Seriously considering Westside pheasant tag

[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