How often do you hunt pheasants?

[remy3424]

Come on guys, A5 asked a pretty simple question and some are on the struggle bus with it....maybe it is due to some math being involved. Iowa will have 77 days (I think 78 is the most possible days it can be) in the coming season, I would like to hunt them all, but work, possession limits and just trying to get them ate, makes 21 to 25 outings about right....and I hunt pheasants way more than anyone else I know. Usually every Saturday and Sunday (20 days) plus most of the holidays (4 more and maybe black friday) that fall during the season. I don't even use any PTO for bird hunting as I get about all I can deal with as it is....that is sad. Some new breakfast sausage recipes and and the bacon, pheasant, ranch burgers have made the eating and possession limits more of a non-factor now.

 

[A5 Sweet 16]

Some new breakfast sausage recipes and and the bacon, pheasant, ranch burgers have made the eating and possession limits more of a non-factor now.

I still have to try those!!

 

[Weimdogman]

So 2 days with youth hunters.2 days resident only. From December 20th until the last day of the season at the end of January 33 days. From the beginning of the regular season until December 20th I only missed 3 days in a row twice. Having 3 dogs available( most of the time) and a nice mix of public and private ground makes it easier to get out if only for a hour or 2.

I hunted with 32 different people, youth , fellow dog guys ,a few novice adults. 4 kids and 3 adults got their first birds. Yes there are 3 from that total who I don't care to ever hunt with again but all the rest were cool. Being active in both Pheasants Forever and in dog training I feel the need to take others out and show them this activity which I so greatly value.

 

[BrownDogsCan2]

I’m somewhere around 20 days give or take. I put down 16-20 because that’s probably more accurate the last 5 years. This last year it may have been 22 because I hunted 3 weekends out of state. Normally I’m just one day a weekend

 

[gimruis]

31-35 here. I'm lucky to live where I do, so there are times when I can run out for 15 minutes prior to sunset on a parcel close to town.

I think its safe to say that you and A5 are in a unique position that pretty much everyone else here is not. You live right in the heart of pheasant country and you're a resident. And you have access to public and private ground that both regularly produce.

Pretty much all of my hunting is within an hour of my house on private land, but I try to burn those spots out by going there too often. About once every week or every 5 days is as much as they can take, even with only me hunting it. My dog turned 12 in February so she is no spring chicken. If I was able to go a little more, I'd definitely target the last hour of the day.

 

[TomU]

10 days around the opener weeks then another 5 later weather permitting. I'm retired and have the time for more but it's a 3,000 mile round trip and $$. I envy you guys that are residents.

 

[wapete]

I made it out 29 days chasing phezzys (MN/SD) and another 18 chasing grouse/woodcock (MN/WI). Avg ~ 2.5 to 3 hours per day and 5 miles per day. October was most productive for Grouse, December was most productive for Phezzys. 99% public.

 

[remy3424]

Yes, these SD residents have all the best of it. If we ever lose the CRP program and the remaining cover gets pushed-out, I might need to try SD. But, I hope things last a decade, or as long as my dog does, so I don't need to pursue those SD birds.

 

[TennesseeTraveler]

Yes, these SD residents have all the best of it. If we ever lose the CRP program and the remaining cover gets pushed-out, I might need to try SD. But, I hope things last a decade, or as long as my dog does, so I don't need to pursue those SD birds.

My IA hunt last year featured the worst bird contacts in 46 years due to a couple of well-known challenges. We lost our 2 or our top three pieces of private ground to farming and change of ownership. We had been privileged to hunt those two pieces of ground for 30-some and 46 years. My father had hunted the one piece of ground long before I started hunting with him. I do not even know how many years my family was able to hunt it. Not that I am complaining- just a realization of facts that my family has been able to dodge for a long time. The public ground of SD starts to look very interesting. That is going a few more miles to the trip!

 

[SDinWI]

I think I'd be around 15. In WI, that's about once every weekend with a couple of extra days or afternoons sprinkled throughout the season when I can. I'd love to have more days in the field, but without taking more PTO and having whatever obligation come up, that's about where I'm at. It's great to have a wife who understands pheasant hunting is my favorite hobby and lets me hunt as frequently I do.

 

[Bob Peters]

I tried for a pheasant on 34 days last year. If I could change one thing I would make it 35. I was gonna go in late January but my starter was going bad. Iowa was good. MN was good. Late season got tougher than a two-dollar steak. This is the main scenario where I need to door knock. If I lived closer I'd just go the last 2 hours of the day, but usually I drive 45 minutes up to 2 hours to hunt, so it's often an all day affair. Maybe this upcoming season will be the time when we have good conditions late. Just the right amount of snow and cold.

 

[Golden Hour]

Yes, these SD residents have all the best of it. If we ever lose the CRP program and the remaining cover gets pushed-out, I might need to try SD. But, I hope things last a decade, or as long as my dog does, so I don't need to pursue those SD birds.

They're insanely challenging, but I think you'd have fun. I hear they are stronger, faster, smarter and better with the ladies than the Iowa roosters.

 

[GetTothePoint]

What are PCs?

Politically Corrects. I don't think there is a limit either

 

[remy3424]

They're insanely challenging, but I think you'd have fun. I hear they are stronger, faster, smarter and better with the ladies than the Iowa roosters.

Fat, slow and stupid are traits I can deal with in roosters....those 3 traits might also describe me, if I was pitted against your birds.