Pheasants without a dog

[wwbirds]

Is hunting too fast, slow down and let dogs hunt out all cover. Pheasants are smart enough to let you walk by them if they think you will. Stop often to make them nervous.

Next biggest mistake I see is nagging the dog with whistle or voice. Pheasants know that all that noise coming towards them is not a good thing. If your dog is running long train them to stay in range. If they are hunting close enough to you stop barking orders or whistles while they are doing their job.

Always trust your dog when they get birdy despite what you think you can "smell" in the area!! I have had a rooster explode from a clump of grass in bald prairie near a well used cattle waterer we didnt think held a bird for 1/2 mile around

[coyoteman]

Originally Posted by Bub

I guess, I will be the fourth to ask. What did you come up with?

This method was use at Hopewell,namaka,frankl lake,and proved very effective.
First off you need a hunting partner.Take a length of cord about 220 ft long,at 8ft intervals form a small loop.then a quanity of water bottles.Take the caps off and bore a small hole thru the centre.Then cut lengths of light rebar wire about 4 inches long.In each bottle place three four small stones..Take the rebar wire and form a tight U.Place the rebar wire in the cord loop,then thru the cap hole flare the ends and screw the caps on.Take a small tarp wrap and tie.Then wrap the cord and bottle around for easy tangle free carry.In the field each huntertie the end to a gun belt,and walk across the pheasnt area,now about two hundred ft apart.you can wheel and turn by one hunter stopping.

[Ken3134]

Originally Posted by Dean2

You don't need a specially trained dog to hunt pheasants. Just one that will come back when called and won't run too far ahead. Pretty much any breed will work. Find someone in the neighborhood that wants their dog to get more exercise, and if you can find a large size poodle or a hunting breed so much the better. Start taking him for a walk a couple of times or more a week, play fetch with a tennis ball tied to a pheasant wing. Now, take him out hunting. It won't take him long to figure out the game.

We have a one year old labradoodle that I will try taking out, he is certainly smart and has the instinct to retrieve. It’ll get him some exercise if nothing else.

[coyoteman]

2016 and dogless,I came up with an effective method to harvest pheasants.You will need a hunting partner.Hopewell, namaka,frank lake,were idea sites.Take a piece of cord 220 ft long.And 8ft apart tie small loops.Take a quanity of small water bottles bore a small hole in the cente of each cap.In each water bottle place 3 or 4 small stones.Take light rebar wire and cut into 4or5 inch lengths.Bend the rebar wire into a tight U.place the rebar wire thru a loop then the ends thru the cap hole flare and screw the cap on.Take a small tarp roll up and tie.Roll the cord and bottles around the tarp for tangle free carry.At the hunting site tie the ends to the gun belts and proceed across the hunting area now 200 ft apart.You can wheel and turn by one hunter stopping.It wont take long to get the hang of it,head the runners toward an open area for a flush.

[threeforthree]

Pics or it didn't happen!!! a genuis

[kiute]

I have hunted pheasants without a dog by tracking them after a fresh snow.

[coyoteman]

One year at frank lake,with early frost and snow,the pheasants were running on the ice and into the rushes,tracking them on the snow to flush was super fun,and a really unique way to bag em.The bottle rig simple and easy to make and you dont have to wait for snow,covers a lot of ground,and also a fun way to pick up your limit if you dont have a dog.

[covey ridge]

If it is only an early frost don't follow those tracks in the rushes or you may find yourself stuck knee deep in black goo.

[slopeshunter]

Typo

[slopeshunter]

Originally Posted by Ken3134

We have a one year old labradoodle that I will try taking out, he is certainly smart and has the instinct to retrieve. It’ll get him some exercise if nothing else.

I am in the exact same boat as you. As you say, if anything it will be good exercise!

[tieflyer]

at my age a 25 ft rope would be to heavy

[tieflyer]

Thinking this through to a logical conclusion the system might work better with a series of drones

[gitrdun]

Originally Posted by coyoteman

No training necessary,take him to hopewell after a drop,keep him on a long lease.and he will soon train you----

Something that I was totally unaware of coyoteman. I could keep him on a very long leash for sure. However he tends to wrap himself around every possible obstacle. I do have a GPS tracker, and as you might know, hounds of any breed will follow their noses to kingdom come. Where or what is this "Hopewell" place that you've mentioned? There is a road in High River that heads west out of town. It follows the Highwood river valley and is heavily treed. On this road, I've seen pheasants on several occasions. Having seen them in the ditch or near the road, does this imply that it may be a release site? I do thank you for the tips and learning experience.

[Guide5689]

Not to say you can’t be productive without a dog but it not just getting your daily limit for those who have dogs. Teaming up with your dog is half the sport and fun watching them when they get locked on.


