RedLion
Member
I've been hunting pheasant in Indiana for over 22 years. Like everywhere, with the habitat decline the bird numbers are down. Removal of fence rows, farming right up to the ditch, loss of CRP, and mowing CRP/waterways have really impacted birds. Even saw one ditch this year which they mowed down in the ditch. Old honey holes are marginal or non-existent. But areas that have habitat still hold birds. There's just less of it. Pheasant are resilient. Where habitat is allowed to exist they thrive.
I've had 3 Labs previously and just got a new puppy in September! I tragically lost my previous Lab a few years ago and I just couldn't think of getting another dog....a lot of years passed. I still hunted with a friend of mine who had dogs. Was busy with young kids who are growing up and I've finally been ready to get another dog. It's too early to tell but the pup may be the best upland dog of all of them. I've hunted her at 3-4 months of age and she's done very well. She will naturally point at times which is nice. I've only trained basic obedience at this point. She's naturally thorough in how she hunts, not hesitant to crawl under and through briar patches, and decent at trailing.
Below is my son with Zoe on our best day this year (11/21/20). These are wild birds by the way and she is 4 months old at this point. Pretty impressive for a puppy!
Indiana pheasant hunting is lean and tough. It's a lot of miles with no action at all and then in a split second you have to be ready to get a shot off.....and it may be your only shot for the entire day. You guys in pheasant belt heaven are killing me! You may flush more birds in one field drive than I see for an entire season! Anyway, I've been reading and learning a lot from the forum. Really enjoying the stories and experience of everyone.
I've had 3 Labs previously and just got a new puppy in September! I tragically lost my previous Lab a few years ago and I just couldn't think of getting another dog....a lot of years passed. I still hunted with a friend of mine who had dogs. Was busy with young kids who are growing up and I've finally been ready to get another dog. It's too early to tell but the pup may be the best upland dog of all of them. I've hunted her at 3-4 months of age and she's done very well. She will naturally point at times which is nice. I've only trained basic obedience at this point. She's naturally thorough in how she hunts, not hesitant to crawl under and through briar patches, and decent at trailing.
Below is my son with Zoe on our best day this year (11/21/20). These are wild birds by the way and she is 4 months old at this point. Pretty impressive for a puppy!
Indiana pheasant hunting is lean and tough. It's a lot of miles with no action at all and then in a split second you have to be ready to get a shot off.....and it may be your only shot for the entire day. You guys in pheasant belt heaven are killing me! You may flush more birds in one field drive than I see for an entire season! Anyway, I've been reading and learning a lot from the forum. Really enjoying the stories and experience of everyone.
