Well after 40 some years of this, I have come to the conclusion that the only pheasants I kill, are newbies, confused by the first snow or opening day, or maybe some bird wandering around in who the almighty or random chance decided it was his day! I tried tactics, study the charts in Outdoor Life, did the "pincher" maneuver, coming from a different location than normal, quietly slipping out of the car, etc. Don't see amazing results, though occasionally we limit out. At that dizzying daily limit time I decided I knew it all, only to suffer the indignity of the golden sombrero tomorrow! Since Now I realize with wisdom of old age, I see that all I know how to do is make a guess from looking at a field, and stumbling along follow the dogs. and there you have it! A lifetime of research, put plainly forward, this to ease your mind. This revelation solves all pheasant hunting problems! Good production-bad production, ground looks the same? It's the dog! If you had a better dog, all problems solved. Was it a bad season? or did "old Duke" dial one in? An old friend of mine named his dog Sargent. Sargent's rank got better or worse, in the course of the day. I hunted with a General many times, also a Private occasionally, but every new day he was a Sargent, all glories and misgivings forgotten from the day before. He was a wise man! So now I can treat my boots, clean the gun, assume that in my role of an armed dog walker, the dog takes care of everything! If the dog doesn't find birds, get a better dog. Forget strategies, game forecasts, mindless rumors. There are "thousands" of birds, If you have stamina, and can follow the dog and shoot, ( you do have to shoot you know), success is only time and distance. If the dog is unsuccessful, I have a new approach, after an evil stare from my wife, it works nice and tidy, get MORE dogs! Not all can be the home run hitter. You will need pitchers who are "inning eaters". Sooner or later we have some of those, as they say, every dog has it's day....that could be today for the dog walker/provider/hunter, after a personal mind altering revelation, all responsibility is born by the dog. Man, I feel a lot better.
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