Fun Day In Milford

No, these are wild birds. Fortunately we still have pretty good wild bird hunting, in places. Just have to put in a lot of miles.
 
Nice bunch of IL roosters:thumbsup::) Thanks for posting.

Nick
 
Nice. Fourth one from the right looks like it is still alive and about ready to take off!
 
Hey, that's a very good hunt "anywhere" ! :thumbsup: Private land?
 
I hunt around Milford every year. This year have only been once so far. It was so windy you couldn't hear yourself think.

Hopefully heading out again over the Holidays.
 
Great pics. I used to hunt North IL for pheasants and found it so much more rewarding shooting a limit there rather than in SD or IA (that's when IA had great bird numbers). Those hard to earn birds make a great day!:cheers:
 
Got out to Iroquois and Ford counties this past Sat. I wish I had taken a camera because it was a great day except for the howling wind. Low 30's mixed clouds and snow on the ground.

We started in Ford in the panhandle between Iroquois and Livingston. Have one little ditch we hunt about 5 times a year. Runs about 1/2 mile. Always has birds and always a tricky spot to hunt. The birds flush tend to flush between blocker and pushers every time so we (three of us and 2 dogs) tried a different approach.

1 guy and dog walked to the W end and headed east, my dog and I cut in about 1/2 way in and the third guy blocked the east end. as soon as I got into the grass along the ditch my dog got very birdy (fresh tracks everywhere). I stood my ground and waited for the guy from the west to make his way towards me. As my buddy got about 150 yards from me 15 birds flushed up out of the bottom of the ditch (75yds from each of us).

I held and hoped something would fly my way and one lone cock swung toward me. I thought he was an easy goner and surprised when nothing happened when I shot. A clean miss so I flung the second barrel at him and a puff of feathers filled the sky. I watched as I expected him to drop anytime be off he flew into a patch of tree along side the farm house.

Hunted up to the East towards the blocker as single flew up left between us but nobody could get a shot. As we got close together the dogs got very birdy and I knew something was still hanging and one cock finally flushed right in front of one of the guys. He shot and missed and I dropped him and my dog retrieved.

Went back to the farm house and asked if we could hunt up the cripple and got in and found it laying right on top of the snow deader than a door nail.

Hunted a spot a little E of there. Only kicked up two birds but one was a really big cock. Just a little too wily for us to get off a shot.

Worked a honey hole back along the state line and put up at least 25 birds out of that. My friend got one cock that had to come from the latest hatch on record. No spurs at all, tail feathers about 3 inches long but color.

Went to another little patch of trees along a small ditch. Figured in the wind thick cover would be good. just two of us with the dogs. Got tot the end and a big cock flushed without a point and my buddy missed cleanly. I worked the ditch alone as he went back to get the truck and meet me at the road where the ditch crossed.

I had watched that cock land about 300yds up but figured he run and I'd never see him again but you never know. As I got close to where I thought he landed my dog got birdy along the top of the deep ditch. With the blowing snow I expected that sucker to maybe even bury itself and make it tough to track down.

Got to a little bend and dog went on point over the edge of the ditch. He was back at least 10 feet but I knew the bird was ahead about 25 yards. Took one step and it flushed down wind about 100mph immediately. Shot quick before he got out of range and missed but second shot barely dropped him.

Got to watch the dog and pheasant in the ditch in the snow do their little dance back and forth until Eddie snatched him and made a retrieve (he really didn't want to he worked so hard on that bird.) Very big bird, 23 inch tail feathers.

The last place was a ditch that my buddy hadn't hunted all year. He had hurt his hip that day in a snow drift so he dropped me and the other guy with a dog and told us to just walk 100yrds and we'd see birds. Hell, we went 15 yds and flushed a hen and the entire grass along the ditch was full of fresh pheasant tracks. flushed several hens, one cock out of range, a group of seven out of the bottom of the ditch that flew up wind behind us (we were walking down wind unfortunately) and I watched about a dozen run in and out of the grass into the corn stubble and back.

We went down about 250 yds then turned back to where I saw that group of birds land. Got one cock to flush right off my left and dropped him clean in the corn stubble and my dog retrieved him to me.

Figure we put up 70 birds in total and saw at least a dozen running. I think the snow really helps keep them out of the vast open areas and concentrates them in deep cover.

3 guys, five birds, two very big ones, two decent and one little tender baby.

And the pheasant season is over.
 
Figure we put up 70 birds in total and saw at least a dozen running. I think the snow really helps keep them out of the vast open areas and concentrates them in deep cover.

3 guys, five birds, two very big ones, two decent and one little tender baby.

And the pheasant season is over.

Sounds like a good day Murph.;) Did you get any photos of those big boys?

How was the habitat looking down there? Most everything (habitat) is filled in with snow in part of the state. Some drifts (within habitat) are up to my chin. It's no good:(
 
Sounds like a good day Murph.;) Did you get any photos of those big boys?

How was the habitat looking down there? Most everything (habitat) is filled in with snow in part of the state. Some drifts (within habitat) are up to my chin. It's no good:(

The habitat is pretty good. Was very sad to see a few more grassy ditches being tilled under. I guess the extra 20ft of farm field will make the difference.....:(

On Sat we got out before much of the snow but the blowing had filled in and drifted over much of the E/W ditches. The thick cover in N/S running ditches was good.

I didn't take any pics. Wish I had. Two of those cocks were really nice and I wanted a pic of that little baby too.

Saw only one coyote which surprised me. We've been seeing at least one in every place we've hunted.
 
I was out Saturday as well in ford and Iroquois counties and a couple big flushes of hens. The wind seemed to have them bunched up. I don't know how you feel but thought pheasants were up in ford county this year compared to last. Coyotes have been everywhere I hunt as well and have been lucky to get two of them. Hopefully the coyotes don't do too much damage on the population of hens I saw Saturday. Hoping the hens will all have successful hatches for next season.
 
I bought a new coyote rifle last year (.204 Ruger) and intend to use it in IL when I get a chance. Also got an electronic call. I know there are some heavy coyote hunters around up there but everyone begs us to shoot them so I will try to do my part.
 
Success in Ford County

Got out with my Dad and brother a couple days before thanksgiving and had a great hunt. We got 3 and unfortunately lost 2 cripples. Both times the dogs were searching for the cripples they went on point on another bird, each one a hen of course. We saw a total of 21 birds, 9 hens 12 roosters. Should have had our limit if we could shoot at all.

http://s1295.photobucket.com/user/hunter338/media/photo_zpsaf64c890.jpg.html
 
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We really do have a handsome bird here in Illinois. It's nice to see photos and hear stories of wild Illinois pheasants.

It seems as if we're having a decent season out there.:thumbsup:

Nick
 
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