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[coyoteman]

Originally Posted by tieflyer

at my age a 25 ft rope would be to heavy

silly ,Its not rope ,light para cord,the whole rig you can lift with your little finger,besides you need a hunting part--rig er up get out of the house,bring back a few pheasants,bonus always neede excercise---good luck.

[coyoteman]

Originally Posted by gitrdun

Something that I was totally unaware of coyoteman. I could keep him on a very long leash for sure. However he tends to wrap himself around every possible obstacle. I do have a GPS tracker, and as you might know, hounds of any breed will follow their noses to kingdom come. Where or what is this "Hopewell" place that you've mentioned? There is a road in High River that heads west out of town. It follows the Highwood river valley and is heavily treed. On this road, I've seen pheasants on several occasions. Having seen them in the ditch or near the road, does this imply that it may be a release site? I do thank you for the tips and learning experience.

Hopewell is a pheasant release site very close to langdon--head down glenmore 1st right pass langdon,to dead end big sign.Its just a hugh meadow nothing to wrap around.in season they drop two or three times a week.no long walk park vehicle under wire your in ,easy going.keep your dog on a lease,let his nose do the work.

[coyoteman]

Originally Posted by Guide5689

Not to say you can’t be productive without a dog but it not just getting your daily limit for those who have dogs. Teaming up with your dog is half the sport and fun watching them when they get locked on.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Of course i hunt with on a scale of 10 is 9.5 griffon --combo dog -incredible nose--rock solid point--put a couple of shot and it goes down at incredible distance he will bring it back.cold weather water fowl retrieve no problem.This breed also can track and find wounded big game.children oh ya.hockey your team scores he will howl.Shock him once,he gets it now only vibrate.some days with no hunters in site he will bring back birds hit by other hunters.----------------Oh but i digress This thread meant for hunters who do not have the luxury of a dog but want to pick up a few pheasants for table fare.

[coyoteman]

Originally Posted by tieflyer

Thinking this through to a logical conclusion the system might work better with a series of drones

Drones a great idea,and for sure they would work.But the alberta dogmen are tough and not to be trifled with,also excellant shots,take a drone to a release site better bring a bag to pick up the pieces.

[covey ridge]

Originally Posted by gitrdun

Something that I was totally unaware of coyoteman. I could keep him on a very long leash for sure. However he tends to wrap himself around every possible obstacle. I do have a GPS tracker, and as you might know, hounds of any breed will follow their noses to kingdom come. Where or what is this "Hopewell" place that you've mentioned? There is a road in High River that heads west out of town. It follows the Highwood river valley and is heavily treed. On this road, I've seen pheasants on several occasions. Having seen them in the ditch or near the road, does this imply that it may be a release site? I do thank you for the tips and learning experience.

I am familiar with the area of which you speak and I have seen birds there as well. Those birds are probably released but that is not a release site like Hopewell mentioned in this thread. There are numerous locations in the province where pheasants are stocked on a regular basis just for hunters to shoot. The two nearest locations to you are on or near the DU land around Frank Lake. There is easy access and parking and the only requirement is a hunting license and an open season.

[coyoteman]

Originally Posted by covey ridge

I am familiar with the area of which you speak and I have seen birds there as well. Those birds are probably released but that is not a release site like Hopewell mentioned in this thread. There are numerous locations in the province where pheasants are stocked on a regular basis just for hunters to shoot. The two nearest locations to you are on or near the DU land around Frank Lake. There is easy access and parking and the only requirement is a hunting license and an open season.

frank lake a hour plus hopewell about 25min,no need to waste gas,lucky enough to arrive at truck drop day and you are home in no time with a couple of beauties.Bonus,200ft above the dyke at hopewell lots of ducks ,this year picked up a few geese.Bottom line hopewell very close to calgary and very productive,its not a expedition,but an after work in and out,

[coyoteman]

Originally Posted by Ken3134

We have a one year old labradoodle that I will try taking out, he is certainly smart and has the instinct to retrieve. It’ll get him some exercise if nothing else.

If pheasant has a weakness its holding tight,they would be much better off on the 1st hint of humans to high tail it out of dodge.Haveing said that they leave good scent your"labradoodle" will pick it up no prob.best to control the running wild with a long lease ,less he flushes out of range.Hopewell release site was made for this type of dog.no time at all you will have a couple of beauties in the bag.

[coyoteman]

Originally Posted by threeforthree

Pics or it didn't happen!!! a genuis

You may be jokeing,but the black lab is without a doubt the most beautiful dog,and maybe the smartest.at HUGH "SHOW" IN CLEVELAND Ohio ,My booth to pick up bear hunters for a camp in northern Ont. A dog show with two black labs was on the sch--The showman placed 5 american bills on the floor IE $2 $5 $10 $20 $50 Then ask the audience which bill to retrieve. He would then tell the dog to get that bill,and he would,watched it for 10 days could not figure it out.Plus many other incredible tricks----oh ya the blk lab the best.

