Mini report and a few observations/questions on cattails and roosting sites

B

Bob Peters

Well-known member
I hunted Monday morning at a private marsh in SC MN. I've hunted this spot for 3 or 4 years now. It's a classic oval shaped pond with open water(ice now) in the middle and a ring of cattails around it, one side has a treeline and small woodlot, one side has crp grass, and the remainder is crop fields. Two birds flushed out of range walking the cattail/grass edge, then when I went into the cattails the dog got birdy and did a great job putting one up and I chose not to shoot because it was at a medium/long range, the cover is very thick, and I was worried about finding it, and also ice conditions on this pond and the dogs safety. When I got to the opposite side of the pond I was walking the outside of the treeline, with the pond/cattails to my left and beanfield on my right. There's a good amount of snow and I saw lots of tracks in it, more than I've ever seen here before. As I neared the very small treelot, I suddenly heard a flush and cackle, but for the life of me could not see the bird! Finally as I looked up, and up some more, I heard another flush and cackle as a rooster blasted out of the treetops 30 feet off the ground! Sure enough a pair of roosters had been sitting up in the top of a very tall hardwood tree, which surprised me as they were really out in the open. I rounded the corner and a third rooster flushed out of a bush. I coulda taken a shot but I think he was alerted by his buddies and flushed just a bit too far. So here's my two questions, have you ever seen pheasants roosting in tall trees like the ones I encountered? The most common I've heard about are birds in pine trees, which makes sense because they provide cover. I wonder how long those birds had been up there for, I encountered them right around noon. My second question is about growth of cattails. This particular spot seems to alternate back and forth between dense and tall and shorter and thinner from year to year. Two years ago you could barely walk through the cattails out there, but last year was perfect with cover thick enough to hold birds but you could still walk through them easily. This year it was back to really tall and thick. This spot I hunt is the classic rooster hell hole. Thick gnarly cover, sketchy ice, and for some reason really cagey birds even though they rarely if ever get hunted. I could go to easier spots to try, but I know I'll continue to "seek the treasure" at this infernal marsh year after year.
 
I don't know the anatomy or botany of cattails so can't help you there Bob.

I have seen roosters in trees before though. Mostly in pine trees, as you stated, but sometimes they just land in them and sit there for a while. Its possible your presence sent them there and you just didn't realize it.

If possible, I would try to approach that spot from a different angle if you are able to. Quite often we get into the same routine of going in there the same route because of where we parked, but throwing them a curve ball can make a difference later in the season. It might mean a longer walk. Obviously going in there as quiet as possible is important too.
 
Funny you mention birds in trees. Last time I was out, I walked through some really good looking cover, cattails and trees, almost river bottom esque. Low and behold right after I finished walking through this spot, I hear wings and see a rooster escape out of a hardwood tree that I literally walked right underneath about 40 yards earlier.
 
That happened to me this year in Kansas and saw it a couple of years ago in Sd. The only thing I could come up with was there was a pretty good frost both days. Sd was a big hoar frost and there were birds everywhere in trees. Kansas a good frost and in just one tree on the edge of some cattail’s. But they were way up high in both states. My theory is they didn’t want to be down in the cattails when the sun melted all that frost off and have it running down their backs
 
We were in Kansas a few years back, in January, and a big snow had fallen and more was on its way.

It was about mid afternoon, and we were driving down a dirt road southeast of Oakley, over in that Monument Rocks country and the road crossed a creek on a bridge (it may have been the Smoky Hill River). The bridge was really narrow and on the north side of the bridge was a farm house, barns, pens, etc., all down in the creek/river bottom.

The trees were pretty thick growing along the creek/river bank and grew right up to the dirt road. Right after I crossed the bridge and before I got to the farm house, I looked to my left in the trees and they were absolutely full of pheasants, sitting on the tree limbs. The closest birds to the road seemed so close that I think I could have rolled down my window and limited out and then some with one shot! Not a single bird flushed or flew or even acknowledged I had just driven right by them.

