Pheasant hunting during the gun deer season

ArmchairBiologist said:
I've hunted Southern MN many many times during the deer season. It's almost comical how predictable deer hunters are. If there are a decent amount of trees there will be deer hunters all over. If there aren't any trees you probably won't see any, regardless of the deer numbers on the piece of property.

I hunt a piece of public that has phenomenal deer numbers. The last two years during deer season I could have shot a 10 point and 8 point buck while pheasant hunting. The 10 pointer walked up to me with a doe and mated with her 40 yards away while I was just standing there in the grass. The problem is there's not much for trees so deer hunters won't touch it with a ten foot pole.
Click to expand...
I feel like I see more deer while pheasant hunting than I do pheasants, but they are all just bedded down in the grass. A deer hunter really wouldn't know they are there. Likewise, my deer hunting friends always talk about all the pheasants they see and hear while deer hunting.
 
I bird hunted all day Saturday on public land 1.5 hours west of St. Paul, and then again on Sunday for a couple hours. No problems with any deer hunters, I just followed common sense and common courtesy. Saturday we flushed 6 roosters but they were really good at jumping out on the other side of the thicket from me:cautious:. Sunday a buddy came with and we put a pincer movement on them and bagged two dandy roosters. Funny how time flies, I think I started this post a few years back.
 
Dakotazeb said:
I feel the wearing of blaze orange while hunting is just a common sense and safety issue. I don't care if it's deer season or not, or what state you are hunting in. Having blaze orange on helps other hunters, whether they are in your group or not, see you and can help prevent an accident.
Click to expand...
Completely agree. I have always worn at least one article of blaze orange while pheasant hunting. However, the blaze orange requirements during the firearms deer season are clearly stricter than usual. This is part of the reason I refuse to hunt pheasants when those added requirements are required. Plus its a safety issue for me, and the land I hunt is also hunted for deer so I don't receive permission until that is over anyways.
 
Gimruis - he is talking Ag country deer hunters. They are on their stands early and late when deer naturally move. The hope is for the deer to come out naturally to feed along the edge of cover.

I suppose you could sit all day on a stand or in a blind by a cattail slough and hope someone else pushes deer to your spot. I have watched whitetails many a time head into a cattail slough and disappear. They do not spend much time circling the edge to find the right spot to enter when spooked. Rarely will a whitetail leave the cover of a cattail slough or high grass during mid-day ... unless pushed.

If you drive around western MN before 9AM you will see a few orange blobs in trees and an occassional blind on public land. By 9AM they are all off ... I think some will coordinate deer drives, etc... Same is pretty much true for muzzle loader and bow hunters. In fact not sure I have ever seen a bow hunter in the AM. They tend to head in to their spots about 3 hours before sunset and hunt until dark.
 
Goosemaster said:
Pheasants can see very well. Wear camo,or earth tones.
Click to expand...
Goose, I think you misunderstood the conversation here. We're talking about deer. Not pheasants. People aren't out there hunting roosters with a compound bow.
 
Last edited:
gimruis said:
Well you shouldn't because if they were dressed appropriately, they would be in full camo!
Click to expand...

Sorry "seen". I can usually tell when a vehicle is parked at an access if the hunter is after birds or a bowhunter. Public land with a likely grove of trees, no orange blobs spotted moving, drive by a few times and truck still parked there, or truck there after sunset ....

Last week I saw a bowhunter leaving his truck and walking his way out ... PM

That said I indeed have seen actual guy or two up in single row shelter belt tree lines.

If you see a pickup parked at a public land access at dawn or even 8AM ... out in western MN tomorrow, what do you suppose is going on ??
 
jmuller19 said:
Pheasants don't give a darn about some blaze orange. good grief.
Click to expand...
I am like you. I wear blaze orange any time I hunt. My dogs wear Cuga vests that are orange...wish they were blaze orange. This helps protect them a little but the added visibility is comforting. We do alright in the pheasant harvest department.
Screen Shot 2021-11-16 at 8.27.43 PM.png
 
Does anyone know why the state of South Dakota recommends blaze orange for small game hunters? /s

From SD website:

Q:
Am I required to wear hunter orange when on a hunt?


A:
Small game hunters are recommended to wear at least one visible fluorescent orange garment when they are in the field, although it isn’t required.
 
Rogue Hunter said:
Oh, a 1%er are you? LOL
Click to expand...
I used to be like the deer hunter you described...hunt for a couple hours then leave my stand. I just didn't have the patience to sit there much longer when I was a kid.

The deer season is very short. Its only 9 days long where I hunt, so I try to take advantage of every minute that I can. I can't just "go next week" because the season isn't open anymore. So I get in the stand before sunrise and stay until after sunset most days now.
 
I wear a blaze orange hoodie and baseball cap when I'm bird hunting.

I've seen other hunters use an orange dog vest and bell on their dog.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top