Pheasant Hunting Thoughts

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Habitat

Dry Land Habitat

Habitat Elements

Tall Grass

Good and Bad Grass Habitat

Special

Collected ideas about pheasant hunting from a good number of long time hunters with years of field experience and several good and bad dogs over the years.

Cone of Vision

For pointing dog owners or those that hunt over them, the common human behavior is to look into the cover immediately to the front of the dog on point when walking in to flush or worse stare straight at the dog's eyes.

The error with this approach is that when the bird flushes, if it flushes in the area immediately in front of the dog the bird will be in and pass through the hunter's narrow cone of vision before the hunter can react and he will then have to catch up with his line of sight.

We have often describe the time lag between flush to that when the hunter must acquire his target and engage as 1 to 1.5 seconds. We have never timed it of course as we are not that sophisticated. However, the time is very limited and any delay on the hunter's part gives the bird that much more opportunity to be at a longer range where the observer-target angle/lead requirement becomes more difficult to accurately assess.

This narrow hunter's cone of vision does not allow for birds that may run out from under point to flush to the side. This narrow vision approach reduces peripheral vision leaving detection of side flush birds to hearing alone. This further delays observer to target acquisition through having to visually seek out what was heard.

An alternative approach is the infinitive sight cone of looking out over the horizon.

With this approach any flushed bird from immediately in front of the pointing dog will be quickly captured by the hunter's eye that combined with hand and arm movement of the shotgun allows for a quicker observer to target acquisition and engagement. Side flush birds will also be observed quicker as the peripheral vision is expanded.

Pin The Bird

A controversial topic of how to approach a dog on point while pheasant hunting as there are many ideas back by the strength of ego more than objective analysis. The assumption for this topic is the majority wins and is supported by pheasant biology.

Pheasant biology that is readily agreed to by the majority of hunters is that a pheasant's survival hierarchy of reaction to threats is to first freeze, second run and third fly. Naturalists and wildlife biologists often refer to any animals reactions in terms of survival reactions are based on minimum energy expenditures the preferred over maximum energy expenditures, hence the freeze, run, fly behavior with flying being high energy consumptive behavior.

What supports this animal behaviorist theory is what many agree to be practical experiences. The first is why we use pheasant hunting pointing dogs is that pheasant will hold for point, or freeze to avoid predator detection. The second practical observation is that pheasant far more run than flush. This is frequently observed on every hunt as demonstrated by relocating points. Third, flying is present frequently after running does not escape the relocating dog or escape avenues are closed due to cover running out or being pined in place by dog and hunter.

That last part leads the understanding of how to approach a dog on point for the highest number of hunter flushed birds immediately up wind from the dog.

With dogs pointing into the wind or bird scent cone the hunter positions himself to walk into the face of the dog starting well out to the front to pin the bird between he and the dog cutting off a running escape route. The bird cornered so to speak is more likely to fly than run allowing for a shorter range shot, less observer to target angle and less lead estimation.

A hunter approaching from the dog downwind to the bird increases the single direction predator pressure on the bird in combination with more run options that may pressure the bird from its freeze to evade to run to evade.

For those that take the occasional guest hunting placing the guests up wind during the hunt allows for their quicker and proper position of walking into the point.

The ideal situations in the previous illustrations have limited application to this cover. Look close there is a dog on pont.

Dog Power

Mid-America Hunting Association exists to provide wild game hunting for Mule and Whitetail Deer; duck and goose; fall and spring turkey as well as for Bobwhite Quail and pheasant hunting for the do it yourself hunter. What we as an organization, meaning the fulltime staff, is not designed for is to train others how to hunt.

We select our members from those with the personal wherewithal and experience to make their own hunt. We also certainly enjoy the contributions of the members/hunters and this article is just such a case where the majority of this entire website is made possible by member contributions. We publish all articles sent to us in their original form without edits or advertiser blurbs. This gives the reader as pure an article as the author has the ability to write.

We also have found over the years to keep the author's anonymous (first name use only) as those who write seem to gain exulted status from some readers that seek out the author for buddy hunts or other unwanted attention. One such case is the hunter that will call up to make a reservation and say he is hunting with so-and-so (meaning a regular contributor to the website) and for us to put him in the same location as so-and-so. What that hunter really wants is to know where so-and-so is hunting/fishing and they move in on that location. That game does not work with us as several of the other games some unscrupulous hunters may attempt. As our Conditions of Membership state in the very beginning the rules exist to manage that 1% that needs more supervision than the honorable hunter. The article authors receive that protection.

Dog power is one of those phrases tossed around with perceived universal acceptance of a lexicon common definition to upland bird hunters. The reality is much different specific to the bird of choice and hunter styles. For this discussion dog power will simply be defined as pheasant finding capability.

Slow working dogs will have more hunter flushed pheasant points than fast moving dogs. The difference being noise pressure on the pheasant that first seeks to freeze in place. A fast moving dog will make more noise and more readily define its position relative to the pheasant allowing the pheasant to feel addional pressure from louder (probably perceived closer) pressure from the dog.

