pheasants

S

sanjuandel

New member
anybody ever hunt honey lake area? i'm in reno and i am looking for decent places around here to bird hunt. thanks.
 
I've never hunted it but when I was up in that area chukar and quail hunting we took a ride out to look at it. The cover in the area looks awesome and we saw about 10 pheasants and tons of quail on the refuge. The pheasants acted wild to me but there is a big preserve that borders part of the refuge. Imo the area has some of the best cover I've seen in California. You have to have a type A season pass to hunt there for some reason they don't take day passes. Susanville has a PF chapter, maybe you could contact someone for more details.
 
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I think it would be worth it. I'm planning to make a trip up there for pheasants this season and its a lot farther drive for me and I have respectable spots within 60 miles. I want to go late in the season and hope for some snow as I've never hunted pheasants in the snow before.
 
yeah it's different. the birds hunker down,the dogs won't get a scent as easily. i grew up in wa. state and i also hunt in iowa.all the same,a different type and style of hunting. here in reno,the quail seem to not have alot of scent. my dog seems to walk on to them more.thanks.
 
its so dry the birds leave less scent i would assume???

i have found birds to hold well in the snow & the dogs seem to smell them as good or better way better then on a dry dry day in my book??? moisture helps hold scent snow is frozen moisture it tends to melt a little on a warm pheasant body???

hit cattails if you have them & woody cover near crops & you have great snow/winter cover reguard less of what state its snowing in...
 
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my experiences the birds scent doesn't travel as much with snow. the birds hunker down to conserve energy? our hunts in iowa,the pheasants definetly hold more in the snow and you step on or near them much more. the same thing when i grew up in wa. state.tracks will end where they stop and hunker. the farmers where we hunt in iowa all say the same. for what it's worth. i am certainly no biologolist.
 
small munsterlander owner said:
its so dry the birds leave less scent i would assume???

i have found birds to hold well in the snow & the dogs seem to smell them as good or better way better then on a dry dry day in my book??? moisture helps hold scent snow is frozen moisture it tends to melt a little on a warm pheasant body???

hit cattails if you have them & woody cover near by great snow cover reguard less of what state its snowing in...
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There are some that believe on cold days in the snow, birds will actually fluff their feathers which helps insulate them. This causes scent to be pushed into the surrounding cover. I would agree the dogs seem to have much better luck in snow than with no moisture at all.
 
Here is a pic I took at Honey Lake during my visit. There were 4 more roosters and a few hens under the tree and a big covey of quail under the next one down. Beautiful country up there.

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great pic. the area seems to be a potential good place for bird habitat, as i have driven by before. i guess the only way to reallyknow will be boots on the ground. thanks for your help!
 
If you decide to go let me know. Maybe I could make my way up there for a weekend and give it a go.:cheers:
 
quail hound said:
You have to have a type A season pass to hunt there for some reason they don't take day passes.
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Actually Robert, it's a Type B area which requires a Type B season pass that costs $51.58 or a Type A which costs $154.70. The bad thing about Type B areas is that although a Type A pass will work there a Type B pass will ONLY work there and there aren't that many and no others that I can think of close to Reno.
Some years it is the best area in the state for pheasants but most years they get shot off quickly and it is a poor late season area. Only inside info allows you to make the choice but since there aren't many places you can hunt pheasants near Reno you've got to take what you can get.
In the years when I hunted it I had friends who worked with DFG and the parking lot was 1/2 DFG employees waiting for opening day when it had good production. Pheasant numbers all over are in the tank and most of the guys who worked for DFG that were hook and bullet guys have retired so I wouldn't know what kind of production they'd have now. Area managers are usually helpful with info so contact them.
The birds were very reluctant to leave the spot you found them in and would quickly return to the place you jumped them from like all pheasants but more so there.
 
Good catch Cal. That'll save a little money if he only plans to hunt Honey Lake.:cheers:
 
thanks for all the feedback. my main goal is my bird hunt in iowa. this is a more closer hunt for me. i have only drove past honey lake area and wondered about hunting there.thanks again
 
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