One Gun Pheasant Tactics

[jlmatthew]

What are some of your methods for hunting pheasants solo? Where I hunt the holding tight genetics have pretty much been shot out and the birds are runners our flush way out of range even early season.

Any tips or tricks?

 

[T Bone]

Tell us a bit more info.

Do you hunt with a dog?

Describe the country....open grassland, crops, cattails, or ditch banks?

 

['Ike']

Yup need a lil more info, but man they're fun to chase...Actually I like to chase the later birds more than the young of the year!

 

[Bwana]

Without knowing more about the situation here is my suggestion for often hunted birds; see how everyone else hunts a particular field and do something different plus it can pay to sneak up to the areas the birds like to hang out in.

What I mean is this; say there is a creek or CRP field bordered by a road way with an approach at one end of the cover. Most everyone is going to park their vehicle on the approach and commence to walking the field/creek from there to the end. It doesn't take long for the birds to learn the game plan and react accordingly. Instead try walking in from the opposite end back towards the vehicle or sneak into the field in the middle letting your dog lead the way or still-hunt the area as you might when deer hunting.

I find doing something different from what everyone else does can help fill the game bag with late season, wary birds.

 

[jlmatthew]

I hunt with a dog and mainly in crops and CRP (switchgrass). I try pushing them towards a road or end cover but they seem to jump well in advance. They use to be pretty easy a few years ago, but know they are the spookiest birds on the planet.

 

[tarheel]

More often than not it helps to hunt into the wind and you can always post your wife at the end of the field as a blocker; that's kinda like hunting by yourself.

 

[Brisco]

I try to find thick patches that are small it helps when its cold and nasty out, stay quite and keep the wind in my face.

 

[Bwana]

Also, rather then walking a field from one end to the other stumble around a bit in an erratic pattern. It can and does work.

 

[jlmatthew]

I try to find thick patches that are small it helps when its cold and nasty out, stay quite and keep the wind in my face.

If we'd ever get cold and nasty. We've had a few days, but this winter is super mild compared to most. Birds have been using cut wheat fields a lot this year too

 

[Nemont]

Slow down and work the cover with the dog completely. I is amazing how many times a wise old rooster will bust out while you are standing still doing nothing.

Here is a weird tactic that sounds stupid but it seems to work. If the wind is not an issue then hunt the piece in reverse. This means that if you look at a field and it is apparent how you and everyone else would approach it then approach from the opposite direction. It seems that the birds get used to hunters doing the same thing and they use the same escape routes. Doing the opposite may pin down enough birds for a limit.

Nemont

 

[1_pointer]

I use 3.5" #4s and shoot them at 85yds...

 

[montanadogs]

Nemont's tactic works. That is what I do at the end of the season. I found while hunting in ND that going slow staying quite and having a close working retriever and going backwards is the best way to hunt by yourself. Stop often and just let the dog work around you for a few. There have been many times were I would walk a field five min after a large group goes through. I would stop every 20 feet of so and zig zag across. I usually got my limit halfway through. The guys at the other end would be scratching there heads on how they missed them.

 

[Brentster7189]

Great idea Nemont. I've hunted a few pieces of property that I always found the roosters escaping using the same routes. Switch it around and you can beat one of those ditch parrots at his own game. Those roosters are some honery old cuss's sometimes though. I've worked through an area a few times before he might finally bust loose, and sometimes only feet away from me. They know the game.