Pheasant Hunt Questions

[WildWing Shooter]

Hello everyone,

I'm from Pennsylvania looking to go out west to hunt wild pheasants. I'd like to hear what everyones opinion on where to go and where to stay. I would like to take my dog and hunt on public land. Also any other information that would be helpful is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[KSBrittman]

Wild pheasant are on a bit of an uptick across most of their range , for closer to you Iowa might be worth checking out Maybe PM a few members that hale from Iowa .

I also recommend visiting the state web - site your are most interested in and when they put out there forecast and reports that will give you a good idea where to go .

I did this in a state I had never set foot in , searched the site , found numbers of the upland Bioligist and visited with them and got a good general idea of where to go . A group of 4 of us shot 45 pheasants in a weeks time with many other bonus Prairie birds thrown in . Nothing like boots on the ground . Wild Ringnecks can be a lot of work but a whole lot of fun .

A well trained bird dog per every two hunters or so , one per hunter might be better .

Let us know where you decide to go , best of luck .

 

[BritChaser]

Historically South Dakota offers the best pheasant hunting. Check the hunting group builder subforum for some opportunities that offer private and public ground.

 

[Miforester]

Good advice so far, boots on the ground and pre-hunt homework will help make your trip successful. Success means many different things to different hunters. I have hunted Iowa Nebraska and SD and as it seems bird numbers are rebounding in all the traditional pheasant states. I will each state offers different opportunities for taking upland birds. Iowa and Nebraska have decent quail populations and nebraska you can also hunt sharptails and prairie chickens, in the western portion of the state. SD will tends to have the highest population pheasants and can get a mixed bag too. I will say in one hunt to SD i saw more pheasants then several years in Iowa.

Gaining access to private land for me was easier in iowa and nebraska, I worked and live in Nebraska which helped. SD I have hunted both private and public land, private I had to pay fees but it was not a commercial lodge. The public land has been very productive too. All of my trips out west have been successful as I just really enjoy watching my dogs work and putting birds in the game bag is just the icing the cake.

All the websites are very good with lots of information and the road side surveys are being conducted and should have reports soon if they haven't already been published. I will be going out to SD in early fall then make a return trip in december with my son to one of the pheasant states. I bought my lifetime license before I left nebraska in 1996 and have only been back once......think i need to change that. Do your homework and ask questions this site is a wealth of information, best of luck.