I will throw this out for what it's worth.....
I have good dog(s) and can't/won't hunt upland birds w/o them...I know that doesn't help you.
But...I do chase the occasional anterless wt deer if I can get a leftover tag. Obviously I do that sans dog.
I often get to my ambush spot before daylight. All the deer come out, along with the pheasants and it's a real hoot to watch and see where they appear.....also tells me where to come back and look for a rooster once the deer all go lay down...
One morning I decided to take a little walk after the sun had been up a little while, and I wasn't seeing any deer. I had seen 1 or 2 roosters on the edge that I intended to walk. Unlike my walking style with the dogs, I kind of pussyfooted fairly slow along the edge of the crp/cut crop for almost 1/4 mile.Didn't kick up a bird or a deer......my "edge" was coming to an end in a hundred yards or so, and it was all grazed down pasture after it ended.
Walked right up to the edge of that pasture....stood around for a half minute or so and had pheasants squirting out practically from under my feet..Could have shot a limit rght there...
This "edge" was adjacent to 3 full sections of crp...
I will leave you with 2 thoughts......1) pour over sattelite imagry and find cover that ends in no cover....2) walk it to the end and be patient.
I still remember the rooster in KS that got away because I thought there was nothing there and it was a good time to take a leak.....