Western WI. Pheasant Hunting

Looking back, this has been one of the best seasons in recent memories. At the very worst we are getting shots. Yea its hard to believe but sometimes we miss. Most of the trips out this year are resulting in downed birds though.

Being prepared, planning and partners made for successful season so far. First off Kota and Glyder who are with me on every hunt. Kota is 3 years old and into his third season of hunting. I learned quickly last season never to second guess his judgement. Glyder is in his first year of hunting and has made vast improvements in a short time. Behind the guns- myself, John and Pete put in time shooting clays and behind the dogs on the game farm before the season opened. This for sure honed are shooting skills.

early season found plenty of birds holding in the thick grass which provided enough cover for them. Some of the best shooting opportunties of the year. As the season wore on and the cover of grass waned, it was time to hunt the thickets. The majority of birds were now looking for cover in wood with very few holding in the grass. This makes the planning changes some. Now we need shooters placed in the right places to get shots. It is a little different hunting because the dogs are in the thickets and we usually don’t see them until a bird is flushed out.

Now with the snow cover the birds are holding in bigger groups and are alot more wary. In the past couple of days the dogs have had flushes of 12 to 15 birds. Preety cool to see. I probably have about 20 areas I hit during the course of the season. This year I maybe will only get to 8 of them. Just a case of birds being there everytime out. The corn is mostly out now so I do have some private land to hit where the birds have not been shot at yet.
there is plenty of good shooting yet to come before the season ends. Look for the woods and thickets along the grass fields to be holding birds during the late season. see you in the field.