The prime pheasant hunting habitat in the central mid-west is the tall prairie grass. Pheasant hunting this habitat produces the large flock flushes and close bird dog work frequently unseen due to high, thick grass cover. Pheasant hunting this tall grass can be tough as most folks think grass means an easy walk. Tall grass is not an easy stroll. Pheasant hunting this grass for a couple days will make the hunter look forward to chasing quail coveys along the open crop fields edge where walking cut crops is all the easier. The remainder of this page will describe the various qualities of bluestem and that which produces the best pheasant hunting. The intent is to take away some of the mystery for those that have never hunted Kansas, Iowa or Missouri.
This shows why birds may go unseen and the beeper collar as important as any piece of equipment. While the picture above does not show it, this quality of grass must exist in a sizable field. In this case it is a 200 acre field. Smaller size patches of this grass will not proportionally hold birds. Place this grass next to a food source and all the factors exist to allow for a high probability of rooster presence in the highest densities.
Higher grass does not correlate to better cover. Grass can grow well over a hunter's head. Observation is limited and shooting not safe. Furthermore, this grass is spotty in its cover allowing for more quiet ground and aerial predator observation. This grass in general will hold roosters in lesser numbers than the grass above. That does not mean this habitat should be passed up as not being good. The grass at right is Big Bluestem.
This is the quality of grass hunters desire the most. Average holding height, good observation, thick and near a food source. Find this and birds will be there. All the pictures above are from Kansas. This Association has three discrete regions in Kansas that have very huntable ringneck populations. Having three regions allows us the advantage of spreading hunters and reacting to any one region where adverse summer rains may deplete the grass quality. |
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This is the highest quality grass. It is high enough to provide ringnecks with cover protection from aerial predators. It is low enough to allow for hunter observation and safe shooting. It is thick enough to prevent ground predators from quietly stalking the birds. This same thick quality makes the birds more inclined to hold for point rather than run. The picture at right is of Indian Grass.
In this photo observe the large open spaces between spots of good grass cover. This is lesser quality cover. Again this does not mean do not hunt this type of grass, but rather spend more time finding the better grass areas. Your dogs will make quick time finding any birds in this cover and the hunter is best suited to simply walking straight through this quality of cover.
This is the lowest quality grass. It is generally knee high and affords little cover protection. Ringnecks may be found in these fields, but in lower numbers. Dog work is much better as the hunter can easily watch the dogs at work.
