Pheasant hunting north west Wisconsin

[AtTheMurph]

I'm in Fond du Lac County......I've stomped Eldorado Marsh, Mullet Marsh, Sheboygan Marsh, Theresa Marsh and Horicon Marsh for ducks and pheasants over the last 20 years.
Ups and downs for both on each of those marshes over the years. There is alot of potential, but not much management in the right direction, in my opinion. Horicon Marsh has been a shell of itself recently for the waterfowl factory it has been, even for birds using the refuge portion of it.
The pheasants for those properties are mostly planted. Some do make it and have been successful at reproduction or relocation, but habitat is the issue for sustainability of any population in numbers. It's just not a priority on anyone's radar.
I harvest enough of each typically, but this year and last year were tough for both. The properties have and are changing, got to be adaptive to be successful, and the pressure from others has increased significantly too.

One of my WI properties abuts Theresa Marsh. The state has planted birds there for decades. I know I have killed quite a few hat were planted and pushed onto my property along with innumerable trespassers who couldn't see the multitude of signs that say "PRIVATE PROPERTY". Nearly every time I go there or review any of the game cams we have hidden, all I see are criminals.

 

[wingsnfins]

One of my WI properties abuts Theresa Marsh. The state has planted birds there for decades. I know I have killed quite a few hat were planted and pushed onto my property along with innumerable trespassers who couldn't see the multitude of signs that say "PRIVATE PROPERTY". Nearly every time I go there or review any of the game cams we have hidden, all I see are criminals.

I can only imagine......its unfortunate that a "sportsman" can't respect boundaries and private land owners have to deal with trespassing.
Throw that in with some of the behaviors some "sportsmen" exhibit on public land......leaves me shaking my head.

 

[AtTheMurph]

I can only imagine......its unfortunate that a "sportsman" can't respect boundaries and private land owners have to deal with trespassing.
Throw that in with some of the behaviors some "sportsmen" exhibit on public land......leaves me shaking my head.

It's a tremendous hunting property which I think entices hunters/neighbors to sneak around. The neighbors are actually the worst. Not only do they trespass/poach they also dump their refuse, dead animals and what not on my land.

Also showed up one time in early fall and notice a atv racetrack running through a 150 acre field of corn. The little bastages actually ran over the corn, and ran a track that had to be well over 1 mile long with all sorts of twists and turns. My farmer tenant was not too pleased. he asked me if I did it. I said follow the tracks and you will see who. It was two different neighbors.

 

[Bob Peters]

I'm sure it happens everywhere, but for some reason I always hear about bad trespassing in Wisconsin.

 

[AtTheMurph]

I'm sure it happens everywhere, but for some reason I always hear about bad trespassing in Wisconsin.

I've got a methhead/UFK type fighter guy down the road. Shot a 14pt buck on my land from his truck. Someone saw him. CO did a little investigation and the dummass ejected his spent casing right where the witness told him the shot was fired from.

He went to investigate (the place is a dump as you might expect) and noticed a doe laying under a car parked next to the barn. Goes in barn and sees dummass skinning a big buck (now headless). Chats him up, asks where he shot it and with what. He lied about the where but not the gun. CO shows him the shell casing and tells him where he found it and saw the drag marks to the road. Asks him if he wants to admit now or wait until he does the testing on gun and casing?

BTW, where the head? Already at the taxidermist!

 

[grossklw]

Hunting continues to be good, putting multiple birds up every trip although sometimes not roosters. They’ve moved into the thick thermal cover. Even found a released reject last week that sat just tight enough.

 

[Jleclair]

Went out for the opener this morning, lots of people out. Got on one small spot, maybe 40 acres or so. Had a couple wild flushes from the edge of the corn, then had a nice find out in the grass. Flushed a brood, 3 squawking roosters and 5 or 6 hens. They were small and I had just been out 10 minutes so I didn’t shoot. After another 15 minutes dog had a nice find, I flushed a rooster right off her nose and shot that one. For the first weekend the limit is one a day, so we packed it in and called it a day.
I’m shooting a new to me gun that I’ve only got to shoot twice now - one grouse and this pheasant, but I think I like it!

 

[SDinWI]

That’s a great start!

It was an adventure from start to finish today. Trying to find a starting spot was a bit of a circus. I arrived at where I wanted to hunt about 25 minutes before start time, but, of course there was a vehicle there. I started making the rounds and finally found a free spot after about 15 parking lots. Whew

Saw 6 hens and 2 roosters. My dad missed an easy chance at a rooster he kicked up and the other flushed out of range. Tried a quick walk at another spot but it wasn’t much. Well, my dog did point a skunk, and it sprayed but it wasn’t a direct hit. Still, very smelly, and I’ll have to look up remedies to get that funk out of clothes. Had to head home early, but it was fun getting back out. On one of the hens, I saw her running along the edge of a mowed path and cut into the grass. My dog didn’t spot her but could smell her in the air and suddenly locked up and pointed in her direction. Fun to see that natural ability as she hasn’t had much formal training.

 

[AtTheMurph]

That’s a great start!

It was an adventure from start to finish today. Trying to find a starting spot was a bit of a circus. I arrived at where I wanted to hunt about 25 minutes before start time, but, of course there was a vehicle there. I started making the rounds and finally found a free spot after about 15 parking lots. Whew

Saw 6 hens and 2 roosters. My dad missed an easy chance at a rooster he kicked up and the other flushed out of range. Tried a quick walk at another spot but it wasn’t much. Well, my dog did point a skunk, and it sprayed but it wasn’t a direct hit. Still, very smelly, and I’ll have to look up remedies to get that funk out of clothes. Had to head home early, but it was fun getting back out. On one of the hens, I saw her running along the edge of a mowed path and cut into the grass. My dog didn’t spot her but could smell her in the air and suddenly locked up and pointed in her direction. Fun to see that natural ability as she hasn’t had much formal training.

Tomato Juice works pretty well. Hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and soap to finish it off.

 

[SDinWI]

Thanks

 

[grossklw]

I opted for the cabin this weekend and left all my normal public land spots for the opening weekend army.

Pleasantly surprised. Cover was good. Walked about 2 hours and 2 different spots and put up 5 hens, and killed both roosters flushed. One was young of the year and the other was an older bird. Both gimmes but figured I’d give them a couple shot head start before dumping them with #3 .

Year #10 for my old boy. Doesn’t quarter as far but man he hits a scent he takes his time and it ends with a flush. 7 close flushes in dry windy conditions. All in all a good day. Will maybe get out one more day before SD this weekend. He was a hair gimpy so if it’s more than just stiffness he will be on the DL until Friday.