Noise control extends to the beeper vice bell sometimes controversial ego based discussions. The constant din of the bell means increased predator pressure on the pheasant. The bell, an un-natural noise, in a animal hierarchy where all creatures are either predator or prey will likely cause the pheasant to perceive that bell as a threat. Then of course, when the dog is on point, the bell ceases and the hunter is left to find the dog. A difficult task as pheasant prefer thick cover that will easily conceal the dog as well.

The run mode beeper is no different even though the frequency of the sound is less. It remains a constant noise maker in addition of the dog moving through cover that prey animals will always alert to.

Point only mode beepers while lessening the during the run portion of the hunt noise pressure do give point pressure. The value is the delayed point only beeper that begins only after the dog has been quiet for a period seems to be the best option. This choice allows for dog location by the hunter and about the least noise pressure possible during the point in thick cover.

Predator noise pressure continues with the hunter. Those that talk to others or frequently use dog control commands mark their position to the pheasant. Two facets come to play. Consistency of the noise and proximity. Both bring algorithmic pressure, meaning multiplying not cumulative alerting pressure.

Consistent noise provides constant feedback that the predator is approaching or moving away. Proximity is already established in previous discussion. Combine the two and the hunter often tells of being able to see plenty of birds flushing at long range ahead of the hunters rather than speaking of the number of points achieved.

Single hunters or a small group of three or less hunting close together will find more dog action than the slob hunter approach of the pheasant drive. At this point the reader must decide the purpose of his hunt. Is it to pile up large numbers of dead birds or to enjoy the quality of the hunt most notably through the dog's performance. End of this point.

Dog action or birds in the bag.

Which is the priority?

Similarly to the previous hunter number discussion is that more dogs on the ground does not mean more points. The ideal number is one to two dogs. The debate centers on predator pressure within small areas. The more dogs the more noise, the more physical pressure and all combine to make more runners and wild flushes than pointed birds. The next agreement that two close working dogs are likely to cut off any runners from the other dog or hunter. A cutoff runner has the same effect as the the hunter moving into flush as shown in illustrations # 3 and 4. A bird with no perceived running escape will either flush or freeze. A cutoff runner with slow working, close ranging dogs with long standoff is more likely to be pointed with a hunter flush and shot opportunity.

Short ranging dogs working a tighter smaller area at a time are more likely to cross the edges of a scent cone than a fast moving dog that will blow through a weak scent cone or over the bird itself.

The longer the point stand off the more likely the pheasant will freeze in place rather than run or flush. It is all about predator pressure on the pheasant. The longer the stand off of a stationary dog on point the more likely the pheasant will perceive its freeze in place of an unseen noise making animal at a greater distance from it that went silent means the more likely the bird will survive. Hence remain in place allowing a hunter flush shot opportunity.

Lacking a good picture illustrating point stand off while on a pheasant hunt as pheasant cover typically hides the dog we offer this one from a quail hunt of a pointer pointing a covey.

The hunter is right at 6 foot tall and using his height, the position of the dog and the fact the covey has not yet flushed (hunter's gun is at port arms) a judgment to point stand off distance can be estimated.

Tied to the above is the definition of life from the animal behaviorist is defined as an organism that metabolizes energy and reproduces like animals. From the animal kingdom that definition is incomplete. Animal observers include the aspect of survival in the form of fight or flight. In terms of the pheasant survival it is first concealment from detection and then foot or wing flight. The successful precept of point dog hunting is to allow that pheasant to perceive its survival is based on concealment through freeze in place in cover balancing the range from scenting and locating the bird to sufficient standoff to prevent flight.

A topic that remains a mystery to many upland bird hunters and surprised me with this group of hunters that it was even a discussion point let alone a hotly debated one down to being emotional at one point is the discussion of what do dogs point. Plenty has been written that may be summarized into one truth that anyone can test relatively easily to prove the theory that pointing bird dogs point lung scent, not body or foot scent.

The first test is to take a live pheasant and wrap it in a heavy plastic bag save its head. Place that bird in a covered position. Release the bird dog and that bird dog will point.

The second test in the field. Does an experienced bird dog point or retrieve dead birds? Dead birds do not breath but still have a body and foot to leave scent.

A third observation does the pointing bird dog point the ground or air? Body and foot scent is believed to be on the ground such as demonstrated by beagles and tracking hounds. Lung scent is airborne and of less duration. Other wise the better bird dogs would not relocate on point from weak to stronger scent.

A relocating bird dog is one that bridges that gray zone pheasants often occupy between freezing and short run evasion. A dog that can relocate on short distant running pheasant will always give more point-hunter flush opportunities. The real valued point of this discussion is the conditioning of the hunter not to put fixed boxes of behavioral norms on the chaos of nature.

