Wild Pheasant hunting tactic #3 for one or two hunters, with or without a dog.

Often us bird hunters find ourself alone hunting for one reason or another.  Usually our day off doesn’t coincide with our hunting partner’s day off or something like that.  Wild pheasant hunting alone can be a bummer or it can be the most exciting hunt of your life!

Since I own several Brittany’s I can pick my favorite for whatever type hunt it will be.  For example, Nubbin’ or Peanut will hunt close when asked as they are very experienced and well trained.  My favorite pheasant hunting dog of all time was my now departed ‘Chief’.  I named him Chief when I was promoted to Chief Petty Officer in 1992 while serving in the Navy and hence the name “Chief’s Brittanys”.

I had read or been told over the course of my life, I can’t remember exactly where I heard it, to hunt pheasant … slow when hunting alone.  Stop often for at least one full minute, particularly if in good cover since the pheasant can’t see you.  The cock pheasant will panic when he no longer hears your direction and will often flush wild.  This is true and works well.

Good folks who know this rule often disobey it especially when hunting with a dog.  They hunt to the dog’s pace instead of making the dog hunt to their pace.  Don’t make this mistake.  A well trained dog can be whoa’ed with a simple hand signal or a quiet verbal ‘whoa’.  When both dog and man stop at the same time this can really spook wild pheasant.  Just another good reason to teach a dog to hunt close and to know the command ‘whoa’ by hand signals.

I like to walk in a zig-zag pattern alternately stopping on the zig then the zag.  I’ve had wild cock pheasant actually flush right at me because they last heard the direction of the dog instead of me.  Fun and exciting!  This is when it does not matter whether the dog is a pointer or a flusher as good command over your dog is imperative no matter the manner in which the dog hunts.

Open field hunting, with dogs or not, such as corn stubble / milo stubble / wheat stubble / etc. is usually tough and not as productive when hunting alone.  The birds can see you and they typically put a great deal of distance between you and them.  So focus on areas with good cover adjacent to grain fields.  This is a must!

One thing you will notice when hunting wild pheasant is that the hens tend to hold tight and flush close much like the bobwhite quail.  Cocks are much less likely to hold and will put some distance between you and themselves quickly.  Be aware of this.  Make sure you are shooting a cock instead of a hen!  That is an awful feeling to have accidentally shot a hen.  You have robbed the area of a potential nest next year.

Sometimes cocks will hold but not usually!  Often the cock will flush beyond your gun range which is why you must be patient.  Work quietly and deliberately.  If you must, keep a ‘count’ in your head as to how long you are walking and how long you are stopped.

There is no mistaking the sight of a cock.  The ringneck is clearly visible for hundreds of yards.  Don’t take a chance on a bird that could be a cock but is so young that it has not developed the tell tale ‘ring’.

If the birds have had a lot of pressure the dumb ones are gone and the wily ones will typically flush out of typical range. 

When late season hunting I like the full choke and high brass 5’s if forced to shoot a one holer.  Of course I never shoot a one holer for any upland bird.  I prefer the aesthetics, nimble feel and nostalgia of the two holer.

If shooting an over/under or side/side I like the high brass 6 shell on bottom as my number one barrel (the first to fire) and the high brass 5’s for my top barrel (second to fire).  Usually modified on the bottom and full choke on the top.  This way the close flushing bird can be shot with less of a load and less dense pattern thus less destruction to the carcass and the second load (top barrel) can reach out and get that second cock that has already put some distance between you or maybe to use it as a follow-up on the bird you just missed or crippled.

Guess that’s it for tonight.

Take a kid hunting and secure our future!

Dave