I suck at pheasant hunting- help appreciated!

I didn’t grow up in a hunting family, but I’ve always loved the outdoors, and I’ve been very into fishing for about as long as I can remember. About 2 years ago, I decided that I would want to start hunting, since a couple of my friends did it and I loved eating game that we would cook up. I got my hunters ed and started trying some pheasant hunting in PLOTS and public land in ND with my dad and my dog, who knew virtually nothing about hunting. Anyways, I hate to admit it but I’ve gone out at least 20 times and never even shot at a bird. Last year we flushed up a decent amount of hens, but no roosters. Just today, and on many other occasions we didn’t see a thing. Does anyone know what I’m doing wrong? Our dog isn’t super experienced obviously, but she is good at flushing up and chasing any animals that she sees or smells. Any help and advice would be appreciated, thanks

Best times to go are early and late as the birds are on the edges. I hunt Minnesota and usually don’t hunt till about this time of year when crops are off and it’s easier to concentrate on prime areas. Take your time when walking and don’t rush it.

Doesn’t mean that you are doing anything wrong Ahren.
You need to be at the right place at the right times.
Check for areas with good thick habitat next to picked or even better, freshly picked corn fields. Birds feed early in the morning and later in the afternoon before they go back to that thick habitat or grass for the evening. As the other IDO member stated, they are edge birds. They hang on edges of corn next to grass, or edges of fence lines next to food or habitat. Even pay attention to transition lines from one type of cover to the next. Like prairie grass or switchgrass next to cattails or next to reed canary grass. When you get snow, hit the cattails and work the edges around cattails. Always do your best to work a patch starting on the downwind side so the dog can have the wind in his face to smell better and the birds won’t hear you coming as easy as you are downwind from them.
Good luck, have fun, and try to learn something new everytime you go out.

3 thing the Pheasants need: 1. water (frozen now), 2. food, 3. Gravel (from the side of the road). that is what I have been doing is looking for these 3 thing before I go walking looking for them. It does not always pay off but, it does help so look around for them next time out.

What kind of dog do you have? Might want to get some pheasant wings / scent and do a little training too if the dog is inexperienced

lindyrig79 wrote:

What kind of dog do you have? Might want to get some pheasant wings / scent and do a little training too if the dog is inexperienced

Goldendoodle, that’s a good idea.

Pheasant hunting is a lot like walleye fishing, in that you have to go where the target is, not where you think it should be. Even if you think you are on prime habitat (or structure in a walleye’s case) they may not be there. Driving around in the mornings when they are out getting gravel is a good way to find out what areas they are in. And then once you locate a type of habitat that they are holding in, you have a much better chance of success if you focus on similar habitat. Also, they often like to hang out in areas you or the dog don’t want to go, that’s a good time to slow down and really let the dog work through it.

You always want to give your dog the advantage. Work him into the wind. He will have an easier time picking up the scent that way. Slow down and let him work and most of all follow him and trust his nose. Also be quite and don’t slam the truck door, don’t yell at your buddy. Work pinch points Pheasants will run a long way and flush in the last little bit of cover.

“Pheasant hunting is a lot like walleye fishing, in that you have to go where the target is, not where you think it should be.”

Walk slowly, stop and make the birds nervous.
I have nearly walked by a Pheasant on many occasions, especially along fence lines with plowed fields on both sides.

One memory is walking along and seeing a Rooster crouched in the grass of the fence line. I reached down and grabbed him, broke his neck and enjoyed a great meal without firing a shot. Be Careful, without a heavy canvas coat, my arm would have been bloodied by his claws and sharp spikes. My Partner had no clue what was going on, til I showed him my prize.

I think that Rooster went into shock when I grabbed him, maybe he was just sleeping or thought we could see him? Never moved until I grabbed him by the neck.

Lots of good advice here.

I’m also a late-onset hunter. 8-10 years ago, I decided that pheasant hunting sounded like a great hobby, so I completed my firearm safety certification and bought a shotgun. I will never forget the first pheasant I shot (and as I look back now, the fact that I was successful without a dog blows my mind).

I know how frustrating it can be. Heck, I now own a pretty good bird dog,and the birds still get their wins. Whenever I am having a bad hunt, I try to just remind myself that birds are a bonus. I really just enjoy the time afield with my dog. Also, some days you only see hens. It sucks!

Sounds like you generally hunt public land (I do, too). If possible, I try to hunt midweek (Wednesday, Thursday). The majority of hunters are out on the weekends. I figure that by midweek, the birds have gotten back to a more normal routine after the weekend onslaught. I also rarely park at any “parking lot” of a parcel of land. I try to use the wind to my advantage and also throw the birds for a loop (figuring that they get used to hunters coming from the parking lots).

Keep at it, and good luck!

If there isn’t snow or wind they will run away from you about like a feral cat. you will never see them. They don’t like running with the wind, either. CAttails are great later in the year but really ugly walking wise.

Lots of great advice. Hunt mid week. Find crops. Hunt into the wind/crosswind. Walk slow. Zig zag. Look at a field and hunt it opposite how everyone else would. Don’t rule out that small little fenceline or whatever it may be that everyone else overlooks. Also don’t rule out the mile by mile section and get further into it than anybody else does. Look for the “cover within the cover.” I often find mine in that small area of different cover within the endless prairie. Just like walleye fishing, the birds are relating to some type of structure. Look for areas that within a .5-1 mile have upland grass, food, water, winter cover, tree lines.

It also takes time. My story is very similar to yours. I grew up fishing a ton but never hunted until I moved to South Dakota in college and everybody there pheasant hunted. My first year I don’t believe I shot a bird the entire year. My second year a few. And my success rate has drastically increased with each year and individual hunt since. To the point where 12 years later, pheasant hunting is now my biggest passion in life.

Lots of good advice from you guys, thanks for the help