Scouting

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IsThisHeaven?

Member
I am just getting into pheasant hunting. I recently moved to Iowa, so I now have the opportunity to hunt wild pheasants. My question is how do you scout pheasants? Do you look for good habitat? Do you drive around early in the morning and later at night to see birds on the road/gravel? Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
Your on the right track. Habitat is key so that's where you are going to want to begin. When I scout for pheasant I begin with maps, I will locate areas where public land exists and then look at the topography of the land and pull up google earth to see what it looks like. Then you have to put rubber to the road and check those areas out and see how the habitat looks and what kind of cover is in the area. When your out checking the areas keep and an eye out for birds because this can give you an idea of what type of cover the birds in that area prefer. You also want to check out the individual sites you are a hunting so you can determine the best way to hunt those spots. Scouting is fun and lets you live pheasant hunting all year round!
 
I really enjoy road hunting and covering ground during the late season. With crops out and snow on the ground, you really see just how big of a role important cover like CRP, shelter belts and cattail sloughs play in winter survival. It's one thing I noticed today for instance. I live in a heavily populated part of South Dakota, and it always seems like there aren't many pheasants around early in the season with all the crops up. However, as soon as crops are harvested, it's those little pockets of CRP and cattails that attract the birds in big numbers. If you can find those "birdy" areas early in the season, you'll have a perfect little honey hole late when the crops are out, the snow is piling up and the birds are looking for refuge.
 
I will take a different tack. Find the public hunting areas, then find good cover nearby. Ask the private landowner for permission to hunt that land. Birds will vacate a disturbed area, if there are areas nearby with less activity.

Also, while driving around, when you get to an interesting area, stop and look for pheasant tracks in the gravel road. They get gravel for their gizzards daily, so you can see if any have been getting gravel.

Good luck!
 
Years ago I hunted Iowa, but not now...

We were on the road by 7:30 AM looking and taking note of birds in the ditch et al. They seem to be very active in the morning hours, moving from their roosting areas.

I assume one can hunt by 8 AM; at least that's the way it was when I hunted. We pounded areas near Carroll, IA and south to Atlantic. Lots of fond memories in Iowa, including a bird I have mounted on the wall above my head in my office.

Good luck to you!
 
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