2023 pheasant reports

Got out for the first time this season with my younger dog and there were no shortage of birds, but they definitely were easily spooked. We hunted for a few hours on Saturday and flushed around 50 birds, almost all out of range. She did manage to put one rooster up in range and I was able to make the shot count, so she got her first wild rooster. Most birds initially flushed out of the red dogwood brush, but once bumped they went into the cattails. Was interesting in the cattails with 2-3″ of water on top of the ice from the rain. Hopefully we get enough cold weather to freeze it all up solid again, I’d like to get out another time or 2.

dhpricco wrote:

What type of cover have you guys been seeing birds in? I normally would head for the cattails, but not sure that is the correct area they will be concentrated in.

I haven’t found a single bird in the cattails yet this season. A have found a few on the edge of them as it meets canary grass, but none actually in the thick of the cattails. Its been so warm and snow-less there’s no need for them to be in there.

My best producing areas are near a food source. Standing or picked corn/beans with adjacent cover nearby. Be as quiet as you can, they aren’t dumb anymore. Any rooster in the bag this time of year is a real prize.

I went Sunday and got two pheasants. Errr, maybe I got one and the dog got the other.

gimruis wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>dhpricco wrote:</div>
What type of cover have you guys been seeing birds in? I normally would head for the cattails, but not sure that is the correct area they will be concentrated in.

I haven’t found a single bird in the cattails yet this season. A have found a few on the edge of them as it meets canary grass, but none actually in the thick of the cattails. Its been so warm and snow-less there’s no need for them to be in there.

My best producing areas are near a food source. Standing or picked corn/beans with adjacent cover nearby. Be as quiet as you can, they aren’t dumb anymore. Any rooster in the bag this time of year is a real prize.

Same for me. Staying out of the cattails as I’ve only seen 4 birds in them since early November. Find the thickest cover adjacent to corn or beans. Thick canary grass.

Going alone this late in the year on smart birds is a huge help. Gotta be quiet – don’t yell at the dogs, don’t use a whistle, stay off any crusty snow, etc. I’ve seen 2 pheasant hunters in the area Im in so that helps with educated birds too.

Charlie W wrote:

Going alone this late in the year on smart birds is a huge help. Gotta be quiet – don’t yell at the dogs, don’t use a whistle, stay off any crusty snow, etc.

Ya I’m full stealth mode now too. No noise whatsoever.

crawdaddy wrote:

Errr, maybe I got one and the dog got the other.

Haha. Where’d that second one come from? Musta been a cripple? It looked like it could kinda fly like a chicken but not enough to take flight and escape.

Yeah it was public land so I’m sure someone hit him earlier this year and they couldn’t find him. I’ve gotten 3 cripples so far this year, where the dog scents and finds them. I’ve never had a one before this season!

Only problem with cripples is usually some of their meat is green/yellow which makes me afraid to eat any of the bird since that is flowing through their veins.

The first two were fine. I found a few bbs in them but they looked normal. The one from Sunday I have hanging in the garage now. Autopsy to come tomorrow. All 3 cripples have come from steel only zones.

I cleaned that cripple that Skye the dog caught in my video. He looked fine to me. It looked like one small bb hit the wing bone, although the bone didn’t look broken. There were also a couple wound channels running along the breast, must have been a going away shot. The channels are fairly superficial like they barely grazed him. I’ll turn him into currie soon. Just made white pheasant chili a few days ago, top notch.

Hunted all day Thursday and then Friday morning in SW MN. Guessing we saw upwards of 70 birds. Lot of wild flushes and birds getting up in cattails that were un-huntable. Lots of hens. Got 2 on Thursday with one coming out of some cattails and one in some pretty thin grass at the end of the day. Still kicking myself for a layup shot on a lone rooster that probably flushed 15 yards in front of me on the last field that I just wiffed big time on. Might be the last time I get out this season. Happy with my 11 year old springer that hunted with us the whole time. Pic is my father in laws pup with some awesome colors on that bird.

suzuki wrote:

Only problem with cripples is usually some of their meat is green/yellow which makes me afraid to eat any of the bird since that is flowing through their veins.

My dad shot a bird many moons ago and we couldnt find it one weekend. Went back the next weekend and my dog caught it and the meat was nasty.

I went on Friday afternoon and it was pretty miserable out there. Foggy, misty, even some light rain at times. Everything is a complete mud hole. I hunted four spots and raised 10 birds, bagging one rooster. I will not be going again until we get some colder temps.

I’m taking one last trip to Iowa when the rain stops. Not expecting much other than a good time with friends.

Birds are out there but really spread out. The ground has pretty much thawed out and it is indeed muddy.

Hunted this afternoon close to the metro for about 2 hours and only flushed one bird, but connected on the first shot! That’s a wrap for me this season. Good luck to those that get out the last handful of days of the season.

dhpricco wrote:

Hunted this afternoon close to the metro for about 2 hours and only flushed one bird, but connected on the first shot!

1 for 1, can’t complain.

I am going to try one more time too. Not sure which day yet. A good hard freeze would help firm things up for easier walking. Last time I went it was a complete mud hole.

Went out western mn for one last hunt on Wednesday. Wet is an understatement, ankle to shin high standing water in places that haven’t had water all year. Got 1 at the first spot. Checked a couple other smaller areas and only flushed some hens. Finally checked a new to us WPA and finished the season on a high note. Not exactly my ideal late season hunting conditions. Flushed one group of 8 hens on a field edge, the rest of the flushes were spread out 1s and 2s.

I went on Friday and on Monday afternoon. Finished the season on a high note. Saw about 40 on Friday and 20 yesterday. Was much easier getting close yesterday with the fresh coating of snow on the ground.

My dog turns 12 in February, she is an ageless wonder. This season was better than last year. Mostly because of the lack of deep snow in December.

Nice job fellas! Season really didnt get going for me so nothing to brag about here’s to a wimpy winter and good nesting this Spring for a big rebound in numbers. Talked to a guy who hunted yesterday and while normally in very good ground and from the roadside counts the numbers were up significantly he had a tough season there. I think its the lack of snow so there is just so much cover and the birds at least in that area are not grouped up.

Decided last minute to give it one last go yesterday because why not? Got 2. Let the third get away

Man you guys are good. I went a bunch after Christmas till season close and hunting was really tough.

I ended my season last week in Iowa. 1 bird over two days. Out of 5 guys I was the only one to pull a trigger. We left with our tails tucked!
On Sat I took my old girl out on her favorite Grouse trail and she did not disappoint. Thanks to her I nailed one and she retrieved it as usual. We ate the fresh Grouse and Pheasant for dinner last weekend and it was awesome.

Season was a disaster for me…
Kept telling myself it would turn around when the snow came and the swamps froze.
I’ll have to be more proactive next year and have better planning. I tried driving out and exploring a couple of different regions but that was just wasted time.
Biggest focus will be getting some private land access.
I enjoy hunting public a lot but sometimes you just need a “sure thing”

Here’s my last pheasant hunting for the season in MN, been a great year!

I was going to go this weekend but the Pack won and it looks like it will still be cold so we are going to hunt the last weekend of the SD season, hope the birds are holding tight in the snow.

Has anyone gone to Kansas after bobwhites? Of course I’m not gonna pass a rooster or chicken but really interested in bobs as we have chickens and pheasants in MN.

I’m thinking about heading down for a few days next week and could use some pointers.

Here’s my last video of the year.