[coyoteman]

Originally Posted by covey ridge

If it is only an early frost don't follow those tracks in the rushes or you may find yourself stuck knee deep in black goo.

Oh ya i have been in the gooh,one year the ice early,bad luck for pheasants.For ducks off the dyke i waded out in the cattails barely visible,and rolled the mallards going by,need a wadeing stick and chest high its not for everyone, but got a good many limits that way. Year before last took my zodiac with my hunting pard out to some offshore rushes,limited out as the ducks wissed by at point blank. cheers.

[coyoteman]

Originally Posted by covey ridge

Hunting abandoned road ditches we found that after a lengthy walk the birds would flush at the end of cover before we got there. We managed to get flushes within range by starting hunters on both ends and working towards each other. I must say we only did this with others we knew and trust well.

Sometimes when working alone I would drive to the end and place a transistor radio in the ditch and go back and work toward the ditch. I would often get shootable flushes way before I was able to hear the radio. I first learned of this method from Field and Stream Magazine about 40 years ago.

With a dog or without a dog stopping in cover as mention by Unregistered user is a winner. I think the worst thing one can do when hunting is a steady pace. Stop often.

absolutely,for all game i like to stop for log periods and watch--

[densa44]

Many years ago before I moved to Alberta I used to hunt pheasants on a "farm" near Grimsby Ontario. There were a couple of dogless fellows who showed up one day tied together with 50 feet of plastic rope, and the idea was pretty much what coyoteman suggested. My dog and I kept clear, it was only by God's grace that they didn't shoot one another, any bird that was put up by the rope (I never saw any but my dog put some up over land that they had covered) would be between the 2 gunners.

Have fun guys, and be safe.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by densa44

Many years ago before I moved to Alberta I used to hunt pheasants on a "farm" near Grimsby Ontario. There were a couple of dogless fellows who showed up one day tied together with 50 feet of plastic rope, and the idea was pretty much what coyoteman suggested. My dog and I kept clear, it was only by God's grace that they didn't shoot one another, any bird that was put up by the rope (I never saw any but my dog put some up over land that they had covered) would be between the 2 gunners.

Have fun guys, and be safe.

And that would likely work on open fields, but it wouldn' t be practical where the birds are in brush or tall cover.

[covey ridge]

Originally Posted by densa44

Many years ago before I moved to Alberta I used to hunt pheasants on a "farm" near Grimsby Ontario. There were a couple of dogless fellows who showed up one day tied together with 50 feet of plastic rope, and the idea was pretty much what coyoteman suggested. My dog and I kept clear, it was only by God's grace that they didn't shoot one another, any bird that was put up by the rope (I never saw any but my dog put some up over land that they had covered) would be between the 2 gunners.

Have fun guys, and be safe.

About 30 years ago my cousin and I hunted pheasants west of Nanton near the Meridain Road. We were parked in the entrance to the field we had just hunted when we saw a lone rooster picking gravel on the road. We would have put a move on the bird but there was a cattle drive coming down the road. About 100 head plus 4 riders and a truck. The rooster just went into the ditch as the heard passed crowding the fence on both sides of the road. We knew it was going to be a while so we just poured another coffee and watched. When the herd had passed we were surprised to see the rooster back on the road.

[covey ridge]

Originally Posted by coyoteman

frank lake a hour plus hopewell about 25min,no need to waste gas,lucky enough to arrive at truck drop day and you are home in no time with a couple of beauties.Bonus,200ft above the dyke at hopewell lots of ducks ,this year picked up a few geese.Bottom line hopewell very close to calgary and very productive,its not a expedition,but an after work in and out,

Opposite for me. Frank Lake 10 minutes and Hopewell over an hour. There are duck and geese to be had at both.

[coyoteman]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

And that would likely work on open fields, but it wouldn' t be practical where the birds are in brush or tall cover.

For sure would not work if any brush or cover,only flat open areas like hopewell,frank lake.The gentleman mentioned some guys with a rope and safety.Many times when hunting with dogs a pheasant would flush out of the blue towards me or hunting partners--In many cases if safty a concern we of course let the bird go.So rope,dog other its about awareness and safty--overthe years i have hunting with people who forgot this golden rule --for the last time--I have been hit with bird shot on two ocassions once in the face close to an eye.As a young boy my father walked in front of me as i careless swung on a duck and fired,the 12ga an inch or two from his head.

[covey ridge]

It may be just me, but when I am carrying a loaded firearm and my hunting partner is carrying a loaded firearm, the last thing I want is to be tied together.

It may also just me but when my dog is on lead no matter how long the lead my gun is not loaded. In a training situation I handled the check cord and my wife carried my gun empty. When a point was established she took the check cord and I took the gun.