I theorized that all those birds had congregated in the creek/river bottom trees due to the heavy snowfall on the ground and the next round of bad weather that was coming in later that night. It was one of those moments when I wish I'd had my cell phone out and ready to snap a picture. It was quite the sight to behold!
 
Several years ago, while traveling to Miller, we saw a small flock (4-6) in a tree, 50 yard's from the highway. We thought about trying a sneak...decided it was probably futile. The tree was by itself and the birds could detect any movement.

While road hunting a few years back, we saw 5/6 roosters perched on a telephone/power wire. Have only seen that oddity once.
 
Have seen birds perched in trees numerous times over the years. Have only had shots a few times for all those occurrences, and the reason is obvious. JB - funny you should mention the power line observation - Laura and I saw this for the first time ever on our fall trip this year. They were rocking a bit before taking off. Have also seen them on round bales on occasion. The attached pic was outside of Wessington in 2010. I think there's 8 birds in the pic. There were actually more sitting on that fencing, but flew down as we tried to capture the pic. had to be +15 roosters in the group, was cool to see.
 

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I'll throw my 2 cents in. If not spooked into the tree to avoid a ground attack, like many of us have seen, our dogs put them up into trees. IIve seen birds go off the ground in cold weather to get some sun, much like you see morning doves in your yard. I've never seen buds or catkins in a bird but who knows, I doubt it. In smaller areas surrounded by large open areas, my experience has been that PRIVATE land birds go to trees vs heading out to bare fields until they are more consistently pressured. I also feel that "young" birds got to the trees for safety, so perhaps you are experiencing younger bird not yet hunted often. Kind of fun and cool either way.
 
I know they fly into trees to get a good look around. Not pine trees. Trees with no leaves, and usually not more that 30 ft.
 
I have witnessed pheasants in trees countless times over the years. I'll share two stories. The first was right around Veterans Day, 20 years ago or so. Dad and I were headed out deer hunting and the wind and snow were brutal. We're chugging along at 40 mph and see ten pheasants, roosters and hens in a tiny cottonwood. Above them were four roosters on the telephone wire. It was the strangest thing as the wind was howling and those birds were hanging on for dear life.

Second story happened this past November when I was out deer hunting in western South Dakota. Buddy and I were glassing and we spot a few roosters sitting in the trees along a dam. About that time, two coyotes come loping out of the cattails next to the dam.

I think they sit in trees for a variety of reasons, but it would make the most sense that pheasants perch above ground when there are predators around. They'll also sit in a tree to sun and, possibly, just because they can.
 
I've shot them out of juniper trees many times, in hedge rows. Dog might have chased them up into the trees not sure.
 
I have a friend who puts licking branches out in front of his deer stands. He archery hunts and has ground blinds that have ground removed so as that he is about level with a deers vitals. His licking branches are a 4×4 post 12 ' long sunk into the ground so branches inserted into holes drilled thru the post hang at about 5'. He uses branches 3' to 4' long. The damn roosters sit on those branches and break them off. He has to use rebar that the branches are wired to prevent the breakage. He has game camera pictures of those branches bowing under the weight of pheasants.
 
Might have been coyotes or a bobcat on the prowl
 
I have seen pheasants in trees quite often ... almost always when the area is extremely frosty, snowy, or really cold (but calm).

One time I did see quite a few pheasants up in trees at the end of a shelter belt. Then I noticed a pair of coyotes in the snow-covered field close-by.
 
BRITTMAN said:
I have seen pheasants in trees quite often ... almost always when the area is extremely frosty, snowy, or really cold (but calm).

One time I did see quite a few pheasants up in trees at the end of a shelter belt. Then I noticed a pair of coyotes in the snow-covered field close-by.
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They generally don't really like to be in trees.Shaptails like trees, and will spend hours in trees.
 
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