cyclonenation10
Well-known member
This is something I have always been very curious about and have done some research on but still haven't come up with much of a conclusion for myself regarding the daily routine of pheasants. From what I understand they...
1.start the day right at dawn by moving out of their roosting areas (prairie grasses, etc) to go feed.
2.Once they feed, (for how long I am not sure) they move back into the heavier cover (prairie grasses, shelter belts, cattails, etc) where they spend most of the day.
3. Come mid afternoon where they move back out to feed.
4.Once they are done feeding for the afternoon they head back into the prairie grasses to roost for the night.
I know this is very vague and there are a number of other factors that could impact the behavior of pheasants, but this is my understanding a typical day for pheasants. This leads me to my questions...
At what time do birds move out of their roosting areas to feed in the mornings and approximately how long do they spend feeding before they head back into cover?
What cover is typically preferred for pheasants to lounge in and spend the majority of their day?
At what time do they move out of their cover to start feeding in the afternoon, and what time do they return to their roosting cover?
I also understand that typically when birds are seen along gravel roads they are getting grit/gravel to help grind up their food. When does this typically fall into their routine?
In Iowa, hunting begins at 8 A.M. and closes at 4:30 P.M. This has gotten me thinking exactly why anyone would start hunting right at 8 A.M. when the majority of birds have moved out of their roosting areas to feed. Why not wait until later in the morning when birds have quit feeding for the morning and are sitting in the grasses and other cover? I have always hunted right away in the morning and wonder if I am missing out on birds that haven't quit feeding and are still out in the fields and not in the cover I am hunting.
Like I said the 4 "phases" in a pheasants day I have listed above are just from my research and I really have no idea on how accurate it is. The biggest thing I am trying to grasp is the timeframe for each different phase. What time exactly do birds leave their roosting areas in the morning to begin feeding? How long do they feed? What time to they begin feeding in the afternoon and when do they return to roost for the night? When is the best time to find birds picking gravel on the side of roads and ditches?
Also, how does certain weather impact this behavior? Do pheasants skip feeding on really snowy/windy/rainy days, or do they feed heavier?
I know this is a very long post and I don't expect answers to all of these questions but I just thought it was something to think about. I know there are a bunch of knowledgeable people on here who could contribute their experiences/knowledge to turn this into a really great thread. Maybe I am over analyzing this, but myself and I am sure a number of others have always been curious on the daily routine of pheasants. I think this could really aid in determining the best times/days to hunt certain areas. What time of the day is certain cover more or less productive than others?
1.start the day right at dawn by moving out of their roosting areas (prairie grasses, etc) to go feed.
2.Once they feed, (for how long I am not sure) they move back into the heavier cover (prairie grasses, shelter belts, cattails, etc) where they spend most of the day.
3. Come mid afternoon where they move back out to feed.
4.Once they are done feeding for the afternoon they head back into the prairie grasses to roost for the night.
I know this is very vague and there are a number of other factors that could impact the behavior of pheasants, but this is my understanding a typical day for pheasants. This leads me to my questions...
At what time do birds move out of their roosting areas to feed in the mornings and approximately how long do they spend feeding before they head back into cover?
What cover is typically preferred for pheasants to lounge in and spend the majority of their day?
At what time do they move out of their cover to start feeding in the afternoon, and what time do they return to their roosting cover?
I also understand that typically when birds are seen along gravel roads they are getting grit/gravel to help grind up their food. When does this typically fall into their routine?
In Iowa, hunting begins at 8 A.M. and closes at 4:30 P.M. This has gotten me thinking exactly why anyone would start hunting right at 8 A.M. when the majority of birds have moved out of their roosting areas to feed. Why not wait until later in the morning when birds have quit feeding for the morning and are sitting in the grasses and other cover? I have always hunted right away in the morning and wonder if I am missing out on birds that haven't quit feeding and are still out in the fields and not in the cover I am hunting.
Like I said the 4 "phases" in a pheasants day I have listed above are just from my research and I really have no idea on how accurate it is. The biggest thing I am trying to grasp is the timeframe for each different phase. What time exactly do birds leave their roosting areas in the morning to begin feeding? How long do they feed? What time to they begin feeding in the afternoon and when do they return to roost for the night? When is the best time to find birds picking gravel on the side of roads and ditches?
Also, how does certain weather impact this behavior? Do pheasants skip feeding on really snowy/windy/rainy days, or do they feed heavier?
I know this is a very long post and I don't expect answers to all of these questions but I just thought it was something to think about. I know there are a bunch of knowledgeable people on here who could contribute their experiences/knowledge to turn this into a really great thread. Maybe I am over analyzing this, but myself and I am sure a number of others have always been curious on the daily routine of pheasants. I think this could really aid in determining the best times/days to hunt certain areas. What time of the day is certain cover more or less productive than others?
