This will be my oldest son's first season upland hunting with me, and I am planning to get him out for the WA youth upland weekend that's coming up here. I would be curious to hear other's experience with this, with a couple of specific questions:
1) Is it better to focus on the pheasant release sites or just hit public land? I am inclined to use the release sites with the thinking that shots on planted birds will be much easier, but conversely if they're all going to be a zoo I think we'd have a better time elsewhere.
2) With how early the season is and how warm it's been I am pretty concerned about snakes. My dog doesn't go after them or anything, but when he's birdy he will totally ignore whatever they're doing potentially to his harm. This might be another reason to stick with the release sites. I will certainly avoid known rattlesnake hotspots / habitat wherever we go.
I will mention we live in the Post Falls area although I could stay with relatives in the Wenatchee area if it would be that much better. A lot more snakes out that way than there here though, seems to me at least.