# Coming down to do some pheasant hunting



## Chris Benson (Apr 3, 2004)

It looks as though I am coming down to do some pheasant hunting next month from Dec 6th - 9th. I basically am tagging along with other guys who have come down before. So they know all the spots and we got a place to stay. I have never hunted phesant before, so if you have any tips you would like to pass on that would be great!

Also,

I was just wondering what the pheasant numbers are like this year? I bought a Columbia Brairshun jacket, which has some blaze orange.
(http://tinyurl.com/yjw9vk)

Are you required to wear blaze orange while phesant hunting? Do phesants see in colour to make this a difference?

How cold does it get in ND at this time? I would guess we would be in the southern part of the state.

Is there a ND Phesant Forever Chapter that I can send a donation to when I get back or should I just a donation to the national chapter? I have never joinned or sent PF a donation before.


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

Chris Benson said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> It looks as though I am coming down to do some pheasant hunting next month from Dec 6th - 9th. I basically am tagging along with other guys who have come down before. So they know all the spots and we got a place to stay. I have never hunted phesant before, so if you have any tips you would like to pass on that would be great!
> 
> ...


Hi Chris!

Whoa that's a load of q's in one post! 

Tips... let's see... shoot straight and fast, and make the first shot count. If the bird busts out really close under your feet let it get out 15-20 yards so your shot pattern has a chance to spread out. If they get up wild and are moving fast, remember to have a good lead.... don't focus on the tail, as often first time pheasant hunters don't pull out far enough to shoot for the body and hit the rear of the bird or just plain miss. Ohh... if the bird is going straight away from you, make sure you aim just a tad high, as they tend to rise up very quickly moreso than other upland. Many guys end up shooting the tail as it is bobbing around right in front of your nose. That late in the year you'll want to be using 3 or 3 1/2 inch shells in Hi Power#2 or #3 shot, as many shots will be wilder birds and longer shots especially if the snow is loud/cruchy and they are running/jumping up further ahead of you.

Pheasant numbers are good all over. You'll have no problems if you have a secured place, and are willing to put some miles on.

Pheasants are color blind. There is no absolute law to wear orange, however it is always a good practice in thicker cover. I looked at that jacket and it looks decent! However if I were to offer a bit more advice, I'd tell you to go into any sporting good dealer and purchase a cheap $20 orange hooded hunting jacket at one of the outlet stores. Buy one that is 2 sizes bigger than the jacket you pictured and use it as your outermost layer overtop of the jacket you mention. It will be a good extra layer, be cheap, and be that extra bright orange that is even better than what you have.

Here is a link: http://tinyurl.com/ydu56p

By that time, ND will be very very cold. Think middle of winter in Canada cold, as the temps are similar to where you are from. Lows in the teens below zero at night, and highs in the 10-20's, maybe a scattered fresh sunny day in the low 30's if you're lucky (Fahrenheit)

As far as PF chapters, the rest of the guys can hook you up there... there are many to choose from, and it all depends on how local you want to donate. Send me a PM for where you are going, and I'll give you some local ideas/addresses.

Have fun!

Ryan


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## Chris Benson (Apr 3, 2004)

Awesome, thanks form the tips Ryan !

I will be bringing
lead 2 3/4 #5 or #4 shot
Tungsten/Matrix 2 3/4 1 3/8 #5 
Tungsten/Matriz 3" 1 1/2 #3
as well as some 3" 1 1/8 #1 or 3

are these good loads to bring?

Basically these are just left over loads from the duck season. Will these be ok?


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

Chris Benson said:


> Awesome, thanks form the tips Ryan !
> 
> I will be bringing
> lead 2 3/4 #5 or #4 shot
> ...


All those shells will work, however later in the season it's always advisable to use the latter..

Tungsten/Matriz 3" 1 1/2 #3
as well as some 3" 1 1/8 #1 or 3 are your best bets from what you have.

Later in the season, the more powder the better, so the best of all of them is the 3" 1 1/2's in #3.

