I got to hunt wild pheasants yesterday

[jabba]

I know... old news for some of you guys but not for us in Indiana.

We got drawn for a lottery hunt on a state managed 120 acre property. 2 bird limit, cocks only. The 5 years average for the managed properties is 1.01 birds per hunter. Allowed to start at 9:00 and be done by 3:00. Three hunters per group.

Well, as my first trip on WILD pheasants, let me say they are WAY different than pen bird.. but I knew that. We had to work for them. Lots of wild flushers.

We got our limit in about 3 hours. 3 miles. And were gone before DNR or the biologists had time to stop in and see us.

The dog was not too good early on, but figured them out about 2 hours into it. And helped us get our 4th 5th and 6th birds in the last half hour. And we had to stop shooting them on the way back to the truck. We could have had a couple more.

I have a few pics I need to get re-sized and I'll post them.

Nice day. I envy you guys that live in pheasant country!

Jabba

[deputydon]

Congrats Jabba !!!! Gald you got to enjoy the hunt. I guess sometimes we tend to take things for granted. Posts like this are good for reminding us how blessed we are when it comes to wildlife and the chance to hunt them. I hope you get to go again.

[jimh]

Jabba i'm with you on this, my first impression of how those wild pheasants took off was "where the hell did it hide that rocket engine?" glad to hear the dog's did good.

[bounce]

Hell DD he got more birds than we will see all year this year, as they do seem tobe wiped out from the heat & drouth around my place. Glad you got a nice hunt jabba

[jimiowa]

Hey Jabba, way to go!
Those wild birds can confuse a good dog(the way they run) till they figure them out and learn how to stop the run. Pen raised birds sit tighter, wild ones may make a quarter mile sprint. It's a credit to the dog to figure them out so quickly!

[Jack]

Sounds like you had a good time, Jabba.
Reminds me of Thee Olden Days when NY state had a good pheasant population.
Great eating, too.

[deputydon]

bounce said:

Hell DD he got more birds than we will see all year this year, as they do seem tobe wiped out from the heat & drouth around my place. Glad you got a nice hunt jabba

Nah Bounce I saw some fly in behind your place one day ......After MLing season I'll concentrate on birds!!!!! ;D ;D ;D