# Flocked up and Smart



## Brad Anderson (Apr 1, 2002)

Birds have really gotten smart. Walked a tree row yesterday that had birds in it on the second round. It was one of those tree rows that you get to the end, and then have no choice but to walk it back again. Anyhow, first round chased like 30 pheasants out, most being hens. At the end we turned around and proceeded to walk it back. Second round we chased like 2 hens and 3 roosters out. With so much scent in a little area the dog must've walked by them the first time. It seemed that there were more hens this year than normal?? Not a big deal but just an observation. People posting is also a good idea at the present. Saw 2 sets of big rooster tracks running ahead of us, across the road and into posted land. I love posting, or Traditional English hunting as I call it. I saw a show once where Ted Nugent shot like 30 pheasants posting. They where apparently chasing a bunch of brush, and had ted stand at the end. HE was shooting both hens and roosters, must've been on a game farm. Yeah, he is a respectable shot. HE didn't miss to many, at least while the camera was running.


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

Now that there isn't much waterfowl hunting to be had I think I might try my hand at some rooster shootin'. One thing about more hens is that it just means more roosters next year...barring a harsh winter and they all die. :roll:

I think Uncle Ted is a stooge. All he does is hunt from game farms. He even has his own game farm on his property so he can go shoot buffalo and weird exotics...and he does a TON of hunting in Texas. It's real tough shooting deer over a timed feeder. I think he can be funny at times but is more or less just another rich guy that goes out and shoots and thinks he's a big hunter.


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

We've been having an awesome year for pheasants. A little trick I've been doing is seeing birds in the short cover or tree rows. We've just stopped well short of them and made em' nervous. They usually will fly to the nearest cattails or heavy cover. Then we walk that. Seems like they will hold good for the dog then. Learned this trick last year after watching rooster after rooster flush out ahead. It works well if you have birds in stubble along tree rows too. Just a tip that works for us.

Joneser,I second the Nuge thing. :eyeroll:


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## ecd (Nov 3, 2003)

I was out on Tuesday after the fresh snow and bagged a couple roosters with a coworker. We flushed several birds out of the cattail slough, mostly hens. The roosters were holding tight and were the last to fly. One rooster got up 5 feet from my buddy as he was bending down to pick up a downed rooster that flew back behind up where we had just walked. It is fun to see the tracks in the fresh snow and see how the birds move around.

As far as Ted goes. I agree that he can be a little crazy and probably only hunts on game preserves, but he is pretty well known spokesman for hunting and hunters. I'm glad that he is a hunter and tells all the anti's where to stick it!


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

I JUST BAGGED 30 EXAMPLES OF THE PUREST PROTEIN THAT MY FAMILY WILL SURVIVE OFF OF FOR WEEKS! NOW *THAT'S* THE SPIRIT OF THE WILD!!! (NEVERMIND I WAS KILLING *HENS* TOO!!!)

Yeah, the Motor City Madman is a bit wacky.

I really am encouraged when someone complains that they see so many hens. They are the acorns of good pheasant hunting. If we have soooo many right now, imagine if the winter is kind to them? The numbers of roosters (and hens) next fall will be great (so long as spring is kind to them too!)

Until then...I'll be cheering on global warming!


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## Brad Anderson (Apr 1, 2002)

I wasn't complaining about the number of hens, just stating an observation. Every year as the season progresses, there are fewer and fewer roosters. This is understandable since roosters have been shot at since the season opened. This year was different. In the beginning there seemed to be a lot of hens right away. It wasn't the usual 1/2 and 1/2, or even close. Seemed like flocks of 20-30 hens with no roosters was common. I know in the early part of the season, roosters and hens sometimes don't flock up together. But like I said there was an extremely high number of hens. Everybody knows hens are good. I enjoy watching them flush from cover, even though you cannot shoot them.


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

Brad,

Sorry, I didn't mean you in particular, but I have friends who complain. I just take those complaints as good news. And you are dead on about the flush. It really doesn't matter if it is a rooster or a hen that pops up...it still scares the bijeezus outta me!


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## Brad Anderson (Apr 1, 2002)

With cold weather on the way, pheasants will be back in late season mode. I prefer hunting them in ones and twos, but huge flocks are good too. It seems that when they are in huge flocks, they flush farther ahead. Either way "it is always a good day in the field".


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