Good Luck

Ryan


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Chris, after your trip give us a report please. It's not like duck hunting. If you get into them you'll be hooked. There is nothing in bird hunting like a rooster launching up screaming bloody murder with sun shine glowing on his feathers. This will happen when you are in midstep looking the other way at the hen that flushed first.


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## wiskodie1 (Sep 11, 2006)

Hi
Just figured I would pass this bit of info along, this year has been VERY dry all the cattail ponds are dry as a bone and the CRP grass is short Dry or mowed. We haven't seen a lot of birds in CRP yet this year, don't get me wrong there are a lot of birds this year but they all seem to be hiding in the cattails at least that's how it is on the SE side of the state, makes for tough hunting, with any luck you have a dog or 2 in the group. Any big bruiser that likes mowing cattails will be a huge help this year. LOL I got a Pointer and she hates cattails!!! So getting the birds out of them for us has been hard this year. Best way I have seen to flush cattails, is to walk a little way into them and then stop for about 15-20 seconds, then walk 10 more feet and stop again. Makes pounding cattails take longer but at least you get lots of time to rest while doing it  stopping freaks out the birds and they will be more likely to jump then to run, if you don't stop chances are they will hold and you will walk right past them.

Good luck
Happy hunting
:beer:


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## indsport (Aug 29, 2003)

It is not required to wear blaze orange, but sure helps. Having a dog is worth every dollar spent on dog food. Our labradors love the cattail hunting. Just yesterday, I went through a piece of PLOTS land immediately after a group of hunters went through with their britannies and german short hair pointers. They got a couple of birds out of the grass. My lab went into the cattail and we finished out with 3 roosters in a little over 20 minutes and she flushed over 30 roosters just in a small part of the quarter section. Needless to say, the other hunting group watching from the other side of the section were astounded. BTW, I know from hunting the same area that the PLOTS land is hunted almost every day since the opener and there are still a ton of birds out there. Also saw a 5 x 5 buck and 3 does just while walking back to the truck.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Pheasants are not color blind, most birds see color very well which is why they have brightly colored plumage.

Orange is still a good idea if you hunt with other folks in a group


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## Chris Benson (Apr 3, 2004)

The three inch shells I mentioned are steel loads. I picked up some 2 3/4 1 1/8 #5 and 6's as this is all Walmart had and I really had to send in my firearm/ammo registry. Maybe I'll just bring more Tungsten Matrix.

The guys I'm going down with are all own dogs and are part of a local dog club, so I think we are going to have around 6 dogs.

Even I shoot one nice rooster, I'll be happy. Never hunted phesants before and don't get to do any hunting up here in December. So that will be a treat in it's self. Hopefully though I'll be able to bring a few birds back for Christmas and New Years dinner!

Thanks for all the help guys! It's all very helpful!

Chris


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## Canuck (Nov 10, 2004)

Be sure to let us know how your trip was. I invited a buddy down this year who had never hunted upland birds before. Like Dick said, the first crowing rooster that got up at his feet, flustered him so much that he did not even get the gun too his shoulder before the bird was long gone. Might have had something to do with the fact that the bird got up out of very sparse grass that my lab had to make several trips through before the rooster exploded up. He was just starting to ask what my dog was doing going crazy when there was obviously no bird there. All he could say was " So that's a rooster pheasant!!" Have fun, hunt safe.
:beer:


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## Hollywood (Jan 22, 2006)

Just got back from our 11/7- 9 pheasant hunt in Sodak- WE HAD A BALL. 14 guys in our group limited each day out. I'll bet we saw over 2000 pheasant. I've never seen any other pheasant hunting that even comes close to what you guys have there- I hope to get out again!


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## wiskodie1 (Sep 11, 2006)

WOW thats alot of birds!!!  LOL 
nice going, glad you enjoyed it, come bake anytime 
:beer:


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## Chris Benson (Apr 3, 2004)

Wow, that's alot of birds! I'll be happy if we get into a fraction of that many.

I think we will be hunting in the central part of the state, what's the snow level like? I would assume that like up here there is very little snow.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

No snow anywhere in ND as of now.


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