I've been trying for the last couple of years, after the waterbird season ends, to get a pheasant.
This included walking ... 36km (measured by fitbit!)around one of the coastal forests near Whanganui last weekend.
I saw several, heard one in the distance, actively hunted 3, but didn't get a shot away.
I *think* my dog can scent them, she certainly responds to their calls, but so far, I am getting a lot of exercise carrying a shotgun. Honestly, I am not sure what part the shotgun plays in the process!
Any hot tips for a newbie?
There's a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an id10t. (Steven Wright)
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Snuffit
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Re: 'It's still Pheasant season up here' - a brief montage Reply #8 - Jul 26th, 2018 at 5:14am
Pheasants love sunshine. With the recent freezing cold mornings it pays to find north facing sunny areas where they hang out, esp if there's food nearby. Trouble with frosty mornings is they generally mean still clear days so the b*ggers can hear you coming easily. So if you can choose a day, a nice gentle breeze is helpful to carry scent and cover up sound. I *try* to stay quiet as I can but my dog is trained by me so sometimes needs a few encouraging words to do what I want her to. I've had some success on rainy days by hunting near ground cover. Apparently they don't like water dripping on them, no one does really. Hope that's helpful.
Pheasants love sunshine. With the recent freezing cold mornings it pays to find north facing sunny areas where they hang out, esp if there's food nearby. Trouble with frosty mornings is they generally mean still clear days so the b*ggers can hear you coming easily. So if you can choose a day, a nice gentle breeze is helpful to carry scent and cover up sound. I *try* to stay quiet as I can but my dog is trained by me so sometimes needs a few encouraging words to do what I want her to. I've had some success on rainy days by hunting near ground cover. Apparently they don't like water dripping on them, no one does really. Hope that's helpful.
Yep, it sure is!
I'll let you know how I get on in a couple of weeks when I go out next.
There's a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an id10t. (Steven Wright)
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willy2
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Re: 'It's still Pheasant season up here' - a brief montage Reply #10 - Jul 31st, 2018 at 8:01am
Pheasants love sunshine. With the recent freezing cold mornings it pays to find north facing sunny areas where they hang out, esp if there's food nearby. Trouble with frosty mornings is they generally mean still clear days so the b*ggers can hear you coming easily. So if you can choose a day, a nice gentle breeze is helpful to carry scent and cover up sound. I *try* to stay quiet as I can but my dog is trained by me so sometimes needs a few encouraging words to do what I want her to. I've had some success on rainy days by hunting near ground cover. Apparently they don't like water dripping on them, no one does really. Hope that's helpful.
Yep, it sure is!
I'll let you know how I get on in a couple of weeks when I go out next.
keep trying i have seen guys walk like steam trains at full steam and i mean that its quite amassing to watch some people field chasing pheasant , i think its mostly they are trying to keep up with there half trained dog keep your dog in close even if you have to put a long 15 to 25 meter rope on them seen to meany people with dogs running out wide to ever be bothered being on the ball when thats happening
me im i wander along working the ground if i come across a bit of good looking cover i will quickly get into the best possible shooting spot usually holding the gun up ,
get into and work some of the thicker cover and push in can work this late in the season but not going flat out fast and pushing birds hard look , think , work the corners, stopping and just standing for a moment can upset birds and make them jump when working some areas work to the limits of the area like go as far as you can
also can if u see a bird on the ground walking of in the distance stop and let him settle in some cover then do some quite slow stalking if hes not pushed he may sit but the opposite is true to moving quickly up on him may produce the goods , im old so the slow approach is my option 47 years i have been looking at roosters i even got a few love roosters
work the ground with positive moves its all foot work with jumping roosters but not overly fast stop ever now and then try not to make to much noise keep your dog close wide ranging dogs usually push birds up well out of range be ready for the flush if using a double for your shooting its ok to keep the gun open with rooster a double really does come into there own what ever u do, play safe and be ready
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Re: 'It's still Pheasant season up here' - a brief montage Reply #11 - Jul 31st, 2018 at 8:17am
I had a rural property a bit north of Katikati for 17 years - never lived there - sold it in January - I created a safe haven for birdlife, the Pheasant and Quail prospered. I only hunted with a camera and have countless shots of Pheasants - I knew where to find them and what time of the day to expect them to leave their cover - the roosters would call all day from up in the bush but this time of the year they would come out about 3.30 to 4.00 - generally a few hens first and then the roosters. The most prolific place to see them was in patches of willow weed - they would scratch around for months on end. They also came out on the house site - every day. So go find yourself some willow weed - that’s where they will be.
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Re: 'It's still Pheasant season up here' - a brief montage Reply #13 - Jul 31st, 2018 at 11:31pm