2014 Pheasant Season

New dog will be a 1 yr and 7 months old for this season. Im super pumped for this year!! He has trained well and has stamina for the all day hunts out west and grouse up north. Plus I still have an Eleven yr old veteran for the back up and re assurance!!! Come on 3rd weekend in OCT!!! or Grouse season, or Oct 4th for quackers!!!

I thought they didnt stock during gun deer but I watched them dump today and there were plenty of birds cackaling in the field before daylight.

Honestly, I never even thought of that. I was not carrying a gun, so I would assume it's ok. Really no different than taking the dogs on a run any other time of year the way I see it.

Mattp-not sure where you were hunting but is it legal to continue running your dog on birds if you already have your limit? Just looking out..

Finally a report to add. I have 3 kids under 6 with the newest being 3 months and deer season. Needless to say, its been a few weeks since Ive been out. This morning I snuck away and sat at my inlaws farm waiting for that 30 pointer that I would have captured on stealth cam if he wouldnt have ran by so quickly. No deer, little shooting and dang was it cold. At 1030 I had had enough and decided to head home. Just happened to be past my pheasant area and even better I had a shotgun and my dog. Birds are in their typical December holding areas. They werent holding too tight because the cover is disappearing. Found them in willows which presented a major problem. Put up 10 in the first area and 1. Simply missed gimmee shots. Must have been the extra layers. 2. They flushed on the other side of the willows. 3. I go back to my shooting was terrible. Walked back to a different spot they hold this time of year and there were tracks everywhere but no birds. On to the third spot. I could hear some cackling before I even got close. Well when all was said and done I go back to number 1 and 3. Five birds up and only took home one. At one point my dog almost caught one midair. He could see the problems and dang near took it into his own hands. Was great to be out. Cant wait to shoot some deer to get my focus back on track.

from yesterday: 1-1/2 hrs trudging through the snow and AWS Chip puts up a rooster right in front of me--and I missed! Still had a good time--didn't see any Deer Hunters out. PHG Rock Co.

MattP congrats on your puppy. Your going to have a great bird dog there.

I hunted about 2 hours total saturday and Sunday combined. Birds were everywhere. After shooting my 2 I ran the lab and my english pointer pup to get the little guy on some more birds. We ended up finding 17 total birds. The pup was terrified of a restrained quail a month ago, but now he's fearless when it comes to birds. He even pointed a turkey! The picture is him with the first bird shot over him.

Finally had a day where I saw some birds. Dog got real birdy a couple times in marsh grass then went into some woods. One rooster pops up and I see where it lands. A minute late another rooster pops up, and lands a ways from the first one. She gets on the first one (I'm guessing) and it pops up and I dump that one. Go back where I saw the second one land and she gets on its track and onto a fence line and a rooster pops off it. Flew off into private land. As that one was flying I hear another one cackle and I dumped that one. Never saw her go on point on any of the birds. I love watching her go on point, this was fun but having them pop up in front of the dogs nose is the best. Rick

got a pair today w/ my AWS Chip--cold & windy!

Weather changes release when its rainy and miserable. I know a couple years back that it rained for like 2 straight weeks. They didnt release them because birds are vulnerable and get sick/die. What happens though is that changing things does not mean they stop altogether. It just prolongs the amount of time fresh ones are put out. Take a look at some of these guys postings....The birds are there. You just have to know where to look. No report here. I spend last weekend putting up deer blind. If all goes as planned I connect with that 200 inch monster that Ive seen every night in my dreams and am back after pheasant Sunday. I like deer hunting but would rather be following my dog. Crappy part is venison is what we eat. Its almost a job.

Got 1 out of the 7 I saw. Missed 2 the rest got up to far to shoot at. Was a good 3 hr run for my girls.

anyone hunt the Jefferson marsh this year. I spent a lot of time out there this year and not seen a bird yet or hear many shots(I live next to the marsh} Last year was great for me but I just don't understand what's going on. any input would be great!

Got 2 today hunting Eldorado. Not many guys out.

Anyone know how long they release birds? I thought I saw on the DNR website that it was 6 weeks after the opening but that the weather could change that. Didn't know if this cold would cause them to end early.

Out yesterday, got my 2 in about the same, about a half hour. 2 flushes, 2 shots, 2 birds. The dog and I were all alone out there, first flush wasn't 50 feet from the parking lot, dog got close, I saw it run, dog in hot pursuit and up he went, down he went. Pretty cool to see it all happen, visibility is a little easier with the snow. Dog put up 3 more on the way back to the car. Cool! May go out again this afternoon, if not I'll be out again tomorrow.