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Pheasant Hunting Strategy
Keep It Simple
The ring-necked pheasant ranks high as one of America's most sought after game
birds. The "long-tailed bird" is a multi-colored beauty and considered a real prize by
upland gunners who value its fine taste and sporting attributes.
Pheasants are sly, crafty and noted for their elusive, often unpredictable behavior
patterns that can frustrate both experienced hunters and seasoned bird dogs. The
pheasant knows how to use cover and terrain to their best advantage in order to thwart
the efforts of pursuers, and the resourceful uplander should have a set of techniques
and strategies that can be used to outwit the wily Ringneck trick for trick.
Many pheasant hunters make the common mistake of trying to cover too much ground
too fast as they quickly work from one field or cover patch to the next. On any given day,
RingNecks will sit tight or run depending on conditions.
Work Slow, Thoroughly
Hunters and dogs who push quickly through an area are likely to drive running
pheasants far out of shooting range and pass by the birds that hold tight.
A simple, but key technique involves working slowly and thoroughly, investigating every
inch of ground and clump of weeds that might provide even the barest minimum of
bird-holding cover.
In this writer's opinion, hunting with a bird dog is the right way to go, and whether you
choose a pointing or flushing breed, a trained dog is an asset in finding and recovering
game. Whenever possible the dog should be worked into the wind, as this will make it
easier for him to pick up scent and locate birds since the scent will be carried to him.
Pheasants will frequent food crops such as corn, soybean and sorghum and they also
like to spend time in the islands of brush and other cover that are sometimes left
standing in a crop field. Places like these should get plenty of attention on a pheasant
hunt.
Favorite Haunt: Hedgerows
the hedgerow is another favorite haunt of the Ringneck. Hedgerows of multi-flora and
other cover often grow up and over, forming a tunnel that long-tails like to hide in. This
situation is best approached by sending a dog down the tunnel while one or more
hunters walk slowly along the length of each side of the row, ready for the flush and a
shot.
Pheasant behavior can drive a hunter crazy, so why not turn the tables and drive the
pheasant crazy? This can be accomplished by combining the slow walking technique
with an easy "stop and go" procedure. Whether in an open field or dense cover,
pheasants get nervous when slow moving hunters and dogs pause briefly at intervals
while covering the area. Many times this technique will unnerve a bird and cause it to
flush, when it would have held tight under other circumstances.
Terrain also figures heavily into pheasant hunting and the resourceful hunter will take
the lay of the land into consideration. RingNecks are known to display certain behavior
patterns while being pursued through specific types of land and crop configurations. For
instance, when being hunted in a big open field planted in food or cover, many birds will
often run as far as possible rather than flush. However, if the field ends at the edge of a
woodlot, road, ditch or other topographical feature, look for the previously running
Ringneck to flush wild at the point where the terrain and/or vegetation changes. It usually
pays to work a field or hedgerow all the way to its end.
Check Ditches
when driven, pheasants often head for the bottom of the nearest ditch and skulk along
the bottom. They also have the ability to fly low and silently along the level of the top of a
ditch. Simply being aware of these behaviors can be of help when hunting near a ditch
or dry creek bottom, and here as in all pheasant hunting situations, shotguns should be
carried at the ready with safety on.
Your listening skills also can be used to locate birds. Cock pheasants often come out of
hiding at midday and late afternoon and their loud, unmistakable squawking can be
heard for some distance. When you hear the crowing, head in the direction of the noise
or in the direction that is seems to be moving.
When a bird flushes and escapes being shot carefully observe its entire flight path and
mark where it goes down, closely noticing the proximity of the landing spot to any
outstanding feature such as a tree or hedgerow. Flushed RingNecks may hit the ground
running and head for the next county, or they may land and sit right near where you think
they landed, especially after a long flight. Always mark and follow up on flushes and
don't forget to look up as pheasants can and do land in trees.
Watch Banks, Shorelines
many bird hunters break off the hunt when they come to the edge of a large pond or lake,
especially if the bank or shoreline is brushy. This can result in missed opportunities
since, when pushed, RingNecks often seek refuge along the shores, banks and dikes
of lakes and impoundments, especially if the shoreline cover is thick. In such instances
work right along the edge of the water, and expect the bird to burst out of the cover and fly
along the shore or out over the water.
The ring-necked pheasant is a survivor and as a survivor he employs a battery of
techniques to avoid danger. In order to bag pheasants, the hunter also needs a set of
simple strategies designed to counter the elusive tricks of the long-tailed bird. Easy to
remember techniques that apply to specific conditions such as vegetation and
topography can go a long way in helping the upland hunter achieve many seasons of
pheasant hunting success. Good hunting.
