Your Favorite Pheasant Shot

A Pheasant's Favorite Shots

My favorite shot is from about 2 years ago. Myself, a college buddy and my brother-in-law are walking a large WMA in SW MN. No one has a dog so we are just trying to walk into the wind in manageable chunks.

I am on the left, my brother-in-law in the middle and college friend on the right. The rooster gets up to my left and a little behind. He crosses left to right about 10-15 yards in front of me and across the group.

I proceed to crank off 3 shots out of my 870 about as fast as I can. Right after my brother-in-law cranks 3 out of his 12 gauge. Followed by my college friend unloading his 20 gauge as well. It went something like this.

Flush...Boom...Boom...Boom.Boom..Boom...Boom..Boom...Boom...Boom

Silence...9 shots in all and the bird still flying and cackling/laughing at us as it flew away. I don't think I have ever laughed that hard. It flew straight across as we each took 3 shots and just kept going. It still makes me laugh just thinking about it.

Those were the pheasant's favorite shots. lol.
 
My favorite shot is from about 2 years ago. Myself, a college buddy and my brother-in-law are walking a large WMA in SW MN. No one has a dog so we are just trying to walk into the wind in manageable chunks.

I am on the left, my brother-in-law in the middle and college friend on the right. The rooster gets up to my left and a little behind. He crosses left to right about 10-15 yards in front of me and across the group.

I proceed to crank off 3 shots out of my 870 about as fast as I can. Right after my brother-in-law cranks 3 out of his 12 gauge. Followed by my college friend unloading his 20 gauge as well. It went something like this.

Flush...Boom...Boom...Boom.Boom..Boom...Boom..Boom...Boom...Boom

Silence...9 shots in all and the bird still flying and cackling/laughing at us as it flew away. I don't think I have ever laughed that hard. It flew straight across as we each took 3 shots and just kept going. It still makes me laugh just thinking about it.

jfan02, I had a similar experience once with a different ending. We were hunting in the river bottom in Johnson County, Wyoming. There were five of us and a rooster flew over left to right, everyone unloaded their guns. The bird just kept flying into a winter wheat field on our right which was the field we planned on hunting next. We started into that winter wheat field, had not gone 20 yards when the dog found the bird, stone dead but still warm. It was hamburger. That says something about how tough those birds are, don't you think??? What a great thread!! Have enjoyed reading everyones stories. THANKS
 
We were hunting a water way in NE Kansas when we flushed two quail that landed at the end of the water way. The dogs were very birdie when we got to the end but we had no point. My boot was untied so I told the party I was hunting with that when I bend down to tie my boot the birds will get up. Sure enough that is exactly what happened. Both quail got up and flew about three feet over my head. At first I thought I was going to get shot by the others in the group but when I found out I was still alive I pulled up my Citori and hit killed both birds with one shot. That will never happen again.
 
One time dad and I were hunting milo stalks in 40-50 mph winds when a rooster got up WAY out ahead of us. He flew into the wind for a while and then doubled back and came quartering back towards us way high and way, way fast. I snapped one at him and freaking folded him up at about 50 to 60 steps to our right, I doubt I'd even take the shot now but was as good of a shot as I've ever made:thumbsup:. A close second was flushing 3 roosters at the same time and getting them with 3 shots...with a Ruger Red Label. I used to carry two shells in my hand while walking, just because I thought I was Peter Capstick I guess. The guys I was hunting with about puked over that one. The most ironic bird I've seen flew the gauntlet of 6 guys at about 40 yards and when he was in the clear hit a power line :eek: not a pellet in him.
 
one of my most memorable was my first pheasant in SW Kansas. There were 3 of us hunting a small corner irrigation pit. I blocked at one end and the other two guys pushed from the other end. When the guys got about 20 ft from me I see a lone pheasant not but 6 ft from my shoes at the end of the cover. We stared at each other for a few seconds before he decided to flush and I folded him up with a 10 yard shot. It was a left to right shot, which is also my favorite. I was hooked from that point on!!
 
