The Perfect Pheasant: What Is the Best Time to Hunt Pheasant?

There are of pheasants out there trying to live their lives and hide from the next hunt. They’re clever, small, and fast; and they have one thing on their mind: survive and multiply. 

How can you guarantee your bird’s in the bag? Below you’ll find a list of tips to help you hunt pheasant this season more successfully.   

Bird Dogs to the Rescue

You are more likely to be successful in your pheasant hunting process if you use a dog. Whether it’s a Lab or an English Setter, you will be more likely to get the shot and find the bird if you have a dog on hand for the hunt.

Labs are excellent hunters. They have great skills for flushing pheasants from heavy cover. Also, Labs are unmatched in their craft for tracking a bird after it has been shot. 

English Setters are another option. They help locate pheasants in the brush and grass, and alert the owner of their whereabouts without attacking the bird. 

Drive the Birds

Hunting is more than sitting and waiting for prey to come along and then shooting it. It is a strategy that requires maneuvering.

Learning to drive the birds in the direction you want them to go makes you more successful in your hunt. 

Whether you’re in South Dakota pheasant hunting or pheasant hunting in Kansas, you can utilize a technique by Jeremy Eubank. He is very successful with or without dogs using this strategy. 

He positions a hunter or two at the top of a hill or ridge to wait and take aim. He then goes to the bottom and begins walking in a zig-zag pattern towards them. This pattern drives the birds up the hill through the cover of grass and brush. 

Once the birds run out of cover, they begin to fly right in front of the positioned hunters. 

This technique doesn’t work as well going downhill because the birds tend to fly off before the hunters can ambush them. 

Hunt Close to Water

During the dry weather parts of the season, pheasants tend to stay close to the water holes. They try to keep cool in streams when the weather is hot too. 

Get creative with your hunt for water sources. They may be in faucets, livestock watering containers, irrigation canals, irrigation equipment, and pump houses. 

Gear is Everything

Some hunters go for a 20-gauge shotgun, while others like the 16-gauge. The 12-gauge is a popular choice for goose and duck hunting. 

Steel shot is allowed on public lands. Try a larger size, such as the 4-steel shot. You have less of a range with steel, but when you keep it under 50 yards, you’ll have success. 

Hunt Pheasant This Season

It’s time to train your bird dog and bring some hunting partners to drive those birds. Keep an eye out for water holes during dry seasons, and get the best gear for the hunt! 

For more tips on how to hunt pheasant successfully, come on back and visit our blog. We are constantly updating it with your success in mind!