Keep It Simple
The ring-necked pheasant ranks high as one of America's most sought after game
birds. The "long-tailed bird" is a multi-colored beauty and considered a real prize by
upland gunners who value its fine taste and sporting attributes.
Pheasants are sly, crafty and noted for their elusive, often unpredictable behavior
patterns that can frustrate both experienced hunters and seasoned bird dogs. The
pheasant knows how to use cover and terrain to their best advantage in order to thwart
the efforts of pursuers, and the resourceful uplander should have a set of techniques
and strategies that can be used to outwit the wily Ringneck trick for trick.
Many pheasant hunters make the common mistake of trying to cover too much ground
too fast as they quickly work from one field or cover patch to the next. On any given day,
RingNecks will sit tight or run depending on conditions.
Work Slow, Thoroughly
Hunters and dogs who push quickly through an area are likely to drive running
pheasants far out of shooting range and pass by the birds that hold tight.
A simple, but key technique involves working slowly and thoroughly, investigating every
inch of ground and clump of weeds that might provide even the barest minimum of
bird-holding cover.
In this writer's opinion, hunting with a bird dog is the right way to go, and whether you
choose a pointing or flushing breed, a trained dog is an asset in finding and recovering
game. Whenever possible the dog should be worked into the wind, as this will make it
easier for him to pick up scent and locate birds since the scent will be carried to him.
Pheasants will frequent food crops such as corn, soybean and sorghum and they also
like to spend time in the islands of brush and other cover that are sometimes left
standing in a crop field. Places like these should get plenty of attention on a pheasant
hunt.
Favorite Haunt: Hedgerows
the hedgerow is another favorite haunt of the Ringneck. Hedgerows of multi-flora and
other cover often grow up and over, forming a tunnel that long-tails like to hide in. This
situation is best approached by sending a dog down the tunnel while one or more
hunters walk slowly along the length of each side of the row, ready for the flush and a
shot.
Pheasant behavior can drive a hunter crazy, so why not turn the tables and drive the
pheasant crazy? This can be accomplished by combining the slow walking technique
with an easy "stop and go" procedure. Whether in an open field or dense cover,
pheasants get nervous when slow moving hunters and dogs pause briefly at intervals
while covering the area. Many times this technique will unnerve a bird and cause it to
flush, when it would have held tight under other circumstances.
Terrain also figures heavily into pheasant hunting and the resourceful hunter will take
the lay of the land into consideration. RingNecks are known to display certain behavior
patterns while being pursued through specific types of land and crop configurations. For
instance, when being hunted in a big open field planted in food or cover, many birds will
often run as far as possible rather than flush. However, if the field ends at the edge of a
woodlot, road, ditch or other topographical feature, look for the previously running
Ringneck to flush wild at the point where the terrain and/or vegetation changes. It usually
pays to work a field or hedgerow all the way to its end.
Check Ditches
when driven, pheasants often head for the bottom of the nearest ditch and skulk along
the bottom. They also have the ability to fly low and silently along the level of the top of a
ditch. Simply being aware of these behaviors can be of help when hunting near a ditch
or dry creek bottom, and here as in all pheasant hunting situations, shotguns should be
carried at the ready with safety on.
Your listening skills also can be used to locate birds. Cock pheasants often come out of
hiding at midday and late afternoon and their loud, unmistakable squawking can be
heard for some distance. When you hear the crowing, head in the direction of the noise
or in the direction that is seems to be moving.
When a bird flushes and escapes being shot carefully observe its entire flight path and
mark where it goes down, closely noticing the proximity of the landing spot to any
outstanding feature such as a tree or hedgerow. Flushed RingNecks may hit the ground
running and head for the next county, or they may land and sit right near where you think
they landed, especially after a long flight. Always mark and follow up on flushes and
don't forget to look up as pheasants can and do land in trees.
Watch Banks, Shorelines
many bird hunters break off the hunt when they come to the edge of a large pond or lake,
especially if the bank or shoreline is brushy. This can result in missed opportunities
since, when pushed, RingNecks often seek refuge along the shores, banks and dikes
of lakes and impoundments, especially if the shoreline cover is thick. In such instances
work right along the edge of the water, and expect the bird to burst out of the cover and fly
along the shore or out over the water.
The ring-necked pheasant is a survivor and as a survivor he employs a battery of
techniques to avoid danger. In order to bag pheasants, the hunter also needs a set of
simple strategies designed to counter the elusive tricks of the long-tailed bird. Easy to
remember techniques that apply to specific conditions such as vegetation and
topography can go a long way in helping the upland hunter achieve many seasons of
pheasant hunting success. Good hunting.
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