Pheasant Hunting

[stobes21]

I'm heading to South Dakota for a guided pheasant hunting trip this coming weekend. It'll be my first time hunting pheasants. Any tips, suggestions, pictures, stories, etc?

[gaseousclay]

I've never gone hunting so I have no tips or suggestions other than to have fun. what kind of shotgun will you be using? Pump? O/U? 12ga? 20ga? I'd love to try pheasant hunting sometime but it's all a pipedream right now. by the way, is your guided hunt pretty expensive?

[bkfist]

I'm heading to South Dakota for a guided pheasant hunting trip this coming weekend. It'll be my first time hunting pheasants. Any tips, suggestions, pictures, stories, etc?

Can't say I've ever been on a guided hunt... Have you practiced recently shooting some clay pidgins? If not, I suggest trying to get some practice in... Practice on clays really REALLY translates well into real results for pheasants. Also, never shoot a pheasant on the ground that hasn't taken flight - considered very poor sportsmanship... Sometimes pheasants like to run away instead of fly, especially if the weather is poor. Around here you'd be looked pretty poorly upon for shooting one on the ground... If uncertain, actually ask the guide about that. The 4 main points, though, in order of importance are:

1. If there is a dog involved, don't shoot the dog! (Shoot the dog, and the guide will probably shoot you, making #2 moot.)
2. Don't shoot yourself.
3. Don't shoot the guide.
4. Have fun and good luck!

[inspiringK]

I'm heading to South Dakota for a guided pheasant hunting trip this coming weekend. It'll be my first time hunting pheasants. Any tips, suggestions, pictures, stories, etc?

Yeah, if Dick Cheney invited you, don't go!

Shooting some clay pidgeons first really is a great idea. Also, and this may sound stupid right now, don't forget to aim. When you get in the moment you may start to think that you don't even have enough time to pull the trigger - you actually have enough time to pull off a controlled shot with a fair amount of aim, so don't rush it too much.

[stobes21]

gaseousclay: I'm not sure what gun I'll be using. I'm flying up there so I decided to use one of the lodge guns rather than take my own. They have Beretta semi autos and over/unders, so I'll use one of those. I hope to get in early enough the day before that I can borrow one of each type and shoot a round of sporting clays to get a feel for which I like better. I'm leaning towards a 20ga since it should be lighter and easier to carry than a 12. And yes, it is an expensive trip. But I'm doing it through a very nice lodge and the cost includes accommodations, high end food, alcohol (after shooting of course), guns & ammo, and all of that. I would guess that you could do a guided hunt on public land with a private guide for a pretty reasonable price.

bkfist: Thanks for the tips. I shoot skeet pretty regularly and occasionally shoot sporting clays. So while I'm sure I will miss a number of what should be easy shots I'm at least familiar with shotgun shooting. Hopefully I won't embarrass myself too badly. We will be hunting over dogs and I can assure you I will be very careful around them. I'm a dog guy and have actually done some hunt training with my own dog so one of the things I'm really looking forward to is seeing how the dogs work the field and how the guides work with them.

[Hammertime1]

Find out type of cover you will be hunting and If chaps are a good idea. Some places in North and South Dakota can be pretty rough country. I have done a lot of pheasant hunting in south western ND. One of our spots is dead on the border. Turtle Skinz make some of the best chaps I have ever seen. 10 years out of mine with pheasant hunting almost every single day of our season, hunting trips to Dakotas and Nebraska every year along with some early season private club hunts. My favorite Dakota loads Winchester supreme 1 1/4 #5's at 1400fps, federal premium wing shock 5 and 6 1 3/8 copper plated max dram at 1500 fps with federal being my my all time fav loads it just drops em hard! For birds popping up at super long ranges on windy days they usally
Get nailed with 1 3/8 turkey load max dram. I like a fast load for wild birds for pen raised just about any 5.00 box of ammo has worked fine for me or my trap reloads agin with budget in mind. Some of the preserves in Dakotas are required to release birds so you may be hunting both or alot of pen reared birds. Find out before buying ammo because pen reared birds will get destroyed with the loads I recomdeded. We strictly use them on wild birds only. We call them are Dakota loads. Before I had kids we were ordering the federal and Winchester by the cases. A good comfortable pair of waterproof boots can make or break a trip. My
Hunting partner turned me onto the portable peet boot dryers years ago and I never gone on a trip without one since. Get ready for seeing lots of birds, lots of shooting, a sore shoulder and hopefully seeing some good dog work. I haven't been back since I got hurt 3 years ago and definately missing getting out that way. Heopfully next year I will be Dakota bound again the dogs are getting anxious being couped up. Enjoy and take lots of pictures the amount of birds can be surreal at times. Check the weather and bring appropriate clothing. 60mph winds out there is nothing it's always windy. Its tough country. the weather out there can be extreme. Last time I was up there they had ice on the lakes and they day we showed up it damn near hit 100 degrees and stayed in the 90's the whole week. Enjoy!!!!

[Jim]

I used to do quite a bit of pheasant hunting, and one trick I picked up over the years is, when your bird flushes they tend to jump straight up, level off then start to fly forward.

Its hard to describe but if you swing through the bird on the way up and get your barrel over and in front of the bird there is a few seconds of "hang time" and you can take them at that point.

Have a great trip and please take some photos!

