Pheasant Hunting

[beast556]

Any one do any pheasant hunting in north eastern Colorado??? I want to try and go pheasant hunting this season, I have only been dove hunting once before. Do I just need to get a small game licenes and thats it? If any one is going to go out this comeing season and wants some company please let me know. Also if anyone wants to point me in the right derection, give any info, or tips, I'm all ears. Any knowledge any one wants to share with me would be greatly appriciated.

[sniper7]

Dig through some of the threads on here about pheasants. Having a dog is not necessary but increases chances dramatically if they are any good.

Last year was near terrible. Crazy dry means not many birds due to no cover no water etc.

We need plenty of moisture this year for it to even be decent hunting.

Be prepared to walk a ton!

[CO Hugh]

I have gone a few times, including private land in Burlington, as well as several friends. Colorado not so good, people recommend Kansas.

Critical to have a dog, we have not used one, and are lucky to flush a bird or two a person a day. My friend says you need a horse to elk hunt, and a dog for pheasants, no truer words ever spoken.

Goodland Kansas is about an hour past Burlington, I have never hunted there but I hear they get 2-3 birds a person a day.

Many recommend #5 shot.

[Rabid]

Not having a dog does make for a slow day but at least your still out hunting. I do not Pheasant hunt all that often because it is hard for me to get someone with a dog or to get a group of people to go. Without a dog you need more people to stop the birds from running around and get them to flush. Some of the state trust lands leave rows of crops for you to walk. Make a plan with your group to get the best chances i.e. if you walk a row have 2 people go to the other side and walk towards you with one on either side of the row and you do the same with someone else meeting in the middle. Because you have to work as a team without a dog and people get tunnel vision when a bird flushes safety has to be a top concern, wear orange and make a mental note where everyone is. Go within the first few days of the season when the birds are not as nervous for a better chance of getting them to flush close.

[TRnCO]

Just a bad time to get into pheasant hunting in Colo. since the drought is really taking a toll on the bird numbers. Same in western KS. But if ya gotta go, I'd suggest waiting until a good snow falls. Nothing better at stopping the running bandits from running so much. And the snow makes finding them a lot easier, especially without a dog. If I had a choice of opening weekend or late season with snow, I'd go late season. Small game license is all you need.

[Jamnanc]

I go at least seven times a year. My second daughter may be getting a license this year. I spend a lot of time near Yuma. What has been even harder on the state walk in lands than the drought has been eliminating the twenty dollar fee. Send a pm if you want to go this fall. Pheasant hunting is the more the merrier.

[shrapnel]

I did pretty good last year on the walk in properties considering it was my first year going for pheasant. Out of four trips i managed four roosters. No dog. I did meet a landowner that had several properties in the area and he put me on the hot spots. He also gave me some great dove and rabbit locations. Pays off to really scout these walk in fields out. A tactic i was told hunting without a dog seemed to work for me. Walk the edges of food and cover. Stop frequently and change directions often. Confuses the birds holding tight. Every one flushed within ten feet of me I bet. What a rush. Found some nice whitetail sheds too so that was cool.

[Trout Hunter]

Not having a dog does make for a slow day but at least your still out hunting. I do not Pheasant hunt all that often because it is hard for me to get someone with a dog or to get a group of people to go. Without a dog you need more people to stop the birds from running around and get them to flush. Some of the state trust lands leave rows of crops for you to walk. Make a plan with your group to get the best chances i.e. if you walk a row have 2 people go to the other side and walk towards you with one on either side of the row and you do the same with someone else meeting in the middle. Because you have to work as a team without a dog and people get tunnel vision when a bird flushes safety has to be a top concern, wear orange and make a mental note where everyone is. Go within the first few days of the season when the birds are not as nervous for a better chance of getting them to flush close.

We hunt with Dogs when we go to South Dakota each year and we don't use them to flush the majority of the time they are retrievers only. If you're going to use the method above more people the merrier. We usually try to have 5-8 hunters. We will take a wind row of trees. Put 1-2 guys on the end blocking. Then we will drive out wide to the other end and put a blocker on each side of the row about 25-30 yards out to the side of it and the same ahead of the 1-2 guys going down the middle of the row. Another tactic to keep in mind is to push into the wind. Makes it harder for the birds to get up and moving which you will appreciate since they can get up and cruise pretty quick. For Shot we all shoot the kent fast lead. 2 3/4 #5 shot. Think its pushing 1400FPS and it hits very hard.

Heres a couple of Pics from trips chasing cock.

[beast556]

Thank you guys for all the replys and info. I will be in touch with you guys in the fall and hopefully we can get a hunt togather and get some birds. thanks again guys.

[SamuraiCO]

I will hunt cover first thing in am. If I find cover next to food then all the better. I will hunt the transition zone then food plot. Food plots in the afternoon or transition zone. Back to cover in pm especially if food plots nearby. Or will look for really thick draws for quail. If weather bad more deep cover in pm that is close to food. Birds will duck in to feed but will go back to deep cover to ride out weather. If weather is mild they will spend all day in feed.

Drought has hurt CO but it gets better. CO is good that they get food plots to and from what I have hunted good cover. CO just has problems with enough winter cover and cooperation with farmers and other land owners to help with the process. Too much fence to fence planting, planting corners in their circle irrigated fields instead of leaving natural cover, cutting down grass in the ditches too early that disrupts nesting, again not enough winter cover to keep the numbers from year to year and general lack of apathy. It still gets better every year. Early season especially opening weekend, too many hunters chasing too few fields. Scout out hunting areas ahead of time and get some in mind and beeeline to your best fields and hope you are first. It thins out later in the season and late hunting with snow is really good but tuff on you and your dogs.

Kansas has had multiple wammies with drought and some tuff spring storms with hail in the last few years. Their numbers have dropped off and is more spotty than consistent as it has been in years past. They have very good cooperation with land owners for hunting crop fields after harvest so more choices. They also have more draws and quail habitat to mix things up.

My friends have spent last few years in Nebraska. Numbers have been very good and they are getting better with their land cooperation and allowing for hunting on harvested fields.

Worst thing with last couple of trips is the possibility of bed bugs in the hotels. Gets worse every year and I am almost to the point of getting a camper. While they are good about dogs I just don't want to bring home the critters.