2025 WI Pheasant Thread

[Skadergen]

Let’s go! That’s exciting news. Congrats on losing your “bird card”

Did you have a dog with you or go solo?

No dog at this time unfortunately. Fairly sure someone else kicked it up there were others working the property he was crossing about 35-40 yards. Think this is only the fourth time I’ve been able to get out, this year.

“Even a blind squirrel…….” Well you know the rest.

 

[SDinWI]

And he’s a sharp shooter as well! Hey hey, don’t laugh but it took me into my second season to bag my first bird. And that was with my dad and a dog.
Now you’ll have to turn on your chef hat and have a tasty meal with him.

 

[Skadergen]

And he’s a sharp shooter as well! Hey hey, don’t laugh but it took me into my second season to bag my first bird. And that was with my dad and a dog.
Now you’ll have to turn on your chef hat and have a tasty meal with hime’s in the crock pot as we speak,

Far from anything even resembling a sharp shooter…. Just lucky.

He’s in the crock pot as we speak. Had it marinated over night and now with cream of mushroom soup and some dehydrated golden oysters….. yeah that’s the easy way to cook game, I get it, but I wasn’t prepared for much more.

I can also confirm my pheasant butchering skills may need some perfecting.

 

[SDinWI]

Went out Tuesday and today and got into birds. Lots of snow coming in the next couple days so I’m probably going to call it quits for my sake and the birds. It’s been a fast and rough start to winter already.

Shot the below bird on Tuesday. Had some beautiful dog work on the hunt. He was wise and was running all over. We saw quite a few birds but they were running and skittish. Flushed a few more roosters but no dice for one reason or another.

I went out with my dad today. We don’t get out much together but it’s fun to share any excitement together. It was oddly quiet for half the way, just one hen. Then, we got into a group and must’ve seen 20 flush within 100 yards. No shot opportunities though and they all flew far away. Anyway, we’re walking back, and I hear cackling ahead. I see a rooster high tailing it toward the cattails and a hawk chasing him but far behind. It was a very tough shot with him flying full speed moving center to left high in the sky 35 yards away. I took the shot and watched him fall, head still upright but crumpled good I thought. Well, not good enough I guess cause he must’ve ran into the cattails he was headed toward. With as thick as they are, I know my dog was giving it her all, but I don’t blame her for having a tough time in there. We couldn’t find him, but maybe the hawk will get him after all. Stilla very fun hunt. Sadly probably the last of the year.

 

[grossklw]

Our season ended with 39 new feathers hitting the jar which brings his career total to 285 as he hit 10. God willing we kill #300 this fall.

Season ended real slow. Killed very few birds in December, couldn’t get into any good public winter habitat with the snow making cattails wet and not frozen enough for me to get into. Did hit some of our private land spots and tree lines held birds. We had a miserable late season SD weather trip but loads of fun chasing hundreds of wild pheasants, a few even sat.

We studded him out and I’ll be taking my stud fee this time so a puppy will be coming home this summer. Looking forward to training a new dog while still spoiling my old swamp collie with the best spots this fall.

Onto the off-season now which means keeping him (and myself) in shape. Turned 10 in January and I ran 25 miles with him last week, still a puppy at heart and isn’t slowing down…yet. Neighbor feeds a bunch of pheasants and we had fun flushing a big winter brood of 30 right off the road.

 

[AtTheMurph]

Our season ended with 39 new feathers hitting the jar which brings his career total to 285 as he hit 10. God willing we kill #300 this fall.

Season ended real slow. Killed very few birds in December, couldn’t get into any good public winter habitat with the snow making cattails wet and not frozen enough for me to get into. Did hit some of our private land spots and tree lines held birds. We had a miserable late season SD weather trip but loads of fun chasing hundreds of wild pheasants, a few even sat.

We studded him out and I’ll be taking my stud fee this time so a puppy will be coming home this summer. Looking forward to training a new dog while still spoiling my old swamp collie with the best spots this fall.

Onto the off-season now which means keeping him (and myself) in shape. Turned 10 in January and I ran 25 miles with him last week, still a puppy at heart and isn’t slowing down…yet. Neighbor feeds a bunch of pheasants and we had fun flushing a big winter brood of 30 right off the road.

What part of the state are you in?

 

[grossklw]

What part of the state are you in?

NW, west of Menomonie.