Tight Tight Shot

one of my most memorable was my first pheasant in SW Kansas. There were 3 of us hunting a small corner irrigation pit. I blocked at one end and the other two guys pushed from the other end. When the guys got about 20 ft from me I see a lone pheasant not but 6 ft from my shoes at the end of the cover. We stared at each other for a few seconds before he decided to flush and I folded him up with a 10 yard shot. It was a left to right shot, which is also my favorite. I was hooked from that point on!!

That shot was so tight it probably did not matter what choke you had in your gun -- the bird was knocked silly even if only one piece of shot hit it.
 
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A Triple with a Double Barrel Gun!!

One time dad and I were hunting milo stalks in 40-50 mph winds when a rooster got up WAY out ahead of us. He flew into the wind for a while and then doubled back and came quartering back towards us way high and way, way fast. I snapped one at him and freaking folded him up at about 50 to 60 steps to our right, I doubt I'd even take the shot now but was as good of a shot as I've ever made:thumbsup:. A close second was flushing 3 roosters at the same time and getting them with 3 shots...with a Ruger Red Label. I used to carry two shells in my hand while walking, just because I thought I was Peter Capstick I guess. The guys I was hunting with about puked over that one. The most ironic bird I've seen flew the gauntlet of 6 guys at about 40 yards and when he was in the clear hit a power line :eek: not a pellet in him.

Gentlemen, this man is a natural born pheasant killer who has tripled on pheasant with a double barrel gun! That is some shootin'.
 
That shot was so tight it probably did not matter what choke you had in your gun -- the bird was knocked silly even if only one piece of shot hit it.

Yes he was knocked silly and I'm lucky I didn't hit him that well and was able to come home with some table fare. Live and learn.... I try to let em get out a bit nowadays, although very rarely do i get to look them in the eye for a few seconds and have my gun shouldered before they get up... That tends to make a guy a little antsy.
 
Gentlemen, this man is a natural born pheasant killer who has tripled on pheasant with a double barrel gun! That is some shootin'.

It was some kind of luck I'll promise you. As far as a natural born pheasant shooter I have probably shot my share of birds and most of someone elses through the years. My goal used to be 100 pheasants a year, and although I never quite made it I was usually close. Anymore I just like to watch the dogs work and usually just shoot the birds they point or have worked extremelly well.
 
The Joy is in the Being There

It was some kind of luck I'll promise you. As far as a natural born pheasant shooter I have probably shot my share of birds and most of someone elses through the years. My goal used to be 100 pheasants a year, and although I never quite made it I was usually close. Anymore I just like to watch the dogs work and usually just shoot the birds they point or have worked extremelly well.

Well said.
 
My favorite Pheasant shot

In December of last year 2009 I watched my 11 year old son and his 7 month old Female Germain Short-hair point 6 birds by herself. She also retrieved five. The second and fourth birds my son shot after she pointed them and he kicked them up. For me, these were the best shots I seen in years. If you've ever seen the excitement of an 11 year old making a shot on first birds that his dog pointed and retrieved, you'll never forget it. And me with no camera. My hunting partner of 30 years and I were laughing and wiping tears out of our eyes at the same time. I'm sure they heard him scream back at the house.

I'm 51 now and have seen my share of nice shots but this day was one I'll remember for ever. Ya, he came along late in life but as my only son and newest hunting bud I look forward to every opportunity I can possibly get. He has been following me in the woods since he was 5. Thank God he now has a great dog that will keep up with him.

What a great discussion!!!!!

Happy Hunting Everyone.
 
My most memorable shooting took place in 2007 in a patch of weeds in SW Kansas. I had gone ahead to block and my son was coming toward me working the weed patch with his dogs. He hadn't gone 30 yrds and a rooster got up. Bang he goes down and in the next 20 yards he gets up three more and drops them all with one shot each. A 50 yards stroll and he has his limit with 4 shells. Naturally, I didn't have it on film but the film of my mind can replay it anytime. Only problem is every time we go back to that weed patch I expect the same results.

Let's hear some opinions on this years crop from you scouts.
 
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