Other Hunting > Upland Birds

Solo pheasant hunting without a dog advice?

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Marcoramius:
If you have your mind set on solo pheasant hunting, then do it. It will be much more difficult without a dog, but it is not impossible. I myself am a solo dog less pheasant hunter as well but I do just fine. A few tips...

Prepare for longer shots. I flush a lot of roosters, but generally they flush just out of range.

I actually have pretty good luck in wheat or grass fields but the key is to move FAST (almost jogging speed) and don't travel in a straight line, but zig zag back and forth. Occasionally stop for 15-20 seconds but be very quiet when you do. If they can't locate or hear you anymore they will sometimes flush. Don't stop too much though, it just gives the birds more time to run further away from you.

Look for an area where you can work through that has a natural break or terrain change at the end that you can drive the birds towards and where they will be forced to make a decision to either run through a very exposed area or fly. The edge of a wheat field that abuts a stubble field, a creek or river, a fence line, some sort of terrain change. Drive the birds towards that break and get ready.

I also have pretty good luck hunting areas where I can sneak up on birds. A dirt road or path that runs through a field is a good example. You can slowly and VERY quietly walk that and can actually from time to time surprise them, especially if the road or path is above or overlooks a field.

Solo dog less pheasant hunting is probably the toughest hunting there is. I put in a lot of miles when I go, but am usually rewarded for that hard work. Hopefully you are in an area that holds other birds as well as I usually just pheasant hunt in the mornings and evenings, but go after quail and chukar during the day.

Good luck!!

Shoffy:
Everyone here is not kidding. Wild pheasants are tough and smart birds. Before I had a dog I had a little luck solo dogless hunting pheasants by walking fence lines with built up cover. Try and find fields that neighbor food, like corn. They seem to like cat tails too. Like Stilly said, if you knock one down and he jumps up shoot him again on the ground. Last weekend in Yakima I clipped a rooster and he fell, I should have blasted him again but I wanted my young dog to grab him. The dog didn't get to him in time and he dissapeared in this thick tangle brush. Me and the dog spend almost an hr looking for him but he got away. Total bummer. The other thing is make sure you get a good lead on them. Take your time and try and get your bead on his beak.

Try that Millcreek area in Walla Walla the Army Corp of Engineers have. I've been by there, havent hunted it but I know they release birds there. Probably have quail and maybe Huns too.

Evil_EdwardO:
I too hunt pheasant dogless. I zig zag and walk and stop like everyone else has been saying. I also hunt the feel free to hunt lands and look for places with water or irrigation ditches and hunt along those. Seems like I get at least one bird flush everytime I go out. Now if I can only hit one :chuckle: :bash:

mr user:

--- Quote from: Shoffy on November 01, 2012, 07:46:29 AM ---Everyone here is not kidding. Wild pheasants are tough and smart birds. Before I had a dog I had a little luck solo dogless hunting pheasants by walking fence lines with built up cover. Try and find fields that neighbor food, like corn. They seem to like cat tails too. Like Stilly said, if you knock one down and he jumps up shoot him again on the ground. Last weekend in Yakima I clipped a rooster and he fell, I should have blasted him again but I wanted my young dog to grab him. The dog didn't get to him in time and he dissapeared in this thick tangle brush. Me and the dog spend almost an hr looking for him but he got away. Total bummer. The other thing is make sure you get a good lead on them. Take your time and try and get your bead on his beak.

Try that Millcreek area in Walla Walla the Army Corp of Engineers have. I've been by there, havent hunted it but I know they release birds there. Probably have quail and maybe Huns too.

--- End quote ---

Our Hotel is close to the Mill Creek release site so I was figuring I might give that a look too.  However, the wdfw info on the specific site is kind of confusing and mentions safety zones?  With the add in of safety zones the huntable area on the map seems to be incredibly small. 

mr user:
Okay, so I went out today for 4 hours at the bennington lake/mill creek site.  I didn't get any birds.  However, I was happy that I was able to flush 1 pheasant but it was a hen  :bash:   it was also pretty and I still had fun! 

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