At best we can generalize. The worst case is to say things along the lines that a 6 foot stand off pointing dog on a single pheasant in 4 foot grass on a 10 mph wind day will always get a point with a hunter flush shot opportunity. A lot of hunters desire that certainty and will even talk themselves into bird pattern rules and such much to the entertainment of others. What is real is that certain conditions to include that of dog power enhance or degrade the number of birds pointed to hunter flush or not. Enhancements and degradations are not immutable ideas.

Under our concept we have the principle of fast and short duration harvest or kill of the bird to prevent lingering pain. In pheasant hunting this hardy bird does give us the undesired condition of the wounded runner in spite of our best efforts. The bird dog with the ability to track wounded runners retrieving them to the hunter rounds out the dog power that leads to the most enjoyable pheasant hunting experience.

Every one of our pheasant hunting regions have Bobwhite Quail in varying population densities.

Hunter Performance

Beyond willingness/capability to walk, shooting ability and dog power there does exist a refinement of the hunter's behavior that enhances or degrades the pheasant hunting experience. To that end is the understanding the hunter with the dog power described previously then must understand his role is to guide the dog into the most likely habitat to produce birds.

The hunter's height advantage of seeing over the ground cover that keeps the dogs sensory capability limited to the scenting range of his nose as the maximum collector of information is that to be leveraged. The other part is that hunter needs to have the kind of dog that will hunt with the him and not on his own.

On where to hunt hunters think too much. That is the common perception. The thinking is mostly along organizational lines of studying a problem and then determining followed by execution of the most efficient solution. That male behavioral trait along with the geometric carving out of the central Midwest into square and rectangular property lines often drives a hunter to look at a quarter section of cover and plan a matching geometric walking plan to cover all of it.

Or, the hunter was brought up in his early years that the most effective pheasant hunting technique is to sweep the field as in drives. As an individual hunter he will systematically cover every spot not moving on until convinced every possible hiding spot has been trampled.

The effective do it yourself and by yourself pheasant hunter does neither.

There are some pheasant behaviors that if understood will mean more dog action and those behaviors should guide the hunter where he will walk to place the dog in the most advantageous position to find birds. The basis of these behaviors remains with the survival aspect of the definition of life.

Pheasants always seek cover that means survival. To than end predator pressured pheasants will seek cover that blocks their ground and aerial observation. With this idea the hunter that hunts from no or thin cover to thick cover areas will drive any birds that may be in the thin cover to the thick where they are more likely to hold for point. An example would be a cut milo field next to a tall grass field. Hunting from the cut milo field of less than pheasant desired cover (a great food source) to that of the grass will yield more dog on bird action.

Continuing the thin to thick cover principle applied to the brush filled draw the effective hunter hunts from the point, head or small end of the draw to the larger. Hunting the opposite direction will predator push any pheasants not pointed and running to less and less habitat to the point of no longer providing visual concealment from air and ground leaving the pheasant its final recourse of flight. Part and parcel to this thin to thick principle is that a small percentage of pheasants will hold for point, a larger percentage will run and all will fly out of thin or thinning cover.

Even in large fields of tall prairie grass not all grass is equal. There will be thick and thin areas with some close and farther away from food or crop fields. The same idea applies to hunt the thinner to the thicker grass with the thicker grass closer to crop fields being more likely to produce than the best grass well away from food.

Continuing the behavior aspect of pheasant hunting is the pheasants second of his two primary predator dedication sensors. The first was hearing and sound control described earlier. The second is sight.

Pheasant eyes are high and to the sides of his head to give maximum observation front, side and back and to another direction that of up. The pheasant in most cover will have a large portion of the level or lower ground blocked from his view. The pheasant can see very well what is above him to include on hillsides or top of draws. With this understanding the hunter can make a choice. The first and common choice is to hunt walking along the high ground to give the hunter a good view of his dog, the terrain and any pheasants he may see. This of course allows the pheasant the best view of the hunter.

Turn that around and hunt from low to high ground. Doing so denies the pheasant the opportunity to visually detect the hunter's threat.

And, of course, the common technique of hunting into the wind always applies.

In all cases take a leisurely approach to more fully enjoy the entire day and experience rather than just count birds.

Flush

All birds run or flush away from the greatest perceived threat. The greatest threat is that which is closest, makes the most noise or can be seen the most. All that adds up to the hunter being most guilty on all counts most of the time.

Some other general behaviors. Pheasants along crop edge will flush away from the tree line. In open country they may flush into the wind, but will typically turn to fly with the wind. Those that fly long distance will need to rest as flying is highly energy consumptive for this heavy body bird. Long flying birds that are seen to land will likely hold for point. Short flying birds typically run after landing.

Pheasants do not fly or run in circles as is commonly held. They make quarter arch movements. The cause is their side mounted eyes. One side eye will dominate behavior due to viewed threats or cover. Approach and avoidance behavior results.

Thoughts

This is a take it or leave it article that went well beyond what we though it would.

Kansas tall grass pheasant hunting

North Missouri marginal pheasant range

Iowa pheasant

Bird Dogs

Bird Dogs 2