows) then that can be good mid-day.
 
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