2024 Pheasant Pics/Reports

[Goosemaster]

Went 0 for 3 opening day.Shot for the cycle the next day with different gun.Got one yesterday with the 28!! Stoked about that.

Had a great time as usual, highlight was my January trip to South Dakota, where I met some really cool farmers, and went 10 birds in 4 and 1/2 days of hunting. I really enjoyed cleaning that type of terrain, and I was able to gain permission just by knocking on doors didn't have any problem.

 

[Goosemaster]

In 5 days of hunting South Dakota in January, I lost four birds, and I looked hard for those birds. I didn't pay anybody anything, but I did leave a few steaks and some PBR.

 

[AtTheMurph]

Training puppies is fun if you want it to be and have the time.

 

[grossklw]

The puppy comment was more in jest. I’ve gotten rather used to my old bird dog listening haha. I enjoy seeing it start to click in the field, and know there’s only one way to get there. The 3 kids under 7 may make it a bit of a challenge but every kid should grow up with a dog or two, dreading the day when we have to say goodbye but I know we’re a lot closer to the end than the beginning.

We lost 1 bird in 3 days, it happens. One long shot cripple dug into the grass deep enough where I could only see the back half of my dog, he could just barely grab the tail feathers. He rarely loses them in thicker cover it seems, but thin it’s more often. Don’t know if there’s any science to it, but I feel like there isn’t as much for the scent to stick to in thin stuff, if I can get him started in thick cover on a good mark it seems pretty rare he doesn’t come up with it.

 

[MNMEAD]

The puppy comment was more in jest. I’ve gotten rather used to my old bird dog listening haha. I enjoy seeing it start to click in the field, and know there’s only one way to get there. The 3 kids under 7 may make it a bit of a challenge but every kid should grow up with a dog or two, dreading the day when we have to say goodbye but I know we’re a lot closer to the end than the beginning.

We lost 1 bird in 3 days, it happens. One long shot cripple dug into the grass deep enough where I could only see the back half of my dog, he could just barely grab the tail feathers. He rarely loses them in thicker cover it seems, but thin it’s more often. Don’t know if there’s any science to it, but I feel like there isn’t as much for the scent to stick to in thin stuff, if I can get him started in thick cover on a good mark it seems pretty rare he doesn’t come up with it.

I also firmly believe that they run less in thick stuff. I can't quite remember for certain, but I think all of the birds I lost this year landed in thin cover. I had one bird opening weekend in MN that I knocked down in cattails, and knew he hit the ground alive. Thickest patch I saw all year, and the kind of stuff you physically could not get through if you had to. I walked in as far as I could and got the dog in the general area. We (she) searched for a half hour as best she could, but she could barely get through them either. I waded back out, relocated based off memory, and happened to stumble upon my wad which was super lucky. I stood about 5 feet from that spot for another 10 minutes till the dog came back to me, wondering why we were still there. She sat down at my feet and looked at me, then stood back up and lunged forward 3' in front of my toes. I dropped my gun, crouched down, and started ripping at the folded-over cattails. Lo and behold, my rooster was sitting tucked under all that mess. In thin grass, I am sure he would have been gone. Gets me fired up just thinking about it!