[Devilpup]

Be sure to lead them, and if your planning on using them for eating then I'd go with the 20 (so many less pellets to eat). I had one chance to go on a guided elk hunt in colorado with my then girlfriend's dad, I've always regretted not going. Good luck and have fun.

[bluewing]

Hi,

Yes, enjoy your hunt! As an old ditch chicken shooter, I tell new shooters to be patient on a flush. A flushed bird often seem like the sound of doom and can be quite flustering to new hunters. Particularly when shooting over flushers like my Springers. But you will mostly likely be hunting over Pointers. So you will get to prepare for the shot a bit better.

A light weight 20ga is a good choice for pheasants. You will carry the gun more than you will shoot it. My favorite pheasant gun is a 6lbs. 20ga. O/U. Followed closely by a 6 3/4lbs SxS 12ga muzzle-loading shotgun. They will have shells to use, but if given a choice, I prefer #5's or #6's in lead and #2's if steel is required. Wild roosters are every bit as hard to kill as a Mallard duck. And can run for a long time if only wounded. Stick to open chokes as the shots will mostly range from 15 to 30 yards with pointers.

Bird numbers are generally down across the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Iowa. We had a hard winter and a cold wet spring. And the hunters I have talked directly to say there are still birds to be had in South Dakota, but not in the usual numbers. So expect to do a bit more walking to find your birds.

Bluewing

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

The hunters at my resort have been getting skunked on public land. If they see birds they are flying 60+ yards out or more. They have been having good luck at a couple of preserves. I don't know what we are charging them for guide service... my resort is outside of Clear Lake, SD and I'd put money on you being closer to Pierre or Aberdeen. Bundle up- Its getting colder!

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

Grew up hunting pheasants in Iowa, good time. Don’t pull a “Cheny” and shoot anybody else with you - always a good thing. When those birds take off you will hear them. Quail are much quieter flushing but the whole covey flushes whereas a pheasant is often alone.

[_JP_]

For us, hitting pheasants is like shooting at a flying barn door. We start out the hunting season dove hunting and kicking the marshes for rail and snipe. The woodcock season starts up. By the time pheasant season rolls around, we have hundreds of shots at smaller, trickier birds. So when we flush pheasants they are easy to hit. Especially if we keep in mind what Jim described earlier.

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

For us, hitting pheasants is like shooting at a flying barn door.

VERY true - they aren’t fast moving as they leave the ground and make for a large target. If you want a challenge, leave the shotgun at home and bring a rifle.

[Ron991]

Bring extra clothing. Can't wear if you don't have. Sounds like you will be hunting with experienced hunters. There you have your best teachers. Lead your bird, and be faster than they are. At all times think SAFETY, when possibly crossing RR tracks, gully's, fences, and so forth. The most important thing to do is have fun.

Pheasants are mighty tasty. Good luck.

[bkfist]

Bring extra clothing. Can't wear if you don't have. Sounds like you will be hunting with experienced hunters. There you have your best teachers. Lead your bird, and be faster than they are. At all times think SAFETY, when possibly crossing RR tracks, gully's, fences, and so forth. The most important thing to do is have fun.

Pheasants are mighty tasty. Good luck.

Crossing an apparently "empty" grass field isn't necessarily all it's cracked up to be either... I can remember walking through a field out in the middle of no-where, not too far from some RR tracks, gun barrel pointed down, hand outside the trigger guard... Just looking ahead and all off a sudden I thought I'd been shot... Almost pissed myself... Why some idiot put an electric fence going out through no-where, I have absolutely NO idea! LOL

[plpenn]

The only birds I have gone after are dove. I did shoot a turkey once but you wouldn't beleive the story if I told you! Have fun and be careful. From your post I think everything else will come to you...

[Acmemfg]

Be sure to try each of the potential Berettas you will be using. Both have weird idiosyncrasies, especially the O/U. I previously owned a Beretta BL3 O/U, nice shotgun except...
the safety automatically reset after each shot. Hence, fire round one...you had to release the safety a SECOND time before firing the other chamber if necessary. Not conducive to quick follow up shots. FYI..Brownings do not exhibit this design malady. The shell carrier on the 391/3901 series has also been documented as a tad problematic (I have a 3901 and over the years I've done what is necessary to make it work for me). Depending on how serious you may be about all of this, here is some data that might be well worth $20 http://randywakeman.com/HopeForBeretta391Lovers.htm

Or...take your shotgun along. It really is not that big a hassle on airlines anymore

[Blue Raccoon]

IMHO, if you are hunting wild birds for the first time you should go with a auto in 12ga. unless you are confident you will be able to get fairly close (under 30 yards) head shots with the 20 you will just wound them and wear out the dogs chasing them down.

[_JP_]

IMHO, if you are hunting wild birds for the first time you should go with a auto in 12ga. unless you are confident you will be able to get fairly close (under 30 yards) head shots with the 20 you will just wound them and wear out the dogs chasing them down.

Head shots? I learned how to hunt pheasants using a 20 pump action. And figured out pretty quick to give my hand loaded shot shells all the powder and shot they could hold. I even goose hunt with that gun.

[ctr]

Go with the 20ga - lighter and easier to carry. It will pay off in less fatigue, and less missed birds at the end of the day when folks tend to get tired.

Have fun, know where the other guns and guides are at all times, and don't shoot the dogs. Enjoy your trip!