Upland birds seem to move before and during the teeth of the storm trying to lard up in case it stays bad for a time. Pheasants in particular will stuff themselves prior to and in the early stages of a storm. Research has shown some pheasants may go days, even a week, holed up in thick cover, not even venturing out to feed during a prolonged blow, subsisting on whatever is available in easy reach and body fat. Waterfowl are a different issue, ducks and geese fear only ice and fog. All other events are just another day on the water. if it's icing any birds moving are getting out of Dodge or coming from somewhere worse looking for open water and company. Fog makes them look for friendly surroundings, fly lower, both types of conditions are among the easiest to decoy birds. Waterfowlers love nasty weather. I'm sure you know that ice is the pheasant killer, They need to face the storm to allow their feathers to shed ice, but are compromised by the fact that ice developes around their nose holes and freezes making breathing impossible. Quail the same. Quail flushed in sub arctic conditions sometimes die of sudden body heat loss, and fall dead without a shot. If you witness that, it;s time to go home, or hunt ducks or geese.
