Seriously considering Westside pheasant tag

[sticky]

I really miss hunting pheasants.  Used to hunt planted birds with my dad as a kid & with a buddy in Moses Lake in my 20's, but only once in the last 15 years.  Ninety bucks seemed too much for a couple weekends, but now I've more time and the season is longer than the last time I really checked into it.  The Kosmos release site is 20 minutes away, it's the last place I hunted.  Anybody have any info or recommendations?  I don't have a dog.

[sled]

  Go ahead.   Hope you like getting shot with shotgun pellets!

[fethrduster]

Go for it.  Even without a dog, you'll get opportunities.  Yes it's expensive, but life is for living.

[duck1187]

Bring bug spray to kosmos and good boots that whole place is a ankle breaker but  ive shot lots of birds there

[NW-GSP]

  Go ahead.   Hope you like getting shot with shotgun pellets!

Go during the week or in the evenings on the weekend

[duck1187]

Even on weekends after 10 90% of people are gone from realease sights i hunt kosmos included

[bobcat]

I can't imagine trying to hunt pheasants without a dog. Unless you want to go at 8:00 and just get in line with everyone else and their dogs, and shoot the birds that happen to fly in front of you.

But I definitely think it's worth the $90, if you have a dog, and if you have the time to hunt at least a couple days every week. It's way cheaper than driving to eastern Washington every weekend.

I have a dog and live across the street from a pheasant release site, but I haven't hunted it for several years now. I just don't have the time anymore. My weekends are busy with big game hunting and scouting. I could probably get in a couple weekends but for that it's not worth $90, to me. If I really want to take the dog out for some birds, I go grouse hunting.

[JimmyHoffa]

I can't imagine trying to hunt pheasants without a dog. Unless you want to go at 8:00 and just get in line with everyone else and their dogs, and shoot the birds that happen to fly in front of you.

It is real tough just walking around without a pooch.  I used to go to the one by port angeles and just use others to my advantage.  Most of the dog guys stand around waiting at the gates at one end of the release and all work in one general direction.  I would book it as soon as the site opened and head for a corner way ahead of those guys.  Most would drive the birds to me and it was like pass shooting.  Often times they had dogs that were more excited to be seeing other dogs and were worried about the guys shooting next to them that they wouldn't even shoot at the birds until too late.

[johnnyaustin44]

I said screw it and bought one this year. young dog and swing shift should give me a lot of time to get her some work. 90$ is worth the exercise and excitement. do they not do punchcards anymore for westside or did I get f ed

[bobcat]

No more punchcards. They did away with that when the price went up.

[johnnyaustin44]

Thanks bobcat I was a bit worried at first

[huntingfool7]

I say, get a pup and get after 'em.
I wouldn't spend the money without a dog.  Better off shooting grouse. 
That said, if you do it, keep an eye in the trees.  Sometimes you'll catch them roosting up high!

[jackmaster]

hey sticky, your more than welcome to go buy a crap load of pheasants and release them on my little 5 acres and then you can shoot all ya want and wont have to worry about dogs or other people blastn ya 

[Heartsblood]

I bought one last year after seeing lots of pheasants when duck hunting one day. Of course they all disappeared 5 seconds AFTER I bought the damned pass. I did manage to get one pheasant - an 80 dollar pheasant!  But, the consolation did end up being the coupla grouse I shot in an area I never thought  would hold grouse. I was only there for pheasant!

I guess the cost is really about the convenience of being able to hunt closer to home more than whatever I might end up taking home.... it got me out 10 to 12 more times than I would have been. Divide that by 80 bucks and I think it was worth it.

During the week, I usually was the only one out there. I'm sure people with dogs do better (at least that's how it sounds listening to dog owners). I've never had a dog and I love bird hunting! Ducks, grouse, pheasant, - I've had  great experiences hunting all. What could possibly be bad about taking an hour and a half lunch break to wander around in the fields and woods with a shotgun in hand and a possibility of getting some birds? 

[akirkland]

Ive bought it since 97. I do well. Never hunted Kosmos and I wont either. I would never consider hunting pheasant without a dog either. So glad they decided to do away with the punch card!

[Birdguy]

Sticky, buy the tag and head out! There are really some great folks out there, chances are after a hunt or two you will find a guy or two who ask you to hunt with them as it will give their dog a bit more work, I have done it my self.


I started on the west side with a six month old pup in 96, I loved it. In 2001 after 9/11 the crowds got real think but not too bad. In 03 the people changed from "hunters" to "they are my birds on my release site" people and I quit west side all together. Now my daughter is wanting to pheasant hunt as playing school sports limits her weekend time for deer. We talked it over  and we will be going out this fall again on the west side. I am looking forward to shorter days with my daughter  in the field and my son can tag along as well  . We will see how the crowd acts and as the season goes along. We have a good dog so later in the day with less people and a little more dog work could be a lot of fun. It will also save me a ton of $$$ in fuel driving to the east side.

[fethrduster]

It's a great deal for me and my setter.  I hunt Ft. Lewis a lot since it's only 15-20 min. away.  I usually limit out in 20 -30 minutes and am back home watching football before 10am.  Sometimes I'll keep hunting though (with gun unloaded) after I limit out just to get my dog (and myself) the exercise.   Great tuneups in between real upland hunts. 

[sticky]

Thanks for all the input.  I've hunted without a dog nearly every time I've been after ringnecks, so I don't have high expectations in terms of the number of birds I expect to see.  I can get out for a couple weeks before modern deer starts and if I end up hunting five or six afternoons, that's pretty cheap entertainment for me.  Plus, it will help strengthen up my ankles before switching to blacktails in mid-October.

I would love to get a pup and start some upland training, but it isn't in the cards right now.  Maybe next year.  Have any of you hunted at the Lincoln Creek release site?  That's a little further away, but I am in Centralia at least once a week and thought that might be checking out.

[SpringerFan]

Thanks for all the input.  I've hunted without a dog nearly every time I've been after ringnecks, so I don't have high expectations in terms of the number of birds I expect to see.  I can get out for a couple weeks before modern deer starts and if I end up hunting five or six afternoons, that's pretty cheap entertainment for me.  Plus, it will help strengthen up my ankles before switching to blacktails in mid-October.

I would love to get a pup and start some upland training, but it isn't in the cards right now.  Maybe next year.  Have any of you hunted at the Lincoln Creek release site?  That's a little further away, but I am in Centralia at least once a week and thought that might be checking out.

Yep. Once the birds get pushed back it is harder to hunt. Very wooded. Streams. There is a guy who shows up with his wife and about 5 different breeds of dogs. Runs around the whole site like crazy. Missing some teeth.......

That said, not a lot folks go there given the location. Not alot of birds released as well.

[pens fan]

Sticky...you can hunt with me. I try to get there everyweekend and have no one to hunt with. My dog would be more than happy to spend more than a half hour out there just for two birds.

[Stickerbush]

after spending the weekend in the youth hunt Ive decided Ill get the westside tag. Even though I know it will be more crowded when the adults show up but I feel like I'll have it dialed in pretty good

[singleshot12]

West side pheasants is all about the dog and i wouldn't even consider hunting them without one IMO