Here in Wisconsin we typically have quite a bit of snow on the ground in late pheasant season and this year is no exception. Here are some tips to make your next deep snow hunt a success:

1. Hunt the cattails- Pheasants love frozen marshes this time of year. The Cattails bend over with heavy snow but often allow for natural runways under them for pheasants. These wet areas don't receive the early season pressure that your typical cover gets so it's a natural place for pheasants to hang out. It's tough walking but worth it.

2. Make sure to water your dog- When my dog is working hard in the deep snow it's not uncommon for him to eat snow, but snow alone is not enough hydration for a dog running hard in chest deep snow. Make sure to take breaks often and give your dog water.

3. Invest in some good snowshoes- That crust on top of the snow may hold your dog but if your breaking through it, it makes for a very long day of walking. A good pair of snow shoes will allow you to walk right over the deepest of snow just like you’re walking on blacktop. These are also handy for late season dear hunts.

4. Use A Blocker- Pheasants are smart this time of year and will run much earlier than they do in the beginning of the season. Driving pheasants and using a blocker at the end of rows of cover can be very effective in the late season.

What are your late season pheasant hunting tips?

I read a feel good story that made my stomach turn today. The title of the article was: An Unusual Menu Item Is on Its Way to New York Soup Kitchens

The story was written by the "Editorial Board" of the New York Times and the first thing that strikes me as funny is the writer wasn't brave enough to sign their name. Anyway, the article was about how the Governer of New York was shutting down a state run pheasant breading operation and donating all the birds to a soup kitchen. The author went on to say that birds from this operation cost tax payers $100 each and they clipped the wings before releasing the birds into the field (No sources sited)

"In the past, the Reynolds Game Farm near Ithica raised pheasants that were released for bird hunters who could go out to the woods in season and shoot one of nature’s most elegant of winged creatures. (In most cases, these pheasants had their wings clipped, so in reality it was about as sporting as shooting squirrels in Central Park)."

You can read the complete article here:
http://theboard.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/17/an-unusual-menu-item-is-on-its-way-to-new-york-soup-kitchens

I posted a comment but since I don't agree with them it will proabally never get published so I felt like I should rebut the article. Here are my comments on the issue:

If I had to guess I would say you have never been hunting in your life. Many of the states in the US raise and release pheasants for hunters. Were did you get your facts related to the wings of the birds being clipped? I have worked with 100’s of different bird breading operations across the country and none of them clip the birds wings. Hunters want birds that fly. The second point that you completely missed is that most of the money used to support these operations comes from hunters paying a special fee through their license purchase in the form of a pheasant stamp or habitat management fee. The fees collected help not only pay to support the game farms that raise the birds but also help pay to maintain undeveloped wild life areas and habitat restoration for hunters and non-hunters alike to enjoy. Not to mention all the people at the breeding operation that will be loosing their jobs and the revenue generated from hunters purchasing sporting goods, gas, lodging etc for their pheasant hunting trips. If you plan to write a article like this I suggest you check your facts and consider both sides of the coin.

Jon Ballard
http://www.gamebirdhunts.com

What do you think? Should states be cutting their budgets on pheasant breading operations with the economy the way it is currently?

Wisconsin Pheasant Hunting Season Opens Saturday.

Is anyone going? This year pheasant season opener is on the same day as a 2 day deer gun hunt. This T-zone hunt is for does only and is, in my opinion, yet another blunder by the Wisconsin DNR's in their attempt to control the deer population. But that is a good topic for another post. To get back on track here, the T-Zone hunt and pheasant opener are on the same day so if you get out were extra orange and get some orange on your dogs. The public grounds will have hunters on them hunting deer with rifles so be careful!

Here is a link to the 2008 Pheasant Stocking Information for Wisconsin Public Hunting Grounds

Every year I hear about some poor guy who keels over and dies in the field. If you like me that brings two things to mind right away-

1. Lucky SOB. If I go I want to go doing something I love
2. I need to get in shape

I think in our state of Wisconsin (My home state) there are probably more fatalities every year from guys having heart attacks while trying to drag a deer out of the woods then there are from gun shots or falls. So what's a middle age office worker that hunts when he can to do?

Get out and walk! Lets face it most hunting involves a lot of walking anyway. Take your dog and you can both get in shape. I like to walk the areas that I deer hunt or public land when ever I get the chance. The more you are in your hunting grounds the more you get a better idea of the animal patterns.

Walk with your wife. This will build up good will and perhaps a "get out hunting for free pass" once hunting season comes you can remind her of all the time you spent with her in the summer. DON'T TELL HER YOUR PRIMARY OBJECTIVE IS TO GET IN SHAPE FOR HUNTING.

A lot of big game outfitters that I talk to in the Western united states recommend that you spend some time getting in shape for your hunt as well. Besides all the climbing and walking involved in a western big game hunt you are often dealing with higher altitudes and being in shape will make your hunt much more enjoyable.

I hope this motivates you to get out there. This as written as much for me as you so maybe I'll see you on a trail or sidewalk soon! PS- Bring Beer!

Pheasant Hunting Season 07 is just around the corner and I am pretty excited.

My dog is 7 years old this year and I think this may be one of my last big years with him.

Has anyone out there heard any pheasant numbers for the Midwest?

Hillside Springs Pheasant Hunting Trip

This is a short clip from a video of my last pheasant hunting trip to Hillside Springs in Edgerton, WI. The brown dog is my dog Emerson making a good flush in some really thick sorghum.




You can see some more pictures from our trip at:

Our the Pheasant Hunting Picture Gallery on Game Bird Huns:

http://www.gamebirdhunts.com/gallery/gallery.asp?categoryid=22

I fond a cool new feature I just had to try out. It appears that I can post videos on Google Video and then automatically blog about them. Here is one I found while surfing the web. The video isn't great but I think the functionality is pretty cool.

Amature Pheasant hunting video found on the web.